Issue 083
World-renowned cutman Stitch Duran reveals how he makes every vital second count when treating a fighter between rounds.
I have worked thousands of fights and watched countless more, so I know how important a cutman or cornerman is in determining the outcome of a bout. Preparation is the number-one requirement in making the difference – and I always prepare for the worst-case scenario.
I remember Marcus Davis was in a toe-to-toe fight with Chris Lytle at UFC 93 (January 2009). Marcus is what we in the business call a ‘bleeder’, so I had a swab of adrenaline 1:1000, the medication we use to constrict the blood vessels, ready to go. I also had an adrenaline and Vaseline mix to prevent any additional bleeding even though Marcus hadn’t been cut. With just 10 seconds left in the first round he suffered a serious gash.
As soon as the bell rang I jumped into the Octagon and rushed to apply pressure on the cut. The coaching team have a minute to discuss with the fighter whether a game plan needs changing for the next round, and to freshen him up, but cutmen have only 50–55 seconds to work wonders.
Marcus stayed in the fight and won via a split decision. And this is a perfect example of why cutmen have to prepare for the worst.
Sometimes fighters have multiple cuts and/or swelling which is always slightly more problematic. When Duane Ludwig fought Nick Osipczak, at UFC 122 (November 2010) in Germany, he had six cuts! I had just a split second to clean Duane with a wet hand towel and prioritise the gashes; usually the eyebrows take priority because the blood can flow into the eyes.
Duane looked like he’d been in a barroom brawl, and at the end of each round I had a new cut to work I on. With swabs in each hand and a KO Swell between my fingers, my fingers were soon spread all over Duane’s face, applying pressure and wiping away blood.
In these situations it’s vital to keep your composure and let the coach do his job. A cutman also has to know how much time is left before the next round. Of course we do get informed when there are only 10 seconds left before the bell, and it’s during these final moments, as the referee is urging us to get out of the Octagon, that we try to steal a second or two.
Before the next round starts, the key word a referee and doctor are looking for when deciding whether the fight should continue is ‘disadvantage’. Duane could have been at a disadvantage, but I eliminated it and he won the fight!
Besides our basic tools of the trade, like an ice pack, KOSwell, Vaseline and medications, psychology and ring experience is just as important. I used the latter two and adrenaline 1:1000 on Karo Parisyan when he fought Drew Fickett at UFC Fight Night 7 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in ‘06. Karo received a two-inch gash on his cheek and was covered in blood. The referee called the doctor in to determine if he could continue, but before the doctor entered, Karo saw his cut on the jumbo screen, which made it look even bigger. Obviously Karo was a little concerned and he wanted to stop the fight. His cornermen were also in a bit of shock and nervously asked me what I thought, so I instantly evaluated the situation and decided to take control. My job isn’t to give instruction between rounds, but this situation was different. Karo was in the fight of his life, he had a nasty cut on his cheek and he and his corner were prepared to stop the bout.
As I worked I encouraged Karo not to worry about the cut and then I gave him instructions on how to fight Drew Fickett. He followed my instructions and kept it standing for the final round and pulled out a win.
It was such a gratifying victory and I was glad I helped Karo. Weeks later, I saw him at another UFC show and he introduced me to his father who shook my hand and thanked me for taking care of his son, which really gave me chills because it came from the heart.
