Issue 176

In his regular column, veteran cut man Jacob ‘Stitch’ Duran presents a unique view on the fight game.

The late basketball coach, John Wooden, was a master at preparing his teams. I never sat in the locker room during one of his pre-game speeches, but I’m sure he gave them an air of quiet confidence. I try to do the same when I enter the locker room to wrap afighter’s hands. 

Sitting down in the chair across from the fighter, I know it’s the first step in the final phase of preparation to fight. It can be a very stressful time. Confidence will rub off on him. You can’t teach confidence, but you can give it to the fighter. 

Believe in yourself as a cutman, and in doing so the fighter will feed off of your confidence. Fighters learn to read eyes.

Make sure you show confidence and make eye contact with him as often as you can.

Just as the fighter reads you, you should read the fighter.

Look at his body language and get a sense of his demeanor. Does he want you to talk and help him relax by keeping the mood light, or does he want you to be serious? The first time I wrapped Fedor Emelianenko I asked a couple of questions and he didn’t seem like he wanted to talk.

I took the cue and gave myself a solemn demeanor while wrapping his hands in silence. It was the right move because afterward he looked at the wrap and said: “Super, super,” and we drank vodka together after his victory.

It’s important to ask simple questions just before you start the wrap.

Are they taking any aspirin or an anti-inflammatory? These medications thin out the blood and make it more difficult to stop any bleeding.

Any problems with his hands? If so, make an adjustment with the wrapping. For example, if his thumb is hurting, I apply more pressure on the thumb. If his knuckles are sore I make a bigger pad. If he has had any other injuries, I try to apply more tape on the injured part. 

In wrapping his hands I try to converse with the fighter and find out what his strategy will be in the fight. This helps me determine if he will be fighting more in the stand-up or on the ground.

Stand-up fights will usually give me extra work. I also joke with him to try to relax him, or use any information I’ve learned earlier to help give him confidence. At WEC 53, I learned from Dominick Cruz’s trainer that he was worried about his hands. He’d had trouble with them recently.

I started wrapping and told him he was getting the best wraps possible and nothing would happen to his hands. During the wrap I could see him become more relaxed and confident. 

Psychology is very important when working with a fighter. It relaxes him and it will also give him more confidence knowing you will be in his corner. At UFC 69 when Matt Serra shocked the world by stopping Georges St Pierre, I wasn’t scheduled to wrap his hands.

He wouldn’t come out until I did. Matt has an outgoing personality and he looked at me and said “Stitch, come on, you know you’re my good luck charm!” I became his “good luck charm” because of the relationship I’d built with him from previous wraps.

The final step comes when you apply the Vaseline and your man enters the cage. Once this is done, prepare at least one swab with adrenaline 1-1000. Always prepare for the worst-case scenario.

If the fighter is receiving a lot of blows, he’s probably going to get cut. Make sure you know where your icepack is in your bucket as well as the KO Swell in case he starts to show signs of damage. 

Many cutmen wait until a fighter receives a cut. The cut might happen at the end of the round and it’ll take seconds away from you doing your job if you prepare the swab after the fact.

It’s a small investment that will pay high dividends. I always say, ‘If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.’ 

If a cut occurs, make sure you have your swab, Vaseline, Vaseline-adrenaline mix and a towel. I always put the Vaseline and Vaseline-adrenaline mix on top of my left hand for easy access. Kind of like a painter when he uses different paints. I like to use wet towels that I cut in the dressing room to the size of face towels. If he’s showing signs of swelling, I have a KO Swell and/or icepack ready. 

Be prepared before the bell rings and enter as soon as it rings.

Seconds are valuable, and that is why I meet the fighter wherever he is and start applying pressure with the towel as I walk him to his stool.

If you can get 50 seconds of work you are doing a good job.

If you can get 55 seconds, you are doing a great job.

Remember, be organized, be prepared, show confidence and be quick. Always stay calm. You’ll find that 55 seconds is a lot of time when you are prepared properly.