In the mixed martial art world, people are still buzzing from Conor McGregor’s phenomenal 13-second victory over featherweight, undefeated champion Jose Aldo in UFC 194. Some people may still be mumbling under their breath with distain, others may be scratching their head in confusion, but talent truly shines and at the moment, Irishman Conor McGregor is the beacon of mixed martial arts. Currently he is 19-1-2, with his last defeat being 5 years ago/14 fights ago.
“…I see these shots, I see these sequences and I don’t shy away from them.. (if you do this) you are creating that Law of Attraction and it will become reality… I knew he’d (Jose Aldo) over-extend and I knew I’d catch him.”
But as crafty, confident and technical he is – there’s a higher level of skill that is being seen by all. Easy to quote, easy to grasp (an understanding of), but hard to possess, is this melding of confidence, self-assuredness, courage, visualization, movement variation, and adaptability (to name a few). So many people have put the mental aspect of fighting aside from “the game.” The MMA world is full of fit and conditioned bodies, all striving to climb the ladder of success. Few fighters strive to be different, try different things; some lack the courage or belief. Perhaps with the growth of this 27-year old fighter from Dublin, the level of competition will reach an even greater height.
“If you can see it here (points to his brain) and you have the courage to speak it, it will happen.”
Bruce Lee said, “The way you think is the way you will become.” He also said, more famously, “…Be (like) water.” If you internalize what many of these teachers have said, believe it, and strive for perfection – success will come. This is a lesson for all of us and something applicable to many factors in Life like; relationships, business and (in this case) sport & performance.
“Doubt is only removed by action. If you’re not working, that’s when doubt comes in.”
Belief is not enough. Anything that we require in life requires work. But even when you’ve got belief and put in the work, how many of you continue to visualize failure? How many people continue to harbor the stressors that come with thinking “What if…”?
“…winners focus on winning. Winners focus on what they can control. …Losers focus on winners. People ask, did you learn anything (from Ronda, etc)… although I learned from watching the contest, the technical aspect of it… I already felt like the top before tonight.”
One thing that many people saw from the video that the UFC put out prior to the Dec. 12th event, was the huge amount of psychological warfare that Conor placed on Jose. By watching the video (posted below), you can see the eagerness and tension building between the two combatants – but Conor, the aggressor, remains calm (if you want to call it that). It’s the same taunting and prophesizing that helped give Muhammad Ali the legendary status he has today. The only problem is you now have two fighters vying for the title “Greatest of all-time” (Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor). Floyd has a good argument as to why he should be (and we’ll explore that in another post), but with Conor, time will tell. Even in an interview, LA Media Scrum (by MMAfigtingonSBN), Conor’s girlfriend wrote on his water bottle, “G.O.A.T.” Conor believes it, Conor’s girlfriend believes it, and in due time the world will as well.
But somehow it seems destined with Conor “Mystic Mac” predicting outcomes so precisely. Here is what he said in UFC 194 : Exbedded on FOX (timestamp 3:10) –
“We’ll collide at that first exchange and that will be it.”
There have been many fighters to predict rounds, but how many have predicted one to the amount of exchanges? It’s quite alright if you want to chalk it up to luck, that for someone who speaks so much will stumble on some truth – even a broken clock is right two times a day… but at some point, it goes to show you that mentally, if you open up and fully embrace this formula of success and are prepared to put in the hard work, the universe will manifest itself to you.
“Precision beats power, timing beats speed.”
When I heard this last quote, I immediately thought of Bruce Lee. Then I remember thinking, did this just come from a 27-year old fighter? Because it sounded like it came from a physicist, or movement coach trying to boil things down to a simple understanding. I was told that it came from Goethe. Whoever said it first doesn’t matter. The mark it makes does; and now it’s on the lips and minds of many.
But the more I thought about this, the more I loved this quote because of its truth and relevance to the 13-second fight I just witnessed. In Conor’s training we saw him playing body shots with The Mountain (aka. Gregor Clegane – real name, Hafthor Julius Bjornsson), from Game of Thrones (6’9, 400 lbs.), movement pattern work with Ido Portal and even snuffing out the flame of candles set about the room, with his punches (and kicks).
(Regarding the candles) Anyone who has ever tried this knows that it requires expert precision and tremendous quickness in order to pull this off. In fighting, timing/rhythm will greatly disrupt, or stop an opponent’s effectiveness in attack or halt the opponent’s ability to start an attack. If your timing is refined to the point that it enables you to move (and in this case, move and counter) at the very beginning of your opponent’s attack, the quickness of your attacker becomes of little concern. It brings me back to Bruce Lee’s clip on Longstreet in which he says, “This time I intercepted your emotional tenseness. From your brain to your fist, how much time was lost.” {CC article}
“When you face me, it’s a whole other ballgame.”
The message that Conor delivers in this statement, punctuates his determinedness, skill, undeniable confidence and flair – at the same time, alluding to the fact that those that face him are better fighters afterwards. It depends on how you take it (losing). But win or lose, there is something to learn, something to gain. But what you should know is that when you fight Conor McGregor, you getting the whole Conor and you better not come to the fight with a singular approach – because that is just not going to work!
– MICHAEL JOYCE
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Speaking as a fan, as a martial artist, as an Irishman (albeit long since removed), I’m excited to see someone burst on the scene with such fervor. Leading up to the fight between Chad Mendes and Conor McGregor in UFC 189, I educated myself on this man. I honestly wanted to see what all the hype was about.
It is undoubtable that Conor has an excellent training regiment, focusing on becoming not necessarily the best fighter, but the most adaptable fighter. He does what it takes to win.
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