Motivation to keep going

Below is a  video  from the UFC Welterweight TITLE fight at UFC 100.Welterweight Champ -Georges St Pierre(GSP),who is arguably the best pound for pound fighter  in the world Vs  Thiago Alves .In round 4,  GSP  was trying  an arm-bar (a submission maneuver designed to hyper extend the elbow joint forcing an opponent to tap out )from his back when his abductor ligament tore. The pain was excruciating .Groin injuries are very painful. Leave aside fighting. It’s difficult even to walk. Luckily for him, he had one of the best trainers in the business (Greg Jackson) to go back to between rounds. Greg Jackson had some Yoda-like words of wisdom that helped GSP to push through the pain.

Post Round 4 Conversation:

GSP (leaning down to Jackson):”I… I pulled my groin. “

Jackson:    ”I don’t care, I don’t care George. Hey, look at me; this is where champions are made. Do you understand me? Nothing matters now. Hit him with your groin! You got my mentality?”

You looked at GSP’s face and all the fear was gone. He doesn’t quit, goes ahead and fights the last round with a torn groin. And    like a killing machine proceeds to toss Alves around like a child’s toy and wins a unanimous victory.  Like how the terminator would just keep coming after it lost a limb, and you would think to yourself, “How in the hell do you kill this thing?”

GSP is a Kyokushin karate black belt who is tough as nails and has a work ethic second to none. But he is not the calmest fighter; at least internally.He seems to get very nervous and doubts himself. In between fights you can’t really understand complicated instructions and you go into animalistic mode. So much is going through your mind, questioning if you won the round or not, if he’s more damaged than you, how sore/how much you’re hurting, and what you need to do to win the fight and stop what he’s doing well.  He needs those calm, very simple commands to keep him centered. GSP has self discipline, intellect and maturity.  But it still begs the question, what would happen to him if he was cut off from his brain trust?  What would happen if there wasn’t that all knowing all seeing MMA intellect by his side as he trained every single day?  What would happen if there wasn’t that controlled voice focusing GSP on the perfect game plans of carnage? It’s a big advantage to have someone like Jackson in your corner.

 

Martial arts are team sports .You won’t be anything without a good coach and team around you. I consider myself really lucky to be part of this amazing Independent Shootfighters team. Thanks guys…You rock!!!