Weighing in at just three pounds, yet responsible for orchestrating an entire battle plan when you step into the Octagon, your brain needs to fight harder than any other organ in your body. It requires 20% of your daily calorie intake to function and a constant supply of fuel to maintain energy, so eating wisely is the finest way to increase your fight IQ. 

“A steady supply of glycogen through the food a fighter eats is essential in brain function and, ultimately, cage domination,” says nutritionist and sports scientist Laurent Bannock. “Failing to eat every three to four hours can result in a build up of the stress hormone cortisol, which will reduce your reaction times, motivation and concentration.”

GLUCOSE

The brain's primary source of fuel comes from glucose, which travels in your bloodstream and is stored in your body as glycogen. While glucose is obtained from carbohydrates, only the unseasoned rookie will pile down masses of carbs daily, hoping for the surge in energy and concentration needed to power on through heavy training sessions. According to Bannock, this can be detrimental if you're wanting to compete professionally.

“Brain and body performance can be increased by reducing a fighter's carb intake during camp, thus making their metabolism more efficient at using a smaller carb supply when it approaches fight time. 

"If they were eating lots of carbs during camp their brain and body gets used to having a high intake of carbs and becomes less effective at using what's on board. The idea is to train low-carb and compete medium to high-carb.”

While the brain depends on glucose from carbs for energy, protein also plays a vital role in fueling the mind so it's ready for battle. “Amino acids found in protein provide the neurotransmitters for the brain to work optimally, and athletes are the worst offenders for having breakfast too high in carbohydrates and too low in protein,” states Ben Coomber, performance nutritionist to UFC lightweight Ross Pearson.

“This goes for fat too – as fat stabilizes blood glucose levels for longer. If a fighter isn’t training first thing in the morning I'd usually have them on a high-protein, high-fat breakfast, as this will keep them lean by switching on fat oxidation (using fat for energy), and up-regulate brain function due to the protein and fat's effect on neurological function. This also leaves plenty of room for lots of low-carb vegetables, essential for brain health due to all the vitamins and minerals.”

Take yourself back to a time when most of the current UFC veterans were just cutting their teeth inside the Octagon, and you may remember your mom willfully urging you to eat fish because it's ‘brain food.’ While she may not be Mike Dolce, it was some of the finest nutritional wisdom she could bestow upon you.

FISH OIL

“Fish oil contains omega-3 fats which are essential for brain function,” states Coomber. “The focus should be on whole food sources: oily fish, grass-fed meat, walnuts, various seeds and hemp. Fat and protein often come in the same food source, animal protein, so ensure your diet is high in meat.”

Besides the three macronutrients (carbs, protein and fat), there exists a plethora of stimulants that can boost brain performance during fight night, but the best according to many experts has to be caffeine.

“Caffeine can increase alertness and speed up reaction times,” says Crystal Haskell, associate director at the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Center (nutrition-neuroscience.co.uk). 

“Combining caffeine with l-theanine, an amino acid present in tea, has been shown to lead to increased effects not seen with caffeine alone in terms of improving speed and increasing alertness ratings.”

“Though, use caffeine only before a fight and not when training,” adds Bannock. “Otherwise your mind and body gets used to it and the stimulant effects will be reduced.”

Another secret weapon for developing superior concentration skills is cocoa. “Cocoa flavanols present in dark chocolate were shown to produce significant attenuation of mental fatigue ratings when 500mg were consumed in a cocoa drink 90 minutes prior to 60 minutes of intense mental processing,” Haskell explains.

While cocoa powder may help your mental focus, don't go plunging your diet into the nutritional abyss by gulping down mugs of hot chocolate. To the elite fighter, a sweet tooth will result in a large waste line, which could also lead to no teeth when the final bell rings.