Exploring a Fighters Mind

Mentally, what type of person fights?
It takes a person who has an iron will. Their determination, competitive edge and discipline are enormous. The average person cannot comprehend the intensity and discipline involved to compete in the ring or cage at a serious competitive level.

A fighter develops that iron will and mind power as they go along. My view is that it is innate. They have the ability, and it comes out. It unfolds and emerges with training because it has always been there.

Fighters have a strong competitive quality. They plan to win, and they bring that mentality to other aspects of their lives. If they do something, they do it all the way. It’s like an addiction in a positive way. They like the competition, adrenaline and winning.

It’s a difficult lifestyle with the training and sacrifice, and it takes a lot of discipline. They are willing to do the extra work that others are not. They enjoy that Spartan type of training. Fighters are often asked why they work out at 4:30 in the morning, and they always answer “Because I know my opponent is sleeping at that time.

Pressure of the Fight
On fight night, there could be nervousness and there could be pressure. However, fighters feel that adrenaline rush and that energizes them. Years ago when I first got into boxing, I noticed I would have diarrhea and throw up before a fight. Quickly I learned it was very common in the sport of boxing.

Those types of emotions would wipe out the average guy. For the elite athlete, however, he takes the adrenaline flow and is ready to go out there and perform at his best. He takes the nervousness and reinterprets it as energy and a force going through his body.

The Rewards of Winning
Some say its money that attracts a fighter, but that’s far from the truth, it’s more the satisfaction from winning because they realize they can do something that no one else can do. A boxer friend of mine, who is very short, once told me that when he gets in the ring he feels 6 feet 6 inches tall.

The Pain Factor
When the adrenaline is flowing, fighters are not going to feel pain. They could be injured and will not know it until the match is over. Or they may not care. Some guys will even say, “You can break my arm, but I am not going to tap out.” They accept the discomfort and tune it out. They may even look forward to it. The endorphins give them a good feeling.

The Devastation of Losing
A loss can be devastating because a fighter often identifies himself with winning. It is common that after a loss, he may not view himself the same. As a result, it makes him more determined to come back and win. If he suffers too many losses and age catches up with him, it can have a devastating effect on self-esteem because he realizes he cannot do what he used to do. This can create a void or a depression, and that’s pretty common. In the worst case, a fighter could get into drugs or drinking. All the self discipline goes out the window because he no longer has that reinforcement. That is why it’s important for them to channel the competitive drive into a different avocation or occupation.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Positive Influence Extends to Many Factors of Life

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is not just used in the cage, and in this interview we’re going to find out how BJJ helps outside of the octagon and in other parts of life. The gentle art also plays a part in spirituality, goals, relationships, self-defence and even overcoming fears. The man who is going to explain this is David Correa, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu, black belt, MMA teacher at EFA in Paterson NJ and eighteen year veteran of the sport. Not only is this Passaic County resident an incredible ambassador to the sport, he inspires awe in both those he teaches and from those who have taught him.

How did you get into MMA?

Answer: After I came back from living overseas, I wanted to take some self-defence and fitness classes, so I looked up some academies in the yellow pages. That’s where fate took over. I first tried boxing and muay thai but found out that that’s not quite where my heart lies. My teacher suggested I try Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. From my first class I was hooked.

Why?

Answer: I fell in love with the cerebral nature of the sport, and it quickly took over my life to the point where I was training 16 hours every week. In the beginning, I wasn’t really sure what drew me so strongly to train. There was just something almost mystical about it that captivated me.

How did it do that?

Answer: As my time on the mat increased and I grew as a person, I realized how BJJ had also become such a huge part of my spiritual practice, it’s equally important as my daily yoga sessions. Throughout all the changes and challenges of life, jiu-jitsu has been my constant. It is always there, waiting for me. Every training session is a tool for observation and a tool for creating balance in my life and spiritual development. Being on the mat is an opportunity for me to release the mind chatter, judgement or fear, and to simply enjoy the process of observing and focusing on the moment at hand.

What happens on the mat is quite often a reflection of what’s happening in my life. It’s a chance to see how I deal with resistance that I may currently be up against. Jiu-jitsu may be a reflection of our relationship with others, but more importantly it is a reflection of our relationship with ourselves.

