Mick Parkin: Learning From The Best
The Undefeated Englishman Is Grateful To Have A Pair of Champions In His Corner As He Looks To Climb The UFC’s Heavyweight Ladder
Mick Parkin might just be the most unassuming man on the UFC roster. He’s polite, accessible, and answers questions with a broad smile across his face. If it looks like a man who is living his dream, that’s because he is.
The 28-year-old Englishman is undefeated at 8-0, and already has two UFC victories under his belt after earning his spot on the roster with a victory on Dana White’s Contender Series. It's a swift rise for a man who was fighting on local shows in the North East of England just two years ago.
Sitting down to chat with UFC.com ahead of his third UFC fight this weekend at UFC Vegas 89, Parkin admitted that his journey thus far has been an incredible one.
“Yeah, it's been amazing. I think everybody who fights MMA or starts training dreams of the UFC. It's the pinnacle of the sport,” he said.
“To fight in the Contender Series and go through that, and then come to the UFC and be 2-0, it's amazing. I've still got to pinch myself. It's a dream.”
Parkin’s Octagon debut saw him walk out in front of a packed O2 Arena in London as he made his maiden UFC appearance on home soil. Unsurprisingly, it was a special moment.
“In London I felt super chilled. It was just amazing to have that experience of a (big) crowd, walking out,” he said.
“I had been at the previous UFCs. I think I went to the first one when Tom (Aspinall) fought (Alexander) Volkov. I went to the one when Tom fought (Curtis) Blaydes, so I knew what to expect and how great it was. And it was amazing. Having Bruce Buffer announcing your name – it's literally surreal.”
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Parkin may stand six feet four inches tall and weigh in right on the heavyweight limit. But he certainly isn’t the big dog on the mats. His two main training partners – and closest confidants – are interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and former UFC veteran – and long-reigning KSW heavyweight champion – Phil De Fries. He’s even shared the mats with another English colossus, former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall, who has been training with the team recently.
Stood alongside his two champion colleagues, he’s very much the young cub of the group, and he’s grateful to have them both in his inner circle as he looks to follow in their footsteps and learn from their experience.
“To have Tom in the UFC at the moment, he's had so many more fights in the UFC, and he’s obviously world champion now. He knew all the little ins and outs of fight week, like getting the meal prep, getting the physio, stuff like that. Maybe things that I wouldn’t know.
“I was with Davey Grant the other day in the sauna, and he’s had 12 fights or something in the UFC now. He knew loads of tips, like, 'Oh, at the PI, ask for this. Get this meal card to get your meals.’ It’s so helpful.
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“Obviously, I’ve got the experience with Tom being here, and Phil’s been on every show around the world. It’s great to have their advice, and they’re all just great guys to be around.
“They’re really good for fight week. They keep you super chilled and keep the pressure off you. It’s quite relaxed. All we’ve done today is play Mario Kart in the room! My coach, Andrew Fisher, he’s super competitive, and he’s pretty good!”
The vast experience that Aspinall and De Fries can impart on Parkin has been a huge help as he made it through first the Contender Series, then his UFC debut, as he defeated Jamal Pogues in London to get his career on the big stage off and running with a decision victory. He then followed up that win with another victory on the scorecards as he defeated Caio Machado at the UFC APEX last November.
Now Parkin is set for his next test and will take on Mohammed Usman at UFC Vegas 89 this weekend. It will be Parkin’s third appearance at the UFC APEX, and it’s a venue he says gives fans a rare chance to not just watch what’s going on inside the Octagon. They can truly hear it, too.
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“I think fans like a bigger crowd, but it’s better to watch (here) because you can actually hear the punches and kicks that, on the TV, you probably don’t think is that big a shot. But you can actually hear the slap and the impact, and I think it makes a difference to people, who are like, 'Oh my God! That was such a big shot!'"
The matchup with Usman will see Parkin take on a fellow emerging heavyweight prospect who has significant experience in his corner in the form of his brother, former undisputed welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. "The Motor" also has a penchant for quick finishes, with five of his 11 career wins coming in the first round. However, the peril of facing the threat of a quick finish is nothing new for Parkin, who says that it comes with the territory of fighting in the sport's heaviest weight class.
“It’s heavyweight MMA, so every guy I fight is dangerous,” said Parkin.
“They’ve all got big shots – that’s a given. He’s definitely athletic and dangerous. He’s definitely going to be explosive. I like I said, at this level, everyone’s good. You’re not going to have any easy fights anymore.
“But, watching his skillset, I do think I’ve got a good skillset to beat him. I think I’m better than him, all round. I train with better guys, I’m getting better constantly. But, it’s heavyweight MMA. I’ve got to be switched on for the full three rounds. But I’m feeling super confident for this matchup.”
That quiet confidence comes back to the towering duo who have helped mold Parkin into the fighter he is today, and the knowledge that he’s putting in the rounds with two elite heavyweights who cover the full gamut of fighting skills needed to become a truly top-class heavyweight.
“We’ve got Tom, who’s like the most athletic guy ever for a big guy,” he explained.
“He’s the fastest man for a big guy, probably, on the planet. He’s not just fast for a big guy – he’s fast for a little guy!
“And then with Phil, Phil is the strongest man you’ve ever felt. I’ve gone into fights and they grip hold of me and I always think, 'They’re nowhere near as strong as Phil!'
“So it’s great to know they’re not going to be as good as Tom’s striking, and they’re not going to be as good as Phil’s grappling and wrestling, and I’m doing good with those guys now. I feel my confidence is sky high.
“I’m doing it against two of the best heavyweights on the planet and I’m getting better, so why can’t I do it here? It’s amazing to have this team around me.”
