Nick Denis: UFC Bantamweight Discusses His Transition from Biochemistry to MMA

Nick Denis, the product of an “average, typical” childhood, was first introduced to Brazilian jiu-jitsu while studying biochemistry at the University of Ottawa.

“For years and years, I was one of those guys that would go to the gym and lift weights and that’s about it, but I was getting really bored with that,” recounted Denis, 28. “My buddy, who was in the same situation as me, suggested that we go and try doing martial arts.

“I did Tae Kwon Do and karate as a kid, so I was like, ‘Okay, let’s try it,’ but he said, ‘No, I don’t want to do karate—I want to do jiu-jitsu.’ I was like, ‘Oh, that ground-fighting stuff is crazy—you’re crazy, man.’ We went, though, and fell in love with it.”

From the world of grappling, Denis eventually tried his hand at mixed martial arts—a move that the North Bay, Ontario product views in retrospect as a fairly natural transition.

“It seems like I never thought of not fighting, I guess,” explained Denis, the proud owner of a master's degree in biochemistry. “It just seemed to make sense that if you’re training, you’re going to compete in it. That’s the approach that I took.”

For many around Denis—including his peers in academia and elements of his family—the transition from grappling to fighting wasn’t so expected.

“I guess it depends on the setting,” explained Denis, when asked if his acquaintances are often surprised when they learn what he does for a living.

“For example, when I was in the lab doing research and people found out about that, it was really hard for them to imagine that I had these two sides—on one I’m a scientist and on the other, I’m fighting people. My extended family, you know, when they started finding out, they thought it was crazy and I got the typical comments that you would expect.”

Although Denis isn’t surprised by the comments and questions that he has dealt with over the years, he doesn’t necessarily feel his mixed martial arts—or “cage-fighting”—career runs counter to his personality.

“You know, I don’t know if that’s the truth, because fighting in itself doesn’t really say anything about someone’s personality, I don’t think,” explained Denis. 

“I think it depends on how you look at fighting, and I think most people look at fighting in terms of a typical competitor being a meathead, alpha, in-your-face, testosterone and that type of stuff. If you think of that in terms of my personality, then, yeah, I’d say they clash. But fighting in itself, I don’t think there’s anything intrinsic in it that I would say is against my personality.”

Nevertheless, for as long as his acquaintances have been surprised by his desire to fight, mixed martial arts has been a priority for Denis, who won 10 of his first 12 professional matches before being signed by the UFC in December.

Denis, who defeated Joseph Sandoval in 22 seconds in his Octagon debut on January 20, is now hoping to excel on the biggest stage of the sport—although he is quick to emphasize that fighting isn’t by any means what entirely defines the young bantamweight’s life.

“I’m interested in everything, really,” said Denis, who is set to leave Canada with his girlfriend for a vacation in Cuba in the coming weeks. “I love reading up on anything, really. I love just hanging out with friends and talking and playing cards, playing stupid board games and Yahtzee. I spend a lot of time reading. Recently, I picked up a violin.”

Ed Kapp is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations were obtained first-hand.