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WEST JORDAN — There are a lot of important numbers in mixed martial arts fighter Court McGee’s life.
The 31-year-old former Layton High wrestler 18-5 in his mixed martial arts career, including back-to-back wins in his first bout with the international organization Oct. 23, 2010.
But there is one number that stands out to the 10-year fighter nicknamed "Crusher:" 3,764 days of sobriety.
“I got sober and my life changed,” said McGee, who regularly referenced April 16, 2006, as his new birthday, the day he cleaned up. “Everything of any value in my life has come since that.
“The most difficult and challenging things that have happened to me are in those fights," he said. "But I attribute a lot of my success to staying sober one day at a time. That’s a huge battle, and it’s a battle every day.”
Life started anew for McGee back in 2006, when he went back to his high school as a volunteer assistant wrestling coach. The former Weber State student then started training in kickboxing and jujitsu, and soon realized an MMA career was possible.
Nine years later, McGee will be the first native Utahn on the first official Ultimate Fighting card for Fight Night in Salt Lake City when he takes on Dominique Steele in a welterweight fight at Vivint Arena Saturday at 3:30 p.m. MT. He’ll be one of five fighters at a free, public workout at 12:30 p.m. MT Thursday at the arena.
“I had goals of competing in mixed martial arts,” McGee said after a training session at Ultimate MMA in West Jordan. “But I never thought that nine years later, I would be fighting in the UFC, and in the biggest event that Utah has ever seen and on the biggest stage in the world. It’s absolutely incredible.”
Before April 16, 2006, McGee’s life was a mess, by his own admission. Drugs, alcohol, and a host of addictions to combat were tougher than any opponent he’s ever faced in the world-famous octagon. But thanks to a host of friends, coaches, trainers, family and his high school sweetheart wife, McGee has cleaned up and turned around his life for the better.
He took a job as a commercial plumber in 2007, then quit a year later to pursue his MMA career. Even with his career earnings, he still pays himself the same as he did when he fixed pipes for a living.
He hasn’t used a narcotic in the nearly 4,000 days since he re-entered sobriety, even after facing a dozen surgeries for various fight-related injuries.
McGee isn’t the official headliner of UFC Fight Night in Salt Lake City — better known by the hashtag #UFCSLC on social media. That honor goes to 12th-ranked Yair Rodriguez (8-1) and Alex Caceres (12-8) in a featherweight bout.
But for the thousands of fans who will pack Vivint Arena Saturday, the Provo resident may be the biggest draw.
“There are a lot of other guys in the UFC who could be on the card,” said fight coach Rob Handley, who coached McGee 10 years ago and will again be in his corner this weekend. “But they chose him to fight, and there’s a reason for that.
“The UFC loves Court; they love his story, they love his energy, they love everything about him. Everyone knows his name, and he knows everyone in the office’s name. He represents them well.”
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<b>Featherweight contenders:</b><br> No. 12 Yair Rodriguez vs. Alex Caceres<br> No. 8 Dennis Bermudez vs. Rony Jason<br> Teruto Ishihara vs. Horacio Gutierrez<br> Cub Swanson vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri<br> <br> <b>Lightweight contenders:</b><br> David Teymur vs Jason Novelli<br> <br> <b>Middleweight contenders:</b><br> Thales Leites vs. Chris Camozzi<br> <br> <b>Welterweight contenders:</b><br> Court McGee vs. Dominique Steele<br> Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Zak Cummings<br> Trevor Smith vs. Joe Gigliotti<br> <br> <b>Heavyweight contenders:</b><br> Viktor Pesta vs. Marcin Tubera<br> Chase Sherman vs. Justin LedetMcGee also represents Utah well. The former Lancer has lived across the Wasatch Front, from Ogden to Provo, and he currently mixes training sessions in Orem and West Jordan.
When local fight fans show up for Fight Night, they will see one of their own.
“I think Aug. 6, you’re going to see a local who took his opportunity,” Handley said. “It’s been a pipe dream, but now they can see it for real. And a guy who is as friendly and nice and the guy next door will step in the cage.”
McGee’s style as a ground-and-pound, roll-around fighter may be on display Saturday. But don’t expect the same ol’ Court McGee when he steps into the octagon this weekend, either.
“I’m going to be a little sharper, a little faster, and a little bit stronger,” he said. “They can expect the best Court McGee they’ve ever seen — and maybe something a little different. Anything can happen.”
More than a decade after his renewed sobriety, McGee is a living testament to that.
“My recovery comes first, but in a fight, I know I can be hurt or tired but have to keep moving and push through,” he said. “That power has to come from something greater than you. When the going gets tough, I move forward.”
