Issue 091
August 2012
Life as a mixed martial artist is all about levels, from amateur to novice pro and hopefully, one day, international star. But how does life change for fighters working at different ends of the spectrum? Fighters Only investigates how the final days before a fight differ for three combatants who all harbor the same dream – to one day lift UFC gold
From your mom making you your post-fight sandwiches, to your pre-fight warm-up consisting of cornering a teammate, to ultimately being chauffeured around in private cars and relaxing in five-star hotels – the life of a full-time mixed martial artist covers every social class.
For fighters at different points in their MMA careers, the final few days prior to their fights are decidedly different. To give you a better idea of what some go through the second half of fight week, Fighters Only recorded diary accounts of three combatants who gave us a blow-by-blow record of those final 48 hours before the first bell.
AMATEUR: CODY ADAIR
Cody Adair may only be 18 but, make no mistake, the kid is a veteran. The Cambridge, Ontario, native has been training Muay Thai for the past five years and has over 60 fights under his many championship belts. He holds titles in Canada and Mexico and is scheduled for another championship bout in the US later this summer.
He has one amateur MMA victory, over one of Georges St Pierre’s Tristar teammates in Quebec, but plans to turn his focus to mixed martial arts full-time this summer and turn professional in 2013. Due to the fact amateur MMA and Muay Thai competitions require same-day weigh-ins, Adair doesn’t cut much weight for his bouts, but he says that even a small cut is not what he considers fun. He is supported emotionally and financially by his parents and still lives at home.
NOVICE PRO: JOEL POWELL
After impressing in his last three fights, Joel Powell (4-2) earned a bout with former UFC and WEC vet Joe Doerksen in his next outing, in Calgary in June. A one-time nationally ranked wrestler in Canada, the Hamilton welterweight holds the distinction of being the first fighter to win a sanctioned bout in his home state of Ontario.
After a 1-2 run in 2008, his revitalized campaign in the sport has also opened the door to a handful of sponsorship opportunities that have made it possible for him to train full-time. However, he continues to do renovations as a contractor – his staple income – around any fight camp.
UFC STAR: THIAGO ALVES
For UFC welterweight contender Thiago Alves, fight week used to be a stressful time. Having missed weight on more than one occasion, Alves used to spend the week fretting about the weigh-in, which often took away from his mental focus for the fight.
Now he’s working with acclaimed nutrition expert and coach Mike Dolce and the cut is a breeze, which has allowed the Brazilian to soak in and enjoy the pomp and pageantry of the final days before a UFC event.
He tells FO: “I’m usually in town for close to a week before my fight. I finish my last training session the Saturday prior. Traveling while you’re cutting weight is tiring. I like to start my Monday fresh in the city that the event is in. The UFC likes to fly you in on the Tuesday or Wednesday before the event, but I like to get there Saturday or Sunday so I’m adjusted to the time changes and my routine is dialed in and I’m comfortable. By Wednesday, I’m feeling good and like I’m at home.”
48 HOURS TO GO
AMATEUR: CODY ADAIR
“I try to stay around two to three pounds off my fighting weight a few days away from the weigh-in. I like to stick with my friends or other fighters because they understand what I’m going through, but we don’t really talk too much about the fight. There is nothing worse than being stuck by yourself and constantly thinking about the fight because you almost psych yourself out.
“When I was still in school, it was tough to concentrate during fight week because you’re so tired and weak and grumpy from the weight cut. I used to just put my head down on my desk and go to sleep. Some of my teachers would understand because they were athletes, but some of them were kind of d**ks about it. Now I’m pretty fortunate because I’m done with school and my parents are very supportive of my training and career, so they pay my way.
“My dad said that if I really wanted to make a go of fighting and turn pro I don’t have time to work. He kids around and says I owe him a million dollars already, so I’m hoping to sign a big contract to pay him back. They’re great, though. Because of them I can focus on training and getting the rest I need.
