Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight prospect Hyder Amil
did not always plan on becoming a fighter.
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Amil scored his second UFC win on Saturday, besting Jeong Yeong
Lee via first-round TKO at UFC
on ESPN 60. “The Hurricane” subsequently shared how he got into
combat sports after being raised to become an “intellectual” and an
artist.
The only male in the family growing up, Amil initially started
training martial arts to protect his sisters and mother. Amil’s
natural athletic abilities soon attracted people’s attention, who
then introduced him to several sports. Amil, who claims to have a
knack for anything art related, “blames” his friends for getting
him into sports and MMA.
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“I was just myself, my two sisters and my mom. So, I wanted to
learn martial arts originally, what motivated me to stay in it was
to protect them,” Amil said during a post-fight media scrum.
“Because I was the only boy in the house. And then everyone in
school saw that I was a pretty good athlete, so they got me into
football and wrestling and then my friends got me into fighting and
kickboxing.
“… Everyone from my community in San Rafael Marin county,
California, I blame those guys and my friends around there for
helping me get into MMA, get into sports. Because my mom raised me
to be an intellectual and an artist, actually. But they got me into
sports and stuff like that, so shout out to you guys… I can do
anything in art, painting, ceramics, anything drawing. I will show
you guys some day. But I have two murals in Berkeley,
California.”
Having started his UFC journey with back-to-back knockout wins,
Amil called for slot in a crowded arena for his next outing.
I want a Top 30, Top 20 guy. I’m healthy, send me somebody dude,”
he said. “I can’t wait, this is too fun… But you have to put me in
an arena. I’m too fun and too exciting to not be in an arena.
Please Dana, get me an arena, I’m gonna put on a show… Chase Center
in San Francisco. If you can make Chase Center happen, I’m gonna
make that place explode.