“I Really Cried”- UFC Fighter Delivers Emotional Speech at Dana White’s Contender Series

Jamie Pickett has been fighting for nearly a decade in various promotions across the country. To supplement his fight purses, he doubled up as a truck driver to make ends meet. However, his days of struggle to break into the big time are over as ‘The Nightwolf’ earned himself a UFC contract.

Following his dominant victory, Pickett gave an emotional post-fight address. He said, “I’m trying to send my daughter money and stuff all the time and work, driving trucks all day. I get up at 12 o’clock in the morning, I get off at 5:30 in the afternoon driving trucks, trying to provide for my daughter.”

It had been eleven months since Pickett fought professionally. He revealed going through a time where he considered quitting the sport for good. However, fate turned its head in a big way.  

The fighter said, “I was like, I’m done fighting, I went to sleep, I woke up. There’s a text message from my manager telling me to call him back. He said, ‘Hey, you got a fight on Dana White’s Contender Series. Do you want it’?”

Read: WATCH: UFC Fighter Takes Dana White’s Phone After Getting a UFC Contract

The grateful fighter says that he prayed after hearing the news. This could have been for the timeliness and him seeing it as a sign to not quit fighting. He continued, “I jumped down and prayed, I really cried. I ain’t really cried since I was six.”

Jamie Pickett says he took the opportunity as he wanted a UFC contract

Pickett fought 14 times since turning professional in 2011. He turned his career around and lost only twice since 2013. Unfortunately, both setbacks came just as he was on the brink of securing a life-changing contract from the UFC. 

‘The Nightwolf’ lost to Charles Byrd in 2017 and Punahele Soriano in 2019 in previous editions of the Contender Series. He kept winning elsewhere, but knew that he had to win where it mattered the most and set out to achieve his goal.

For Pickett, the third time was the charm as he finished his opponent 33 seconds into the second round to realize the fruits of his long struggle in his 15th fight. 

‘The Nightwolf’ shared his motivation to be a role model to change the lives of his community. The journey of struggle from barely making ends meet to UFC fighter will serve as an inspiration to one and all.  

Pickett said, “I went to the gym, training every day four times. I want a chance to provide and do better and show a lot of kids where I’m from. You ain’t gotta do a bunch of crazy stuff.”

What do you make of Jamie Pickett’s words following his win and finally securing a UFC contract?