“I get up early at around six in the morning and go get a two-hour weights workout in. Then I come home and eat and sleep for a couple hours. Then I go to practice: Muay Thai, wrestling or jiu-jitsu from 11am to 2.30pm. Then I go home and eat and sleep again until about 5:30pm. Then I train until 8.30pm to 9pm and finish the day running sprints or stairs. I get home around 10pm and my mom will have some salmon or a sandwich ready for me to eat before I pass out. I try to sleep as much as I can the week of a fight to save my energy, so whenever I can get a nap in I will. I try to go to bed really early, but sometimes it’s hard to go to sleep after working out and when you’re starving. You don’t want to go out because you’re hungry and tired and irritable. All it takes is for someone to look at you the wrong way and you go off. My parents basically just lock me in my room and I listen to music or play video games or have a friend over.”
NOVICE PRO: JOE POWELL
“I stop working three days out so I can focus completely on my fight. I still do renovations, but for my next fight I’m taking time off. It’s hard to balance when you have a lot of work to do. When it’s the slow season it’s not so bad, but you’re tired when you’re cutting weight and it makes it hard to do much. I cut between 10 and 12lb, but for my next fight I’m moving up to 185lb, so I’ll use my speed and endurance to my advantage.
“I get up at around 10am and do a light workout at 11am until around 1pm. I’ll focus more on my conditioning that day than anything else. I won’t do any weights or anything that requires me to use my upper body so I can rest it up for the fight.
“I eat, because I don’t cut weight until the night before the weigh-ins. One workout and I drip the other 3lb and I’m good. I’m on weight. I used to cut a lot more weight in the past for wrestling – like 20lb – but I’m more comfortable with a smaller cut.
“I’ll relax in between workouts and eat up, maybe get a nap in before I’m back to the gym at 5.30pm. I train around the same amount as I do the week before, but not as intensely. My second workout would be rolling, pad work, ground ‘n’ pound or light sparring, then I go right into my run when I’m done. I finish up around 9pm and head home to relax. I try to be in bed by 11pm. I am starting to think about my game plan too, in the final few days.”
UFC STAR: THIAGO ALVES
“Usually, on Thursday, from the time you wake up until you go to bed I drink one gallon and don’t drink any more until after the weigh-ins. Just by eliminating your water on the Friday morning, you drop 10lb without breaking a sweat. When you start to work out a bit, the excess water comes out really easily as well.
“Ever since I started working with Mike Dolce things have become much easier for me. I don’t make mistakes any more [when cutting weight]. Before, it was very exhausting for me to have to focus on whether or not I was going to make weight and if I was going to be OK, physically speaking, so I could perform at my best the next day. That’s something I don’t have to even think about any more, so I’m able to focus on my game plan during fight week and focus on what I need to do to win the fight.
“Doing interviews and press conferences is part of the gig. The more you do press, you get more comfortable. Mike is great at coordinating stuff for me. Like he says, ‘We guide the ship as it goes.’ If I have something to do in the mornings, we don’t do anything in the mornings. We’ll do the workouts at night. I don’t think the fighter should be bothered after the weigh-ins, or even after the press conference the day before the weigh-ins. That should be it.
“Thursday, after your time with the press, you’ve got to have your time to cut the last of your weight and focus on the fight. I’m pretty accommodating up until then, but after that I need my time to get ready.”
24 HOURS TO GO
AMATEUR: CODY ADAIR
“Basically my routine is similar to the day before. We keep things light and try to keep limber. I sleep a lot because we have more time because we aren’t doing strength workouts in the morning and only a short workout at night. I don’t really eat anything, though, because of the weigh-in the next day. But if I’m on weight I may have a salad or an apple. I’m pretty good with a fast metabolism. I can lose 5lb in my sleep.”
NOVICE PRO: JOEL POWELL
“I cut in the morning and then I sleep the rest of the day until about an hour before the weigh-ins. I don’t like to do anything that day. I’m not usually grumpy because it’s only 10lb. If it’s 20lb, you definitely get me in a bad mood.
“After the weigh-ins I’ll check into my hotel room and eat for an hour or so. After that I’ll go out with my family to relax and have some dinner. I like to keep things relaxing to take my mind of my fight. I’m in bed by midnight.”
