Tyson Pedro's Long Road to Recovery

“You’ve got to know where you come from to know where you’re going,” 

It’s a simple motif, but it’s not until you talk to Penrith-born UFC fighter Tyson Pedro that you understand exactly what he means. 

Pedro is preparing to take on Modestas Bukauskas in front of a raucous Australian crowd in Perth for UFC 284. While this will be his third fight since his return from a three-year absence due to injury, the 31-year-old claims he has never been in better condition - physically or mentally. 

“It wasn’t until this camp that I noticed I didn’t really transition that well from being off, back into being a fighter,” Pedro told RealSydneyNews in an exclusive chat. 

“Even though from the outside it looked like I was back and doing well, I wasn’t doing the best mentally, or being the best version of myself. 

“I was lost during that time. Not doing what I love put me in a bit of a hole. It wasn’t until this camp that I got back into my groove, doing what I love and being happy with myself.”

Learning experience

A three-year absence due to repeated knee issues took a toll on Pedro, but while he admits that he never had a Plan B, he says the whole experience has taught him a lot. 

“I’m starting to listen a bit more to what’s going on (with recovery). If you push back too much, it hits you harder and I think that’s what was happening. 

“It was all supposed to happen this way and I’m happy that it did now, but when you’re going through it.”

It wasn’t just a matter of rest and recovery for Pedro, he needed something to keep him busy and provide the rush that had gone missing without MMA. 

Determined to resist the idea of a comfort zone, he’s since gone on to invest in a number of businesses in his hometown of Penrith. 

“I realised that the rush of fighting, I was trying to find it outside the octagon,” Pedro continued. 

“I started with businesses because it was so scary and I’ve never done anything like that. It was so far out of my comfort zone. It would raise the adrenaline in a different way.”

While fear can deter most people from trying new things, Pedro says he’s never been wired that way. 

“I’ve always been like that with everything,” he says.

“It sounds psychotic, but if my brain says ‘don’t do something’, I have to attack it and do it straight away. Everything I don’t want to do, I attack. 

“In one of my fight camps we were doing swimming sprints in Penrith. I wanted to see how many I could do and I hadn’t really been swimming. 

“I got full-body cramps and almost drowned in a stand-up pool. My body fully locked up. That was pretty scary.”

“Even though from the outside it looked like I was back and doing well, I wasn’t doing the best mentally, or being the best version of myself."

The journey yet to come

As for the next fight, Pedro’s relentless attitude and a brutal preparation have him feeling better than ever. 

“Honestly, I can’t explain it. Coach has pushed us to this mental place,” he continues. 

“I’ve had two changes of opponent and that’s just a blip on the radar. It’s supposed to be a big deal, but it doesn’t matter because I feel ready for anything.”

Though he’s focused on the task ahead, the three-year absence also gave Pedro time to think about life after the octagon. 

“It’s scary - and also a relief - that this feels like my final chapter in professional fighting,” Pedro says. 

“I’ve been training since I was four years old. That’s 27 years.

“Martial arts has given me everything. My goal is to set up a ranch like (former UFC star) Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, let people come and train there for free so long as they can help out on the ranch. 

“I don’t know how far away that is, or what it looks like, but that’s the plan for after I’m done fighting.”

Family is vitally important to Pedro, whose father John was a key player in bringing MMA to the Australian mainstream. 

He also carries the memory of his cousin, who was killed while serving in Afghanistan. Pedro wears his cousin’s hat into the octagon for every fight, and caps off every win with a salute in tribute. 

Joining Pedro in Perth is his brother-in-law Tai Tuivasa - another western Sydney product who has taken the MMA world by storm in recent years.

While the pair are now known internationally, they’re determined to promote our region and community to the world - whether in the octagon, on a podcast or even with a beer. 

“We started that (Halfcast Podcast) because we were noticing all these hyper-successful people coming out of western Sydney. 

“The people who are able to deal with the adversity we’ve experienced and break out of that cycle were becoming successful because they’d realised nothing couldn’t be dealt with. 

“Everything is easier to overcome when you’ve gone through some hardships.”

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Unfortunately, the hardships returned for Pedro, who contracted a vicious bout of gastro less than a day before his fight in Perth. Refusing to delay or withdraw, Pedro still went the distance with Bukauskas before ultimately losing by judge's decision. Despite the setback, he's vowed to return, better than ever.

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