Coach: Sean Strickland ‘fights for that little kid inside of him that he couldn’t protect’
Sean Strickland’s head coach, Eric Nicksick, is aware of things his fighter says on social media about mental health, and wants to let the rising star know that he always has his back.
On Instagram, the former UFC middleweight champion spoke openly and honestly about “fighting the demons” inside of him and the struggles he goes through. Nicksick doesn’t always agree with things his fighter says, but when it comes to the mental side of the game – and making sure his athletes are where they need to be in that department – the Xtreme Couture head coach admits he knows his fighter well.
Perhaps, though, Nicksick said he could do more, noting Strickland’s UFC 297 loss to Dricus du Plessis and the advice he gave Strickland heading into the final round.
“I know why he fights, I know who he fights for — he fights for that little kid inside of him that he couldn’t protect,” Nicksick said on The MMA Hour. “He’ll fight anybody, and everybody in the world for that little guy who’s in [his heart], and I said that to him going into Round 5 [at UFC 297]. I wish I would have said that in Round 4, but you got to know who and what they’re fighting for.
“Those are things I think that I’ve got to be better at, and especially with him.”
Strickland’s recent post opened up a lot of eyes. Still, he said there was a purpose behind it, telling his fans he understands many go through similar battles, and he wants to remind them they are “not alone” in the battle.
Strickland, 33, joined Theo Von’s This Past Weekend podcast in January and recounted some of his horrific childhood trauma in an emotional interview.
When it comes to everything Strickland and other fighters have gone through in their lives, including their fighting careers, Nicksick has a message of support.
“These men and women go through so much, especially in this sport, then you combine the fact with your brain damage that you’re accruing year after year after year, and the CTE, then you add in the fact of this guy’s history and past,” Nicksick said. “Dude, don’t be afraid to talk about some of this stuff. It doesn’t have to be on Theo Von. We can go grab a coffee and sit and just chat, me and you, and it stays in the trust tree.
“It also helps me understand more about my fighter.”