UFC STAR: THIAGO ALVES
“On weigh-in day I try to sleep a lot. I wake up, check my weight and then I go check with the UFC to make sure they’re happy with my weight. After that, we see how many pounds we have to lose. If it’s a lot, we start right away. We want to make things as comfortable as possible. If you don’t have much to cut, then you go back to your room and rest and cut the weight at the last minute. It’s very important to make weight. It’s part of what you’re paid to do.
“The fear and doubts come right before the fight, but this is also the fun time when all you’re doing is re-hydrating and eating. I head back to the hotel for a nap and that’s when I really start thinking about the fight – what could happen, how I’m going to perform.
“Right after weigh-ins I re-hydrate and eat. All of my meals and drinks are prepared by Mike, he does everything for me. It’s a very fun time for me because all of the hard work is done and it’s go time. Everything that you worked for is done. Your show money is guaranteed and you did everything you were supposed to. Now it’s all of the thrill and excitement that boils down to 15 or 25 minutes after three months of hard work. I’m in a good mood and I’m cracking jokes with my teammates. It’s a very good time for me.”
FIGHT DAY
AMATEUR: CODY ADAIR
“Normally we show up in town the day of the fight. We usually weigh-in at around eight or nine in the morning and then we’ll go eat some breakfast. I’ll drink Pedialyte as soon as I weigh-in as it helps re-hydrate you and it’s easy on your empty stomach. I like to have eggs and some carbs like pancakes or some toast. You have to slowly introduce food into your body.
“Then we’ll head off and try to find someplace to relax and maybe get a nap. Our fights usually start at 6pm, but I like to get to the venue around an hour before the show starts and I float around, talk to people, watch some fights and relax. If the guy I’m fighting has teammates on the card, I like to watch them fight to get an idea of what kind of style the team has.
“At the venue, I’d love to be able to relax and listen to music and maybe even take a nap, but you’re always doing something. I hold pads for other teammates and rub them down to get them ready. There’s always something to do. I’ve cornered teammates before and I had to fight right after, so I don’t even get to walk out; I just take off my sweat suit and climb in the ring.
“Usually I hit pads with my coaches backstage and get a sweat on and start getting focused on the fight. When they call my name, I get really focused. When my music starts to play, I really start getting pumped up. I walk out to Still Dre because I’m still a Thai boxer, no matter if I’m competing in MMA or North American kickboxing.
“I like to jump over the ropes and stomp on the mat because I’m so pumped up and for the psych-out factor. I like to let my fighting do the talking, though. We’re both trying to live the dream and I don’t think you need to talk trash or anything like that. I’ve had points deducted in kickboxing for touching gloves when the referee didn’t instruct us to during a fight. When the fight starts, you let your body take over and it’s like you aren’t even thinking.”
NOVICE PRO: JOEL POWELL
“I try to get up by 10am and have some breakfast. Then I go back and rest and watch TV in my room and try to get another nap. I’ll wake up early afternoon and eat some lunch and relax until it’s time to go to the venue.
“I try to eat a lot of carbs, like bread and pasta, and I drink around a liter of fruit juice – the kind that’s sweetened. I try to eat some salt so I can retain water too. I’ll eat some peanuts and fruits. I might eat a bit of candy to get my sugar up. I sip water all day. I probably take in four liters, maybe five, throughout the day.
“I usually try and take a nap between lunch and dinner time and I get up around 5pm. I’ll take a shower and be on my way to the arena by 6pm. Even if I’m fighting in the main event, I like to be there early. I’ll get in a couple workouts and break a sweat and then just relax a bit more. Unless a friend or a teammate is fighting, I really don’t watch the fights. I’ve cornered my brother before and then had to fight right after.
“I try to relax in the back and not talk about anything, especially not the fight. I’ll chat with a couple friends and eat some fruit and continue my liquid intake so I don’t cramp up.
“To me, a fight is just another sparring session. I don’t put too much pressure on myself when I look at it that way. The difference is I can punch my opponent and not hold back like I do in training because I’m worried about hurting my teammate. When I don’t hold back, I perform so much better because I can unleash my power.
