So this week has been a little hectic but at the same time very relaxing. Both for different reasons. On Wednesday I flew out to Lemoore for my fight, I like to get there a day before weigh-ins to get everything squared away.
Normally I always fly in with one of my coaches or training partners but this time I flew in solo. Like I said I’m a loner at heart, besides they just flew in so no biggie.
The weigh-ins went well and I made weight and re-hydrated already. I slept good and now I’m in my room hanging out. I fight later on tonight so by the time you read this I will probably be getting ready to step in the cage.
Anyways, on Wednesday Jeremy Luchau scheduled me speak to this wrestling team that lives in Selma. They are one of the top ranked kids wrestling teams in the nation and they have a few National and State Champions on their team.
I got to the wrestling room and watched them warm up and these kids are good. The scary part is that they are young also, they ranged in age from 5-13 years old. When these kids get my age they are going to be AWESOME!
I got there and Jeremy asked me to speak on being nervous and dealing with pressure, something I’m very well aware of. I told them that it’s natural to be nervous epically if you’re not use to competing in front of people (or competing period). The more you compete the easier it will get. I gave them what I use to help me deal with competing in front of people, whether it’s grappling, wrestling or MMA.
ALWAYS have a game plan. You should know off the bat whether you’re going to keep it on the feet or try to take the person down. Don’t be one of those guys that says, “I’m going to feel him out and see what he wants to do”.
YOU should dictate the pace and what is going on. Keep HIM on the defensive and make HIM make the mistakes.
I also told them to have a goal for the tourney, fight, match. And I don’t mean winning the tourney, I mean like getting a certain move.
Like for one of my last fights my goal was to work my elbows from the mount position. By setting goals it will help you form some kind of game plan. Think about it, in order for me to work my elbows from the mount I have to pass the person’s guard or take them down into mount. I go from where I want to be and work my way backwards.
I also told them to coach their teammates. Some people don’t but I do. It’s always fun coaching your teammates and when they win, it makes you want to win also.
It’s more difficult when you have to fight so I just sit in the back and yell instructions while warming up. But besides that it gets my mind thinking about MMA subconsciously.
Think about it, when you coach, you’re yelling instructions that YOU would do if you were in that situation. So you put yourself in certain situations without actually even thinking about it. So by the time your match comes you know what to do if you get put in that situation.
Finally I told them that they should go out there and have fun. If you’re not having fun while you do it then what the heck are you doing it for?
Your parents are still going to love you regardless of the outcome of the match, and not only that, but you will have your coaches and teammates respect regardless. If you’re not having fun when you compete then you’re doing this for the wrong reason, in my opinion.
Anyways, that’s all I have for this week’s blog. I’m going to take a power nap and then get ready for the fight.
-Uly
P.S. – You can follow me on Twitter @uselessgomez.
P.S.S. – Here’s some of my trainers that you should follow for more updates and training advice:
- @EricTriliegi for nutrition info
- @Mastermitter for striking
- @SimGo for grappling
EDITOR’S NOTE: Watch Ulysses fight tonight (Friday, Aug. 5) LIVE on Sherdog.com! They are streaming “Tachi Palace Fights 10: Let the Chips Fall” LIVE from Lemoore, Calif., starting at 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET). Also, be sure to listen to our interview with Ulysses on last night’s Cageside Beat episode.
“The Ulysses Gomez Experiment” is a weekly ProMMAnow.com blog series written by world top 10 ranked flyweight Ulysses Gomez as he prepares for his Aug. 5 fight at Tachi Palace Fights 10. “The Ulysses Gomez Experiment” is part of our ongoing series of exclusive content written by individuals involved in the mixed martial arts industry.