Cage Fighting

Sometime ago I went to my first cage fight event.  One of the salesman where I work, Mr. Scott Cutbirth, is a manager of a number of guys who are into this extreme sport.  I consider any event you compete in where it is a standard practice to have an ambulance standing by and a qualified Doctor readily standing by just incase as an extreme sport.  The first event I went to was seeing Scott fight because it was something he said he always wanted to do.  As a manger of fighters he wanted to have the experience and reference of actually climbing into a cage with another person who would be intent on causing severe bodily damage as quickly as possible.

Last night I attended my second cage fighting event.  One of the guys who works for me was entered in an event at area bar where they hold unsanctioned barely legal fights with little or no concerns for the rules of engagement for fights of this sort.  It was brought to my attention that many of those who would be interested in competing in events such as this start off in this kind of venue.  Depending on how it turns out and if they still have such inclinations to continue with such a hazardous career choice or hobby they may move up into more tightly controlled and regulated fighting venues.

First off, it totally amazed me how many young men were willing to get into a caged fighting apparatus with an opponent and a referee with the sole intent of trying to kill each other.  I just don’t get the appeal.  Who willing wants to get beat up?  Two guys going in and only one will be declared the winner.

Secondly, I have trouble wrapping my mind around what these guys are thinking before they get into the ring.  The writer part of me is insanely curious about all aspects of human behavior, especially the more outlandish and extreme behavior such as what motivates you to want to do something like Cage Fighting.

So besides the guy who I watched fight last night, I also employ another young man who is fighting in a much higher venue of the sport and has a title fight coming up at the end of this month.  If he wins this bout he will move into the Professional Arena as far as Cage Fighting goes.

So I asked this gentleman today, “What are you thinking before you step into the ring?”

“That I am going to knock this guy out as quickly as I can.  Generally if it goes more than one round we both will survive and it will go to a decision decided fight.  I used to get really nervous before my fights for the first three or four.  Now days I just care.  If I get knocked out I’ll find out when I wake up.  I stay calm, cool and relaxed just like I usually am.”

I remembered when I first met Dustin, when I interviewed him.  He seemed so calm, cool and collected.  Not your usual not so bright hulk who thinks he is a Barney bad ass.  I asked him about fighting, if he had anger issues.  He laughed and said no.  He said he only fights in the cage.  I asked what his future goals were and he replied that he wanted to make it to the professional level and make enough money to buy his own place to train fighters.  He has studied multiple fighting disciplines and trains hard.  He likes working at Community Tire because basically I pay him to work out all day long.

Dustin trained the other warehouse worker of mine, Mony, who I watched fight last night.  Mony was really worried about what if he got hit here or there during the fight.  Dustin calmed Mony down by explaining that the guy he was prepared to fight was not going to hurt him anywhere as much as Dustin had hitting him over the last few weeks in training.  Mony beat his opponent, 19 seconds into the first round.

Training tip:  Train with somebody a lot better than yourself and get used to being hit by somebody who is much more dangerous than you are.  If you live you should be prepared for the fight.

I still don't understand the reasoning behind this phenomenon.  As a writer I am intrigued by the draw of the sport, the reasoning and thinking or lack of thinking involved with getting people to volunteer for activities such as this.

Posted in: Cage Fighting thinking reasons