“I tune out the crowd while I walk out. I meditate and envision the fight in my head and think about how it’s going to play out. I don’t hear anything around me. When I’m in the cage I only hear my corner.
“I don’t really look at my opponent. I don’t care if he’s nervous or prepared or not. To me they are just a punching bag and if I look at him, they start to look like a person and I don’t want to see them as that. I don’t want to look into their eyes until after the fight. I just go into game mode and tell myself to relax and we touch gloves and it’s on.”
UFC STAR: THIAGO ALVES
“As soon as I wake up, I’m in a different mood. I’m serious now and I don’t laugh much. I know in a few hours I’m going to go. I’m just like a caged animal. I really am like a pitbull at that point. I’m not Thiago Alves; I’m ‘The Pitbull.’
“Usually we get a little workout in to get the blood flowing and the nutrients moving through the body so you can feel good. Then I just chill and wait for fight time. I try to sleep and get as much rest as I can. But it’s the longest day of your life. You think about so many things. I watch some movies and occupy my time and as fight time gets closer I start to think of my inspiration and things that get me motivated.
“I don’t really eat that much on fight day – just a bite here and a bite there to keep my blood-sugar levels up. I eat mostly in the morning, but my stomach only allows me to eat so much. I don’t eat anything specific now. I eat whatever Mike puts in front of me on fight day. Before, I ate lots of pizza and pasta and carbs to make my body as heavy as I could. Now it’s not about being heavy, it’s about being healthy. I eat everything I ate during training camp, plenty of fruit, nuts and vegetables.
“On fight day your body releases a lot of chemicals that you’re not used to and you wouldn’t experience otherwise in your entire life. I get so pumped up and full of adrenaline Saturday night that I can’t sleep until Monday night. Every fight you go through different feelings and emotions. For each fight you’re at a different stage of your life, so they’re special in their own way.
“I try to go to the arena a little bit later than I’m supposed to. Burt [Watson] is really cool. He knows I’m gonna show up, so he doesn’t worry about me as much. We’re supposed to be there at 7pm and I try to get there 10 or 15 minutes later. You have a long time to wait, especially if you’re fighting late in the card, so I try to put a towel over my head, lift my legs and take a nap.
“Once the switch gets flipped and I start moving and warming up, that’s it. I know it’s time to go. It’s really hard to get fired up and cool down as it’s tough to get the edge back. I get pumped up and I can hold that energy level for hours if I have to, but I try to be smarter now and save The Pitbull until it’s go time.
“Half an hour before my fight I have my stretch routine and get a bit of a sweat going as I’m going through the motions. We do a little grappling and drill jiu-jitsu before I hit the pads. Then 10 minutes before we walk out, we’re good to go and I just sit and wait.
“Right before I walk out, I do my breathing, hit some more pads and keep it going… keep moving. My body and mind are both warmed up. I love it when my coaches pump me up. I’m a pitbull on a leash and they’re ready to let me off of it. I had to teach my newer coaches how to motivate me and get me fired up, but now they know exactly how to do it. Before you walk out, you have to have the edge and feel the instinct that it’s do or die and I have to kill him or he will kill me. I have to have the anger and the hunger.
“When Burt starts yelling, ‘We’re rolling, baby; it’s time to roll,’ it’s like, ‘F**k yeah! This is everything I worked for and this is why I do what I do. Let’s f**king get it done, man. Let’s beat some ass, let’s put on a show and let’s f**king waste this guy.’ I tell myself that it’s going to be a bloodbath and that I’m going to win or he’s going to have to knock me out or submit me. There’s no other way. That’s the mentality I have as I walk through the curtain.
“I see my opponent like a stranger in my house and he’s trying to take the remote from me or my wife or whatever. Then it becomes like war. I don’t like him at that point and I just want to get my hands on him.
“When you stare him down and he looks back at you, you can tell if he’s prepared or if the guy is scared. You just know. You smell fear like a dog. We touch gloves and you give him one last look as the adrenaline gets pumping. It’s on.”
