Xtreme Couture coach Eric Nicksick was there for much of middleweight Uriah Hall’s training for UFC Fight Night 124.

The coach also was there when Hall had a “slight heart attack” during his weight cut. Contrary to the opinion of UFC President Dana White, nothing about the situation was the result of lax preparation.

“It’s tough, especially when your employer is the first one to bag on you,” Nicksick told MMAjunkie Radio. “I think what really hurt me was, this guy almost died for your organization.”

Hall (13-8 MMA, 6-6 UFC) collapsed on the way to the official weigh-ins for the event this past month and was forced to withdraw from a fight against ex-champ Vitor Belfort (26-13 MMA, 15-10 UFC) in a co-headliner at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

Hall spent 48 hours in an area hospital before his release. UFC women’s strawweight Paige VanZant, who was present when Hall collapsed, called the episode the “scariest thing I have ever seen.”

After the event, White cited feedback from the UFC’s Performance Institute on Hall and opined the middleweight “doesn’t take his training serious.

“He doesn’t do what anybody tells him,” White said. “He does his own thing. A week before the fight, he went to L.A. and was hanging out in L.A. in clubs and stuff. So, not good.”

Nicksick wasn’t present for every moment of Hall’s camp. But he’s adamant he checked with the Performance Institute’s strength and conditioning coach every day for a report on his fighter’s training. At no point did he receive word that Hall was slacking.

The only thing out of the ordinary during their time together, Nicksick said, was bloating Hall complained of that required a change in diet.

After White’s remarks, Hall defended his training methods and revealed the health complications he’d suffered. He minimized White’s comments as a symptom of a lack of information.

“You mean to tell me my entire career, all of a sudden I’m going to party in L.A.? It’s too funny man,” Hall said. “Oh my God. But that’s what happens when you don’t come out – a lot of speculation.”

That response belied a deep disappointment with White, Nicksick said.

“Uriah was upset,” he said. “He’s like, ‘I thought me and Dana were friends.’ (I said), ‘Yeah, maybe, but you (expletive) with that dude’s money. So don’t get all upset about it thinking you guys were all chummy.

“At the end of the day, none of us get paid, (and) it was an eight-week camp. But my guy’s alive.”

When Hall collapsed, the coach wasn’t sure that would be the case. He said Team Alpha Male coaches Danny Castillo and Joey Rodriguez rushed to Hall’s aid in an elevator where he collapsed. VanZant was “damn near in tears.”

Hall said he was “conscious, but I was unconscious. I knew what was happening, but I was fighting over it. I was punching. I think I had a mini-seizure and at the same time a slight heart attack. My kidneys were just not good.”

“Honest to god truth, I didn’t know if we was going to make it out,” Nicksick said. “(I said), ‘Don’t call the doctor – call the paramedics.”

It’s still not clear to Nicksick or Hall exactly what happened that day. Hall said an injury prevented him from cutting weight properly. In the days prior to the fight, he admitted his body “shut down” in training camp. He admitted an emotional breakdown of sorts. But he resolved to get through it.

Unfortunately, his body didn’t let him.

“He did not feel like he even had a heartbeat,” Nicksick said. “His pulse was thready. He was unconscious and unresponsive. And all the while he was trying to make it down that (expletive) elevator to weigh in for (White). And all he kept saying was, ‘I’ve never missed weight. I’ve never missed weight.’

“And then for you to go on and bash your guy without all the facts, without hearing the story, without knowing what happened. Maybe he did (go to Los Angeles), maybe he caught wind of some things. But I was at the (Performance Institute) with him Tuesdays and Thursdays training.

“This was one of the best camps I’ve ever seen out of this guy. We were teed up to go and have a good performance. Something went wrong.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 124, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

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