CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK) — UFC fighter and Cape Coral native Niko “The Hybrid” Price is stepping back from the octagon following a big win in Las Vegas.
The husband and father of seven returned to his hometown, reuniting with friends and a coach who helped him get his start. Price says home has always kept him grounded.
“I didn’t go there to lose track. I stayed here to keep track,” Price said.
Price’s roots run through Mariner High School, where he joined the wrestling team as a senior. Though he only wrestled for a year for the Tritons, he’s still connected with his former coach.
Mike Pedersen, assistant wrestling coach at Mariner High School, remembers recruiting Price to the team. Pedersen said they were trying to get Price to join earlier, but he was a football player at the time and didn’t know much about wrestling.
“You do it just because of moments like that, where you see kids succeed, and that’s my payment right there,” Pedersen said.
Price still shares that competitive spirit locally, training with partner and local business operator Matthew Mozes, general manager of Planet 13. Mozes described the training sessions as very intense, saying he gets beat up a lot but it’s a good time.
Price says he is taking a break from the punches following a family conversation. His wife and daughters sat him down and told him they didn’t like watching him get punched in the face anymore.
“And I was like, ‘So you want me to quit?’ And they were like, ‘Are you okay with that?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I’m done,'” Price said.
Price says he’s leaving the door open to other combat sports.