Throwback to 2020 when Neil Magny officially handed himself the nickname 'Haitian Sensation' after 10 years as a professional fighter
Back in June 2020, Neil Magny finally found a nickname he was happy to stick with. The UFC star said that after 10 years as a professional fighter, he was going to use 'Haitian Sensation' as his nickname.
A good nickname can make all the difference when trying to build a fanbase in MMA. Conor McGregor's 'The Notorious' and Khabib Nurmagomedov's 'The Eagle' are just a few to become legendary in the UFC.
When writing a Facebook post back in 2020, Magny stated:
Neil Magny was born in New York, but is of Haitian and Dominican descent. This is clearly why the welterweight decided to choose 'Haitian Sensation' as his long-term nickname. The 34-year-old now fights out of Arvada, Colorado, United States.
Magny trains at the Elevation Fight Team in Colorado, making the move to Arvada an obvious choice. The gym is full of household names, with Alistar Overeem, Drew Dober and Justin Gaethje all associated with Elevation Fight Team.
Neil Magny has been in the UFC for nearly 10 years now, making his organizational debut in 2013 against Jon Manley. Magny won this bout, but went on to lose his next two UFC bouts.
He eventually made a name for himself after winning seven UFC fights in a row. This run eventually came to an end when Demian Maia beat Magny via submission at UFC 190.
Was Neil Magny in the army?
Yes, Neil Magny spent seven years in service to his country and was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007. Speaking in an interview with the UFC, Magny even stated that he has been tempted to juggle a military career with his UFC obligations:
"It’s one of those things…I even miss it at times. I’m still like ‘Can I balance UFC and military life? I know Tim Kennedy did it. It’s definitely something I’ve wrestled with from time to time, wondering if I could do both."
Watch Magny speak about the military here:
Magny believes that his military experience helped him when competing in the Ultimate Fighter. The UFC veteran called the show a "walk in the park" after dealing with living conditions while serving in the Middle East.
The American is still thriving in the UFC after winning his last two bouts in the organization. Magny faces the highly-rated Shavkat Rakhmonov in his next fight at UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot.