Brad Pickett: ‘I’m leaving the sport on my terms’

Brad Pickett, who will hang up his gloves after UFC London, looks back on his past and towards the future.

In just a matter of days, Brad ‘One Punch’ Pickett will make his final walk to the Octagon. It is a walk that many fans have become accustomed to seeing him take, occasionally reading his newspaper, but always with his trademark braces, cut-off jeans, and Trilby hat.

Pickett, who rarely ends up in a boring fight, has earned a legion of fans globally who have fallen for his come-forward style. That style will be missed when he leaves his 4oz gloves in the Octagon and calls it a day. On March 18th, retirement will have finally come for one of the UFC’s most exciting bantamweights.

A favorite of UFC president Dana White, Pickett will leave the sport as a legend having fought a who’s who of mixed martial artists, but he’s doing so at a time of his choosing and on his own terms.

“I’m 38 now and it’s a really hard thing to do,” Pickett said to WHOATV. “I want to leave with a bit of dignity. You don’t get easy fights in the UFC. It’s a really tough sport. I want to leave the sport on my terms instead of the UFC saying ‘see you later’.”

While Pickett will exit the Octagon for the last time after he takes on Mexico’s Henry Briones on home soil at London’s 02 Arena, he has no plans to shelve his love for mixed martial arts. “Not a lot of people have a get-out plan because they haven’t been in the game for that long,” Pickett said. “I want to pass my knowledge on and help younger athletes go to achieve great things. I think I’d be a good coach. I want to create my own Great Britain Top Team.”

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @WHOATV and interact with us, as we love mixing it up with you guys. You can also subscribe to us via YouTube, or if you want to contact me directly I’m also on Twitter.

Brad Pickett, who will hang up his gloves after UFC London, looks back on his past and towards the future.

In just a matter of days, Brad ‘One Punch’ Pickett will make his final walk to the Octagon. It is a walk that many fans have become accustomed to seeing him take, occasionally reading his newspaper, but always with his trademark braces, cut-off jeans, and Trilby hat.

Pickett, who rarely ends up in a boring fight, has earned a legion of fans globally who have fallen for his come-forward style. That style will be missed when he leaves his 4oz gloves in the Octagon and calls it a day. On March 18th, retirement will have finally come for one of the UFC’s most exciting bantamweights.

A favorite of UFC president Dana White, Pickett will leave the sport as a legend having fought a who’s who of mixed martial artists, but he’s doing so at a time of his choosing and on his own terms.

“I’m 38 now and it’s a really hard thing to do,” Pickett said to WHOATV. “I want to leave with a bit of dignity. You don’t get easy fights in the UFC. It’s a really tough sport. I want to leave the sport on my terms instead of the UFC saying ‘see you later’.”

While Pickett will exit the Octagon for the last time after he takes on Mexico’s Henry Briones on home soil at London’s 02 Arena, he has no plans to shelve his love for mixed martial arts. “Not a lot of people have a get-out plan because they haven’t been in the game for that long,” Pickett said. “I want to pass my knowledge on and help younger athletes go to achieve great things. I think I’d be a good coach. I want to create my own Great Britain Top Team.”

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @WHOATV and interact with us, as we love mixing it up with you guys. You can also subscribe to us via YouTube, or if you want to contact me directly I’m also on Twitter.