Neil “2 Tap” Seery is getting ready to fly to Sydney ahead of his third UFC outing against Australian Richie Vaculik on November 8 at the Allphones Arena. The Dubliner avenged his 2010 loss to Phil Harris at UFC Dublin in his last test with a decision win that elicited some of the biggest roars of the night from his vocal hometown crowd.
However, when it came time for Sean Shelby and Joe Silva to make matches for the Irish stars of July 19 – McGregor, Parke, Seery, Pendred and Holohan – it was the Team Ryano flyweight that was last to have an opponent confirmed.
“I couldn’t get over how long I was waiting to be matched,” said Seery. “I was coming off an entertaining fight in Dublin. It just seemed like everyone else was thrown back in straight away and I kind of felt left behind. They probably thought I was an old man and I’d need to recover for a bit longer.
“I’m not going to lie, it was a bit annoying that I was put on the long finger while everyone else was matched. I jumped into the UFC on short notice and I took that fight with Brad Pickett – I did myself a favour, but I did everyone else a favour as well. It just seems like I have to chase fights instead of being offered fights.
“It’s not like I haven’t been entertaining. Every time I fight I give it everything that I’ve got in me. I go out and I try to knock people out. I know I’ve had two fights in the UFC and I’ve got two decisions, but that’s not really me. If you look back on my time at Cage Warriors I had more finishes than anybody in the flyweight division. I came into UFC and I’ve got two decisions and it’s playing on my mind a little bit.”
Although the Australian date with Vaculik will demand some considerable travelling arrangements given his family life and full time job, Seery is quite excited about the contest providing he can acclimatise accordingly.
He said: “There was a fight there and I could either take it or leave it, but it’s an opportunity of a lifetime to go and see these countries. I know Vegas is the fight capital of the world, but not everyone can say that they’re flying from Ireland to Australia to fight for the UFC.
“It makes sense because there are a lot of Irish out there who emigrated. There’s going to be a big Irish following at this fight, I believe a lot of them will come out to see me. It’ll be nice to see the green, white and orange over there.
“Acclimatizing is the only thing I have to worry about. My partner told me to go, she’s great, she’s going to take care of stuff at home and she told me to go and get the win and not to worry about things back here. The added stress is how will my body react? I’ve never been there, I know what my body does here – I’ve been pushing the pace with some big guys – and if I hit that level over there I don’t think anyone will be able to stop me.”
When considering Vaculik as an opponent, Seery revealed that he watches every single UFC card and even bought cassettes of the early events when MMA was a virtual unknown in Ireland. The flyweight also vented some frustration with regard to his opponents being afraid to stand with him thus far in his UFC career.
“I watch every single UFC and I saw him the last time he fought. I actually have UFC 1 to 6 on VCR that I went out and bought when the promotion just started. I’m probably the only fucker in Ireland that has them. Now, I’m heading out to Australia to fight on a UFC card, it’s mad.
“A lot of people say the opponent doesn’t matter, but for me, it does. When I saw him fight in Australia that time I remember thinking I wouldn’t have minded fighting either of the guys that were in there. I’m looking at every flyweight and I know I’d be a problem for any of them.
“I don’t care who it is – Demetrious Johnson, Brad Pickett – any of them. I bring a lot of power to this division. Any fucker that I’ve fought in the flyweight division, whether it was Cage Warriors or in my two UFC fights, as soon as I put my hands on them they dive for my legs.
“Have a look, every one of them tried to get me down after they felt the power in my hands. I have the power to put these guys away. That’s why I’m dangerous. Nobody I fight can take a punch and keep moving forward.
“I’ve a lot of respect for Brad Pickett and every other guy I’ve faced in there, but when I put my hands on Pickett he went for my legs. Same as Phil Harris. Everyone thinks I have a weakness off my back but I’m submitting people as well, that’s surprise to me when I hear that.
“This guy fought Norman Parke, he was in The Ultimate Fighter house at one stage. He’s a big, big flyweight. The thing is big flyweights don’t have big gas tanks, I’m a small flyweight with a big gas tank.
“Every fighter is dangerous, I don’t care who it is. We saw it with Paddy Holohan’s last fight. The chap he fought took the fight on five days’ notice and he was dangerous. This is MMA, every fucker in there is dangerous.
“You have to treat every guy that gets in there with respect, but I also want to take their heads off. I really don’t concentrate on their game, I did once and I lost that fight to Sitenkov. I knew he was this, that and the other and he ended up grabbing my leg. I swore to myself that I’d never do that again and I haven’t so far,” he explained.
Seery also spoke about his lack of confidence in his earlier years and how his fight with Brad Pickett made him a lot mentally stronger.
“I’ve never really been a confident fighter, but I always know in the back of my head – no one is going to be able to knock me out. It’s nothing to do with winning, I just know that they’ll have to kill me to stop the fight.
“I wouldn’t be as confident as someone like Conor (McGregor) who can go out and say what round it’s going to be finished in. It’s not me, I haven’t got that, he has and it’s working out great for him. I hope the chap makes millions, I like him a lot. I just don’t have that.
“Every time I go out I’m thinking that it could be my last fight. I’m looking at the opponent and I want to entertain and kill. That’s just how I am and I can’t change it.
“The Brad Pickett fight did my confidence the world of good, but then I still looked at it as a loss. What would you prefer, the win or your money? I’ll take the win every time. Money comes and goes,” he claimed.
Finally, Seery gave his thoughts on what will happen on November 8:
“I can finish anyone. I’ve got a really good gas tank, I know quite well that for 15 minutes I can go full tilt. I’ve got a better chin, I’ve got better hands and I’ve got a better gas tank than any of these guys at flyweight.
“It’s about getting in there and being clever. I’ve been working a lot on my wrestling. My takedown defense has come on leaps and bounds. I’m really trying to involve every aspect of the game in my style now.
“To go halfway around the world for a fight is a little frustrating, but I’m going to enjoy every bit of it. I’ll have two weeks to get adjusted and then I’m going in there to get a win. I’m going to prove to people that I’m serious in this division.
“It’s a big card, I think there are 13 fights, and I don’t know where my fight is on the card. If I’m first, that’s grand, I’ll go out and get my win and then I can sit back and enjoy the rest of the fights. It doesn’t matter to me – there’s no fuckin’ way I’m going halfway around the world to lose a fight. He’s going to have to kill me to stop me.”
@PetesyCarroll
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