EARLIER this month he was bashing his way to victory at UFC Fight Night 65 in Adelaide but yesterday it was a much softer and relaxed Kyle Noke enjoying a rare trip home to Dubbo.
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Since defeating Jonavin Webb on May 10, welterweight Noke has enjoyed some down time and took the opportunity to visit family and friends in Dubbo, a place where his involvement in martial arts began.
"I always did a little bit, I did a little bit of boxing with Graham Wallace down at the PCYC and Taekwondo but my main influence when I was growing up was my older brother, Nelson, I guess he was my first coach," he said.
"We used to watch a lot of movies and then go in the front yard and practice the moves and he'd put the gloves on and make us box so he was my biggest influence and the reason I started fighting."
Noke got back into town on Tuesday night and spent time with his father, Peter, before last night hosting a martial arts seminar at Pollets Martial Arts.
After holding a similar class in Bathurst on Monday night, he heads off again this morning to hold similar classes in Penrith and then Granville.
From there he hopes to return to Dubbo for a weekend before jetting back to America in search of his next bout.
The win over Webb was Noke's first in three years and he's determined to get another fight as soon as he can.
The 35-year-old has already been in touch with UFC matchmaker, Joe Silva, in order to help further his career.
"I threw my name back in the hat, I asked Joe Silva for a fight again straight away and put my name down for short notice if anyone withdraws injured or anything like that," he said.
"They can throw me in there and that will help me get another fight, another big name fight, so I'm just staying fit and ready."
After enjoying two weeks off since the win over Webb, which included time travelling through the Daintree Forest in Queensland, Noke has been back training with his brother.
While pleased to get the win over Webb, he reiterated the fact he can fight a lot better.
"It was great to have the win, I wasn't happy with my performance and I'd been out for so long but got the ring rust out now," he said.
"Obviously it was good to get the win and I took a lot away from it to go away and work on but a win's a win and I can't complain."
While clearly determined to get back in the octagon as soon as possible, Noke admitted he enjoyed every moment of being back home as it was something he rarely got the chance to do.
"We got back last night and spent a bit of time with the old man and then I've been catching up with family today and it's great to be back here," he said.
"We got up early this morning and went down the main street and ran into people I didn't expect to see, it's very humbling being back."