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"If it was the case of not being happy but still getting the best training, I would've sacrificed that"

Luckily for Tom Breese, that's not the way things have panned out for him. The British welterweight is very happy with life right now and a lot of that is to do with him being back home in Birmingham, England having spent three years over in Canada training at the Tristar gym.



Speaking to Breese earlier this week, he revealed that this had always been his plan all along.



"I've always planned to come back to Birmingham - it's my home," Breese said. "For me, it really is just about being happy and also the training I've come back to here is just great. I've always wanted to compete a lot more in Jiu-Jitsu and I feel like I'm able to do that a lot more here in England."



"The most important thing right now is being able to make big improvements. I'm not just in this to be a mid-level fighter, I'm in this to be the best in the world so I need to take the time now and make the improvements to do that."



While some will say that Breese is moving away from one of the best fight camps in the world, the man himself says that he is getting some of the best coaching he's ever had back home.



"I'm going to be training full time in Birmingham and I've got great guys to work with like Leon Edwards and Yannick Bahati," Breese said. "I'm also not afraid to invest in my training so if I need to bring in training partners I will.



"The boxing training I'm going to be getting is also going to be great and I'm still going to be going to the Renzo Gracie academy for my Jiu-Jitsu. I'm really happy with this and I think it's going to help me make the improvements I want to."



Leaving Tristar

While happy to be home and more than content with his new training setup, it was obvious that there was another more personal layer to Breese coming home. Being back amongst his own obviously meant a lot to him. Finding the words to describe how he felt obviously wasn't easy.



"I felt ... I felt ... look I'd train and then once I'd stopped training I felt, burnt out and like I had no balance in my life ... I wasn't happy," Breese said honestly. "I just feel now that the training at home is amazing, Tristar is also amazing but if you invest in your training you can be great anywhere.



"Being in Birmingham is just going to be a whole lot more productive for me. You got to think of it right, I was in Montreal for three years but I was a tourist, I had to leave the country every now and again -- it was just all very difficult for me. There were little things as well like I wanted to buy a house and it was difficult for me to do those things there."



Learning lessons from defeat

After taking his record to 10-0, Breese faced the toughest task of his career to date when he faced Sean Strickland at UFC 199. Things didn't go to plan on that night and after a close three rounds where neither fighter really set themselves apart, it was Strickland who got the nod from the judges.



Despite the disappointment of his defeat, Breese obviously took away some invaluable lessons that you can only learn inside the Octagon on fight night.



"I've never really had a fight like that where it was three rounds on the feet with very few exchanges, it was good to get that experience," Breese said. "The thing I really need to work on though is my conditioning, that's what I feel really let me down.



If I was in good condition I wouldn't have got tired and faded in the second and third rounds but I did and I allowed Sean to set the pace and pressure me which the judges must've liked more. I promised myself that is the last time I'm ever going to get tired in a fight."



Having isolated his strength and conditioning as a major factor to why he lost the fight, Breese was in no mood to blame anyone but himself for allowing that to happen.



"I neglected my strength and conditioning, it's that simple," Breese said. "All that stuff like running I just neglected it. I would train twice a day and do technical work and sparring and that sort of stuff but I neglected the running and stuff.



"Firas is always recommending us to do that stuff but at the end of the day we are all professionals and it's our responsibility. Firas always gives us great advice I can never fault Firas. It was my fault no one else's.



The next chapter

Having learned the lessons from that fight and changed up his scenery, Breese is now working harder than ever to come build on the reputation he has built himself already.



"I'm still young in my career so I'm still learning a lot of lessons," Breese said honestly. "I know I'm going to come back a lot better from this and this better than I've ever been. I've learned that I need to come forward more, pressure more and also use my ground game more - I've got excellent Jiu Jitsu I've just not ever shown it yet.



"I know for a fact that if I want to be a champion in this game I have to get a lot better. You will see in my next fight that I'm going to be the best version of myself. I'm not only going to win but I'm going to make sure my training is better and everything.



"Nothing is guaranteed but I promise I'll be the best me. I'll be stronger, I'll be technically better and I'll be better conditioned. I just have to do what I've got to do now."



While other fighters are often keen to get back in the Octagon as soon as possible after a defeat, Breese is going to take the time to get settled back into life in the UK before thinking about putting his hand up to get back in there.



"I'm training twice a day now but I want to take the time to make the improvements and not rush," Breese said. "I've got a lot of Jiu Jitsu coming up and I'm still settling in back home. The only thing tempting me is that Manchester card [UFC 204 in October] but I will have a long think about that first.



"I just want to get my head down and improve myself. I'm still confident I can beat anyone but there's no need to rush, I had four fights in a year so I'm just going to take my time and make myself hungrier and more refreshed."



Tyron Woodley a beatable man at the top

With UFC 201 now in the books, Breese now has a new target to aim at in the welterweight division - Tyron Woodley. Breese wasn't surprised with the way things went down.



"That's the sh*t thing about being back home, the late UFC start times," Breese said laughing. "I had a feeling Woodley was going to win because I've always thought Robbie is too keen to come forward and exchange which isn't always the best idea against a power puncher like Woodley.



"But, honestly I really don't rate Tyron Woodley, I just think he's a monster physically, he doesn't do anything for me technically. He's not a great technician and I can't remember him ever being in a great fight to watch.



"Just athletically and physically he's the best specimen in the UFC to be honest. That said, he does fade in the later rounds so let's see. I've seen there is talk of him fighting Nick Diaz, if Nick gets through the first two rounds he will beat him because Nick Diaz doesn't stop. I think Nick Diaz would beat Tyron Woodley."