Mental preparation > Braun

Mental preparation is important for what I call a physical contest of which brains are more important than braun. When mentally preparing for a fight I get very nervous like everyone else. Anybody who says they don’t get nervous is a liar and an idiot.
The first thing I do the day of is do as little as possible. This is more physical than mental, saves my legs for when I need them. Secondly, I drink a whole shit ton of water. This makes me think I don’t have to over hydrate myself cause there is nothing in the world worse than trying to fight on a full bladder, taking a Muay Thai knee to the body and then pissing my pants is one of my worst fears.
Once I get to the venue, the animal begins to come out. But very quietly in small things, I think to myself, he’s just a man, men can be injured, men can be mamed, men can be KTFOed, men can be submitted. Furthermore I think to myself hes just a man whats he going to do to me because for sure he isn’t going to kill me.
That’s when every fighters most mentally challenging moment happens, when you get your hands wrapped. You think about what you got to do.
Then the most breath taking moment is when you put your gloves on. I start to think about everything I had trained to get there. Then I do what every fighter does, go over the game plan. Some guys you want to press them and put serious pressure on them because if you don’t they will pick you apart other guys you need to do the opposite because they bigger stronger and will knock you out if you get into a brawl. Other guys you have to take the ground cause they are not experienced there.
Lets say my current strategy for my next fight is my current opponent a brazilian jiu jitsu master that has ok boxing skills. I am going to work with my coaches on wheeling away from takedowns and never stay planted in the same place. Also I am going to plant traps that I have setup in my mind to really jump on him and give him a real pain. During these times when I am working the mitts I sometimes in my minds eye imagine my opponent and how he will react to what I throw at him.
Then I sometimes listen to things that get me pumped such as:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1o6onPr02M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fnQavGcwCo
I know these are about football but I just listen cause when that guy is like I AM A CHAMPION AND I KNOW MY OPPONENT DOES NOT EXPECT ME TO WIN. I am used to that as throughout my career I have been the will portion of the skill vs. will classic showdown. With a record of 10-0 I am used to overcoming that.
Then the classic moment of seeing your opponent before you walk out and the stare down. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. Show no sign of fear. I usually do the neck side to side thing and smile. Fighters are like sharks, if they smell blood they strike.
Then the walkout music which is usually important to the tempo of your fight, I like these ones:
Liddell’s theme music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQJV-MpJf-s&feature=fvw
My recent theme music, best used if you have a personal vendetta to settle and he screwed with friends family or in my case all of the above.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajx6Tg4orMQ&feature=PlayList&p=B5777B6FBACD87C9&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=20
As I walkout, I walk normally cause I hate that stupid jumping shit. This for little idiots who believe it helps them watch the really good fighters, (Forrest Griffin, Anderson Silva and Georges Saint Pierre) none of them do it. It just tires you out, do it in the cage for about a minute, and you good.
High five some fans and avoid getting hit in the face with a beer thrown from the third row. I stand at the edge of the cage or ring and enter it. Do one lap around the place where my opponents blood is about to be splattered. Then wait for the announcer.
He does his normal hoopla blah blah blah Daniels opponent DOUCHEBAG MCGEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then comes my favorite part and the part where I go a little crazy... “IN THE BLUE CORNER!! This man is a Mixed Martial Artist with a perfect record standing 6 foot 2 and 205 pounds, fighting out of Mount Vernon, Indiana” This is the point of this where I may point at my opponent and say your next or raise my hand to the crowd who knows what I am feeling, “Daniel ‘THE ANGEL OF DEATH’ Greenwell!!!!”
The ref will then tell us to come to center and say “ Alright boys you got the instruction in your dressing rooms I want a clean fight now touch gloves and come out swinging.” This is the point where if I don’t like the guy we both walk back to our corners without touching gloves and you get the great quote from the announcers of, “THESE GUYS DON’T WANNA TOUCH GLOVES THEY WANNA KILL EACH OTHER!” I walk back cross myself and then the important part happens…..
Now my contest of the week…….
If someone can name 8 fighters in this video and what their description is I will buy you a large whatever drink at Burger King in the commons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hKYZZclPwg
I am off to swing and sting like Apollo Creed,
Angel of Death