Step 1: Leaving Your Comfort Zone

When people talked about Georges St Pierre most considered him to be a Firas Zahabi or Greg Jackson fighter - but any look deeper into not only his camps but his general lifestyle would reveal GSP was something of a gypsy when it came to training camps. 

Whether he was working on his boxing with Freddie Roach in LA, adapting jiu-jitsu techniques with Roger Gracie in London, or even perfecting his double-leg takedowns with the Canadian wrestling team in Ottawa, St Pierre was always working with the best.

He was not an exception to the rule.

‘Have gloves will travel’ mixed martial artists are all the rage, taking their camps across the globe to get the very best out of their training. And, judging by the results of some MMA’s biggest camp jumpers, it's paying top dollar dividends.

ASSESSING THE SITUATION

When all you know is the four walls of the gym you started out in, it's difficult to think of going anywhere else. However, those who have had the opportunity to go nomad and see what else is out there, realize how beneficial it can be to a fighter’s future. And, according to UFC bantamweight Brad Pickett, making the trip to Coconut Creek in Florida early on in his career helped him become the well-rounded action-packed assassin he is today.

“I was training at Team Titan in London and I was the featherweight champion in the Cage Rage promotion. The Cage Rage promoters – Dave O'Donnell and Andy Geer – wanted me to get better so I could face international competition, so they sent me out to American Top Team,” Pickett recalled.

“They sent me out there and I met Mike Brown and Ricardo Liborio and quickly fell in love with the place. Being there helped me out so much with my wrestling at the time, because obviously at that moment, in England, there was no wrestling. We had good ground games and good stand-up, but we didn't really have anyone covering wrestling. Going out to ATT really helped me out with my game.”

That training paid off with five wins in his seven fights, plus five '...of the Night' bonus checks to go with it, so it's hard to disagree with his decision. By staying with his original team when he's in the UK and training with ATT when he's in the US, Pickett quickly emerged as one of the UK’s leading mixed martial artists and legitimate future UFC title contender.

CHOOSING YOUR PATH

There are many reasons as to why a fighter may decide to change camps, whether it's full-time or part-time. It may be to do with coaching, or sparring, or simply due to the fact they want to explore more disciplines that aren't readily available at their current team. And in the case of Swedish UFC light heavyweight Alexander Gustafsson, it took a loss to motivate him into realizing he needed to add something more to his training regimen.

“After I lost to Phil Davis, that was a turning point in my career. I decided that I had to dedicate myself to MMA,” he says. “I could have done that at home, of course, but I needed to add something else and so I contacted Phil and I was invited to California to train with Eric Del Fierro and the rest of the team at Alliance in San Diego, California.

“It was a great move for me, as my results prove. I not only added extra things to my style, like better grappling, but the quality of sparring at Alliance – along with the coaching there – added the final pieces to my game.”

This doesn't mean the big Swede abandoned the team that helped him grow. In fact, much like Pickett training at Team Titan when in the UK, Gustafsson trained in Stockholm throughout the year

He adds: “I had a great team in Sweden, based in Stockholm with my head coach, Andreas Michael. The talent there is very good and I could do the bulk of my camp for every fight at home with my team. I’m very lucky, as there are so many strong fighters in Sweden, I did not have to go far for top-level sparring. Having a strong team around you is vital to ensure you keep learning, keep improving. Again, that’s the reason why I joined Alliance.”

EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION

When you're the best fighter in your gym and you're in the biggest promotion in the world, the other fighters around you who ply their trade on the regional circuit are going to look up to you, as you are where they want to be. In the case of Pickett, three of his young teammates from Team Titan (Luke Newman, Bola Omoyele and Michael Pastou) followed in his footsteps and joined him at ATT for part of their training camps, something he feels will be beneficial to them in the long run

“I think the younger guys at Team Titan saw how much it did for me by going to American Top Team to train. They wanted to walk in my path,” says Pickett. “Also, I had a connection there at American Top Team. When I went there I didn't know anyone, but when they came out everyone knew they were coming and I was there too at the time. It makes things a lot easier that way. A lot of European guys go to ATT now.

“I definitely think guys should go out and try other places when it comes to training. Sometimes things work well for you, and sometimes you find that things don't work so well.

If you stay in the same place the whole time, then you're not going to learn. There's only so much you can learn from the same trainers; there are so many different styles out there.”

The future seems clear: fighters are going to chop and change where they train so they can get the best out of their skills. The question you need to ask yourself now is, Shouldn't you be doing the same thing?

Step 2: Fighter For Sale

For most professional athletes, sponsorship and endorsements are the key to safeguarding their finances. Actual wages at the highest level can reach millions of dollars for a handful of established world champions and pay-per-view stars, but for the rest it takes more than simply fight checks to pay the bills. Securing sponsorship, therefore, is a vital commodity to any athlete, not just fighters. 

