Bellator welterweight Rick Hawn not interested in being 'that guy'

You know “that guy.” Mixed martial arts is full of them. Rick Hawn (15-2 MMA, 7-2 BMMA), who’s stepping in on just one week’s notice to fight in Bellator MMA’s Season 9 welterweight tournament, refuses to be one.

“Some people make a lot of money by being ‘that guy,’” Hawn told MMAjunkie.com. “I thought about being that guy – especially the way social media and the MMA media is nowadays – because maybe I could get more sponsors, attention and money. But it’s just not me. I am who I am. I don’t really care if people don’t like it or think it’s boring. At least I’m true to myself, and I won’t be faking an image or persona just to get more Twitter followers or whatever. I just try to be real, I guess.”

By now, of course, Hawn should be familiar to Bellator fans. A onetime welterweight tournament finalist, Hawn dropped a split-decision to Jay Hieron and was left one fight short of a shot at the promotion’s 170-pound belt. He then reinvented himself as a lightweight and cruised through Bellator’s Season 6 tournament before losing by submission to Michael Chandler in a failed bid for the 155-pound belt.

While he’s fallen just short of Bellator gold on two different occasions, Hawn has unquestionably established himself as one of the promotion’s most successful fighters. However, he’s not willing to try and flaunt his accomplishments.

“I’ve never been ‘that guy,’” Hawn said. “I’m more of a realist. Because how many times have we seen people talk a big game, but then they just end up looking like an a–hole? It’s MMA. Anything can happen. You can’t go out there and talk like Muhammed Ali. Some guys can. … They back it up. But even they usually fall eventually.

“Maybe it’s from the core value of martial arts I learned in judo, but I don’t need to be arrogant or overconfident. I don’t find that an attractive quality or trait that I want to use.”

A black belt in judo, Hawn is a former resident of Colorado’s Olympic Training Center. He represented the U.S. in judo in the 2004 Olympic Games, though he failed to medal. Still, Hawn credits the discipline learned from his experiences for fueling his attitude.

“Having a judo background taught me to respect my opponent, to bow to my opponent, and to shake my opponent’s hand,” Hawn said. “You conduct yourself with honor, and you have respect for your opponent. If you don’t respect your opponent, bad things happen. Always respect your opponent and understand that they can hurt you at any moment.”

Hawn’s first opponent in the Season 9 welterweight tourney is Herman Terrado (11-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA). The pair meets on the main card of Friday’s Bellator 100 event, which takes place at Phoenix’s Grand Canyon University Arena. The night’s main card, including Herman vs. Terrado, airs on Spike TV following prelims on Spike.com.

Hawn admits he doesn’t know a lot about the promotional newcomer, but he feels comfortable with his chances based on the little bit of scouting he’s done.

“I don’t know much about Herman Terrado,” Hawn said. “I’ve seen him a couple times against opponents that were really horrible, so it was over in like 30 seconds or something. He’s kind of similar to Derek Campos, who I was training for: similar in body structure, a big, bulky muscle-guy with a lot of power and a lot of haymakers.

“Given the fact that he’s 11-2, I think he’s relatively inexperienced and hasn’t fought a lot of tough guys at the top. Hopefully I can use that to my advantage and be smart when I fight him.”

Hawn admits there’s a little sense of urgency in his approach. His brushes with Bellator titles have given him hope that he’s capable of competing with the sport’s best. But at 37 years old, he knows time isn’t on his side.

“I’d really like to win a belt before I retire,” Hawn said. “That’s the ultimate goal. That’s what I’m pushing for. The money’s good, but ultimately I’m a competitor and when I leave, I want to leave with a belt. That’s the ultimate accomplishment in MMA and that’s what I’m shooting for, whether it’s at lightweight or welterweight.”

But in Hawn’s mind, there’s only one way to get there. And it most certainly does not involve ever becoming “that guy.”

“I only have a few years left, and I’ve always wanted to make the most of myself and my career,” Hawn said. “I don’t do anything half-assed. I can’t do that. I can’t be mediocre at anything when I know I could be good at it – or the best. Whether I have to travel halfway across the country or the world, I’ll do whatever it takes.

“You have to be selfish as an athlete. You’re the one that’s putting everything on the line. If you don’t make the biggest sacrifices, you’re not going to be the best. That’s why I do it.”

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(Pictured: Rick Hawn)