Gavin Tucker issues statement after one-punch KO loss: ‘Small mistakes, big consequences’
Gavin Tucker had a chance to become a top-10 featherweight and came up short on Saturday night.
On the main card of UFC Vegas 21, Tucker stepped up on short notice to fight Dan Ige in an intriguing bout. Tucker was riding high with a ton of momentum. When the fight began, Tucker overextended for a punch and Ige caught him on the chin and knocked him out cold just 22 seconds into the fight.
Now, after the loss, Tucker took to Instagram to release a lengthy statement explaining what happened and how heartbroken he is.
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“Moment of impact. I don’t know much, but I know for sure we don’t get what we don’t go after. I went after it. But I lunged after it,..and in a straight line. Small mistakes, big consequences. Saturday night I walked onto a well-timed right hand and experienced my first KO loss,” Tucker wrote on Instagram. “I’m not gonna hide from it or downplay it. I’m heartbroken. But I can’t change what happened. I can only control how I move forward. Regretfully I didn’t get to show the work or represent the efforts and strides made from this great team. But I’ll create new opportunities and get back to business as soon as things are in order to do so.
“Thanks to the ufc and my opponent for the opportunity. Thanks to this team for the work they do, and to Everyone for the support and messages,” Gavin Tucker continued. “My main goal for these next weeks of adjustment is to show strength in character, acceptance, and response. The response will be appropriate. Time to walk in the dark for a while.”
Gavin Tucker is now 13-2 as a pro and 4-2 in the UFC. Although the loss to Ige is disappointing, Tucker is still a dangerous featherweight and will likely only need a win or two to get a shot at another ranked opponent.
