Eric Nicksick is aware of he tousled.
Earlier this month, Sean Strickland fell quick in his rematch with Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312, shedding a clear-cut unanimous choice. Afterward, Nicksick, Strickland’s head coach and cornerman, spoke about his fighter’s “uninspired” efficiency and questioned Strickland’s motivations. In response, Strickland gave his ideas on Nicksick’s feedback and mentioned he’ll “most likely not” be in his nook shifting ahead.
It was a sudden and sudden fallout for the duo, and on Tuesday, Nicksick addressed the state of affairs on his Verse Us podcast.
“I don’t even think about it a fallout,” Nicksick mentioned. “I feel it was simply one thing I wanted. I made a calculated mistake. We’ll discuss that and my thought course of in what went on. Nevertheless it was one thing I felt I actually wanted as a result of it confirmed me so much about individuals. It made me study what I have to do higher. There was so much, bro. Dude, I got here out of this going, OK, right here’s the place I is usually a higher individual, a greater coach, a greater pal, a greater mentor, all these different issues.’ Nevertheless it additionally confirmed me who’s in my nook.”
Nicksick’s unique feedback got here shortly after returning dwelling from Sydney, and the Xtreme Couture coach says that was a poor selection on his half.
“I made a mistake by accepting the invitation to go on on the timing of the place I used to be at,” Nicksick continued. “I feel individuals want to know, you’re coming off 25 hours of journey, 19 hour time distinction, I’m on the gymnasium on Tuesday, half awake. I ought to’ve simply mentioned, ‘Hey man, not a very good time.’ That’s the place I f*cked up. I ought to’ve by no means performed it.
“The explanation why, you win, it’s such as you’re on this parade. I additionally really feel like should you lose, it’s best to face the music, too. Hey man, we misplaced, let’s face it. What threw me for a loop was, about half-hour earlier than happening with Ariel [Helwani], Sean is at observe with us, and Sean tells me all these items about how he felt within the weeks main as much as the struggle, yada yada yada, his headspace. And it was very disappointing to listen to what his headspace was and what his thought course of was about being a champion, all these items. That’s private. I ought to’ve identified higher. I took that vitality and needed to course of that whereas I’m going on Ariel.
“I f*cked up. I f*cked up.”
However although Nicksick admits he didn’t showcase the perfect judgment, he nonetheless stands by a lot of what he mentioned, although not the way through which he expressed it.
“I made a miscalculation in that second in each accepting to go on the present,” Nicksick mentioned. “Quantity two, my wording was piss-poor. What I mentioned was correct: the struggle was uninspiring. Everyone knows Sean. That’s not how Sean fights. What I mentioned was correct. Am I to shoulder a few of that blame? A hundred percent. As a workers, it’s on us. I’ve all the time mentioned that. However his output, his physique language, his demeanor, it didn’t really feel like Sean. And if anyone thinks I ought to have lied to cowl, that’s a Sure Man, and I gained’t be that.
“So if anyone is upset that I used to be just a little too harsh on Sean f*cking Strickland, what are we doing right here?
“Now, the place my wording was incorrect was when Ariel mentioned, ‘Do you wish to proceed to teach Sean?’ On the heels of what he advised me prior, my response ought to’ve been ‘championship mindset.’ Not champions. I don’t coach all champions, and I get that. Sean has a championship mindset. He works his ass off, he spars exhausting. I can by no means do what Sean does. However once you inform me that your motives have modified and it’s to not be a champion per se, my solely actual large incentive is ‘Let’s chase greatness.’ However I f*cking worded it incorrect.”
Nicksick additionally added that although his wording and timing have been incorrect, the underlying level stays: he needed to encourage higher from Strickland shifting ahead, one thing Strickland himself has tried to do similarly.
“What I’ve realized over time is it’s best to most likely give individuals just a little grace right here and there. I can’t bat a thousand, and I made a mistake; I made a calculated error on that half. However what I used to be making an attempt to do, in a roundabout method, was to problem my fighter to carry out higher the subsequent day trip.
“As a result of right here’s a man who has publicly talked shit about Edmen [Shahbazyan], [Marvin] Vettori, different coaches, and the rationale he does that’s as a result of he’s making an attempt to get the perfect out of them. … I do know what Sean’s making an attempt to do, and I defended him about what he’s mentioned and the way he’s mentioned it as a result of he desires what’s greatest for his guys within the room. …
“So I attempted to do some of what Sean does and provides him a style of his personal medication and attempt to get a f*cking response out of him going, ‘I’m going to show this motherf*cker incorrect.’ I assure you this: if I’m in his nook or not, do you assume he’s going to struggle more durable subsequent time?
“So, did I f*ck up? Did I’m going and name him out or say something that nobody else was saying? I used to be most likely the perfect on him in comparison with Din Thomas, different individuals. These guys have been going after him. ‘Oh, you’re piling on!’ No, I’m being open and trustworthy to the constructive criticism that all of us ought to tackle, myself included.”
Nicksick went on to say that he doesn’t care if Strickland has him again in his nook; he simply desires what’s greatest for his pal and fighter, and even when this all was a mistake, his intentions have been good, and he doesn’t remorse doing it.
“Since he beat Izzy, I’ve seen a change,” Nicksaid mentioned. “So I mentioned what I mentioned, hoping to get him again. So if that makes me a shitty individual or a nasty coach or no matter, I don’t know. However I don’t remorse what I mentioned. I remorse the timing of it and the wording of it.”
