Issue 134

November 2015

Fighters Only takes an in-depth look into the locker rooms and hotel suites to investigate how the key players prepare in the final days before a fight

Mixed martial arts fans have unprecedented, behind-the-scenes access to everything that goes on around a big event. With all-access shows like UFC Embedded and Bellator MMA: In Focus, as well as unfiltered updates in real-time via social media we now know more than ever before about what fighters, coaches and even referees go through before a fight. But what happens when the cameras stop rolling and the smartphones get put away?

The last 48 hours before the cage door closes can be the most stressful time anyone involved in combat sports will encounter. Months of preparation and hard work can all be undone if the smallest of things goes wrong during the last few days before competition.

So what do the referees, coaches and, most importantly, the fighters do to make sure those final few hours go as smoothly as possible, so when the cage door slams shut they know they’re at their very best? Fighters Only spoke to the key figures involved on fight night to find how they prepare themselves for the big show.

The Fighters

For the men and women who actually have to step inside the cage, the two days prior to competing could very well be the most demanding test. Some fighters may tell you that the making weight can even be tougher than the fight itself. Throwing down against one of their contemporaries might come naturally, but shedding 20-30lb inside a couple of days is wholly unnatural. Although UFC welterweight Josh Burkman has a positive outlook about cutting to 170lb that makes the experience more relaxing. 

“During that time, I’m concentrating on managing my adrenaline, my food and my water intake. Personally, I love the weight cut because I feel like all the stress and tension built up can be finally released,” he says. “It feels like I’m cleansing myself rather being negative and thinking I’ve got to lose all of this weight. To me it’s like changing the oil in a car.

“It’s about that process of cleansing and depleting myself, so I feel strong and I feel healthy. That’s mainly what that 36-48 hours is before a fight. I’m not really hyper and I don’t talk a lot before the fight. I like it to be very quiet and mellow so I can feel the adrenaline in my body. I like those nerves and the intensity of those feelings because it lets me know that I’m ready.”

While the strain of cutting weight can take its toll physically on a fighter, simply thinking about the bout during long period of downtime can be torturous on the mind. Dwelling on the prospect of going one-on-one with someone who has the sole intention of knocking you out or submitting you in front of thousands of people can undo weeks of positivity from your training camp. Zak Cummings, another 170lb’er signed to the UFC, says the key is to approach a contest like it’s strictly business once his last days in the gym are done.

“Honestly, the fight is just another day in the office for me. I’ve been in there multiple times and I honestly don’t even think about the fight that much,” he says nonchalantly. “I’ve already fought the fight 1,000 times in my head, so every situation that could possibly happen has already played out. Those last couple days and the night before the fight, I barely even think about it. I stay calm, relaxed and really try to take my mind off of it. The more people think about it, the more they stress out about it. It can be really taxing on your mind and your body.”

Josh Burkman Making Weight

“During that time, I’m concentrating on managing my adrenaline, my food and my water intake”

The Cornermen

Although Cummings has a relaxed approach to fighting when he’s the one doing it, he admits his attitude is very different when he’s the one cornering fighters from his gym. “I’ve done it plenty of times and I’m much more nervous in the corner than when I fight,” he says. “I try to take all the nervous energy they have and take it on as my role. I try to make sure that they can relax and I do whatever I can to keep them calm and relaxed. 

“It depends on who you’re there with because everyone has their own style of controlling that moment so you have to roll with them on their style. When they’re newer fighters, I try to coach them through it and keep them relaxed so they don’t burn themselves out mentally. However, when you’re dealing with veterans they have their own way of dealing with things.”

The most integral part of a fighter’s corner is the head coach. They’re the first to be thanked following a victory after their work in the gym, sharpening their fighter’s skills and creating a game plan. But their job doesn’t end there. They’re there to help their fighter through that dreaded weight cut.

Co-founder of Florida’s American Top Team, Marcus ‘Conan’ Silveira says the key is to do the hard work earlier on in camp. That means there should be a load off their mind when crunch time is closing in. 

“The last 48 hours are supposed to be easy for the fighters because we start the preparation for the weight three weeks before the fight,” he says. “We don’t believe that you should leave everything to the last second, so we really try to organize everything beforehand.”

Trevor Burnell, head coach at Progressive Jiu-Jitsu in Vancouver, Washington, also believes in doing everything possible to take the tension out of the build-up. And if they’re time is kept occupied, any anxiety about competing is kept out of their heads.

