For those of you who don’t know who Vinc Pichel is it might be time to wake up! Vinc was a fighter on the TUF Live series and is an undefeated lightweight fighter who is now in the UFC. He is a vicious standup fighter who has ended all of his professional fights (7-0) all via TKO or KO.
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| mmajunkie.com |
1. MMACAGECHATTER: What has been going on in the life of Vinc “From Hell” Pichel since TUF ended both in and out of the cage?
VP: I’ve been getting love from my fans so I’ve been taking pictures, signing autographs, and trying to relax. I need to clear my mind since the last three months have been pretty stressing.
2. MMACAGECHATTER: Can you tell us a little about yourself?
VP: What do you want to know? There’s a lot about me that the world doesn’t know. To sum it up I’m adrenalin junky! I will try anything once, how’s that?
3. MMACAGECHATTER: Where did the nickname “From Hell” come from?
VP: Believe it or not my mom gave me the nickname “From Hell” and it’s fitting, so it stuck. I was basically a problem child that got myself into all kinds of trouble. Let’s just say you’re lucky I’m not your son.
4. MMACAGECHATTER: You come from a gym, All In MMA that does not get a lot of press. Can you tell us a little about what makes it special and why you train there?
VP: I train out of Big John McCarthy’s gym in Valencia , CA Alliance
5. MMACAGECHATTER: You fought in a couple of smaller promotions before coming to the UFC, can you tell us about the differences you have seen since becoming part of the UFC?
VP: I haven’t fought on an actual UFC card yet, but, just from being part of the show I got a sense of everything and everyone flowing together like a well-oiled machine. The entry fights and the fights that followed were crazy and hectic. I felt like a sheep getting herded into battle but even with all the chaos, there were no hiccups. None of the fights had any of the crew saying oh shit, let’s go to plan B. Just the upmost professionalism going down and nothing less was expected honestly.
6. MMACAGECHATTER: What was it like walking into the TUF tryouts and seeing the talent that was around you?
VP: I seriously didn’t even think about that. I was just hoping they didn’t tell me they couldn’t take anymore applications. To tell you the truth there were so many guys trying out in my head, I had about a 1% chance of even getting picked.
7. MMACAGECHATTER: Did you ever get nervous out doubt yourself?
VP: YES!! The only time I ever have doubt myself is in training. In training I get my ass handed to me and it’s really discouraging at times, but what gets me through is me telling myself “It’s training stupid, you’re supposed to get beat up, don’t be a pussy. Do some pushups!” I know it sounds kind of rough but it’s what keeps me going when things seem impossible.
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| UFC.com |
VP: HELL NO! I’ve actually just started watching the season and it’s almost like I didn’t exist. I’m not mad about it though because the real me is real and at times a little too honest. It probably doesn’t make as good of ratings as Ogle crying or Tickle being annoying, so they can have the ratings. I know the way things really went down in the house and so does everyone else that was there. And let’s be real - there is no way you can show 168 hours of life in one hour. If you can find a way, let me know!
9. MMACAGECHATTER: We hear about the isolation from the real world being one of the hardest things that fighters on TUF deal with, do you agree or was there something else?
VP: No I totally agree with that. Fighters have crutches too, a loved one, a friend or even coaches sometimes. Not being able to have people there or just the freedom to have “you” time before a fight are also factors that make it harder in the house among about 100 other things. It’s basically a package deal of mentally and physically draining things that you have to face every day in that house and still have to strength to concentrate on your goal, which is winning the competition.
10. MMACAGECHATTER: Any regrets about what was shown on TUF or moments you wish the cameras didn’t see?
VP: No I don’t have any regrets in my life, Period. Except getting a speeding ticket because those will make you pay for years to come, hahahaha. What happened in the house happened and I know what I signed up for trying out for the season. So I look at it this way, what people saw and what really happened for the most part are one in the same. Only little things were left out but that doesn’t change what really went down. The producers did a really good job showing our lives and portraying everyone as we really were.
11. MMACAGECHATTER: Reader Vincent Pisani asks “are you ever afraid you are going to lose of get hurt?”
VP: YES!! One of my biggest fears as a fighter is getting hurt and not being able to train or fight because of it. No fighter wants to be a broken down fighter especially in the height of their career. As far as losing, I always feel like it’s my time to lose when I fight, but I’ll tell you this right now, if I lose a fight, the other guy is going to remember fighting me I’ll tell you that much. Go ahead and ask AL Iaquinta how he felt after our fight, because from what I saw he was in worse shape than I was after that fight, that’s for sure, and I went into that fight hurt already.
12. MMACAGECHATTER: You told me on Twitter that you will get a fight in the UFC, if you got to pick your opponent who would it be and why?
