The frequent purpose amongst most up-and-coming regional (or worldwide) combined martial arts (MMA) prospects is to in the future compete for Final Preventing Championship (UFC). Different main promotions comparable to Bellator MMA, Skilled Fighter’s Leagues, and ONE Championship aren’t far behind. Actually, numerous prospects throughout the globe are all working towards the identical profession purpose, making it troublesome to face out within the sea of competitors. As usually as doable, MMAmania.com will spotlight a special fight sports activities prospect to maintain your eyes on.
Eric McConico
Age: 32Height: 6’0”Weight class: MiddleweightRecord: 9-2-1Gym: The MMA Lab
Proficient regional Middleweights might be onerous to search out as a lot of the greatest regional fighters these days are within the lighter weight courses; nonetheless, Eric McConico is stable and does every thing effectively.
McConico got here from a school soccer background as a working again however wrestled in highschool. When his soccer profession ended, he wanted one thing to finish his aggressive itch, and MMA was it.
McConico began his skilled profession in 2018 and went 4-0-1 with 4 finishes- three knockouts and one submission.
In 2019, he suffered two knockouts back-to-back, which halted his profession and made him query whether or not he ought to proceed combating. He additionally moved to a special state and joined a model new gymnasium: The MMA Lab.
“So there was numerous psychological struggles occurring. There was numerous financials occurring,” McConico informed MMAMania.com in an interview. “I needed to discover work even to attempt to proceed to struggle since you gotta have a great basis earlier than you may go right into a gymnasium and attempt to give attention to coaching and combating. , so, throughout that time frame once I moved from Oregon to Arizona, once I was in Oregon, I had a great setup and had good sponsorships that allowed me to coach full-time and never have to fret a few nine-to-five a lot. I labored at UPS generally and, , Amazon with four-hour jobs right here and there. However once I got here to Arizona, I needed to get a full-time nine-to-five job, and having to take care of that, and having to take care of funds and simply life, , I imply, it was onerous to commit myself into the gymnasium as a result of I needed to. I went via numerous shit, in order that delay in my profession wasn’t by selection. Most of it wasn’t by selection. Most of it was simply life.”
Since becoming a member of The MMA Lab in Arizona, which has quite a few UFC fighters like Jared Cannonier, Sean O’Malley, Marcus McGhee, Kyler Phillips, and Benson Henderson, McConico has gone 5-0 with three finishes.
Final 12 months, McConico completed former UFC fighter Maki Pitolo at Tuff-N-Uff 134.
With McConico being 32 years outdated, there’s an argument that he isn’t a prospect, however that rule doesn’t actually apply to heavier weight courses. His teammate Cannonier didn’t get to the UFC till he was 31, and he went on to problem for a Middleweight title and has been within the High 15 for years.
McConico is aware of he’s near getting a name to UFC or Contender Collection however isn’t going to take a seat and anticipate it like many different fighters have. If he has to struggle, he’ll struggle and has no drawback with it.
“They know if I’m prepared or not,” McConico stated. “I imply, they’ve been doing this shit for years. They know. Now, in the event that they requested me for a short-notice struggle, sure, hell yeah, I’m positively taking that. However I wouldn’t be mad if it doesn’t occur proper now. These are sharks. That’s the jungle, that’s the highest of the highest. Like, I’m prepared in the event that they name me. 100% I’m like, yeah. Like, let’s go, bro.
Look, the matchmakers need guys who actually wish to be right here. They need guys who’re actually going to go to the gymnasium and prepare. They need guys who’re actually going to remain prepared. They need guys who actually need this to be part of their lives. And, like, I need this to be my life. Like, I need this to be my life, man. I need to have the ability to go prepare daily, come residence to my youngsters, chill with my household, after which compete. That’s some actual Dragon Ball Z shit. I need my identify to be remembered via my household historical past, and I’m able to show myself.”
McConico is coming off a first-round submission win over MMA veteran Jarome Hatch at Tuff-N-Uff 138 on Friday (July 27, 2024).
Try some extra highlights of McConico.
For extra regional MMA information and notes click on right here.