“The day before the fight we take things really easy. We get up, walk around, do a little light training with the mitts etc. It’s important to hang out with family and make it as comfortable environment as possible so we can get ready to do what we do. It’s nice because at this point we feel good because all the work is done and now we get to go play. We always refer to it as the calm before the storm,” Burnell says.

Coaches have to deal with nerves too, even though they aren’t competing themselves. Burnell compares it to sending a family member into war. “I have a feeling of love during this time. It’s something I’ve been doing all of my life and it’s something I’m very passionate about. There’s always nerves because the fighters are family to us. It’s like sending a brother or a sister into battle. Although you’re confident you’ve always got those butterflies.”

Keep calm and carry on

Paul McVeigh, coach at The Griphouse in Glasgow, Scotland, tells FO shares his key to making sure fighters are in the right mindset 48 hours before fight night.

“Once the weight cut is over, I normally try to stop them from going crazy. Normally we just hang out with them because we’ve always been a pretty tight team. You’re trying to avoid the media but it gets a little bit harder when the guys are fighting at the level of (Joanne) ‘Jojo’ Calderwood and Rob Whiteford, but mostly we end up watching movies to pass the time.”

The Referees

While the attention during any bout is on the fighters, staying focused as the third man or woman in the cage is equally as important. It’s one thing if a fighter isn’t ready to compete – they’re ultimately responsible for their own fate – but a referee is responsible for the safety of two athletes in front of him, so they have to be to be on their A-game every time.

Leon Roberts takes his role as an official incredibly seriously. He’s found a routine that eliminates all distractions ahead of any event so he can be focused and do his job to the best of his abilities.

“The evening before I travel to an event, I spend my time watching fight footage,” says the UFC fight veteran. “I do this only for an hour or so just to keep the mind active about MMA. I like to keep my mind as active as possible.

“It’s a process that works for me. It helps me focus on refereeing and helps me switch off about other problems, such as work-related issues or other stresses and concerns I might have. I want and need to be as focused on MMA as much as I can.”

Despite traveling all over the world and officiating in some of its most incredible cities, Roberts has no time for sightseeing. He’s solely there for business and spends most of his time mentally preparing for the upcoming night’s fights in his hotel room. 

“Whether our hotel is on the beaches of Rio, in the heart of Sydney, the center of Japan or the beautiful pool spa surroundings of Abu Dhabi, I avoid it all. I visit a local store to load up with water, energy drinks and fruit and then detach myself from everyone and everything.

“I need to be away from the hustle and bustle surrounding a show, including fighters and their camps, the media and the fans. I also want to keep my mind sharp and I worry that by taking in the tourist side of the city we are in I might become less focused. My focus during this period of solace and private sanctuary is in the form of watching silent footage, shadow sparring, stretching and meditation.

“Some might think I’m slightly weird or some sort of MMA nerd, but it’s a process that works for me. I’m asked a lot about the amount of footage I watch, especially silent footage. I don’t have an MMA-related full-time job, so during the build up to a fight I like to be consumed in MMA. Watching silent footage allows me to narrate an MMA story whilst observing a fight, which is exactly what I do when I’m in the cage.”

He adds: “I’m very aware that the safety and well-being of some of the best fighters and athletes in the world are in my hands, so it’s important for me to be in the best position I can be to do this. This build up would make other referees go crazy I’m sure, but as it’s a tried and tested process for me it’s something I’m rigid with.”

Depending on the person’s role and personality, those last 48 hours before a fight can be a stressful time that throws up all manner of obstacles, or a quiet time of mental preparation before they step into the cage.

However, what matters most before a fight is that everyone involved is prepared to the best of their ability, because when the lights come on, the music starts and the crowd erupts, those two days could make the difference between a victory and defeat.

Leon Roberts Fight focus

“Watching silent footage allows me to narrate an MMA story whilst observing a fight, which is exactly what I do when I’m in the cage”

‘Big’ briefing

According to veteran referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy, one of his most important jobs in the days before the fights is speaking to each fighter he’s assigned to so they know what to expect.

“I go to every fighter that I’m going to be refereeing that night and I make sure they fully understand the rules. I try to cover everything for both fighters in the same way so I’m not putting anything out to one fighter that I’m not giving to the other. I try to make it as conversational and as entertaining as I can. 

“However, I always make it very clear that I’m going to be the referee for this fight and if they have any questions or if there’s anything they’re not sure of they can ask me now. Most say they have no questions, so I go over what fouls I’m going to be look for. I’ll ask them to explain where the back of the head is, they’ll say yes and I’ll say, ‘Good. I’m a dummy, so you tell me where it is,’ and they won’t know so we cover it. It’s very important to go through this with each fighter.”