By Carlin Bardsley
Derek Parker steps back into the ring at MFC 35 Friday night in Edmonton against Jared McComb, a man he has unfinished business with. The two originally squared off at MFC 33 in May, with the fight ending in a draw. This time will be different, Parker vows, and it’s hard to argue with a man nicknamed “The Lion” for reasons that have as much to do with his ferocity in the ring as his heart outside it.
Parker came into the sport after spending the majority of his life as many Canadians do, on the hockey rink. Parker earned a reputation as a feared enforcer in the WHL, the United States’ Central Hockey League and Quebec’s LNAH. Despite the transition to full-time MMA fighter, Parker still finds time to hit the rink on occasion, suiting up for the LNAH’s Marquis de Jonquière in a few games this season, and unsurprisingly getting into a couple of “tilts” as he calls them.
While it may not be the most traditional path to MMA, it’s not without precedent. Quebec’s Steve (The Boss) Bossé shares Parker’s LNAH enforcer roots and since making the transition to MMA holds wins over such notable names as UFC veterans Wes Sims, Marvin Eastman and Houston Alexander.
Parker is making the most of his assets, chief among them his willingness to fight anyone at any time and a dogged determination that fuels him to overcome any obstacles in front of him. He continues to evolve his MMA skill set, being one of the many fighters to grace the famed Tristar dorms in Montreal to work among Canada’s most elite MMA camp.
“I’m training with some high-level guys and getting really good coaching. I trained out here before back in 2008, when I was playing hockey out here. It was a good fit for me. I’m back out here playing hockey again.”
Not everyone can withstand the pressure and the physical demands of competing in two high-intensity sports such as hockey and MMA, but it’s clear that Parker has a love for both sports and is having as much fun as the law will allow. Referring to his hockey fights, he chuckles and says, “I call it a little bit of extra sparring.” While there are injury risks present by continuing to engage in fisticuffs on the ice, Parker seems aware and at peace with them.
“As MMA fighters we do need to find extra ways to support ourselves, it’s not as glamourous as you might think.
There is an element of risk to it and I’m aware of it, but I’m in the gym sparring and everything else so there’s an element of risk there too. I get to play Friday and Saturday night, get in some extra sparring and pay the bills by doing it. I still love it, I still love going to the rink. It’s great to just go in the locker room and see the boys.”
A relative newcomer to MMA despite his life of fighting on the ice, Parker has worked hard to round out his skill set and become a complete mixed martial artist. In addition to training with the elite squad at Tristar, he has been taking every opportunity that presents itself to add to his arsenal of skills while still maintaining his aggressive fighting style.
“I would say I’m definitely the same style of fighter. When I come to fight, I come to fight. I don’t try to win on points. I plan to win the fight and have the guy walk out of there thinking ‘I don’t want to fight that guy again,’ the same as I am in hockey. I’m out there to prove a point.
“I’ve worked on a lot of things to be in a position where I can have those (exciting) fights. I’ve done some wrestling, worked with the U of Regina wrestling team in their off-season quite a bit and wrestling’s something that I enjoy quite a bit. It’s like two dogs going at it.”
The rematch with McComb is something that Parker has wanted since their first fight ended inconclusively. Parker felt he was on the verge of victory as the fight was ending, and the frustration of the fight ending in a draw has him motivated to not let the same thing happen again. For that, he draws another hockey analogy, referring to the rematch as “overtime.”
“I’m not going to say it’s going to last 15 minutes, that’s the main difference I see in the (rematch). I’m coming in there to beat him up. In the last fight, the bell actually rang when I had a good rear naked choke on Jared in the third round, I just needed a few more seconds. So this fight is like a little bit of overtime for me and I don’t plan on having it go very long.
“I think that Jared was probably ecstatic to get out of that fight with a draw, where for myself it was a little disappointing. He kind of squeaked out of it with the draw. I’m not going to take anything away from my effort but watching the fight back there are some things I would have done a bit different. So it’s time to settle that unfinished business.”
Despite spending the majority of his life fighting either on the ice or in the ring, Parker is an affable personality away from those sports and is involved with campaigns aimed with promoting anti-bullying strategies among youth. October is anti-bullying month, and Parker plans on marking the occasion by wearing pink shorts to the ring in his rematch against McComb. Bullying is a problem that seems to be growing in our society, and Parker is hoping that he can use his notoriety to spur change in people’s attitudes.
“I’ve been involved with the Red Cross in raising money for their ‘Imagine no bullies’ campaign, that’s kind of where it started for me. (Stopping) bullying is something that I’m passionate about. A group I’m working with has the slogan ‘Be a hero, stop bullying.’ If you’re a bystander and you see some bullying going on, there’s a chance for you to be a hero to walk in there and stop what’s going on.”
Whether in the ring, on the ice, or working for the causes he believes in, Parker shows the heart of a lion and will bring that mentality with him to the ring at MFC 35.
Carlin Bardsley is a writer for MMASucka.com and the host of a daily MMA radio show on NextSportStar.com. Follow him on Twitter @CarlinBardsley.
