Serhiy Sidey Aims for “Peak Performance” vs Walel Watson
Serhiy Sidey clashes with Walel Watson for the vacant BTC bantamweight belt at BTC 19: Fight Night Kingston on March 18th.
Sidey once again appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts returning to his home promotion after collecting BFL gold, competing with someone who previously fought TJ Dillashaw in the Octagon, and a whole lot more. Excerpts from our chat are below.
Serhiy Sidey
Sidey’s thoughts on Watson’s deep resume and best stylistic attributes
“Yeah, Walel he’s a vet of the game. He’s been around, he’s had so much experience. I think that’s going to be his best tool, his experience. He’s done it all, he’s been around. I’m honestly so grateful I get a challenge like this. Because my last few fights in BFL, of course they were good opponents, but I didn’t get to see how far I can really go.”
“I haven’t really pushed myself to the limits and a guy like this, a guy with this many fights, a guy with this much experience, I’m hoping he’s going to bring this out of me. I want to see how far I can push it, want to see where my limits are.”
“Want to see how high I can perform. I need high-level opponents to be able to do this. So, for BTC to be able to fly out a guy like this for me with so much experience, I’m just excited to see what I’m going to do, man. I train myself so my subconscious starts.”
“I get in a flow state in that fight, and I just do what I know I’m supposed to do. The harder the challenge, the harder the obstacle this opponent is going to bring to me, the more I’m going to be able to rise to my peak performance and I’m excited to see that.”
BTC 19
Some of Watson’s prior UFC accolades and Sidey’s own focus toward fighting in The Octagon one day
“I’m not doing this sport to fight low-level guys. I want to get to the UFC, and I want to make a mark in the UFC as well. So, this is the perfect step up for me and I’m just so excited to do this.”
“You know what I mean? Like that kind of stuff (Watson having fought TJ Dillashaw in the UFC) makes me so hyped up because it’s like yeah like look at his resume, right? He’s been in there, man. That pumps me up, man, that pumps me up.”
“Yeah, like I’ve definitely watched, TJ. I actually didn’t watch that particular fight. Definitely probably scrolled through a TJ Dillashaw highlight YouTube video with some of those sequences. But I did watch the Mitch (Gagnon) fight when he (Watson) fought Mitch Gagnon in the UFC. Because I know Mitch was coming to Parabellum at the time and training with us.”
Sidey continued, “So I did see that and kind of forgot about it. But then like all my boys they’re like we know this guy. I was like really and they’re like yeah, we’ve seen him in the UFC. So, it’s definitely cool. Then obviously I went back and watched a bunch of his stuff.”