When we work on ourselves in one area, it carries over to the rest of our lives. So why do I train jiu-jitsu? Simply put, it’s to be a better person, and that is an ever evolving goal where perfection is always just out of grasp.

Did the lure of completion entice you?

Answer: Yes. Partially, it’s for the challenge, but mostly I love having goals and working hard to reach them. There’s nothing better than seeing the results of my hard work, and that’s why I’m proud to be an ambassador to the sport I live for.

Five Keys to Victory in the Octagon

There are five specific changes that can be made to one's training regime and mindset that can help grapplers become more successful in MMA. One theme that holds true in all five of these keys is: being on top is better than being on bottom.

1. Incorporate More Wrestling. Wrestlers are now training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, so BJJ practitioners need to do the same with wrestling. When it comes to MMA, being on top is always better than being on bottom. However, wrestling has more to offer than just takedowns. Wrestling training can add a lot to your scrambles, transitions, and top game control. Starting your grappling training from your feet will give the participants much better feel for the standup to ground transitions of MMA.

2. Focus on Sweeps. If you end on bottom, sweeps are your path back on top. In addition, sweeps are a great way to set up your submissions. a failed sweep often opens up a related submission attack. As an example, hip-bump sweep, guillotine, and kimura all work in unison. A successful sweep in MMA can immediately change the entire fight.

3. Perfect Your Escapes. Training to escape is one of the least enjoyable aspects of BJJ. However, no BJJ practitioner would argue that escapes aren’t an important aspect of grappling. Being on the bottom in an MMA fight, outside of the guard, is a dangerous position. All fighters must learn to stay relaxed on bottom, defend themselves from strikes, and work back to a more suitable position. Training in bad positions and learning to survive is important.

4. Train with Strikes. Carlson Gracie once said, “Punch a Jiu-Jitsu black belt in the face once and he becomes a brown belt, punch him in the face twice and he becomes a purple belt”. Punches and elbows make top positions more dominant and some bottom positions and techniques downright dangerous. Train for MMA with grappling gloves while allowing strikes.

5. Learn To Get Up. Being able to stand up can help negate the advantages a great MMA fighter possesses. No one has been better at this skill than the number 1 ranked George Rush St.Pierre.

Mind Over Matter

Rock hard muscles can be built in the weight room, but what good are they if a fighter does not have nerves of steel? Champions in all sports have testified to the vital role that a strong mind plays in their success, and that includes fighters, who will say mental tenacity plays a far greater role in becoming an elite mixed martial artist than strength, conditioning or technique.

From personal experience as an amateur boxer, I can attest that if your mind and nerves aren't in sync, the results will be catastrophic. The hardest part of boxing for me was the long walk into the ring where I expended most of my energy thinking how embarrassing it was going to be getting knocked out.

The fear of failure consumed me and drained most of my energy. I had the technique and power but was missing a champion's mindset. If you don’t want to fight it doesn’t matter how great your conditioning or technique is, because when you feel that punch, you'll turn, run and hide into a cloud of fear.

Fight of the Year: Nick Diaz VS. George Saint Pierre

Depending on your point of view, there could be plenty of reasons to dislike Nick Diaz and maybe even hate him. There was the famous hospital fight with Joe Riggs after UFC 57 or the positive marijuana test following a spectacular submission over Takanori Gomi in 2007 or the in cage brawl with Jason Miller following fellow Skrap Pack member Jake Shields' victory over Dan Henderson in Nashville.

Or perhaps it's the relentless taunting of his opponents during bouts. A well placed middle finger during a bout goes a long way toward fueling stereotypes. Nick diaz has been called every name under the sun by fans, but the idea that he's a thug particularly irks him. "I don't have a criminal record," he says when asked about fan misconceptions. "Just because I like to speak my mind doesn't make me a thug. I don't like to be looked as the bad guy. When I fight, I've got to do what I've got to do." What he does is put on exciting fights and if you're a fan of exciting fights, Diaz is deserving of your eyes and your respect.

