About 2 months ago i was offered a fight. (MMA) After about 24 hours of thinking about it, i accepted. I started a hard training camp, but seemed to have just about all the bad luck i could have, short of getting severely injured. My right knee popped, making it hard to do anything at more than half speed. I twisted my back and pinched a nerve, which really hampers me, despite a multitude of pills and physical theraphy. I broke my thumb in a freak grappling accident. And although the pain is almost gone, I'm left with 60% mobility. My left shoulder has a small tear, that really effects my jab, if i throw more than a handful in a short period of time. And my right knee then decided it would be a great time to snap something. (I have no idea what. The pain isn't bad. But it feels like the tendon that should keep it from bending in the wrong direction is not there.)
So, had all of these things happened at once. I would have instantly pulled out. But since they happened over a longer period of time, like the proverbial animal in the pot, i didn't feel the temperature slowly rise to boiling point. All of this is poo, as i take it, you agree. But i managed to actually get in shape, and psyke myself up for a fight. Then, as of this morning, i was given a new opponent. And this guy is pretty much made to counter me, and he is coming down a weightclass. My problem is not speed, or power. My problem is range. And this guy is a lanky guy, with good striking. Who likes to run forward and throw bombs. He has far more experience than me, and he is from a good gym. No one has managed to take him down, in the fights they had of him. So i don't even know how his ground game is, or if i can take him down at all. Takedowns is probably my weakest area as it is. And i don't have the time to really work on them.
To put it into perspective. Say your best match-up in SC2 is PvZ. You are in an online tournament with a solid viewer count. You are told in advance you are playing Maddawgkillah369 who happens to be zerg. The day before, you are told that Maddawgkillah369 has pulled out. And you are now playing PvT vs EG.Puma.
I know fighting traditionally is all about acting tough, and being scared of nothing. But i'm just not that guy. And honestly, i'm scared. Not scared of the pain (Although, that sucks a bag of monkey dicks.) But scared that i can't find an answer. Scared to end up looking silly, because i can't get my punches off, and can't take him down. Infront of a fuckton of people. I hate losing. I hate losing with a passion. And losing infront of, close to a thousand people. A good deal of which i know, and expect things from me. Fuck.
I have a lot of mental work to do now. Fighting, like Starcraft is a very mental game. If you are not ballanced, you will not do well. The last time i was worried about doing aweful at a competition, I found possibly the geekiest way ever to get my mind right. On my way to the gym, i listened to "Those who will inherit the will of fire." From the Naruto OST. And i had my Rorshack, "I'm not locked in here with you. You are locked in here with ME!" moment. I'm gonna go search for that moment now, as i run to the gym for morning strength and conditioning. I wish i had more time to find my fighting spirit.
As everybody knows, I'm an expert at blowing my ego way out of proportion giving advice on TL blogs. Especially in the field of picking fights.
I've had a good few rumbles in my day, including a staredown with a certain mr Himmler, leader of the german gestapo. Yeah, I advised Hitler that soul patch mustaches was the way of the future.
YES, I once stood at the South Korean side of the DMZ and took a pee at the north korean soldiers on the other side, who couldn't do a thing about it, much less cross the border.
I cooperated in making the first Star Wars movie, which is based off of those flash gordon serials. The kinds that I watched back when I was only 40 years old.
Anyway, yeah that sounds like a pretty shit situation. Sue them.
On September 20 2011 17:58 Theleech wrote: What is your strongest area?
If your trainer is any good then he would not accept a fight for you that is imbalanced in any way.
If you are injured decline the fight but you have to know that it will won't be forgotten and it might be harder to get a fight in the future.
I'm probably strongest off my back. I would say i'm actually a decent striker. But i have always had issues with really rangy people. :/
My coaches probably think a lot higher of me, than i do. But i'll discuss it with them before pad work tonight.
Not so worried about getting blacklisted or anything. It's all relatively small shows, and in the big picture, we are all cans. But i probably should have pulled out earlier, i feel like i sort of backed myself into a corner. Gambling on my opponent staying the same.
On September 20 2011 18:05 paper wrote: Can't you get out considering they threw a new opponent into the previous agreement?
That probably wouldn't be a problem. Now i'm just struggling with my own retarded pride. ^^ There is no doubt about it. If i take a beating. It's 100% my own fault.
On September 20 2011 18:08 EtherealDeath wrote: So on a scale of 1 to 100 where 100 is "my body was great before I started this MMA training", how would you rate your current body health?
I don't know. I mean, i picked up injuries, sure. But i was also hurt when i played football (soccer.) So i'm not sure if it's MMA specifically, or sports in general that wears on my body.
On September 20 2011 18:10 Grettin wrote: Good luck! Is it going to be a fight in a big event? (i'm not familiar with the scene at all)
Well, the main event is for a european championship belt of some sort. Co main is a team mate of mine, against some american coming off a losing streak. But he fought some decent names.
So all in all, few people will probably give a fuck about my fight. Still don't want to lose.
