Xtreme Couture coach Eric Nicksick is proud of UFC middleweight Chris Curtis’ career trajectory.
Curtis (29-8 MMA, 3-0 UFC) was on the verge of walking away from the sport for good a number of times in recent years. After a three-fight skid in PFL, Curtis appears to have figured things out, and has since ripped through eight-straight opponents. He also got that long-awaited call to the UFC, and has won his first three bouts with the promotion.
“I joked around with Chris all the time he’s like Eeyore sometimes when he comes to the gym, just moping around and all this sh*t,” Nicksick told MMA Junkie Radio. “Now you see a big difference in the change of his personality. … Chris is taking a leadership role. He feels more comfortable in his own skin. If he has something to address to the team, or say something, he’s not sitting in the back when we call it in, he’s the guy at the front.”
Less than a month removed from his previous win over Rodolfo Vieira, Curis is stepping back into the cage for a lucrative turnaround at UFC Fight Night 208 in London to take on No. 8 middleweight Jack Hermasson. It’s a move that Nicksick believes puts into perspective how confident Curtis is at this point in his career.
“I think with that confidence comes the leadership and everything else that’s been falling into place for him,” Nicksick said. “He’s definitely playing with some house money. That’s the best part about being in Vegas. We got nothing to lose so we’re out here just slanging ’em.”
Check out the full interview with Nicksick in the video above.