THE CANADIAN PRESS
It was only a couple of years ago that Drew Fickett was at the top of Maximum Fighting Championship president Mark Pavelich’s naughty list.
Pavelich went ballistic when he heard Fickett planned to appear on a June 2008 Strikeforce card as a late injury replacement. Fickett was due to compete in the MFC at the time and his contract stated he could not fight for anyone else within five weeks of his MFC bout.
What followed was a colourful Internet trail of alleged voicemails and forum postings from promoter and fighter.
Suffice to say, the former UFC fighter from Arizona did not appear on either the Strikeforce or MFC cards.
Fast forward more than 30 months and Fickett (40-13) is being showcased in Friday night’s co-main event of MFC 28 at the River Cree Resort & Casino in Enoch, Alta. (HDNet,. 10 p.m. ET).
All is forgiven.
“We had a brother’s quarrel,” said Fickett. “We’re fine. He’s my kind of guy.”
Pavelich has also let bygones be bygones, although a January story on the MFC website calls Fickett signing a multi-fight deal with his organization “one of the most astonishing turn of events in the history of the Maximum Fighting Championship.”
Pavelich points to Fickett’s mixed martial arts record — and talent.
“We all know that he’s beaten Kenny Florian, he’s beaten Josh Koscheck. He has the ability to be the best fighter at 155 (pounds),” Pavelich said.
“The problem with Drew has always been Drew. And now he looks like he’s passed all of that. And I think all it takes in life is someone to believe in you and I truly believe in his abilities. … I tell him ‘Drew, you’re an MMA savant. Why make everything so difficult? Just go into the ring and do what you do. Right? Stop making everything outside your life so difficult.’
“And that’s was always hurt him. It’s never been inside the ring that’s hurt him. It’s always been the outside.”
Fickett, 31, was slated to meet Antonio McKee for the MFC lightweight title Friday. But a knee injury sidelined McKee and former UFC and MFC fighter Matt Veach (15-2) stepped in with less than a week’s notice.
The non-title fight will be contested at a catchweight of 160 pounds.
For Fickett, it’s five pounds he doesn’t have to cut. He usually has to shed 25 pounds to make 155.
“I’m pretty happy with that,” he said with a laugh. “I mean if I’m not fighting for a title, I’ll take the five pounds.”
Dwayne Lewis (13-6) of Fort McMurray, Alta., takes on Edmonton’s Ryan Jimmo (13-1) for the vacant MFC light-heavyweight title in Friday’s main event.
Fickett went 12-0 after turning pro in 1999 and was 24-2 when he debuted in the UFC in February 2005 at UFC 51. He went on to post a 4-3 record in the UFC, making his last appearance in the Octagon in April 2007 when he defeated Keita Nakamura.
His career has been a roller-coaster since then. He went 4-3 in 2008, 0-5 in 2009 and 4-0 in 2010.
So what happened?
“Life, man,” said Fickett. “I had a baby girl . . . and was in a real rocky relationship with the mom. I wasn’t able to train, didn’t want to fight, had no desire to fight whatsoever.
“And I was still fighting good-level guys and not training and not focused, just kind of going in there for a paycheque.”
So Fickett moved from Phoenix to Tucson, where he had grown up. He started a gym, formed Team Scrub “and just got a lot of motivated, passionate guys around me.”
Their enthusiasm rubbed off.
“I feel real at ease. I stopped drinking about six months ago,” he said. “I feel good, I feel better about myself. I’m really motivated to fight for my daughter, because I’m in a custody battle right now with the mom. My career really depends on me now, my daughter depends on me now for child support.
“You put those kind of things in the equation, if you’re not motivated by that then I don’t think you’re human.”
His daughter turns three in September.
Pavelich sees Veach as a potentially tougher fight for Fickett because Veach wants to stick with the organization.
“He realizes that he’s extremely hungry to make a statement, especially live on HDNet.”
A Fickett win would likely mean a date with McKee, possibly in April at MFC 29 in Windsor, Ont., if both fighters are healthy, according to Pavelich.
