He trains alongside one of the world's best UFC fighters. And Colby Thicknesse aspires to one day fight at the same level as Alex Volkanovski.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 20-year-old bantamweight fighter, out of Windang's Freestyle Fighting Gym, has made an impressive start to his MMA career, boasting a 5-1 record.
Last Friday night, the Mt Warrigal product won the WKBF NSW Amateur Title belt with a third-round, rear naked choke victory against Kris Ustijanovski at Super Fight 14 in Punchbowl.
Thicknesse said it was an important win as he aimed to become a UFC fighter.
"I'm like a sponge off him [Volkanovski]. I want to follow in his footsteps," he said.
"I'm almost in the same position to where he started. Over the past eight years, he's gone from [winning] regional titles in Australia to now fighting for a UFC belt. It would mean everything [to fight in the UFC]. I train full time while working nights to pursue the dream. I put everything into it."
Thicknesse said he had gained a lot of confidence from Friday night's win.
"He [Ustijanovski] won the first round, but during all three rounds, it felt like my best performance yet," he said.
"I felt really calm and composed out there. Even though I lost the first round, because he got a few good shots in, I never felt in danger. In the second round, I almost finished him as I gained momentum.
"I finished him the first minute of the third round. There was a moment at the end of the second round where we got up, looked at each other and I thought 'you're done'. He was breathing heavy and had burned himself out in two rounds.
"I felt fresh and felt like I had another five rounds in me still to go. It was good."
Thicknesse began freestyle fighting when he was just five years old.
He says he won "national titles and all that" until he was 12 years old. He made the move to Freestyle Fighting Gym eight years ago and never looked back.
"I love the training partners and the environment," he said.
"Everyone is treated the same. You come in, work hard and get rewarded for it."
While you're with us the Illawarra Mercury is offering sport readers 20% off an annual digital subscription. Sign up to stay up to date with all the local sports you love for only $3 a week. Terms and conditions apply.
Subscribe to our newsletters
Joshua Bartlett
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
