Jon Fitch: Returning With a New Mental Hunger

   I am an athlete, and just like many athletes I am susceptible to something that is just as frustrating as it is uncontrollable. Injury. It can happen in every sport, from baseball to MMA. I sustained a slight crack in my L4-L5 vertebrae while training for my senior baseball season last year. As of now, I have been out of activity for over 6 months and I have found extreme frustration on a day to day basis, not being able to do what I live for: Compete.

  Jon Fitch is currently going through a similar situation after undergoing shoulder surgery.  He has recently pulled out of his rematch with B.J. Penn due to his torn Labrum in his right shoulder. Fitch has been one of the top ranked and highly respected fighters in the welterweight division for a number of years now, and with most recently earning a decision over Thiago Alves (his second victory over the brazilian), he has surely proved himself.

  The wear and tear that fighters take not only in competition, but also in the grueling training, more than takes its toll on them. This is no news to the fighters as they can often fight through the pain, but sometimes that just is not possible.

   During Jon Fitch's comeback, he has documented his "Road to Recovery" on his youtube channel; Jonfitchdotnet. In every episode of his videos, he explains what he must go through on a daily basis; both physically (rehabilitation, and therapy), and mentally (coping with the situation). The documentation of his journey back to health in itself shows his optimism, as even Jon Fitch knows it can be easy to fall into bad spirits during such dark times.

   I was so curious as to hear what type of positive mentality that a fighter who has been out for so long can take away from such an experience back into action with him. So I called Mr. Fitch (thanks to Boost Mobile UFC fan phone). I asked him simply what positive aspects of this injury will he take to your return in the octagon?

Fitch presented a very relatable argument in his response, "Its given me a lot of focus that I don't normally have. This injury has taken me away from what I love to do, and reminded me of the hunger that I have." Fitch adds at the end of our call "this hunger is helping me, and I think I will be wrecking some people when I am back".

  Many people believe that ring rust is something that can significantly hinder previously injured fighters, but with such positive mentality, it would seem as if one would be able unleash the true beast that they have harnessed in their time of the surgeries and inactivity. Jon Fitch has proven himself a contender for years now with his latest Draw with B.J. Penn at UFC 127 marking his first non-win since he lost to welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre in August of 2008.

   When Fitch returns to action whether it be a rematch with Penn, or facing a different top ten fighter, it will be very interesting to see how such a mentality will serve him. A win by Fitch coming off of his Road to Recovery will put him in place to have another shot an "Rush", which promises to be an epic rematch. Whether we see a successful return for the 170 pounder or not, he has sent out an important message of optimism and perseverance, one of the very few things that an injured athlete can control.

The Match-ups to Be

  

The UFC has developed many interesting situations across all weight classes, and with these developments, I have had a lot of "Joe Silva moments" as i continue to create perfect match ups in my head. I will just go ahead and explain them.

The winner of Bader/Ortiz to fight the winner of Griffin/Rua:

  Both of these fights will show who is successfully rebounding, and a win pushes the winner almost back into the mix. If Griffin beats Shogun he is one win away from being back in the "mix" and who better as a next opponent than Bader or Tito. If Rua wins this matchup, we can see a championship rematch in the relatively near future, that is if Jones remains on top. In Ryan Bader's situation, a win over Ortiz not only (most likely) retires the Huntington Beach Bad Boy, but shows resiliency and will remind everyone that he is a top tier 205 pounder. Either way, these four fighters are in relatively the same scenario, although Bader and Tito are coming off losses, and Griffin is coming off a win over Franklin, in relation to the Belt they are in the same vicinity.

Stann vs Noke:

 Both of these middleweights are coming off at least two straight wins (3 for Noke), and they have both proved their stand up skills. Stann who in my opinion looked his best tonight at UFC 130 as he battered Jorge Santiago earning a fight of the night bonus. His new and improved physique, and his devastating punching power was accompanied by his tricky game plan which shifted from punishing the body (Leben), to working the viscous leg kicks. Kyle Noke's well rounded game creates a solid matchup for striker, Brian Stann. With Bisping vs. Miller recently announced as TUF coaches, the two are now out of commission but in theory would make a great matchup for Stann.  If Stann wins a fight over Noke, he will most definitely be in title contention, and Noke can be thrusted right into the "mix" with a victory over the american war hero.

Winner of Guillard v Roller to face Jim Miller:

Melvin Guillard for much time has been one of the most dominant lightweights in the UFC, as he most recently displayed incredible strength and quickness in his dealing withEvan Dunham in fight for the troops. He has been given Shane Roller after this win, and not anything against Roller, but The Young Assassin deserves better. He is very GSPesque in his quick and powerful wrestling, and smooth hands. If he were to face Jim Miller, he would be tested not only on his feet, but most definitely on the ground, which is one area that he hasn't shown solid control, as all four of his losses in the UFC are from submission. Not only does this fight make sense for Guillard, but Miller is one of the most underrated fighters in the lightweight division. He is on a 7 fight win streak only losing his last fight to Gray Maynard. He has decisively beaten all of his last seven opponents, and never asks for a title shot, but is going to get one with the pace he is on. Seeing these two explosive 155ers clash will send a shot through the Lightweight division that cannot be ignored.

