Vinc Pichel UFC comeback KO
To kick off our look back over the Revgear highlights of 2017 we thought we’d start with one of our favourite Revgear athletes Vinc “From Hell” Pichel. Always a good guy to have around, Vinc has been part of Team Revgear for quite some time. He took time out to aid in our 20th anniversary year celebrations featuring in the California Series videos and photo shoots in February 2016. So it seems fitting to start our look back at last year with the amiable LA bad boy “From Hell” Pichel!
Like for many a fighter, injury becomes a fact of life, but after close to a three year hiatus Vinc reignited his UFC career in style when the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation returned to New Zealand in June 2017. The Los Angeles based fighter Pichel put in an impressive performance to wrap up his return to the octagon in New Zealand with a first round KO against Australian striker Damian Brown, to mark his UFC comeback in style.
Pichel made a glorious return to MMA on the UFC Fight Night 110 at Spark Arena in Auckland. It was a strong standup performance that silenced any critics claiming that Pichel would suffer from “ring rust”. The lightweight fighter put the bout to bed in the opening round when Brown moved in only to encounter a Pichel right uppercut that sent him to the canvas. Pichel’s follow up shots were almost unnecessary and the referee called it moments after Brown hit the ground.
Brown had been toe to toe with Pichel before being knocked down, but had failed to connect with any conviction, his striking failing to make an impact on the indomitable American. Pichel switched to a southpaw stance and backed up, baiting Brown to come in and attack him. In his post fight interview, Pichel said that he knew he could catch Brown with a hook or an uppercut if he came in. His game plan worked and Pichel is now looking forward to future match-ups on the UFC, telling MMA Junkie that he would like to get revenge on Al Iaquinta, a man he lost to in the semi-final of The Ultimate Fighter season 15.
To celebrate his victory in New Zealand, Pichel marked the occasion by getting a native Ta Moko tattoo. Vinc livestreamed the experience and told New Zealand’s Newshub that he got the tattoo out of respect for the Maori warrior spirit and as a reminder of his experience of the country. The tattoo is a permanent trophy of the Vinc “From Hell” Pichel UFC comeback.