Nick Diaz versus George St-Pierre will be an interesting battle because of the pace at which Diaz fights and the endurance that he brings along with that style of fighting. It's one thing to be constantly on the offensive and it's another to be able to do it for 25 minutes. Good bye for now.

Top Ten List of MMA Fighters

1. Anderson Silva - Topping the list of the Best MMA fighters is the impressive, half man, half amazing Anderson Silva, but as you’ve read in my first blog, He won’t be fighting for a few months due to a serious shoulder injury. Check out the Youtube clip below and you can see why he’s the undefeated champ and the number 1 stunner! His incredible win over Vitor Belfort in February proved he’ll remain firm on top of his division.


2. Jon Jones – Considered the baby of MMA at 23 and an all-round athlete, Jon Jones is the second best fighter in MMA today, at least in my list. Many would disagree since he really hasn’t been around too long, but what he has proven in this short time leaves spectators speechless. Critics are all taking back their “Don’t believe the hype” remarks and have jumped on his bandwagon.


3. Georges St. Pierre – This UFC legend is so good at his game he has no one else to fight in his weight class. His only opponents are all in higher weight classes and still then he’ll strangle them or drop an arm or leg lock fairly easy to gain the win. His gymnastics background and lightning speed make him superhuman. Most spectators would argue that he is the best fighter in the UFC and is ranked so in most lists of greatest fighters, and rightfully so, laying out the best opponents in his weight class.


4. Anthony Pettis – Anthony “Showtime” Pettis is a very well rounded fighter, formally from the WEC division and fresh fish to the UFC. After his “Matrix kick” to then ranked number 1 fighter in the WEC Henderson, his massive popularity increased and looks prime to become a UFC champion in the very near future.


5. Frankie Edgar – My fellow Rutgers alumni and New Jerseys pride, UFC champ Frankie Edgar is best known for upsetting B.J. Penn to win the UFC Lightweight title at UFC 112. Though his title win was controversial, Edgar cemented his status by dominating Penn in the rematch at UFC 118. He is well respected for both his performance in the ring as well as his humble demeanor outside the ring.

6. Cain Velasquez – Velasquez’s win over Brock Lesnar was so impressive that every heavy weight in the UFC is looking for an excuse to dodge their inevitable knockout. His potential is as immense as his build and watching him swing at an opponent face is like watching a horror film.

7. Josh Koscheck - Josh Koscheck is a former collegiate wrestling champion and is currently fighting in the welterweight division for the UFC. He made his debut with the organization on the first season of the reality television show, The Ultimate Fighter and was the most hated fighters due to his childish antics on the show. Koscheck has since fought for the company a record 24 times, matured and is now ranked among the top ten welterweights in the world by leading MMA publications. He has the talent and the ambition to stay as one of the best fighters for a long time.

8. Jon Fitch - Jon Fitch is a wrestler who trains at American Kickboxing Academy. Fitch has used his wrestling to great success in the UFC, including earning a title shot at UFC 87. A training partner with Josh Koscheck, Fitch has controversially stated that he and Koscheck would never fight in the UFC.

9. Jake Shields - Jake Shields is an accomplished wrestler and jiu-jitsu practitioner from Cesar Gracie's California-based team. Shields has found great success at both welterweight and middleweight, winning the EliteXC welterweight and Strikeforce middleweight titles. Shields was famously involved in a post-fight brawl at "Strikeforce: Nashville" which involved Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Shields' teammate Nick Diaz, among others.

10. Gilbert Melendez - Melendez is the only non-UFC fighter on the list, though Strikeforce in now owned by the UFC, so he is practically part of the family. He hasn’t fought since April, and his next move isn’t clear yet, but Melendez is a lightweight who will make a lot of noise before he is done.

UFC Debate Over Five Round Non-Title Fight Main Events

I like the idea of a five round main event for non-title fights because it gives the fans an extra two rounds of action every time out. If the battle happens to be a boring one, that may be a problem, but the UFC is never looking to book uninteresting main events.

So, this will also put higher pressure for matchmaking to ensure that every fight is not only highly competitive but most interesting. There are times when close three round fights end and people leave the show scratching their heads as to whom won. Healthy MMA debate over victors can be fun, but 10 more minutes to potentially end the argument is the kind of closure sports fans thirst for.