VP: Yes, after a small vacation and some time to clear my head of the past three months of stress, I’m getting right back into the gym and getting myself a fight. As far as whom I would want to fight……. EVERYONE!! No one in particular besides AL
13. MMACAGECHATTER: Reader Tor Peery asks “Who are your favorite fighters to watch (in any promotion) and why?”
VP: I like to watch any fighter that fights like he wants to win and doesn’t just fight to not lose. Those are exciting fighters to me. Tell me you don’t like to watch a guy fight like his life depends on it and I’ll tell you that you are full of it. As far as what fighters I like to watch, just to name a couple… Dan Henderson, Cain Velasquez, Nate Diaz. These guys always put on a good fight in my opinion.
14. MMACAGECHATTER: You are now in the lightweight division in the UFC which has been and is now topped by some amazing fighters such as B.J. Penn, Frankie Edgar, Sean Sherk, Jens Pulver and current champion Benson Henderson. How do you feel you stack up in that division?
VP: As soon as I fight those guys you and I will know how I stack up against them, until then who knows anything can happen in this crazy sport.
15. MMACAGECHATTER: Is there anything that sets you apart from everyone else in the UFC?
VP: I think my head separates me from a lot of fighters in the UFC. That and I don’t know how to walk backwards in a fight, hahahaha. It’s important to be mentally strong as a fighter, I think more so than to be physically strong and in shape. You can be the most in shape fighter, but if you’re a mental midget, your mind will play tricks on you and that’s the last thing you need locked in a cage with another guy who wants to turn your head into a PEZ dispenser.
Cofer may soon be a Pez Dispenser
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| espn.com |
16. MMACAGECHATTER: What is one thing people don’t know about Vinc Pichel (in or out of the cage)
VP: The one thing people don’t know about me is probably how much I sacrificed and what I have gone through to get to where I am. I wasn’t exactly a role model before fighting, but fighting has changed my life and I think saved me from myself. . I achieved what so many try for and fail even though on paper they have more reasons to be considered than me. I started training 5 years ago with NO prior training in anything MMA related and look where I am now, how you like them apples haters?!
17. MMACAGECHATTER: Since TUF how has your life changed?
VP: More than I could have imagined!! I have fans everywhere I go that come up and talk to me and tell me they love the way I fight and they can’t wait to see me fight again. To me that is the best feeling about what I do, having fans that support you. And now I can just concentrate on fighting and getting better which is what every upcoming fighter wants.
18. MMACAGECHATTER: You finished each of your 6 professional fighters (pre TUF) all by TKO or KO, do you have an over looked submission game that is just waiting to be used?
VP: First off sherdog sucks, I’m 7-0 for the record. And yes I do have an overlooked submission game. I’m a solid purple belt that will occasionally catch me a black belt but no one knows that unless they roll with me. My style of fighting is mainly striking but if things end up on the ground I’m still a shark in the water. However you normally don’t see my ground game cause I try not to let the other guy make it far enough to experience it, and if I get taken down they quickly learn that there is no safe position to fight me.
*** I (@cagechattererik) do apologize I used Sherdog for Vinc's pre TUF record and he is indeed 7-0.even if he isn't I am not gonna second guess him lol.. Sorry for the mix up Vinc***
19. MMACAGECHATTER: How was Dominic Cruz as a coach? Would he make a good coach after his time in the UFC is done? He seemed to have many different ways to connect to his fighters (perfect example was his various ways with Tickle), what was one why he connected with you?
VP: Dom was a good coach in my eyes. What I liked about him and his staff was they didn’t try to change any of our fighting habits, instead what they did was noticed what we were already good at and gave us a few more weapons that fit everyone individually. Also yes I have no doubt he will be a very good coach after he is done fighting. How he connected with me was he was just himself and that’s what I liked about him, he didn’t sugar coat anything or try to bullshit you about anything, he was real and to me that’s the most important thing I look for especially in a coach cause in this profession there are so many snakes in the grass that finding someone you can trust will sometimes make or break you in this sport.
20. MMACAGECHATTER: @Therealnumber3 asks: Was Coach Cruz there a lot or only on fight night? How much time did he spend with the fighters?
VP: Cruz was with us every training session and every fight. He only missed one day of our training when he had to go to the doctor to get MRI’s on his knee. Other than that if we were there, he was there. He also spent a good amount of time with all of us especially when it was our fight week. Dominic really did care about us and wanted all of us to win and you could tell. He even took us to a park to just hang out and to get us out of the house because he could tell it was getting to all of us and we just needed a day to get away.
21. MMACAGECHATTER: With all the guys you’ve trained/fought with on or off TUF who hits the hardest? @Therealnumber3 wants to know who on the show hits the hardest (besides you)?
