Newell: I’ll keep working towards UFC dream
Nick Newell: “Emotionally it hurts, but I’ve lost before, and it made me better. There’s lessons to be learned from this, and I’m just going to keep moving forward.”
UFC president Dana White was long on record as opposing Nick Newell’s entry into the UFC, explicitly citing the congenital amputation of his left arm, which ends just below his elbow. However, Newell earned a 14-1 record, with his sole loss coming to Justin Gathje, who is currently well into the UFC top 10.
After securing a management agreement with Ali Abdelaziz, Newell got a meeting with UFC president Dana White, who offered him a shot on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. Last night Newell lost, to undefeated Team Alpha Male wrestling coach Alex Munoz. ‘Notorious’ spoke with the press post-fight, and his determination to get into the UFC remains unchanged.
Physically, I’m fine, said Newell, as transcribed by Mike Bohn and Ken Hathaway for MMAjunkie. Emotionally it hurts, but I’ve lost before, and it made me better. There’s lessons to be learned from this, and I’m just going to keep moving forward. … Right now it looks like I’m going to have to go back to the drawing board and just keep working toward the dream.
He was the better man. I don’t make excuses. It’s a fight, and it wasn’t my day. It was his day, and he deserves it. I worked 17 years for this. A lot of people take breaks and are doing other things all week, partying and stuff like that. I’m always focused, always training, and this is a lifestyle choice for me. I’m just going to get better from here.
I am who I am because I’m never content. Nothing’s ever good enough for me. I’m a guy who lost his first 17 wrestling matches and went on to be all-state, went on to win a world title in MMA. 14-1, and now I’m 14-2. It sucks, but this is the game we play. There are winners, and there are losers. Today wasn’t my day.
Newell spoke briefly with White post-fight.
He told me, ‘Good job,’ said Newell. I just want to fight in the UFC, but nothing is given. Everything is earned. I’ve taken the hard route my whole life, and I’m used to it. I don’t want anything given to me. I want everything I’ve earned. All I asked for was a chance. I got my chance, and I didn’t make the most of it.
I have it. I know I have it, and I’ve just got to show it. I’ve got to sit back, and I’ve got to watch and I’ve got to learn. … I’m better than what I showed, and I just have to work and get better and improve.