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I hate that 1 on my record (sort of)
22 Sep 2008 7:01PM
“Why do you do that?”…. “Do you enjoy bullying people?”
Comments made by a female work colleague. She doesn’t ‘get it’ at all. She doesn’t understand the training, she doesn’t understand the diet, she doesn’t get the sport full stop. I have tried at length to explain that there is not much to enjoy in 6 weeks of hard preparation and sparring and ultimately climbing in the ring for 3 rounds of someone trying to knock your head off, but… and it is a big but because it is the reason for taking part in MMA… you (I) do it for the reward of knowing that you got in the ring and fought.
It’s about putting time, effort and energy into something which you don’t have to do, but do so for the thrill of achievement. ‘Achievement’ doesn’t even necessitate winning. Some fighters are crushed by losing and the fear of a loss drives them to train harder and longer with greater and greater intensity, for them winning is the only thing. I don’t need to win to validate my taking part in MMA, I want to win and will fight tooth and nail to get the ‘W’. But beat me fair and square and I’ll take my hat of to you, ‘cos I know how hard you’re going to have to work to do it. So that’s why I do it. Good old fashioned competition at its best, jumpers for goal posts, racing your brother in your Sunday shoes, Pooh sticks, who can down a pint the quickest and so on.
Now back to the bullying comment… I really resented that and the lady in question seemed a little non-plussed at my irritation.
“Bully people?... Bully!?! Hang on a minute what do you mean?”
“Well..” came the reply “that’s what it is isn’t it? Bullying?”
“Even if I lose?”
Quizzical eyebrow and no further comment.
This would be vaguely understandable if all I did was fight featherweights with weights in my gloves. But I don’t believe I managed to bully Eugene Fadiora when he choked me out in two minutes thirty nine seconds. Or Eddie Podolski, or Rocci Williams or Rob Cooper (though he was much smaller than me) for that matter. I’m sure if I ever did try and bully them I get a hefty slap for my troubles.
Her comments bugged me all day, until on my drive home and I thought about it more and realised that she’s one of those people who won’t ever experience anything like getting in the cage. She won’t ever be able to appreciate the feeling I’ve had on the three occasions I’ve had my hand raised, or even the humility of one time it wasn’t. She’ll never understand the rewards that lie in the love of a sport and hard work and commitment that it requires. When I put MMA in that context it doesn’t really matter too much to me what the result is… but if you beat me once it won’t happen again!
2 – 0? Let’s make it the best of 5!
3 – 0 Lets make it the best of 7!
Ad Nauseum
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