VP: Good add asking who hits the hardest besides me @therealnumber3. I can already tell you’re an educated MMA fan, hahahaha. I would have to give it to Sam Sicilia. I’ve been caught by a good shot from everyone but I’m giving it to Sam because when we sparred he would throw that overhand right of his and I remember blocking it a few times with the 16oz gloves and being spun almost 180 degrees from the impact. He’s one of the smallest guys on the team but if he lands, it’s nap time.
22. MMACAGECHATTER: Reader James Jones asks “What is your favorite part of being a professional fighter?”
VP: That’s an easy one, I love to fight! I always got in trouble for fighting when I was younger, suspended from school and getting arrested for it. To me fighting was always fun because nothing is for sure in a fight and the thrill of not knowing is the biggest thrill of all to me. I fight because it makes me feel alive and I am extremely competitive in anything I do and when I first started fighting I didn’t do it for the money cause I honestly didn’t get paid for it. I just did it because I enjoyed it and believe it or not I paid to fight for about 2 years of my career. But I soon realized I can make a living from it and so I just kind of fell into my dream job not even thinking that I could make money in the process.
23. MMACAGECHATTER: What would be your advice to an up and coming MMA fighter or someone who is looking to get into the fight game?
VP: All I can say is if it’s something you can do, go for it. It definitely takes a certain type of person to go to the gym every day, twice a day, knowing you’re going there to get punched, kicked and have your limbs basically torn off by another guy that just wants you to give up before he does. It’s a lot of sacrifice to be a fighter but without great sacrifice there is no great reward. That goes for everything in life, so pick your poison is what I say. Fighting is mine, is it yours?
24. MMACAGECHATTER: @Fedorbryant asks: Can you tell us about your diet? You are an inch taller than me but you make 155?!? LOL
VP: Yes I’m a pretty big 155er I know and honestly when my coach first told me he wants me to fight at 155 I just laughed….. out loud! My diet is basically a diet that of a bird or gerbil, hahahaha. I can’t tell you all my secrets but just know I have to eat 6-8oz of food every two hours daily for about 2-3 weeks before a fight to even get myself under 170. After that it’s all water weight to 155. And before you know it I’m back to my normal weight. So no I do not cut off any limbs to get to 155, it’s just careful planning and a good diet.
25. MMACAGECHATTER: @Lulu_MMA asks: any update on when your first UFC fight (of many!)
VP: Honestly I’m not sure. I am taking a month off to just relax from being in the TUF house and going through that whole experience. I would like to fight by the end of the year so hopefully the UFC can hook me up and make that happen.
26. MMACAGECHATTER: @therealnumber3 asks: are there any opportunities that you wouldn’t have otherwise have, now that you did so well on TUF?
VP: Yes!! For one I have a chance to fight in the UFC which is the first stepping stone to my goal of becoming a champion! I’m sure there are a lot of others but as to what those are I have yet to find out. I’m just taking it one step at a time. However I have noticed I have been getting hooked up with little things here and there from restaurants to just little everyday places I go, which is nice. I enjoy even the smallest perks too.
27. MMACAGECHATTER: Brandon Simmons asks: What else interests you outside of the cage?
VP: Just about anything. I’m what some people refer to as an adrenaline junky, so if it’s dangerous I’ve probably already done it or will try it.
Out of the cage
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| TUF.COM |
28. MMACAGECHATTER: @Heather_907 asks: If you weren’t an MMA fighter, what would be your job/career?
VP: I honestly have no idea…. Me having a 9-5 job is like putting a mime in the NY stock exchange, it just won’t work out in the end. I have had almost every kind of job you can get and none of them really made me happy so if fighting wasn’t my career I don’t know what I’d be doing besides living a miserable, regretful, sad , pathetic life.
29. MMACAGECHATTER: Are there any sponsors, gyms, people that you would like to give a shout-out to?
VP: Yes! I would like to thank Big John McCarthy and his head MMA coach Brian Peterson for pulling me out of the maybe pile and giving me a chance as a fighter (inside joke that I didn’t think was too funny hahahaha). Dominic Cruz and all of his coaches and training partners he brought in for me to train with and learn from. And to the UFC for giving a once punk kid a chance to make something of himself and the Ultimate fighter crew and everyone involved in the show, without them the show could not go on. And last but not least to the fans! Your war cries are what give me strength in a fight and push me to strive and fight harder. So you blood thirsty sickos, I thank all of you the most for loving me for doing what I was hated for doing for so much of my life…… fighting.
Get used to seeing that!
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| latimes.com |
We would like to thank Vinc Pichel once again for taking time out of his busy schedule to do this interview. If you are not following Vinc through Twitter make sure to @FromHellPichel . We will be doing a "From Hell trivia game" for some signed Vinc stuff soon so read up!
And make sure to let @cagechattererik know who you want him to interview next!
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