5 Things You Might Not Know About Vinc Pichel

No one in the Ultimate Fighting Championship flourishes in relative anonymity any better than Vinc Pichel, a well-rounded lightweight who carries a 7-2 record inside the Octagon.

The 39-year-old Californian will test his mettle against unbeaten former Olympic silver medalist Mark O. Madsen in a featured UFC 273 attraction on Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Pichel, who has not tasted defeat in nearly four years, enters the cage on the strength of a three-fighting winning streak. He has secured eight of his 14 pro victories by knockout or technical knockout, all eight of them inside two rounds. Pichel last competed at UFC on ESPN 29, where he laid claim to a three-round unanimous decision over Austin Hubbard on Aug. 21.

As Pichel makes final preparations for his battle with Madsen at 155 pounds, here are five things you might not know about him:

1. The late-bloomer description fits him.

Pichel was 26 years old when he made his professional mixed martial arts debut with a first-round knockout of Franky Childs at a Hitman Fighting Productions event on Aug. 15, 2009. More than half (nine) of his 16 career bouts have taken place since he turned 30.

2. A reality check served as his springboard.

The Lancaster, California, native was a semifinalist on Season 15 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series in 2012. Pichel was eliminated from the competition in a unanimous decision defeat to Al Iaquinta.

3. He surrounded himself with like-minded savages.

Pichel has thrown out his anchor at the Factory X camp in Englewood, Colorado, where he trains under Marc Montoya and operates alongside a number of accomplished peers, from Anthony Smith and Alexander Hernandez to Brandon Royval, Chris Gutierrez and Dustin Jacoby.

4. Some of his swords have remained sheathed.

While Pichel holds the rank of black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he has not yet recorded an official victory by submission. However, he did win two exhibition bouts on “The Ultimate Fighter” via tapout, as he put away Cody Pfister with a rear-naked choke in qualifiers and sent John Cofer packing with an arm-triangle choke in the Round of 16.

5. The truth set him free.

Pichel, who talks openly about the addiction and lawlessness that marked much of his youth, was given his “From Hell” nickname by his mother.

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