Haiden Deegan is always a must watch TV on or off the bike. You just never know what is going to happen next and, in the SMX preview show on NBC, Deegan continued with his unapologetic confidence and mind games ahead of the new season with some pointed comments on his rivals.
On his outspoken nature, Deegan said: “After the race if I win I always have some punch lines or something! On the line it’s just letting myself know that no one can beat me. I feel like why not? Every other sport guys are talking crap, in football, UFC, these guys are going at it to get in each others heads. As much as the other riders want to say it doesn’t do anything, it really does, because I have beat you multiple times now!”
After Jett Lawrence spoke about the haters a month ago affecting his enjoyment, Deegan says he welcomes the haters because it motivates him more (coincidence?)! “I actually don’t mind people hating me at all, I’m like if you guys don’t like me, that is perfectly fine, I am not going to try and change your mind because I feed off that energy as well. A few of the riders, I am in their heads so bad, I get behind them and you instantly see them make a mistake.”
And yet again, Deegan takes another dig at his competition – so at what point will they get sick of it and do something about it? Or can they even get close to the alpha in the class?
One key quote from the Ricky Carmichael days came from his mechanic, Chad Watts, when people thought RC was on the edge, “People think that’s his edge, that ain’t his edge!”
Well, copy and paste 25 years later, and Haiden Deegan has just said a very similar thing: “I just work hard and ride my dirt bike and people think, ‘this dude is going to have a big one soon,’ not really because this is comfortable to me, this is how I ride. I feel completely safe turning it up.”
So is he the guy to challenge Jett Lawrence when he moves up to push Jett to the edge? And will he continue the mind games in the premier class? The anticipation is already high, but first, Deegan has to win a 250cc Supercross title, that mission starts in 10 days at Anaheim one.