On September 20 2011 18:24 marttorn wrote: Oh wait, it's in denmark? Then suing is out of the question I assume. Uhm, what do you guys do in Denmark anyway? :S
Even if i had been the US it still wouldn't be an option. Too many silly lawesuits as it is. What do we do in Denmark. I don't know. Complain about the weather and drink i guess. ^^
According to the boxing anime I'm watching Hajime no Ippo, what the protagonist in the anime would do against a lanky fighter is to get in close and personal, where his opponent's reach is more of a disadvantage rather than an advantage (the protagonist being a short and stocky guy). Then he'd pummel him with body shots, and once the guy is in too much pain and forgets to keep his chin protected, uppercuts. Not sure if this applies at all to an MMA fight. Maybe this is an option if you're not confident in your takedown and don't have time to work on it?
On September 20 2011 19:21 CountChocula wrote: According to the boxing anime I'm watching Hajime no Ippo, what the protagonist in the anime would do against a lanky fighter is to get in close and personal, where his opponent's reach is more of a disadvantage rather than an advantage (the protagonist being a short and stocky guy). Then he'd pummel him with body shots, and once the guy is in too much pain and forgets to keep his chin protected, uppercuts. Not sure if this applies at all to an MMA fight. Maybe this is an option if you're not confident in your takedown and don't have time to work on it?
Lol i'm sure that someone who has been training for a professional MMA fight is going to find the knowledge you picked up from watching a boxing anime incredibly surprising and invaluable
But to the OP good luck no matter what course of action you take.
On September 20 2011 19:40 Trizz wrote: If he has long range I hope you're an explosive fast guy with power. This is pretty sweet though, you should have someone record it.
Get up at 4am and run until 6 like Rocky. Also spend your time working on your moves instead of laddering. Use the adrenaline that comes from the nervousness to your advantage. Don't be afraid to use too much energy to swing the fight in your favor.
This is coming from someone who doesn't know anything about fighting, btw.
On September 20 2011 19:21 CountChocula wrote: According to the boxing anime I'm watching Hajime no Ippo, what the protagonist in the anime would do against a lanky fighter is to get in close and personal, where his opponent's reach is more of a disadvantage rather than an advantage (the protagonist being a short and stocky guy). Then he'd pummel him with body shots, and once the guy is in too much pain and forgets to keep his chin protected, uppercuts. Not sure if this applies at all to an MMA fight. Maybe this is an option if you're not confident in your takedown and don't have time to work on it?
Lol i'm sure that someone who has been training for a professional MMA fight is going to find the knowledge you picked up from watching a boxing anime incredibly surprising and invaluable
But to the OP good luck no matter what course of action you take.
Well, it's not wrong. If i want to shut down what he is most comfortable with, i have to keep backing him up, and get in close. Trouble is, i'm a counterpuncher. Never been the really aggressive type. No matter what, i'll have to fight out of my comfort zone.
If i could execute it. Ross Pearson's gameplan again Edson Barboza, was brilliant. Ross is however far more adept at stalking than i am. Even if his opponent was also 100 times better than mine.
On September 20 2011 19:35 GertHeart wrote: Being afraid is normal o.o; in fact you should be afraid. Guess what though o.o; The other guy is afraid too. Wish you luck.
Never actually been afraid to compete before. I've been nervous, excited. But never worried to this degree. Well, i will atleast try to give him something to worry about.
On September 20 2011 19:40 Trizz wrote: If he has long range I hope you're an explosive fast guy with power. This is pretty sweet though, you should have someone record it.
I'm sure someone will make sure to film the moment when the ref tries to wake me up.
On September 20 2011 19:21 CountChocula wrote: According to the boxing anime I'm watching Hajime no Ippo, what the protagonist in the anime would do against a lanky fighter is to get in close and personal, where his opponent's reach is more of a disadvantage rather than an advantage (the protagonist being a short and stocky guy). Then he'd pummel him with body shots, and once the guy is in too much pain and forgets to keep his chin protected, uppercuts. Not sure if this applies at all to an MMA fight. Maybe this is an option if you're not confident in your takedown and don't have time to work on it?
Lol i'm sure that someone who has been training for a professional MMA fight is going to find the knowledge you picked up from watching a boxing anime incredibly surprising and invaluable
But to the OP good luck no matter what course of action you take.
Dude, that boxing anime is like a slice of heaven for theorycrafters like me :D
Find some hype videos. The kind of videos that make you want to go train/fight in the first place. You know these if you're into any kind of sport.
Than, if you're a counterstriker, and he's slower than you (probably since his strength is range and he came down a weight class) train to dodge his strikes, get into him behind it, throw a couple punches, get out.
Then hope for the best. Don't try to fight "his" fight, make it your fight.
And stop thinking of him as EG.PuMa or any of his accomplishments in the past. Think of him as the next man in your way.
On September 20 2011 21:06 RubiksCube wrote: Find some hype videos. The kind of videos that make you want to go train/fight in the first place. You know these if you're into any kind of sport.
Fighting is one of the few sports where you will still get a lot of respect for losing. Much worse has been lived through in the sport by people with much worse odds. Just do your best. Good luck
EPT
Too many silly lawesuits as it is. 