A sports person’s life is age restricted, so maximizing profits while building a long-term financial plan for the future is essential. Most sponsorship opportunities evolve naturally along with the progression of a career. The bigger the fight, the bigger reach the promoter has, the more likely a fighter is to attract sponsors capable of funding fight camps or supplementing wages. But, rather than sitting back and waiting for that call to arrive, there are plenty of skills a fighter can and should be honing to prepare.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

"The first mistake a lot of athletes make, and one thing I definitely urge them to remember is; don’t treat your sponsor like a cash cow,” says Paul Boross, a psychologist, author and verbal communication specialist who has worked with the likes of Google, MTV, The Financial Times and Sir Richard Branson. 

“It's all good and well getting some sponsorship and having a nice badge for your shorts, but in accepting that sponsorship you should view that as a mutual partnership. You need to offer more to a sponsor than simply providing their logo with some TV time during a fight. 

“A sponsor wants their athlete to be the kind of person who can turn up at an event and maybe give an inspirational talk. And so you will get a much more financially beneficial and long-term deal if you can give more in return. You have to build that relationship, whilst also developing your own skill-set. In the same way you would develop your range of punches.

"If a sponsor provides support, they get what? Their brand on your shorts and on the shirts of the guys in the corner, perhaps. What they'll really be thinking is, ‘What else can we do? He can’t talk, he can’t represent the brand, he can't do anything.’ But if you can do all of those things then you're going to earn much more money. I know, because I know what sponsors want.”

Being ready to maximize your appeal to a sponsor doesn’t last long either. A strong public image, both with fans and in the media, is essential to attracting sponsors and also maximizing earning potential. Simply signing with a big promotion ensures the spotlight is, momentarily at least, pointed in their direction. And Boross insists athletes need to be prepared to make the most of that attention.

He says: “A lot of it is about grabbing your opportunity when it happens. One of the first things I would always advise is to start working on communication skills now; i.e. working on their minds as much as they work on their body, because that will make a difference in terms of how they can translate that initial success or interest into actual dollars. I’ve seen so many Olympians get interviewed after their moment of glory and seen them literally crumble under the spotlight. They have to get comfortable with the attention, and the media, and embrace it.

“It’s the same when guys make their UFC debuts and they sit in press conferences stumped for words. They have to understand; messing up media engagements even at this early stage, when the light is on them perhaps for the first time, will affect the way sponsors view them. It's important a media profile is kept in tact. We only have to look at history; it’s not always the best fighters that have made the most money.

“Then, when it comes to getting sponsorship, and the kind of deals that truly matter, it's all second nature and part of what they do. A real big-money sponsor is looking for that as much as talent. They want a sportsperson who will deliver their message as clearly and precisely as they deliver a punch.”

So where do you start? How does a novice mixed martial artist used to fighting on local promotions for a couple of hundred notes prepare himself for dealing with the international media and the worldwide fan attention practically over night? One day they’ve got a couple of hundred family and old school pals following them on Twitter, the next they’ve got tens of thousands 'liking' and commenting on their every status update.

ROLE MODELS

According to Boross, it’s simply about becoming comfortable in your own skin and ‘modeling’ yourself on successful athletes already wooing press benches. “Muhammad Ali was a showman. He took on a persona when speaking with the press and it worked for him. But I wouldn't encourage all fighters to do the same thing,” Boross says. “Taking on a character should only be encouraged if a fighter feels comfortable doing so. If it isn't genuine the public and the press will see right through it. 

“You have to have a conducive attitude. You have to know who you are and what you were designed to do. If every fighter came out and just did, ‘I am the Greatest,' and, 'I can see he's going down in three,' then that would be ridiculous. It has to be true to their personality. But they can start by watching press conferences in the same way they watch other fighters fight. 

“The best way to learn how to deal with situations and questions is to watch those who do it well already. In psychology, we call it modeling. And you also have to understand that communication and language makes a difference to how you are perceived. It’s not just about what you say, a large part of it is how you say it. Using your voice. 

“I would encourage fighters to learn the voice is a tool, not just for actors. Let's go back to Muhammad Ali. His voice was like an actor, it hit highs and it hit lows. It was menacing and it was funny. That was an actor’s voice. And that is why it resonated so much with the press and the public alike.

“Accents also come into play here. Like it or loathe it, everyone has an opinion when it comes to accents. Some you love and some you’re immediately turned off by. The message here is that fighters need to think about the whole package; not just how they look, but how they sound and what they say. It's got to be the whole package.”

And as for that first international contest, Boross has another quick tip to ensure the fans and media don’t forget you. “Learning the language when fighting abroad is another great way to endear yourself to both fans and media,” he adds. “Regardless of even if it’s just ‘hello’ or a compliment to the local area. Being able to speak the local dialect, and if possible with the correct accent, is fantastic. Language is the true communicator. 

“In my book, The Pitching Bible, one of the secrets is getting a rapport with your audience. That translates to putting rears on seats. That's what sells T-shirts and that's what ultimately translates to money.

"Part of mixed martial arts, like boxing and even more so wrestling, is theater. It's the drama and the stories and the relationship the athletes have with the fans which pays the big bucks.”

