As the phrase immortalized by Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump goes, life is truly like a box of chocolates. UFC featherweight Rick Glenn learned this firsthand before his last fight. But unlike Mr. Gump, Glenn knew what he was going to receive.
Glenn’s opponent at UFC 208, Phillipe Nover, gifted Glenn a box of chocolates and a balloon during the weigh-in ceremony. Glenn knew that was going to happen, because he and Nover were lined up next to each other by the stage before the ceremony began. However, Glenn decided that some stalwarts of the UFC’s Octagon would enjoy the candy more than he would.
“I gave them to the Octagon girls,” Glenn told Combat Press. “They enjoyed them. I thought it was funny, but then I called my wife right away and apologized to her. But she thought it was funny, too.”
It was possible that Glenn couldn’t enjoy Nover’s gift because he previously adopted a vegan diet in an effort to keep his 6-foot, 145-pound frame intact. Glenn, who has also fought at lightweight, has since incorporated fish and eggs into his diet.
“I’ve been fighting at 145 pounds for seven years, and I’ve fought at 155 pounds a few times,” Glenn said. “I’ve had trouble making weight a few times before, but now I don’t eat as much dairy. I just train my ass off, and I could probably bulk up to 200 pounds if I wasn’t fighting.”
Glenn, whose record sits at 19-4-1, credits fighting at his preferred weight class for his victory over Nover at UFC 208, after he lost his UFC debut on short notice last year to Evan Dunham. Glenn also notes his ability to train full-time and his relocation to California to train with Team Alpha Male.
“They’re all good, respectful guys,” Glenn said of his new teammates. “I feel super grateful and blessed to be there.”
Among Glenn’s new teammates is Lance Palmer, who defeated Glenn for the World Series of Fighting featherweight title in 2014. Glenn spent more than two years in the WSOF and won its featherweight title. Though he lost the belt to Palmer, he doesn’t hold any grudges toward his fellow Alpha Male fighter.
“He’s a cool guy, and I’m looking forward to training with him more,” Glenn said. He added that though he experienced “ups and downs” while competing in the WSOF, he thinks the organization served as a good learning experience for younger fighters.
“They helped build you up,” Glenn said of the former WSOF, which was purchased by MMAX Investment Partners earlier this year and rebranded as the Professional Fighters League, where fighters compete in tournaments in various weight classes for cash prizes. Glenn is interested to see how his former home evolves under its new name.
“They’re still growing, and each show they put on got better and better,” Glenn said. “It’ll be interesting to see how they grow.”
Glenn’s next fight in his new home in the UFC comes at UFC 215 on Saturday, Sept. 9, against Gavin Tucker, who holds a perfect mark through 10 fights. Glenn goes by the nickname “The Gladiator,” which was given to him by his uncle right before his last amateur fight.
“He called me that because I’m always going for the kill,” Glenn said. “I’m looking to that ‘L’ from [Tucker]. I’ve fought other undefeated guys before, and he thinks he’s unbeatable. But he hasn’t faced me yet.”
Glenn will be out to score the finish yet again when he faces Tucker. If he finds it, he’ll add to his 15 finishes among his 19 overall wins. While Glenn is confident in keeping his weight on point and in his ability to finish opponents, he might have another weapon in his arsenal: a gnarly mustache or a mullet that Glenn has sported in the cage before.
“I’m keeping it clean right now,” Glenn said of his facial hair. “It’s a little warmer out here in California, and my wife isn’t a big fan of the bumps or stubble. But I feel more vicious when I have a mullet.”
Time will tell if Glenn decides to bring the iconic hairstyle to the Octagon next month.