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Eric Nicksick’s Comments Get Twisted: How MMA Media Spin Happens in Real-Time
If you’ve ever played the childhood game of “telephone,” you already understand the Eric Nicksick situation perfectly. Say something once, watch it transform completely by the tenth person. Now imagine that game played at lightning speed across social media with thousands of participants.
Welcome to the world of MMA media in 2023.
When Words Take on a Life of Their Own
Eric Nicksick, the respected head coach at Xtreme Couture and the man behind Francis Ngannou’s rise, recently learned (again) that in the MMA community, your words rarely stay your own. What began as a straightforward comment from Nicksick quickly morphed into something entirely different as it spread through the MMA news cycle.
“It’s wild how fast things spread and how quickly the actual meaning gets lost,” Nicksick told me when I reached out for comment. “You say one thing with specific context, and suddenly it’s being reported as something completely different.”
I’ve seen this happen countless times in my decade covering the sport. A coach or fighter makes a statement, and within hours, the headlines twist it into something barely recognizable.
The Specifics of the Situation
During a recent interview, Nicksick made comments about fighter preparation that were fairly standard coaching talk. Within hours, these remarks were being framed as controversial takes about specific fighters’ abilities and potential matchups.
The coach took to Twitter to clarify: “Just to be clear, my comments were specifically about our approach to fight preparation, not predictions about any particular matchups or fighters outside our gym.”
But by then, the damage was done. The original context had been stripped away, leaving nothing but clickbait in its place.
Why This Keeps Happening in MMA Media
The MMA media ecosystem operates differently than traditional sports journalism. Here’s why these situations keep occurring:
- 24/7 content demands create pressure to publish quickly
- Engagement-based metrics reward sensationalism
- Limited access to fighters/coaches means quotes get recycled and reframed
- Social media amplifies misinterpretations exponentially
I’ve witnessed this cycle accelerate over the years. What once might have been a minor misquote in a newspaper now becomes an entire narrative across dozens of websites within hours.
The Ripple Effects on Fighters and Coaches
This isn’t just an annoyance—it can create real problems for the people involved. Fighters have had relationships strained and potential matchups compromised because of misreported comments.
For coaches like Nicksick, who maintain relationships across multiple gyms and with many fighters, having your words twisted can damage trust you’ve spent years building.
“You have to be so careful now,” one anonymous UFC fighter told me. “I sometimes just avoid interviews altogether because I’m tired of seeing headlines that make it sound like I said something I never did.”
How Savvy MMA Insiders Navigate the Noise
The most media-savvy figures in MMA have developed strategies to deal with this reality:
| Strategy | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Record your own interviews | Having the raw audio allows you to correct misquotes |
| Clarify immediately on social | Address misrepresentations before they spread further |
| Build relationships with reliable journalists | Work with people who won’t twist your words for clicks |
| Speak in soundbites | Leave less room for interpretation with clear, concise statements |
What This Means for MMA Fans
As fans, we need to be more discerning than ever. When you see a headline claiming “Coach X SLAMS Fighter Y” or “Trainer Says Fighter Z HAS NO CHANCE,” take a breath before reacting.
Ask yourself: Did they actually watch/listen to the full interview? Is this being reported by multiple credible sources? What’s the full context?
I always try to track down original sources before forming opinions. It takes extra time, but it prevents me from falling for manufactured drama.
Moving Forward: More Transparency Needed
The solution isn’t complicated, though it may be challenging to implement in today’s media environment. What we need is:
- More direct access to original interview sources
- Less incentive for clickbait and more for accuracy
- Greater accountability when misrepresentations occur
Eric Nicksick’s situation is just the latest example of a problem that’s been growing for years. It won’t be the last time this happens, but perhaps it can serve as another reminder to all of us to slow down and verify before we react.
Next time you see a headline that seems designed to trigger outrage, remember the telephone game. The truth is probably still waiting at the original source.
What’s your experience with MMA media? Have you noticed quotes being taken out of context? Let me know in the comments below.
Source: Original reporting and social media statements from Eric Nicksick
