Adam Piccolotti Moving Beyond Tragedy at Bellator 154
Adam Piccolotti Moving Beyond Tragedy at Bellator 154
By Duane FinleyWhen a tragedy occurs, there's no limit to how far the impact can reach. For those who knew and loved Jordan Parsons, that chaotic storm is s
By Duane Finley
When a tragedy occurs, there's no limit to how far the impact can reach.
For those who knew and loved Jordan Parsons, that chaotic storm is still raging. Nearly two weeks ago, the MMA world was stunned when news broke of the rising MMA prospect fighting for his life after suffering a devastating accident at the hands of a hit-and-run driver.
The undefeated talent would eventually succumb to his injuries three days later, which only served to intensify the pain felt from Parson’s unfortunate and senseless passing.
He was 25 years old.
Adam Piccolotti wasn’t friends with Parsons. He never shared a handshake or single conversation with him, but what happened rocked him to the core.
“It’s hard to explain being in that type of position,” Piccolotti said. “I never knew him but I had been following him for a little while on social media. Seeing his posts told me that he was a special guy to be around, and the type of person the motivated and inspired others.”
Piccolotti was scheduled to face Parsons at Bellator 154 on May 14, and when fighters prepare to step inside the cage, the opponent who will be standing across from them becomes the object of intense focus. Furthermore, the bout was figured to be the biggest showcase in their respective careers as Parsons vs. Piccolotti was set to bring the spotlight upon two of Bellator’s most promising up-and-comers.
All of which may have been taken off of the table in the aftermath of Parsons’ death, but nothing lessened the grief Picolotti found himself facing.
Piccolotti studied and survived grueling sessions inside the gym to ensure he’d be ready for the best Parsons had to offer in San Jose. A natural byproduct of this process comes in a link that forms between the two competitors, and Piccolotti admits he struggled with the complexities of his situation.
“When it all happened, I didn’t even know where to begin processing it,” Piccolotti said. “When you are in training camp the person you’re putting all that hard work into stopping takes a strange place in your life. You think about them so much they are basically in your everyday life. Then something like what happens to Jordan happens and it’s awful.
“In a normal situation where your opponent pulls out of the fight, you keep moving and hope that person heals up. Jordan didn’t get that opportunity and it’s all so heartbreaking. It really affected me.”
He felt grief-stricken about a young athlete and inspiring human being that was taken away far too soon. But Piccolotti also felt the internal drive to push forward. He had to keep moving and the decision was made he would remain on the card and compete at Bellator 154.
“Dealing with the tragedy put me in a weird place emotionally,” Piccolotti said. “It was very hard to deal with what happened, but my career is still right there. I’ve invested so much time and made so many sacrifices. If this were a normal situation, and something awful didn’t happen to my opponent I would’ve been thinking about where I stand and where I want to get to. Once I was able to recognize that I was also able to regain my focus.”
Northern California has been a fixture of the MMA scene for quite some time, and Bellator President Scott Coker plays a big role in that. Combat sports in the Bay Area have always meant a great deal to Coker, and his early days in kickboxing laid the foundation for his success leading other organizations.
While Piccolotti may have been a teenager when Coker was smashing live-attendance records in the United States, the undefeated 27-year-old found an early appreciation for how San Jose’s love for MMA. Piccolotti isn’t quite sure why this is the case, but he definitely rates San Jose as the go-to city for MMA in "The Bay."
Furthermore, the chance to compete in San Jose on a big stage is a dream come true for Piccolotti. He will now face Ray Wood in the second scheduled bout on the main card set to air live on Spike TV Friday night. Piccolotti knows this is still a big moment, and he is counting on the crowd at the SAP Center to bring out the best in him.
“The presence of MMA in the area I’m from has been strong for awhile now,” Piccolotti said. “There is a lot of talent and good fight teams in a place that is bigger like San Francisco, but San Jose just seems ahead of the game. I know Scott Coker has been doing big shows up there for a long time, and I’m stoked to be competing on this upcoming Bellator card.
