MMA is a professional sport; treat it like one
| Editor’s note: This column is about mixed martial arts, and it appears on a biweekly basis on Thursdays.Hafa Adai, people of Guam.
Thanks again for stopping by. Stepping back, looking at our developments in mixed martial arts, I can regretfully see that we have neglected to develop prerequisite sports that can strengthen a more competitive environment. It’s essential in not only developing the strategies, but the skills of our debut and future fighter-athletes. As a result, the standard of
being labeled a professional in our sport is virtually non-progressive and the overall status of our fighter-athlete community has compromised its merit.
If you want to say that you’ve been training hard for three months and that you can run ten miles so that you’re ready to fight, perhaps you should be referred to one of the many jiujitsu, boxing or kickboxing champions, who have committed years of diligent training, discipline and sacrifice. Bring your notebook, it should be an interesting conversation.As fighter-athletes, we ought to be patient and put in our time before we think we’re ready to compete as professionals. Yet, as promoters at the same time, we collectively need to try to develop this atmosphere for not only a few or only for the elite, but for the prosperity and dignity of our sport and for the sake of our continued identity as an asset to World MMA.
There is a campaign from our island’s MMA industry that is pushing for the honor and recognition of our sport and the dignity of our fighter-athletes. But what honor and dignity do we bring to our sport and to our fans when we come to the show unprepared?
Really, we hope to be professionals and to be professionals we have to sacrifice. In order for our sport to be professional, we must reveal merit and create opportunities for those who sacrifice.
Why can it be so easy for some of us to jump into the cage and so difficult for the same people to show up to practice? Are we competing because we just like to fight and we don’t care to train, or are we showing up because we know we’ve been studying properly and working hard for the big show? We need to take steps to better differentiate MMA athletics from no-holds-barred-tough-man competitions. And for our sport to be respected as professional and for our athletes to be respected as professionals, we all need to do our homework.
Somebody said 10,000 times makes the move, 10,000 times makes the move, 10,000 times makes the move. As many times as I hear it, I’m still having a hard time getting that past my thick skull. Oh well, 9,997 more to go.
For Guam. Since ever since.
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Mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu player Ryan Bigler departs Guam today to compete in the purple belt division of the 2011 FILA Senior Grappling World Championships from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Participants from more than 30 countries are set to do battle on the mat, according to the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) official website, and Bigler looks forward to representing the island on an international level.
“I want the world to see the skill level of Guam’s BJJ practitioners and competitors,” he said. “Training in the mainland is no different than training here. The men and women have so much talent throughout the island and with that I am honored and determined to represent the Marianas.”
Tried out for show
Bigler, a veteran of Pacific X-treme Combat, has been relatively quiet on the local combat sports scene, but that does not mean he’s been sitting on the sidelines.
He recently spent time in Las Vegas, Nev. trying out for The Ultimate Fighter reality show, but he was not selected.
Upon returning home, Bigler joined the Spike 22 Academy and it was there that the idea of competing in the world championships came to fruition.
Bigler said head instructor Melchor Manibusan asked him to participate in the tournament and he felt honored to do so.
“I can’t let competitions like this pass by me,” Bigler said. “Challenges are what I need in life to excel and for me to become successful in what I do.”
In addition to training twice a day at Spike 22, Bigler has been doing CrossFit at the Raw Factory to get his body in peak condition as part of his quest to become a champion in MMA and BJJ.
“Physically and mentally, I feel like I’m at the strongest point in my life and I’m looking forward to competitions ahead,” he said.
With the world championships only a few days away, Bigler is excited to test himself against some of the best grapplers in the world and he is approaching the event with a humble attitude.
“Whether I win or lose, this is going to show me where I stand and what I need to work on,” he said.
Thank you
Bigler thanks Eli Monge, Joey Calvo and everyone at Spike 22 and Ground Fu for helping him prepare for the tournament.
Bigler also gives thanks to God, his family, friends, fans and the people of Guam for their support.
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