Issue 125

February 2015

This is your page to tell us what you think of all things Fighters Only and MMA. Get your feelings off your chest where it really matters – in print! Send us your best pictures with your favorite fighters, or copies of FO, and we’ll print them too. 

Topics that resonate

I am an avid reader of Fighters Only, but I must confess, there were two columns that really resonated strongly with me in the Holiday / Icon issue.

As I read Gareth A Davies’ column, it seemed like he was having a one-on-one discussion with me. I had recently reminisced about my childhood and teen years and how far away they felt to me, yet, simultaneously, they were crystal clear in my mind. 

Mr Davies, in his opening, wrote ‘...Father Time creeps up on a fighter when he or she least expects it. It’s the shot they don’t see coming.’ As a dedicated follower of martial arts practitioners, the only person I thought of who had the foresight to contradict this quote was Bruce Lee (from my understanding, his biggest fear was growing old and weak).

The second column that hit home was ‘Let Your Emotions Run’ article in the Performance section. As an emotional person myself, I get teary when reflecting on the past because of how final it is. 

However, I often try to control the tears out of thinking shedding tears means I am mentally weak. So as I read the column, I realized how wrong I was in dealing with sadness. A quote from Dr Chris Wagstaff, toward the end, gave me a clearer outlook.

His words: ‘Those forced to suppress their emotions become less able to control their emotions and the end result is someone who has poor personal relationships and who is not good at managing conflict’ really hit home with me.

As a devoted fan of your magazine, I sincerely thank you for continuing to amaze me with your wide array of topics.

David Novick, Howard Beach, New York