Three days before his 24th birthday, Zack Micklewright will step into the WEC cage and face his toughest opponent yet: Bart Palaszewski.
Micklewright, a Miletich Fighting Systems product won his WEC debut against Muhsin Corbbrey late last year via unanimous decision, but a broken ankle he suffered during practice kept him from carrying out his second fight against Alex Karalexis in early 2010.
Now, the undefeated 7-0 Marine, with a 10-3-1 amateur record, will look to crush one of the WEC's best lightweight fighters on August 18 at WEC 50.
Micklewright took some time away from training to talk with FiveKnuckles.com about what it will be like to fight another Miletich prodigy, and how he got signed to the WEC.
FiveKnuckles.com: So here's the situation. You're undefeated in your MMA career: 7-0. Then the WEC hooks you up against Bart Palaszewski, who's 34-13. That's almost seven times the amount of fights. Can you talk about any anxiety in facing a guy with that much experience?
Zack Micklewright: A guy with that much experience is definitely a step up. It's a little intimidating, but it's not like I'm gonna go out there and not know who I'm facing. Everybody knows who Bart Palaszewski is. Now, he used to train with Pat Miletich, so I know plenty enough about him, and I just gotta do what I do, and hopefully the experience won't give him the upper hand. But I've got plenty of amateur fights, so experience is something that I'm worried about.
FiveKnuckles.com: He's beaten Anthony Pettis, Karen Darabedyan and Alex Karalexis in the WEC. What are you going to have to do to beat him? And how has Pat Miletich helped your game?
Zack Micklewright: As Bart was up-and-coming, Pat's the one who taught him all the stuff. He learned a lot from Pat. And Pat's taught me the same stuff. But I know he's a real basic kind of fighter, which is good for him because he's got a lot of power. He's good on the ground, but I know what to look out for, so I've been working on my jiu-jitsu a lot. And then my wrestling has come along really well. And I feel like I'm the better stand up guy. Well, I wouldn't say I'm the better stand up guy, but I think that I'm gonna use my strong point, which is my stand up, and I'm going to have the upper hand.
FiveKnuckles.com: Are you happy with fighting Bart Palaszewski even though he's such a tough guy?
Zack Micklewright: Yeah, I think he is a good match up. We're both real hard-headed and we punch hard. I think it'll make for a really good fight. And I kinda expected it because they match up winners with winners. And he won the same night that I won, and in the same weight class, so I figured that it was going to happen. So I kinda had my mind set that that was who I was gonna fight. I'm not worried about any type of match up that I'm gonna get. A fight's a fight - anything can happen. I'm not scared of anybody. I'm happy with this match up.
FiveKnuckles.com: What have you been doing since your last fight, which took place in December? Do you consistently train or did you take some time off?
Zack Micklewright: I was training to fight Alex Karalexis at WEC 48 and I suffered an injury that kept me from fighting so I have been out of the gym. I couldn't walk for several weeks, so it was hard to get into a gym.
FiveKnuckles.com: How is it feeling now?
Zack Micklewright: It's been going good; it doesn't bother me at all. It's not a factor in any part of my training whatsoever. Things are going really good.
FiveKnuckles.com: When did you resume training after the injury healed?
Zack Micklewright: At the end of April.
FiveKnuckles.com: And you're fight is in August, so you'll have had plenty of time.
Zack Micklewright: Yeah, I'm pumped about that. I've got [time] to bust my ass and get myself in gear.
FiveKnuckles.com: How did you come into the WEC from GFC (Glory Fighting Championships)? What was it like and how did you feel?
Zack Micklewright: I got my name out there because I had been to a couple of LC Davis' fights (my training partner). I was cornering him. So I stuck my name out there, tried to get my face known around there. Then my manager helped me out.
FiveKnuckles.com: And they liked what they saw and brought you over?
Zack Micklewright: Yeah. They must have scouted me and looked at my videos. I talked to them a couple times. And they invited me on to fight Muhsin Corbbrey, and I beat him, so here I am.
FiveKnuckles.com: Your debut was a success, how did it feel to get your hand raised in your first fight in the cage?
Zack Micklewright: It felt good. That's what I wanted. I wasn't going in there to not get my hand raised. It was a relief and it really made me feel like I had come along way since I started fighting. Muhsin Corbbrey has fought a lot of tough guys. He went three rounds with Nick Diaz. He's fought Kurt Pellegrino, Jim Miller. To see that I could ascend like that made me really me feel like I've come a long way and I've got what it takes.
FiveKnuckles.com: Do you plan to stay in the lightweight division or would you like to move around?
Zack Micklewright: I'm a pretty big 155er, so that's my best bet. I'd be good at 170; I might be a small 170. I'm too small for 170 and too big for 155. But I can make 155 and be healthy, so that's where I'm gonna stay.
FiveKnuckles.com: Is your goal to go to the UFC, or are you happy with your home in the WEC?
Zack Micklewright: I'm happy with where I'm at. If the 155 division gets moved to the UFC, I'm fine with that. I'm just gonna take it one fight at a time and not let it bother me.
The WEC's milestone WEC 50 event will take place on August 18 in Las Vegas, NV.