Ben Henderson vs. Dennis Siver:

Both of these lightweight strikers have shown their dominance on their feet, and in his most recent victory over Bocek, Henderson is a scary opponent. He escaped a number of submissions (by a jiu jitsu expert), and was able to control the stand up game. Dennis Siver's kickboxing has taken the division by surprise, with his  three fight win streak. A decorated striker such as Ben Henderson, who is as tough as any, finds a great matchup with a durable Siver. Both fighters are on their way to the top of the division, and a win over one another will push them even higher.

Michael McDonald vs. Dimetrius Johnson:

Both of these 135ers came out victorious on May 28th at UFC 130, and have proven they can hang with the quickest fighters in mma. Although Johnson was facing controversy after his decision win over Torres, i believe that with as many submission escapes, reversal sweeps, and takedowns that Johnson executed he earned the win. Johnson has proven to be a danger on his feet, and has lighting quickness that can only be compared to the best. Michael "Mayday" McDonald, coming off a fight of the night over Edwin Figueroa at UFC Fight Night 24, added another win to his resume with a split decision victory over Chris Cariaso. He demonstrated his smooth ground game, and his relentless stand up (much reminiscent of Rick Story), making him a force to be reckoned with. A win for either of these fighters will put them in title contention in a big way.

Story vs. winner of Condit v Kim:

As many might have counted "The Horror" out against the veteran Thiago Alves in the welterweight matchup at UFC 130, Rick Story fought an amazingly tough battle with the kick boxer. He pushed the pace in this fight, and wore a number of big shots by Alves, yet continued to control the octagon. A standup battle between Condit and Story is intriguing, and should Kim get through Carlos Condit, one would only assume the explosive wrestling to present itself in Rick Story. This young welterweight has shown his toughness and pure strength in his victory over "The Pitbull" tonight, and is a tough opponent for anyone in the welterweight division.

Would a Nick Diaz vs Georges St. Pierre superfight in UFC even be competitive?

For everyone that is ready to rip this article up just after seeing that title, I ask you to please proceed in reading and allow me to explain.

I believe just as much as anyone that Nick Diaz is worthy of a Georges St. Pierre caliber opponent. After he walked through Paul Daley with an impressive technical knockout win in an explosive and exciting first round, it became impossible to doubt just how proficient the Stockton, Calif. native is on his feet. 

My only question is this: With talks of a St. Pierre vs. Diaz title fight in the works for UFC 140 this December, and evenrumors that they're under consideration for the vacant Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 coaching slots, would it even be worth the time? Honestly, would it even be competitive?

Diaz, who was previously employed by UFC, has since fought in Elite XC, Dream, and most recently Strikeforce, amassing an impressive 11-1-1 record since his departure. That includes a 10-fight win streak with his only loss coming from a doctor stoppage against KJ Noons.

Everything that Diaz has needed to accomplish to prove he deserves bigger and better opponents, he's done -- and convincingly.

So what's the problem?

Although Diaz is dominating the Strikeforce welterweight division in the same manner St. Pierre is dominating the UFC's, there are a number of variables that may very well lead to a lopsided fight.

In the entire sports world, St. Pierre's athleticism is close to unmatched but when you're talking MMA, there's no question that it is. His well-rounded skill-set and strong wrestling game has the ability to completely control fights, exactly the way he has shown us so many times throughout his career.

In addition, "Rush" has some of, if not the, best takedowns in the sport with a will that is nearly unbreakable. Putting aside the criticism of his lack of finishing recent fights, GSP has found a way to win for a very, very long time.

An attitude that sometimes carries serious repercussions, and the confidence that comes with such an "F the world" mentality, has brought Nick Diaz all kinds of attention, both good and bad. His subsequent success in the cage has made him a superstar.

As far as his skills, he has an exceptional ground game with his well known jiu-jitsu pedigree to go along with a scrappy striking style. Put it all together and he's an incredibly difficult match-up for anyone.

The problem with a fight with St. Pierre is that his overall skills more or less cancel out everything Diaz brings to the table. His ability to dominate in wrestling and survive dangerous jiu-jitsu practitioners (see Shields, Jake), as well as win fights with his boxing via a simple jab (see Koscheck, Josh), is a testament to that fact.

