James Vick Announces Move to Welterweight After Third Consecutive UFC Defeat

A three-fight losing streak has prompted James Vick to test his skills in a different weight class.

“The Texecutioner” announced Wednesday via Instagram that his next fight will take place at 170 pounds. Vick compiled a 9-4 mark in the UFC while competing at lightweight but had recently fallen on hard times, losing to Dan Hooker, Paul Felder and Justin Gaethje in his last three Octagon appearances.

“To update everyone I will be moving up to 170 next fight,” Vick wrote. “Cutting weight is not easy and has really sucked these past few [years]. However, I WILL NOT do what so many others have done and blame my [losses] on weight cuts or use it as a crutch. I have worked with George Lockhart, the best nutritionist in all of MMA, and know he has always given me the best advice and knowledge possible.

“I myself have not followed the program at times and it has made some cuts tougher than others, but either way I have never missed weight and also did what I signed the contract to do. Now the time has come to move up. I know this will make a lot of [people] happy, especially all the MMA couch watching professionals who know so much about nutrition.”

Vick, 32, is 13-4 over the course of his professional career and owns notable victories against the likes of Francisco Trinaldo, Joseph Duffy, Jake Matthews and Abel Trujillo, to name a few.

View this post on Instagram

Been doing alot of thinking and reflecting these past few days. Things aren't ideal right now. But then again they never are in this game of life. I have been to blessed to stay down for a long time and my family doesn't deserve that anyway. We all have different roles as a father, mother, or child but none are more important than the other and everyone has sacrificed not just me so no time to be in my feeling. The time is to show James Jr the proper example of how to handle not getting everything you want in life. Realizing fighting is not the most important thing in life has been the best but worse thing to ever happen to me. Definitely long term will be the best thing for me but right now short term has been the worse thing ever in my career and has did nothing but take my mind and focus off of fighting. And like Napoleon Hill says "the idle mind is the devil's workshop" you can be physically present but not mentally. This isn't some emotional post because I just took a another loss. I don't feel this way because of losing but in my opinion it's the opposite I've been losing because I feel like this. Thank you so much to the ppl that have supported me. I have received so many great messages from truly good ppl who care about me and have showed nothing but love and support. To my friends and fans thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything. To update everyone I will be moving up to 170 next fight. Cutting weight is not easy and has really sucked these past few yrs. However I WILL NOT do what so many others have done and blame my loses on weight cuts or use it as a crutch. I have worked with George Lockhart the best nutritionist in all of mma and know he has always given me the best advice and knowledge possible. I myself have not followed the program at times and it has made some cuts tougher than others but either way I have never missed weight and also did what I signed the contract to do. Now the time has come to move up. I know this will make alot of ppl happy, especially all the mma couch watching professionals who know so much about nutrition anyway thank you to the ones who have always had my back and supported me and my decisions.

A post shared by James Vick (@jamesvickmma) on Jul 24, 2019 at 10:28am PDT