With the inspiration of his family, who offered immense support and motivation throughout his decade-long journey to the UFC, Peek hopes to now use his success and platform as an avenue to a better life.
Despite being five months removed from his fight against Lewis on Dana White’s Contender Series, the magnitude of his accomplishments hadn’t fully surfaced until tuning in to last weekend’s card.
“I was watching the post-fight show this past weekend and seeing my name pop up on the screen, that’s the hardest it’s hit me since signing with the UFC,” Peek said. “It was crazy. I had to run down my friend’s driveway jumping and screaming. It was a really cool experience but I’m starting to feel like a UFC fighter now.”
Women In The UFC | 30th Anniversary
Peek begins the next chapter of his career this Saturday at UFC Fight Night: Krylov vs Spann, challenging Erick Gonzalez in his first walk as a contracted UFC athlete. This is the same walk, however, that Peek made back in September, and having familiarity with the venue and fight week procedure should be beneficial for the promotion’s newcomer.
Gonzalez is on a two-fight skid since his UFC arrival in October 2021, but his fights have been nothing short of entertaining.
“The most exciting thing about Erick Gonzalez and this [fight] is he’s got a little bit of a brawler mentality,” Peek said. “I shine in them moments, man. I’m looking forward to it; I think that brawler [style] will resurface and I love a dog fight.”