The French-Canadian has handled Shields, Koscheck, Dan Hardy, and Thiago Alves in his last four fights, all of which he has, despite all the criticism, won decisively. That's just the tip of the iceberg as far as St. Pierre's overall accomplishments go. We haven't even mentioned his drubbing of such elite fighters like Matt Hughes and Jon Fitch.

And with all due respect to Nick Diaz's previous opponents, they simply do not match up to the caliber of fighter "Rush" has been dealing with for the past few years.

Not only are these two 170-pound champions in different leagues, both literally and figuratively, so, too, have been all their opponents.

Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre, in due time, could make for an epic title fight. But for now, I believe this fight has too much of a chance to be a massive disappointment. It could very well end up just being a repeat of Rory MacDonald's domination of Nick's brother, Nate Diaz, back at UFC 129 on April 30.

Diaz's win streak and record over the past few years has been impressive and is definitely nothing to scoff at. Is it enough to earn him a shot at Georges St. Pierre's coveted UFC welterweight championship? Yes, it probably is.

Just don't expect the fight to be all that competitive.

The Gluten Free Diet: Optimizing the Heath of Athletes

    The gluten free diet has become increasingly prevalent in the past 10 years. As more and more people have started excluding the protein from their diet, lots of research has been conducted on the effects of gluten, providing helpful insight to what excluding gluten actually does. Gluten is a protein found in wheat grain that also is present in barley, rye, and malt. People who are allergic to gluten can have a number of illnesses, one of which is Celiac Disease. This intolerance will result in autoimmune deficiency effects on their stomach where the body sees the gluten as a foreign object and attacks itself and despite initial stomach pains, it can run down the digestive system over time.

  I have had the idea about fighters taking on this lifestyle for many reasons, all benefiting them in many ways, but when i saw Light Heavyweight Rich Franklin tweet on behalf of this topic, I knew i had to apply my knowledge.

    In many combat sports such as; mixed martial arts, boxing, wrestling and jiu jitsu, weight cutting is a monumental issue that every athlete must face at one point in their career. Depending on the how strict and disciplined an athlete is with their diet, weight cutting can either be simple and painless, or as many fighters have experienced: torturous. Almost any fighter will tell you that the key to having a successful and manageable weight cut is staying on your diet during the weeks leading up to the fight. In addition, when fighters are drained from cutting excess weight their performance can be seriously diminished, and suddenly all of the work they have done to prepare for a fight is rendered insignificant. When diet expert and ex-fighter Mike Dolce talks about cutting weight and proper diet, he says "fighters forget that after they finally make weight, they have to fight and be at their peak performance the very next day".

  Tightening up the diet is the key to successfully cutting weight and recovering from it quickly. Perhaps eliminating bread, pasta, battered and breaded foods, and sugary pastries could be accomplished all at once when going gluten free. All fast food, dessert, and unnecessary calories are out of the question already for those who are gluten intolerant, but imagine what an athlete could achieve with their body through this diet. Not only does it exclude foods that have no nutritional value to humans (or high level physical athletes for that matter), but it leaves the human body feeling revitalized. 

  Although cutting gluten out of the diet is highly beneficial, is vital to consume the necessary levels of fiber, potassium, and iron, all of which are commonly deficient among gluten free eaters (but are as easy to add with foods such as spinach and bananas). 

  Writing as someone that has been gluten free for 4 years (i was diagnosed with celiac at age 15), i can truly speak for this diet. I am a competitive athlete, and weight management has never been an issue for me. I always eat gluten free, and feel just as healthy as any athletic human being. While being overtly careful in maintaining healthy levels of fiber and iron, the gluten free diet can lead to optimal health, both on a nutritional level, and a physical level. What better sport to introduce this phenomenon to than combat sports, where fighters are constantly manipulating their bodies for competition. For these athletes, any edge that allows them to reach the higher standards is highly coveted, and the gluten free diet just may be a gem hiding under the radar.

Here is a Link to Celiac disease Website, with information pertaining to the gluten free diet http://www.celiac.org/

And another link about gluten free recipes and foods http://www.eatingglutenfree.com/

Putting fighters first: A closer look at the significance of Zuffa's new medical insurance coverage

FanPost edited and promoted by MMAmania.com.

Every single day, athletes around the world risk injury in doing what they love, both by competing and training. Football players face injuries every single time they put the pads on and although the sport is full contact, practice tends to lack the physicality of a game, which in mixed martial arts (MMA), is often not the case.

In a sport where the use of many fighting disciplines is the object of the sport and thus the path to victory, it would only make sense that injuries occur. When thinking about what fighters go through in the course of a fight, it is overwhelming. Whether being worn down by an opponent when on the bottom of a ground war, attempting to bring a fighter down, or simply standing and banging, every fighter is put through a physically demanding test like no other.

With such physicality being the nature of the sport, it only lines up that training for it is just as tough.

