BJJ turns MMA - Going Pro Part 2
Last month, I posted a story about one of my main training partners making the jump from BJJ to Amateur MMA to Professional MMA. https://steemit.com/jiujitsu/@zekepickleman/bjj-turns-mma-going-pro
The title scared some folks at the thought of my beautiful face getting punched but I can assure you, Jiu Jitsu tournaments are about as fighty as I want to get.
Fight Weekend
Well the weekend is upon us. Tomorrow night, Kris has his first professional MMA fight after a 3-1 record in amateur MMA. It was an interesting experience cranking up the training camp and seeing the difference in preparation between his last 4 fights and this one.
Training Camp
Yours truly possibly playing along for the fancy camera shot, and possibly getting thrown against my will.
Here is our guy signing his first professional contract. He had to go through a battery of tests and MRIs and ultrasounds and examinations in order for the doctors to pronounce him healthy and ready to fight.
This is the event poster and a couple dozen folks from the gym are making their way on a 2.5 hour drive to another town to support him.
Lots of promo pics to put a bow on the promotional package and this is his opponent.
We had him down the road training at other clubs that specialize in striking and MMA as we are a BJJ club with a boxing program. Nothing like adding sparring sessions with hungry and experienced MMA fighters, and coaching from different disciplines.
He even traveled up our nations capital (6 hour drive) for a week of training at an club full of professional MMA fighters.
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fighters sleep in the ring........literally in his case!
Making Weight
Kris walks around at about 180 pounds and LOVES his comfort food. He is fighting at 155 so you can imagine the dieting, workout and weight cut at the end to make weight.
He drove to town a couple days ago to shack up in a fancy weight cutting location and drop the last 10 pounds of mostly water.
Really neat process involving water loading, a period of distilled water drinking, baths, plastic wraps, saunas and special diet.
Weigh in
This is a big moment as the fight can be off if you have not made weight. You have been on the scales and know you are there but until you actually see that 154.5 on the scale, it is not official.
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He is not 180 any more! Looking slim and ready and hungry.....
.....and satisfied when he can actually eat! He had to be talked out of celebrating with a big burger or greazy breakfast before the fight and has settled upon a nice victory steak after the fight.
Headrush and fightsupply.ca are his sponsors now and it is neat seeing him decked out in new gear for his journey.
The local news paper even gave him some exposure and created a buzz this week for the local kid.
https://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/sports/local-sports/allard-set-to-make-pro-debut
I am convinced I am more nervous and excited than he is. He lives to fight and has an even keel about the whole thing. He likes to train hard so the fight is easy and is ready. It was neat playing a small part in this step of his journey. Can't wait til tomorrow night!
BOOOOM this is the post I was waiting for haha :D I remember I wanted to ask you where is it in my last comment but I was way too stressed from my thesis defense. Soo here it is :))
Cool stuff btw, that ur gym has boxing program. But to the guy. Man, he's cutting A LOT. I thought such big cuts are really happening just in the top promotions. In Slovakia, the professionals cut maybe 10-15 pounds MAX. But he looks pretty good on the scale tho :) It's crazy what kind of grind this guys go through - sleeping in the gyms etc. Soo Zeke are you in his corner? :O Wish you guys best of luck this weekend!!
Yah it is just a competition really. His first fight, he fought at 165 but he fought a guy who walks around at 195. So, if you wanna fight guys your size, you have to cut as much as they do.
Kills him too because we all go for breakfast after Saturday class and he has to have coffee and lettuce!
Oh fuck :D Coffee sounds good but lettuce not so much :D
When is the fight?
Tonight. They start at 7est which is in about 4 hours
Posted using Partiko iOS
For those that wanna catch how this turns out live, the stream is available for $5. In American $, that is like $3 or something!
http://www.btcfightpromo.com/live-stream?fbclid=IwAR3bfzQyPySwC_SrS9vERGe5eVsjfI_X058_uvxz6iiexJJs7udi06hrTek
Keep an eye out for all the headrush/Stratford BJJ guys going nuts in section C6.
Good luck to your guy! It always exciting to see your training partners shine. A couple guys at my gym have started to dip their toes into mma waters. Can't wait to see the update.
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