I have been in the fight game for a long time, like 15 years. I’ve been a writer, sparring partners for UFC fighters and a ring announcer. I have organized large 5000 seat events, and coordinated small venues of 200 people. I know the fight game inside and out. Through the years I have seen promising fighters crash and burn, and struggling fighters rise to the top. There are so many potential pitfalls and challenges for hopeful MMA competitors that I decided to write this in the hopes may help at least a few people avoid them.
Own Your Destiny
NEVER LET SOMEONE TALK YOU INTO A FIGHT YOU DON’T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH
Coaches aren’t always the best decision makers in terms of careers. Some may just want to put you in a big fight to “get you exposure”, but what they really want is their gym to get exposure. Your friends will fill you full of hot air and confidence, and you might even believe them enough to fight a guy you know you can’t beat. Again, own your own destiny, remove your ego, and choose fights you can honestly win. You owe it to yourself to make smart decisions based on a true self evaluation. Before you know it you are 3-7 and looking to go pro. Essentially you have turned yourself in to a joke and limited the amount of money you could command at that level.
UNLESS YOU ARE IN THE BIG LEAGUES DO NOT TAKE STUPID FIGHTS FOR MONEY OR JUST TO BE IN THE MAIN EVENT
Stay Humble
If you are one of those fighters who is an amateur and has their own walk-out shirt, customized music, and a group full of people wearing said shirts – stop. You are an amateur fighter, period. Amateurs should be focused on training, dieting, and winning. You’re not a pro and you are putting the cart before the horse especially if you have a losing record. That is even worse. Referring to yourself in the 3rd person, creating a Facebook Fan Page, and the like is not helping your focus. The reasons pros have those is because they can have people that man those for them. Anything that makes you think you are a superstar as an amateur has to go. The fighters doing that stuff are usually small town residents with no career path and a feeling that the small shows is where they will end their career – as an amateur. Win, turn pro, and then market yourself.
DO NOT BELIEVE YOUR OWN HYPE
Choose a Good Fight Team Trainer
If you are on a fight team that even one of these apply to – you might want to move on.
- The coach has a great record, well back when fights weren’t recorded, no video proof exists, and “anything was legal in the cage”. It’s BS 99% of the time.
- The coach has no real pedigree and the trainers are other amateur fighters.
- The BJJ coach claims to have a belt and you’ve never seen it or his legitimate instructor.
- The BJJ coach goes to his class and teaches you what he just learned. You should be teaching only techniques you have down pat to your fighters.
- The boxing coach has never officially boxed or there is no record of it. I can name someone who claims to be 276-0 in martial arts and 80-0 in boxing….I won’t.
Be smart in your career and it will be a long one. See you next time in part two.
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