The strength and conditioning that must be attained in a fighter's practice is utterly exhausting. I myself am an athlete and have participated in MMA and boxing workouts. There comes a point where you are so worn down and drained, that mental toughness is the only thing that is keeping you going, and that is the ultimate goal of such testing workouts.

Fights are the paramount test of mental toughness, and training simply mimicks that.

In addition to the unprecedented workouts, a fighter must also work on all aspects of mixed martial arts. Whether wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Judo, Muay Thai or any other discipline, there comes full speed practice which leaves a gaping hole for injuries. Injuries can come from rolling on the mat to work on wrestling, often in a shared gym space (just ask Rashad Evans).

Sparring sessions can escalate, and suddenly it is no longer 50-percent speed as natural instinct and adrenaline kicks in. So many variables can lead to injury at any moment.

After all, it is a fight. 

As a fan it frustrates me to see so many professionals forced out of competition due to injuries sustained in training like in the most recent news of Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, and previously John Fitch and B.J. Penn. But as an athlete, it is difficult to even question these fighters and the fact that they are getting hurt could possibly mean they were not careful in training, but most often is a result of hard work in preparation for a fight. 

Fighting hurts people, there is no avoiding it and it is difficult to comprehend because some of these fighters appear to be superhuman. Whether it be minor cuts and bruises, or bone breaks, muscle tears, and even concussions, these athletes will sometimes get hurt, and it is only up to them to have the best possible control on their health.

The rest is out of their hands.

Zuffa recently unveiled its new health plan for fighters which includes health care coverage for injuries suffered in training as well as the fights. The new health care policy has taken a big step in backing up every one of their athletes. Protecting the mixed martial artists of the UFC and Strikeforce is Zuffa's number one top priority.

This has been reassured many times, but none as significantly as today as Zuffa has finally walked the walk.

This news may not seem very significant to the average fan, but it should be recognized and appreciated that Zuffa has the utmost respect and care for its athletes in protecting them while they train to be the worlds best athletes and entertainers. Many professional sports insure their athletes' safety in both practice and competition but a fighter's regimen is not like any other athletes, which makes this all the more important.

Any average person, athlete or not, knows how badly a lack of health insurance can quickly result in a number of problems. You break an ankle, then can't pay for it and suddenly you are in debt and immobile. This scenario is no rarity and the injury risk for physical specimens (the fighters) is considerably higher.

Although hearing about UFC 130's main event change was a disappointment, any human being who can feel pain should have gained a new perspective and appreciation for Zuffa and its fighters.

Edgar vs. Maynard out of UFC 130 due to Injuries

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Why Mixed Martial Arts Stands Alone

Sport is all about competition, and every sport presents a different aspect to how athletes can compete. Without taking anything away from any other sport at all (i have respect and enjoy many sports), i would like to illuminate why i believe MMA stands alone in the world of sport.
Athletes around the world not only pride themselves in competing and winning, but also bettering themselves as an athlete. Ultimately, the goal is to well-round oneself in order to be as successful as possible. Look at a basketball player for example; they need quickness and speed, strength, cardiovascular strength, and shooting ability. These aspects of basketball only begin to cover what is needed for success. Training in excess on one aspect will take away at other aspects, and success is often attained by those who are able to find a balance.
In mixed martial arts, not only do fighters need to round themselves in terms of physical condition, but they have to actually train in an attempt to perfect interdisciplinary forms of fighting. This is far more extensive than any other sport, and preparing to be a successful mixed martial artist takes training in a number of sports, with each one being a complete sport in itself.
Although the Ultimate Fighting Championship coined this name years before the sport became so popular and respected, they had it spot on. MMA is a competition to find the best, most successful, well rounded, and Ultimate fighter.
The vigorous strength and conditioning workouts that mixed martial artists go through have much of the sports world envying them, and the mental toughness is simply unprecedented. But this only begins to explain what fighters must possess; Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling, Boxing, Muay Thai, Kickboxing. These are all entities in themselves, yet must be mastered in congruence with one another before entering the octagon. While one fighter can be a great jiu jitsu master, and another an elusive striker, they both have experience in all walks of the game.
Styles are the main factor in how well two fighters can be matched up. Seeing a guy with great wrestling, and explosive takedowns fight against a submission expert with good hands is always interesting to see, and as mixed martial arts has progressed through the years, these fights continue to be the most entertaining combat in world. Seeing such skills clash with one another, while at the same time being experienced in the opponents strength, leaves this sport by itself at the top of the world of competition.
While it used to be as simple as two guys slugging it out without rules in a caged octagon, this sport has flourished and grown into the most complex, riveting, yet simple sports in the world. It is one man versus another, and using the different disciplines of fighting within mixed martial arts, this is undoubtedly the purest form of competition.