A determined Gavin Tucker says he’d fight the Devil himself an eleventh time if he lost the first ten, following a successful comeback from injury at UFC 240.
Edmonton, AB — Canada’s Gavin Tucker was out way more than a minute before finally returning to action at UFC 240. The East Coaster, who made his impressive UFC debut back in February of 2017, last fought in September of 2017, where he took significant damage from Rick Glenn in Tucker’s sophomore fight in the promotion.
The injuries included facial fractures, a fractured orbital among them. Those were a long time healing, and just when it seemed as if Tucker was on his way back late last year, injury scratched him UFC Moncton, where he had been set to face Andre Soukhamthath.
Which brings us to Saturday night in Edmonton, and UFC 240. Tucker was finally back, against South Korea’s Seung Woo Choi. A rough and tumble fight that ended with a third round submission for Tucker. Back at home, back in the win column.
Tucker discussed the win with media outlets including Cageside Press post-fight, as well as a number of other topics. And rest assured, there was never any question about whether he was confident in his body being fully healed. Not that it really mattered.
“Everyone kept asking me about this,” Tucker told Cageside Press. “There’s been a lot of injuries, a lot of personal stuff. The fact that it was back here in Edmonton [the site of UFC 215, his last bout], and the fact that last time I got my sh*t broke up, and blah blah blah blah blah.”
Injuries or no, Tucker was not about to be deterred. “If I went to hell and fought the Devil ten times and he beat me, I’m coming back an eleventh time for the win,” he said. “I’m getting the bread. I’ll be there. You’re not going to get rid of me. I’m here.”
That’s not to say he’s immune to the natural doubts anyone might have after such an ordeal. “Obviously there’s some mental hesitation, there’s an inner voice, and self-doubt, but that’s there no matter what happens,” said Tucker. “You gotta tell that guy to shut up, and just do it. This is a fist-fighting game. There’s no guarantees. You could lose ten in a row. Look at Artem Lobov, [and] what just happened [with him].
Tucker is of course referring to Lobov’s cross-over success in Bare Knuckle Boxing. “He just beat Paulie Malignaggi. Multiple time world champion. Malignaggi has beaten some huge names in boxing,” Tucker pointed out. “Artem goes, cut from the UFC, then now today he’s a hero. Everyone knows the guy. He’s the guy who beat Paulie Malignaggi.” Well, it sounded like Malignaggi, as Tucker tripped over the name.
Earlier in the evening, he was less complimentary of Lobov’s teammate Conor McGregor, who had tweeted out a comment about the bout. That was in regards to an unfortunate illegal knee landed by the Canadian.
.@gavintucker6 with the response back stage #UFC240 #UFC https://t.co/NOCy7OWKWp pic.twitter.com/eezFpSyMeE
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) July 28, 2019
“Who cares what Conor tweets? Who cares? Any of you guys sick of these tweets yet?!” Tucker exclaimed. “He’s been gone longer than I have. Who cares?”
Watch the full post-fight press scrum with Gavin Tucker from UFC 240 above!
