Name: Eric “The Dream Catcher” Spicely Age: 28 Height: 6’1 Weight Class: Middleweight Record: 7-0 Fighting Out Of: Olneyville, RI (Tim Burrill Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) Next Fight: Aaron “Tex” Johnson (CES 31) October 30th. Like most kids growing up, Eric Spicely wanted to become a professional wrestler and was heavy influenced by superstars like Ravishing Rick Rude and Shawn Michaels. Somewhere along that path Spicely found MMA and thought it would be easier then competing in professional wrestling. He wasn’t one of the people who watched the UFC from the beginning and he’ll be the first to admit he was a late bloomer into the sport. “I actually saw UFC 70 first.” Spicely told MMAOddsBreaker. “Somehow a lot of guys have watched UFC 1 on TV first even though they’re in their twenties. Which I somehow don’t believe. I saw UFC 70 which was Mirko Cro Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga and Andrei Arlovski vs. Fabricio Werdum. I was hooked after that, it was insane. It was the first free UFC PPV card on Spike. Because it was like impossible to watch if you didn’t order the PPV. I would practice the moves just like I would with pro wrestling.” It was shortly after that where Spicely got his first taste of local MMA. As the 28-year old describes it, he competed in the days where anybody could get a fight, which was clearly true as he took a bout well about his weight class at heavyweight. “I just emailed a promoter to fight and they were like ‘Come on down” You don’t have to get a physical. I think all you had to get was bloodwork and had to prove you didn’t have H.I.V. I didn’t train, I did some jumping jacks in my friends backyard. I went in and fought at heavyweight because I was out of shape and overweight. I’m not a heavyweight. This was before you could Google other fighters, you couldn’t find any information on fighters. [My opponent] was humongous, it was terrifying. I ended up getting armbared with with one second left in the round. That was seven years or something like that before I even fought again. I realize you have to train, be serious. I just took time off and worked on jiu-jitsu. I ended up winning a few of my amateur fights before turning pro.” After making his professional debut in 2013, the Rhode Island native has amassed an impressive 7-0 record. MMA doesn’t pay the bills just yet, but he does have the added benefit of working at Whole Foods which not only aids in his nutrition but it’s also a position that has flexible hours. “[It helps] with diet and getting discounts on expensive organic food. They have a very flexable schedule, I take a whole week off for a fight. Then take some time off afterword’s and they are very understanding. It’s not stressful and it’s not labour intensive job. You hear about guys working all day outside and then like driving to training. I don’t know how guys do that and then have a family [to deal with] afterword’s. It’s insane.” Nicknamed “The Dream Catcher” Spicely has been a fan of UFC middleweight Gegard Mousasi for quite some time. Since Mousasi ditched that nickname a few years ago, opting to go with “The Armenian Assassin” Spicey thought he’d steal his nickname. “If he wants it back we’ll have to fight [laughs]. I was a huge fan of his and I also stole his [demeanour] my face is very relaxed during training camp. It’s a mental thing and it really messes [opponents] up if you have that ‘I don’t care’ look. He’s increadbly skilled. I feel like the whole tough guy thing is so overdone and annoying. We’re both training, we’re both here. You’re not going to kill me. Like my last fight [for example], that was probably the most calm I’ve ever been and that was my toughest fight. I spent the day gardening before I went to the arena which is weird because usually I’m nervous. I do care, but it’s not of a big deal as it used to be. You see a lot of guys in the locker room that break. Having that mindset and demeanour is such a good thing.” The CES veteran is coming off a first round submission victory over Harley Beekman at CES 29 this past June. The win was not only his seventh in a row, but also his sixth straight finish. “I would have really liked to finish him with that rear-naked choke at first. I felt great about it. I feel like guys kind of overlook me for some reason. I don’t brag or post on the internet about how great I am. I train hard and work hard but a lot of guys don’t think I’m that good, which is fine. I mean nobody has ever blown by him at all. He’s the number one guy in New England and it felt really good to completely dominate this guy.” All of Spicely’s seven professional bouts have been under the CES banner and he’ll be the first to admit he’s very fortunate to call the promotion home. One of the big reasons he’s stuck with them is the level of professionalism they have compared to other promotions. “It’s great, I’ve been to so many shows and they’re so poorly run. CES is just great, they’re always trying to get to the next level with everything. They got the AXS TV deal; they’re helping guys get exposure. Stuff like that where a lot of other promotions do that or have that. Like there are very few that have a TV deal and can get local guys on TV. They’re really working hard to help us out and not just trying to make a buck off us. They pay us well, they treat us really well and it’s professional. You know who you’re fighting like 8 weeks out. It’s awesome, I feel really lucky to be fighting for them.” Spicely is slated to compete on CES’s next event on October 30th against Aaron “Tex” Johnson. Ultimately his goal is to get into the UFC, so defeating a ‘named’ fighter is always the plan. Regardless of who that opponent will be on October 30th, the undefeated fighter is always fight ready just in case the UFC gives him a call. “I train with a lot of guys that have been in the UFC or are in the UFC currently. I’d do great against them and I definitely think I’m ready. My manger is telling me to be ready and keep my weight low, in case I do get a call. You’ve got to be able to make weight in 2 weeks which is what we’re doing. I train 5-6 times a week regardless if I have a fight or not. So there is no real training camp, it’s just cleaning up my diet a little bit, maybe drinking less beers. That’s really all it is because a lot of guys come into camps and need a few weeks to get in shape. We train full time so there is no rough transition, so it’s not like this horrible process.” So where does Spicely see himself in a year from now? “Undefeated still and hopefully making a decent living in the UFC.” You can follow Eric on Twitter @EricSpicely You can listen to the full audio version of the interview on an “Extra” edition of The Parting Shot Podcast (20 mins in)