“I’m going to have a lot of support in the crowd, and that’s a good thing to have when you’re facing a guy who is tough like Ray. He has a good record and a well-rounded skill set, but I have to go out there and prove I’m the better fighter. I can’t wait to put on show for the fans.”
When a tragedy occurs, there's no limit to how far the impact can reach.
For those who knew and loved Jordan Parsons, that chaotic storm is still raging. Nearly two weeks ago, the MMA world was stunned when news broke of the rising MMA prospect fighting for his life after suffering a devastating accident at the hands of a hit-and-run driver.
The undefeated talent would eventually succumb to his injuries three days later, which only served to intensify the pain felt from Parson’s unfortunate and senseless passing.
He was 25 years old.
Adam Piccolotti wasn’t friends with Parsons. He never shared a handshake or single conversation with him, but what happened rocked him to the core.
“It’s hard to explain being in that type of position,” Piccolotti said. “I never knew him but I had been following him for a little while on social media. Seeing his posts told me that he was a special guy to be around, and the type of person the motivated and inspired others.”
Piccolotti was scheduled to face Parsons at Bellator 154 on May 14, and when fighters prepare to step inside the cage, the opponent who will be standing across from them becomes the object of intense focus. Furthermore, the bout was figured to be the biggest showcase in their respective careers as Parsons vs. Piccolotti was set to bring the spotlight upon two of Bellator’s most promising up-and-comers.
All of which may have been taken off of the table in the aftermath of Parsons’ death, but nothing lessened the grief Picolotti found himself facing.
Piccolotti studied and survived grueling sessions inside the gym to ensure he’d be ready for the best Parsons had to offer in San Jose. A natural byproduct of this process comes in a link that forms between the two competitors, and Piccolotti admits he struggled with the complexities of his situation.
“When it all happened, I didn’t even know where to begin processing it,” Piccolotti said. “When you are in training camp the person you’re putting all that hard work into stopping takes a strange place in your life. You think about them so much they are basically in your everyday life. Then something like what happens to Jordan happens and it’s awful.
“In a normal situation where your opponent pulls out of the fight, you keep moving and hope that person heals up. Jordan didn’t get that opportunity and it’s all so heartbreaking. It really affected me.”
He felt grief-stricken about a young athlete and inspiring human being that was taken away far too soon. But Piccolotti also felt the internal drive to push forward. He had to keep moving and the decision was made he would remain on the card and compete at Bellator 154.
“Dealing with the tragedy put me in a weird place emotionally,” Piccolotti said. “It was very hard to deal with what happened, but my career is still right there. I’ve invested so much time and made so many sacrifices. If this were a normal situation, and something awful didn’t happen to my opponent I would’ve been thinking about where I stand and where I want to get to. Once I was able to recognize that I was also able to regain my focus.”
Northern California has been a fixture of the MMA scene for quite some time, and Bellator President Scott Coker plays a big role in that. Combat sports in the Bay Area have always meant a great deal to Coker, and his early days in kickboxing laid the foundation for his success leading other organizations.
While Piccolotti may have been a teenager when Coker was smashing live-attendance records in the United States, the undefeated 27-year-old found an early appreciation for how San Jose’s love for MMA. Piccolotti isn’t quite sure why this is the case, but he definitely rates San Jose as the go-to city for MMA in "The Bay."
Furthermore, the chance to compete in San Jose on a big stage is a dream come true for Piccolotti. He will now face Ray Wood in the second scheduled bout on the main card set to air live on Spike TV Friday night. Piccolotti knows this is still a big moment, and he is counting on the crowd at the SAP Center to bring out the best in him.
“The presence of MMA in the area I’m from has been strong for awhile now,” Piccolotti said. “There is a lot of talent and good fight teams in a place that is bigger like San Francisco, but San Jose just seems ahead of the game. I know Scott Coker has been doing big shows up there for a long time, and I’m stoked to be competing on this upcoming Bellator card.
“I’m going to have a lot of support in the crowd, and that’s a good thing to have when you’re facing a guy who is tough like Ray. He has a good record and a well-rounded skill set, but I have to go out there and prove I’m the better fighter. I can’t wait to put on show for the fans.”