Zach Reese dealt with high fight week fever before UFC win over Mickey Gall

yahoo sports mma |  

LAS VEGAS – Zach Reese met the media Saturday after his win over Mickey Gall at UFC Fight Night 292.

Reese (11-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC) outworked Gall (7-8 MMA, 6-8 UFC) for a unanimous decision on the prelims at the Meta APEX. Reese won with a trio of 29-27 scores. 

The 29-27 scores were the result of a point deduction Reese was given by referee Herb Dean in the first round for an accidental eye poke. The deduction came without an in-fight warning – Dean said he watched Reese leaning with his fingers out. 

Reese highlights, UFC Fight Night 292

Reese key quotes, UFC Fight Night 292

“I got sick Monday – had like a nice 104-(degree) fever, had chills. But it's a little bit of adversity, and stuck through and got it done, so it feels good, I guess. … My best fight in the UFC was my second fight. I fought Julian Marquez and I ended up getting walking pneumonia that week. It was the sickest I'd ever been. … I’m used to the adversity. It didn't really bug me too much mentally.”

“I honestly thought he’d probably try to wrestle me and I thought I would end up submitting him, but I hope it was an exciting fight. A big reason why I do this is I want to be an exciting fighter. So, I I hope people at home enjoyed it. They're all blood-thirsty animals.”

“I'm pretty good at not thinking about stuff. There's not a lot going on between my ears normally. I knew I needed a win – especially that split decision in February goes my way, you know, sh*t goes a little different. But if ‘ifs’ were fifths, we'd all be drunk. So, um yeah, I came out there and um I mean, there's always pressure in here, honestly, regardless. Like, I always think that it's like it's the same as if I fought Mickey Gall in a freaking Waffle House parking lot or something. To me, the stakes are the same, but out here it's more financial stakes. But the physical stakes of the fights overwhelms any kind of career ideas.”

“Jan. 18 in Dallas would be cool. I'm 0-2 in Texas in the UFC, so it’d be nice to right that ship – third time's the charm.”

Reese post-fight interview, UFC Fight Night 292

See the video above.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Zach Reese dealt with high fight week fever before UFC win over Mickey Gall