You would think after dropping two MMA fights in a row I would be really upset, sad, pissed, or all of the above but I am far from it and I will tell you why.
Growth
Let me explain
My very first MMA fight was hectic, I threw caution to the wind and came out in round 1 guns a blazing. I almost knocked out my opponent and he almost knocked me out. The fight went from the stand up to the clintch to the ground. It also went all 3 rounds in which I started to gas toward the end. My point is my first fight had a little of everything and I felt really lucky that I had the chance to experience all of that my first time out but I also knew I would have a lot to improve on.
In my second fight I felt way more relaxed and my striking was much more technical. My wrestling and BJJ also improved because I took what I was bad at in my first fight and worked on it. Even though I lost my second fight with seconds left in the first I felt good. I felt good because I know that I am getting better and in amateur MMA that is all that matters.
Here is what my boy and fellow amateur fighter JimmyVo has to say about his first lost:
It was August 1st. Weigh-ins, completed, cleared by the doctor and waiting anxiously for the rules meeting. 5 minutes before the first fight, the rules meeting commenced. I don’t remember much about it, I was just ready to fight. I was the 3rd fight on the card. It was my debut. Three fights later, it was show time. I heard my friends going nuts as my music began playing. A round a half later, I found myself on the ground leaning against the cage being checked out by the doctor. Lost, by rear naked choke. After months and months of training for my debut win, I felt as I failed.
I learned losing is tough but it’s part of life. The one thing I do remember at the rules meeting was one of the refs saying, this is only amateur. These fights don’t mean shit. It’s the truth. I learned how it feels to step into the cage and the feeling of someone else trying to take your head off. I found out that my ground game needed work. It’s been 4 months since my loss so I’ve been focusing on my ground game. I know that the next time in the cage, I will win. I refuse to lose. In my mind, stepping in the cage and putting myself of 6 days of training weekly with many two-days I’ve won my own battle. If you fight in the cage, you’re already a winner. Not everyone has the courage that we do to put it all on the line.
–
Jimmy Vo
http://jimmyvo.net




