Westcott’s plans falling into place

Posted on | February 1, 2011 | No Comments

Fan club growing as showdown at Supremacy approaches

When Sheldon Westcott essentially decided to call out 11-year veteran Thomas Denny, he knew he was asking for the biggest fight of his blossoming career.

So Westcott immediately got his game plan in gear when the fight was set for MFC 28: Supremacy – an encounter that plays a major role in the main card airing live on HDNet Fights from the River Cree Resort and Casino on Friday, Feb. 25.

His work is paying off.

“It’s all unheard of for me,” laughed Westcott. “I’ve never remotely been on target like this before. I’ve been dieting right, eating the proper food. This will be the easiest cut I’ve ever had to make. Everything is going so well.

“My boxing, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu – everything is coming together so much better. Before when I was having to cut so much weight, it was tough to find the energy for every workout and I really had to push myself. With this new way of doing things, I’m stronger now than I was at 214 pounds. I just feel so great.”

The opportunity to fight Denny has Westcott fired up as evidenced by his rapid readiness.

“I’ve wanted this fight for three years,” explained Westcott. “His experience is absolutely not intimidating. In fact, it’s going to make me train even harder. I want to beat him faster than (Nick) Diaz did, faster than Georges St. Pierre did. I’m putting an extremely big emphasis on that.

Westcott’s enthusiasm to square-off against Denny has also yielded a huge upswing in the fighter’s fan base. While he has always enjoyed some strong support, there’s little doubt Westcott will have his biggest cheering section ever backing him up against the “Wildman.”

Why not use the home-town advantage when you’ve got it?

“Ten years ago, if I’d have told someone that more than 200 of my friends and family would come out to see me in a fight no one would have believed me. Now I’ve got people coming from all over – some of them are driving 10 hours from Manitoba to be here. My support is amazing. It absolutely gives me a lot of motivation. It’s the main factor for me wanting to compete more,” said Westcott, who expects upwards of 250 rowdies out to cheer him on.

“I’m never nervous when I walk out but my adrenaline gets going so much when I start to hear everyone yelling their support for me. It’s like a family reunion. Everybody has a great time. But it’s not just family.

“I’ve met so many people at the fights over the years. I’ve answered a lot of questions just sitting next to people at past shows. They find out you’re a fighter and they ask you for your opinion on the fights. I love doing that.

“Now those same people want to come and watch my fights because they love watching me take dudes’ heads off.”

Fighting before a huge throng of supporters is certainly a far ways from the days when Westcott was a teenage track and field sensation. Ranked fifth in the country and earning a college scholarship, Westcott toyed with pursuing lofty ambitions in the decathlon, but eventually his passion swayed towards mixed martial arts. While he has fought somewhat sparingly over the course of his career, it’s the advanced training he partaken in overseas that Westcott believes has set up him well for the launching pad that has come with new multi-fight deal in the Maximum Fighting Championship.

The nomadic training regimen may have prevented the 26-year-old from compiling a lengthy resume, yet it has stockpiled a skill set that is ready to explode.

“I’ve trained everywhere,” recalled Westcott. “Amsterdam, England … with Silvio Bering , with Brazilian Top Team, all over – different places even in Edmonton.

“I’ve learned a lot, not just about fighting but about myself. When you go away to train, there’s no safety net with all your buddies. You’ve gone somewhere to earn a spot and if you don’t do what you’re supposed to do, they’re going to eat you alive. You can’t quit over there and make yourself look bad because you’re also representing Canada and Edmonton.

“There were mornings I’d wake up and not feel like training but you have to. You don’t want to get eaten alive so you have to put it on them. I had a great time in Amsterdam with Tom Watson, and Paul Daley, and Melvin Manhoef. And I enjoyed being at Team Roughhouse in England. There’s no quit in those guys and there was something new and different every day.

“It’s given me a whole different work ethic. It made me ready to come home and just destroy guys.”