Step 3: Contract Killer

There are simple ways you can boost your chances of getting recognized by the world’s top talent hunters. How do we know? Because we asked one for you.

You might not know Rich Chou by name, but you will know his work. The Guam-born one-time fighter started out in matchmaking (and, by default, fighter finding) with Hawaii’s Rumble on the Rock promotion in 2002. From there he moved to briefly present powerhouse EliteXC, then Strikeforce for two years until shortly after it was purchased by Zuffa, owners of the UFC.

Currently, the man who Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker apparently once said he would happily hand over the company keys to, is a matchmaker for Bellator.

And, just to verify his talent-spotting potential, it was he and JD Penn (brother of UFC lightweight/welterweight BJ) responsible for selecting fighters for the incredibly stacked 2006 Rumble on the Rock 175lb tournament. Men like the UFC’s Anderson Silva, Carlos Condit, Jake Shields and Yushin Okami – all before they were famous.

FILM STAR

“Have footage ready,” advises Rich. “I really like it when guys have footage available, they can send me links. That is the most helpful thing… Sending me a link and having me look at something instantly; we’ve signed guys immediately like that.”

But, if you’re about to pay your buddy in beer for slicing together a sweet highlight reel, you might want to put the six-packs down. “I get more out of a single fight, because obviously highlights are only going to show me the good stuff.”

AGENT OF CHANGE

While no one would encourage you to sign on with an agent or management company without doing your homework first, affiliating yourself with one is a great way to tap into MMA’s network of bigwigs, matchmakers and movers and shakers. “There are a few guys out there that are some of the major players in the industry as far as being a manager cum agent,” says Rich.

“They’re there for a reason; they have a lot of connections, they can make things happen pretty quickly.” But, qualifies Chou, if you’re not with somebody like that doesn’t mean you don’t have a chance – it just helps. “I feel a little more confidence knowing they’re coming from a certain management group.”

RECORDS AREN’T FOR DJS

Calm down. Your first knockout loss won’t derail your career – but that losing record just might. “In order to build somebody credible they (fighters) need, on paper, to look the part, and be the part as well,” states Rich. “But I really look into it. Some guys may have fought at a different weight class throughout their career.

I’ll use a guy like Pat Healy for example. When we first brought Pat on Strikeforce, we looked at his record.” There they discovered Pat had fought, and lost, outside of his natural lightweight classification. His record at 155lb was markedly better than his overall digits. Strikeforce signed the Team Quest grappler and he’s currently the promotion’s number-one contender at lightweight.

So, before the lure of that money-weight bout KOs your common sense, remember that sticking to your natural division might just mean you keep a more impressive balance on the books, and more chance of a big promotion call-up.

FINISH FIRST

Right, you’re raring to get some wins. But, do you go for the safe-but-boring lay ‘n’ pray? Or focus on that deadly-but-dangerous stand-up style? Above all else, Rich says an aggressive fighter is more likely to have him primed to print a contract. Whether they’re an aggressive striker, or an aggressive grappler matters not. “A guy with a ton of decisions, kind of laying ‘n’ praying, that’s not what the fans want to see.” And after all, they are the boss.

PROS VS JOES

Now that’s everything inside the ring taken care of, surely there’s something to do outside it to improve your chances of getting under those bright lights. Well, there is: be professional. Rich says: “We don’t gotta be best friends, but please be a professional. Have your medicals ready, be on time, be responsive to things.

I like to think when we sign an athlete, we’re like partners.” So that means you should show up to press conferences on time, and, more than likely, try to avoid PR disasters. Nick Diaz learned that the hard way.

MEDIA SCORE

“Having a really good social networking campaign and having that ability to really promote yourself is key” says Rich. “This is sports entertainment, more so than any other sport if you think about it. A lot of what happens now is driven by popularity. Fights are created because fans get on Twitter and Facebook and demand it.” And taking to those platforms means you could use that fan power to your advantage.

And don’t forget, when promotions go to an area they’ll always be made aware of that region’s most notable fighter. “Doesn’t necessarily mean he’s the best, but he’s the most popular and he’s the guys that’s going to be brought to your attention first,” says Rich. So it seems even if you’re more quiet Cain Velasquez than chirping Chael Sonnen, and your fists can do no more talking, it pays to scream rather than squeak.

With that in mind, maybe you’re not exciting to watch and you have more ‘L’s than ‘W’s, but you can tweet like there’s no tomorrow. Couldn’t you just type yourself into a contract? “I would go and try to beef up that record first,” suggests Rich. “Definitely make a campaign for it, but I’m sure the feedback you’ll get will be, ‘Hey, I need you to go out there and win a few on the regional, smaller, local circuit.’”

TRIPLE THREAT

While matchmakers are primarily tasked with finding fighters to fill cards, they’ll jump through hoops if they think they’ve got the next big thing on their hands. And, that considered, Rich has some food for thought. “A guy that’s a tremendous fighter, is also a great self-promoter and is really popular: that right there is what makes a superstar.”