The main event of tonight’s Valor Fights 34 will be a lightweight bout as Zack Hicks will look for his third professional victory when he meets Rahshun Ball.
Hicks (2-1) is coming off a decision victory against Ramon Willis at Back to School Beatdown in October and his other professional victory came in May of last year as he submitted Thomas Kennedy at Hardrock MMA 72. Along with being a professional fighter, Hicks is a teacher and wrestling coach. He told The MMA Report about how his wrestling students motivate him and how he schedules his fights around wrestling season.
“Just seeing my athletes and pushing them every day helps motivate me because I see how motivated they are to get better,” Hicks told The MMA Report. “Wrestling season is draining. I am a teacher too so I see these kids all day and they are trying to get better. When wrestling season is over, I am motivated myself. These kids busted their butts all year, now it’s time for me to do my thing. Because I kind of plan my fights around wrestling season. Teaching all day and wrestling practice till 6 p.m. so there is not a whole a lot of time to train. So honestly, I train a lot with my wrestlers. For the guys around my weight, I am always wrestling live with them.”
Check out Hicks’ complete interview with The MMA Report below.