Where entertainment meets ability, a perfect storm emerges. Enter rising MMA prospect Tedrick Macklin. Boasting a 7-2 professional record, primarily in the Fury FC promotion, “T-Money” possesses all the tools and charisma to make real waves in the lightweight division of any organization. A versatile martial artist, he has attained six of his seven victories by way of finish. While he did endure a rough stretch in which he suffered back-to-back losses, he has never been finished. His last fight is a microcosm of what to expect with him: a violent finish. I say it all the time. It is often not enough to be a fine athlete; one must be marketable. Look around at most of the top talent in the UFC. Not only are they elite, but they possess starpower, microphone skills, charisma, and theatrical flair. It really is a form of theater for us fans at the end of the day. From following him on social media to watching his interviews and actual fights, I believe that Macklin has this unique blend of traits. It is tricky because prospects can easily burn out as quickly as they soar. Yet based on what I have seen, I am a firm believer in Tedrick Macklin.
Taking another look at the bare bones of Macklin’s professional career, I am reminded of a sentiment many UFC fighters have echoed: “This promotion wants finishes”. As mentioned, six of seven of Macklin’s wins have come by finish. Five of those six finishes transpired in the first round. What’s more, he does not seem to care how he finishes (pause). Knees, punches, guillotines, and rear-naked chokes have all appeared on his resume. This tells me that he is not a one-trick pony, as many fighters are criticized for being. This is important for a prospect, as being one-dimensional can cause them to crash and burn in the big leagues. While every newer fighter has plenty of work to do, it is at least a good sign that Macklin is willing to mix the martial arts.
The one main issue (if you can call it that) is that Macklin finds himself stalled fairly frequently. His two decision losses were heavily impacted by the fact that he was controlled either in the clinch or on the ground. Macklin will need to continue to improve his distance management and ringcraft in order to avoid this problem from resurfacing. We saw even the great Jose Aldo fall victim to such a predicament, where even if he avoided the takedown, he was unable to escape a decision loss. Macklin’s Taekwondo and Karate backgrounds are apparent in his fighting style. Point-fighting has its drawbacks, acknowledged by Macklin himself, but he seems to have a mature awareness of his particular style and how to make it work for him. Watching his interviews, the word mature again comes to mind. He is confident, but does not possess the reckless bravado that many up-and-comers do. Listening to him break down his last knockout, it is clear he is no slouch with his homework. He knew his opponent would dip to the side, possibly to level change, and timed a thundering knee accordingly. Macklin can learn from his mistakes and be honest with himself. That is more than we can say about so many.
When he is out in open space, T-Money looks every bit the part of a UFC fighter. He has sharp, sophisticated striking, with an active lead jab. Here is where we see the karate background pull its weight, because Macklin does not waste energy or throw ugly power shots that are often seen in amateurs. Every move is calculated. As I touched on, it is important that Macklin is not one-dimensional, as many Karate-style fighters often are. Lethal strikers, but with a clear path to victory for their opponent, provided they can level change. Grappling is as important as it has ever been, particularly at the lightweight division. It is usually not enough to be proficient in the stand-up game; one must be adept on the ground. In his interview with Around the Octagon, Macklin stated that certain styles of strikers will usually fall victim to a grappler. All the more reason to hone that area, and hone it he has. Once Macklin can reach his opponent’s back, he is typically able to finish the fight. He does an excellent job of closing the distance with his weapons, then transitioning from there. Beautifully blending the arts is the way, and with a little polishing with the wrestling, Macklin will be even more watertight.
The sport is as popular as ever. With a plethora of rising young talent, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to stand out. Tedrick Macklin has all the ingredients needed to make a UFC run; he just has to operate by a thin margin for error. Had he not suffered those decision defeats, we would likely have heard his name associated with the UFC far sooner. Simply keep winning in an entertaining fashion, and nobody could ever ask for more. Fun to watch both on the ground and on the feet, Macklin is farther along than many of his peers. While none of us can predict the future, we would all do well to keep an eye on T-Money and his future endeavors.
