After surviving 'steamroll ball of (expletive),' Vinc Pichel wants Al Iaquinta rematch

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – More than just a third straight win on his UFC record, Saturday represented some cathartic relief for Vinc Pichel after some rough times.

Pichel (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) put an end to a three-year layoff by flattening Damien Brown (16-10 MMA, 2-2 UFC) in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 110 lightweight scrap. Speaking to reporters after the win, Pichel got (very) candid about just how meaningful it was after a series of physical and emotional blows.

“It’s the best thing in the world right now,” Pichel said. “I’ve been through so much in the past few years. I’ve been through injuries – things that were going to put me out in retirement. I went through a tough breakup with my fiancee a month before I was supposed to get married. I was having a lot of problems, mainly with my injuries and life. I just basically had to start life over. It was really hard for me.

“Recently, I just had a girlfriend who I had to break up with because she was cheating on me with some dude from church. I mean, I have just a steamroll ball of (expletive) coming at me over the last few years, and tonight was my payoff. That was my big reward.

“Back in the day, once I was pissed off, I would go break some (expletive) or (expletive) someone up. I’d get into a fight. I can’t do that now. I’ve got to be a professional and an adult now. So this, right here, was me getting to let that out. Getting to let that tension out. It couldn’t have felt better.”

The lightweight scrap closed out the FS1-televised preliminary-card portion of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 110 event, which took place at Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand. It followed UFC Fight Pass early prelims and preceded the FS1-televised main card.

For Pichel – who maintains his stance that ring rust is “bull(expletive)” – Saturday was the result of a perfectly followed gameplan. But while a first-round knockout to end such a long layoff would seem like an ideal outcome for some, the lightweight said we only got to see 30 percent of what he can do.

“I’m so much better of a fighter that people don’t realize and don’t know,” Pichel said. “And I honestly haven’t showed it. I’m at the point of my life now and my fighting career where I’m not going to be so hardheaded. I’m a little older now. I’m a little wiser as far as fighting.

“I have more experience with it. And I’m going to showcase that. And people are going to be scared of me – of what I can do, what I’m capable of.”

The 34-year-old hadn’t fought since UFC 173, back in May 2014, when he scored a unanimous-decision win over Anthony Njokuani. Before that, “The Ultimate Fighter 15” alum had recovered from a UFC-debut loss to Rustam Khabilov with a decision victory over Garett Whiteley.

If his more immediate plan – meeting a nice local lady to get hitched and become a New Zealand resident, of course – doesn’t pan out, Pichel will take “rockstar” week back home to reconnect with the people he had to neglect during camp. After that, however, it’s not only back to the gym, but to his full-time job as an electrician and also school, which he attends twice a week.

Despite his busy routine, Pichel wants to make up for lost time and make a quick turnaround. And he’s already got a target in mind.

“If Al Iaquinta is still in the UFC and doesn’t get cut from the bull(expletive) that he’s been pulling latel, I’m down to fight Al if he’s down,” Pichel, who lost to Iaquinta in the semifinals of their “TUF” season, said. “That’d be a good fight. There’s a New York card coming up in July (UFC on FOX 25, which takes place July 22 in Long Island), so I’ll fight him in his backyard.”

To hear Pichel’s full chat with reporters, check out the video above.

And for complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 110, check out the UFC Events section of the site.