Get Real

If you think you're going to be a professional fighter in only a couple of months, think again. It's very insultive when people come in here thinking that. Do they actually think what we have dedicated our lives to can be picked up by just anybody off the street? Ain't gonna happen. Would you go up to the coach of an NFL football team and say "Look, I've never even once thrown the pigskin before, and I've never even played flag football, but in three months I want you to make me a pro football player." Right. You would be laughed out of there, or maybe they'd call a psychiatrist for you. In other words, you would never do that. And you should never expect to be so foolish with MMA.

The problem is, every guy thinks he can already fight. Many of them come in here and think they just to need to brush up on a few things. They think their schoolyard exploits entitle them to some kind of fighter status. (Kimbo Slice anyone?) It's probably in every guy's makeup to think he is is a badass, but only a handful of us really are. That hurts, I guess, when it's realized. The moment you realize you aren't as badass as you thought, you get discouraged. I see it all the time in the gym. And then you start wondering "Will I EVER be as tough as MMA demands?" Probably not. Sad but true.

The sooner you realize what you are, and what you are not, and what you may never be, you can get on with your life. Make the best of it. But please, don't fall apart when you meet the harsh reality of training. It slows down class, and it keeps the rest of us from learning time. Work your ass off, but don't crumble when you discover you don't have much ass to actually work off.