Mixed martial artist Brad Pickett has lived an incongruous existence
where the worlds of sport and fashion collide.
Pickett, 33, is rated as a top 10 bantamweight (135lbs) in the world,
and has been tipped to become the first British Ultimate Fighting
Championship world title holder.
Tonight, at UFC 138 at the LG Arena in Birmingham, Pickett will be
looking to create fireworks of his own against highly-rated Brazilian
star Renan Barao, on a 26-fight unbeaten streak.
Schooled in east London, then Delhi, followed by an American
International School in the Himalayas (where he fought off packs of
scavenging monkeys between boarding house and school house) and Oundle
–he grew up around the fashion industry, with customers Elton John and
Mick Jagger dropping into his parents’ bespoke shoe shop in London.
Pickett’s parents – Sid and Sheila – were prominent shoe designers,
his mother having taught at the London School of Fashion, where one of
her protégés was Patrick Cox. In the late Eighties, they went into
business with a prominent Indian entrepreneur, Ajay Kalsi, whose
wealth today is estimated at $1.7billion. It meant a move to Delhi to
set up four factories, train the machinists, and educate the pattern
designers.
“It was an amazing experience living in India, but it was in the
Himalayas that I really discovered that I have great cardio-vascular
strength, as cross-country was something I excelled in there,” Pickett
told The Daily Telegraph yesterday.
“I worked in the family firm – I can design shoes myself — but sport
was always my first love.” Pickett flirted with careers in
semi-professional football and amateur boxing, but began training in
martial arts eight years ago in order to train as a stuntman.
“I just took to it straightaway, and was quickly addicted. What’s
exciting at the moment is the fast-moving developments both within the
sport itself, and the growing fanbase worldwide. To get into the UFC
is great, but I’ve got to get the ‘W’ now against Renan Barao, who is
very, very skilful.”
If Pickett can extend his winning run he will move close to a title
shot against UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. No British
fighter has won a UFC belt since the fighting organisation was formed
back in 1993.
Mixed martial artists use a combination of boxing, taekwondo, judo,
wrestling and jiu-jitsu to win on points, by submission, or knockout,
over three five-minute rounds. Pickett is as dangerous on the mat as
he is in the stand-up boxing and striking.
There are eight British fighters are on the card, including rising
British star Terry Etim, who faces Hawaiian Eddie Faalato. Che Mills,
Vaughan Lee, John Maguire and Philip DeFries are all on UFC debut.
Heavyweight DeFries faces Liverpudlian Rob Broughton, to establish the
British No 1, while featherweight Jason Young has a tough assignment
against Japanese wrestler and judo expert Michihiro Omigawa.
TELEGRAPH MAIN CARD PICKS:
Munoz
Pickett
Alves
Etim
Diabate
