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By: Chris Park, MMATorch UK Specialist
London's own Brad "One Punch" Pickett is one of the fighters benefiting from the UFC absorbing the talent pool of the WEC in order to expand to both the bantamweight and the featherweight divisions.
Pickett is currently the only Brit on the WEC roster, and will go down as the only English fighter to ever compete in WEC history once this merger is complete.
Winning his WEC debut in December 2009 Pickett made a splash as he claimed "Submission Of The Night" honours with his impressive Peruvian neck-tie finish of Kyle Dietz. Pickett followed this up with an incredible battle with live-wire Demetrious Johnson back in April. He was then rewarded with a high profile showdown with top ranked contender Scott Jorgensen, to decide who would get the next crack at Dominick Cruz and his 135 lb. crown.
Pickett lost a close decision to Jorgensen, snapping a nine fight winning streak that had spanned three years; but the fight was one of the best of the year and the Brit is already targeting another top contender for his return to action.
In an exclusive Octagon-side interview for ESPN UK at the recent UFC event in London, Brad Pickett told MMATorch UK Specialist Chris Park who he has his eye on next. "I'd like to maybe fight Miguel [Torres]," Pickett said. "I'm not a guy to call people out, I like to fight anybody in the top ten, but if you pushed me [for a name].
"That's the one the fans want, it's a really good match-up; he's a nice guy, I like him a lot and this is only business. I believe I've got the skills to beat him and it'd certainly put me back up there.”
PARK’S ANALYSIS: As ever Brad Pickett was great to talk to, never one to hide what he really wants to say and the fight he mentioned is one I most certainly would like to see. The interview took place a few weeks before the WEC-UFC merger was announced so it is still unknown if Pickett will appear one more time for the WEC before officially making his UFC debut.
Either way, I would love to see a Torres vs. Pickett affair sooner rather than later.
Chris Park is the MMATorch UK Specialist and guest columnist at ESPN.co.uk. Please email any comments or questions to Chris at; mmatorchuk@gmail.com or look us up at http://www.facebook.com/mmatorchuk2 our new MMATorch Facebook home for UK Fans!
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