Mike Perry is taking the blame for Alex Nicholson’s rough night in Russia.
A 32-year-old UFC and PFL veteran, Nicholson suffered a brutal loss at the hands of Vagab Vagabov on Friday, getting outclassed and knocked out late in the opening round of a boxing match held in a cage and contested with four-ounce gloves, which took place in the main event of the REN TV Fight Club Super Series in Moscow.
Vagabov, a Russian light heavyweight with a 30-1-1 MMA record and 3-1 professional boxing record, consistently found a home for his thudding hooks and had Nicholson swinging at air until one final straight left hand sent the American down to the canvas for good. Watch video of Vagabov’s knockout win above, courtesy of Caposa.
Fellow UFC veteran and BKFC standout Mike Perry accompanied Nicholson on the trip and ultimately put the blame on himself for his teammate’s performance.
“I failed my friend tonight,” Perry wrote on Twitter. “It wasn’t his fault, he had the courage and I didn’t give him the fundamentals he needed. When they made it a boxing match our game plan to brawl should’ve changed. He was brave and needed someone smarter who understands the game better.”
The loss snapped a four-fight win streak for Nicholson which spanned victories in bare-knuckle MMA, kickboxing, and MMA, the latter of which saw Nicholson crowned as the Titan FC heavyweight champion with a first-round submission of Oscar Sosa in July.
I failed my friend tonight. It wasn’t his fault, he had the courage and I didn’t give him the fundamentals he needed. When they made it a boxing match our game plan to brawl should’ve changed. He was brave and needed someone smarter who understands the game better. #SpartanLove
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) September 30, 2022
