Nick Newell became the talk of the mixed martial arts world after the fighter, with an ostensible disability, took his undefeated career record to 10 straight wins on Saturday.
The impressive record, topped with that win at the WSOF event, has led some to speculate of his eventual inclusion among the sport’s elite in the UFC. However, in a frank interview with Bloody Elbow, Newell has said that he is not thinking about the UFC, but instead focusing on his WSOF career:
“UFC is still the number one promotion in the world, but WSOF really treats their fighters well. This whole week has been phenomenal. Anything you need, they have it for you. They’re friendly, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Every time I had a request, they accommodated me.”
Newell’s achievements in the sport so far have been remarkable considering he was born with only half an arm on his left-hand side. Nevertheless, this former wrestler has gone on to dominate every single man put before him, finishing all but one inside the first round.
That includes his WSOF opponent from the weekend, Keon Caldwell, who barely lasted two minutes against Newell.
The fighter has talked of his dream to fight in the UFC in the past and even tried out for The Ultimate Fighter TV show, however, the promotion has yet to show any interest in him. In fact, UFC president, Dana White, has gone on record to say that Newell would “never” fight for the promotion.
It’s some comfort then, that he has found a home at the WSOF, where he’s poised to become a huge star.
“Yeah, I’m getting a huge push. [The WSOF] put me on such a big stage and given me such a great opportunity. I couldn’t be happier. I got a lot of coverage for this fight, more so than usual. I usually fly in to a fight the day before, but World Series flew me out on Monday and had media lined up for me all week. They kept me busy, for sure. I worked really hard for this, and it’s good to get the recognition.”
No opponent has been lined up for Newell’s next fight, although, based of his last performance, the WSOF is likely to put him front and centre when he returns to the cage.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com