Issue 069

December 2010

With Rosi Sexton.

Q. I’ve just been offered a fight next weekend. I’m pretty confident, and I could do with the money. Should I take it?

A. Don’t be tempted to seize the opportunity straight away. There are plenty of factors to consider...

Perhaps you’d been training for another fight that fell through, and you want to see the hard work pay off. Maybe it’s a particularly good pay day. It could be an opponent you’ve been chasing for a while, a prestigious promotion, or a chance to fight in your hometown. Whatever the reason, weigh up what you stand to gain against what you have to lose. Fighters are naturally keen to fight, and this can sometimes lead them to accept offers that aren’t in their best interests, or for which they aren’t adequately prepared. 

If you’re a last-minute replacement, you may be fighting someone who’s had a full eight-week training camp. An opponent who seems ‘easy’ can actually be very threatening, especially in a short-notice fight. In this sport, upsets happen frequently. Remember that you’re putting more than your record – give some serious thought to whether a loss may affect future opportunities – or even your MMA career on the line. Going into a fight with less than ideal preparation may also increase your chance of getting injured, which could in-turn affect your ability to train or even your livelihood.

Don’t make the decision on your own. Discuss it thoroughly with your coaches, and your manager if you have one. Every case is different, and there are no hard and fast rules. But here’s a list of vital questions to consider with your team before inking that contract. Can you leave all your excuses behind when you agree the fight? If not, then it’s probably a sign you should pass this one up. 

SHOULD YOU TAKE THAT FIGHT AT SHORT NOTICE?

• How good is your physical conditioning right now? 
• Can you get into fight shape in the time you have available? 
• How much sparring and training, if any, will you be able to fit in?
• Have you been focusing on your training recently, and how relevant is your current program to the fight you’re being offered? 
• Are you confident you can make weight, or will it be touch and go? 
• Be straight with yourself: how far below your very best will you be on fight night, and is that a handicap you’re happy to give up?
• Do your strengths stack up well against your proposed opponent’s.weaknesses, or is this someone who you need to work on a very specific game plan for?
• Who was he originally supposed to fight, and how much will he have to alter his game plan to fight you instead?
• If you turn this fight down, is there likely to be another opportunity round the corner?
• Why this fight, and why now? What’s special about this one in particular?
• Are you planning a serious MMA career? Would a loss affect that?
• Would you be better off fighting this opponent another time, when you’ve had a full training camp to prepare? 
• How likely is it that you’ll get the chance again?
• If you lose – however unlikely you think that might be – will you be.able to let your performance speak for itself, or would you want everyone to know that you were fighting at short notice? 

Professional fighter Rosi Sexton is a sports therapist and osteopath-in-training. She has fought in countries such as Russia, Canada and the USA, and is ranked as one of the top competitors in her weight class. For more information contact her by email at [email protected] or go to: www.rosisexton.wordpress.com.