What if we see a Nick Newell head kick loss inside the Octagon?
To some folks, the prospect of seeing a Nick Newell head kick defeat under the UFC banner would be a horrendous look for the promotion. A one-handed fighter getting rendered unconscious by a swift kick to the dome would be a sight that certain people just couldn’t stomach.
The thing is, Newell knows all about the risks his athletic career entails. He is fully aware that he can suffer a loss by any method. That is the nature of this brutal game.
In fact, he already has suffered a knockout loss to an elite UFC calibre opponent. Justin Gaethje handed him his first and only loss via TKO in 2014. When that fight happened, there was no shitstorm over the result. One fighter kept his pristine record intact, the other lost his 0.
It was just another fight.
He's bloody earned it https://t.co/MBdR855RAZ
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 15, 2018
Assumption is the mother of all fuck ups
After amassing an impressive 14-1 record on the regional scene, Newell wants a shot at the UFC. This may prove to be a difficult venture considering Dana White said at a pre-fight press conference for UFC 155 that the UFC would ‘never sign him’. He has gone on record saying Newell getting hurt in the big leagues would be bad for everyone involved. But that’s not necessarily the case.
What nobody wants to see is a fighter getting destroyed because they have a physical limitation that can easily be taken advantage of. Newell was born with a congenital amputation of his left arm. As a result, his left arm ends just below his elbow. Many people assume this would make him more susceptible to head kicks on his left side, but the evidence suggests otherwise.
Newell has never eaten a head kick in 18 fights at amateur and professional level. For anyone who doubts his ability to block a kick up top, he shared a demonstration on social media. From the video, one thing is clear – he can block head kicks.
Why does everyone just assume I can't block head kicks?
15 pro fights
3 am fights
0 times kicked in the headNot saying it can't happen bc it can happen to anyone just saying I can block them just fine.@FortSumterMMA @AngeloBodetti @AliAbdelaziz00 @ufc pic.twitter.com/y7h2naigct
— Nick Newell (@NotoriousNewell) March 19, 2018
People need to stop telling Newell what he can and can’t do. The man’s lived 32 years on planet Earth. He knows his own physical limitations better than anyone else.
