I don’t follow sports, with the exception of MMA and occasionally Boxing. Saturday night was an impressive card of fights, that ended for some with crushing defeats.
Two of the most talked up fights was Woodley vs Covington and Meerschaert vs Chimaev, and in both cases the old lions lost to the rising tigers. With Meerschaert losing in 17 seconds of the 1st round, and Woodley getting TKO’d (rib injury) in the 5th round.
Here is the thing, there is no shame in losing. It is a competition and victories and defeats come to all. Anyone who has the guts to get in there and compete with the best in the world, by default deserves the respect of us mere mortals, who are not doing that. Now that said, sometimes your mouth can talk you into embarrassment and ridicule.
And I get it, to get hit in the face for a living, to go in there and take abuse and give abuse, and be successful at it, takes a certain mentality. It is a belief in your own invincibility, bordering on delusion. And when that delusion… you make into fact, you are a hero. When you don’t, you leave yourself open to what Shakespeare called “being faced out of your way”. In short bragging, and falling on your face rather than delivering.
That is the corner both Meerschaert and Woodley talked themselves into.
Woodley, coming off back to back defeats, and even before that victories that seemed lacking in ‘convincing style’ or ‘killer instinct’, spent the whole build up to the fight talking about how he couldn’t lose to his opponent, and making what should be a competition about two fighters, instead becomes about everything except the fight. Woodley bringing a little bit of the circus Colby brings into his fight.
However, Colby for all his trumpian “heel act”, to court controversy (a detestable thing to do for any reason, people will emulate your poison, not knowing you are doing it for the dollars– and the whole quagmire that is the world, sinks a little more because of it— but each to their own conscience answer), at the end of the day he is a top notch fighter, always bringing his ‘A’ game.
And Colby, even in defeat, has something I have not seen in any of Woodley’s recent fights, he has a killer instinct, he has the desire and pace to get his opponent out of there.
Woodley in his last few fights– no so much.
So coming into this fight and guaranteeing victory, and saying you ‘CAN’T’ lose to your opponent, it sets you up to be embarrassed. Especially against an opponent that has been fighting well and convincingly.
Do your talking in the ring. And then win or lose, you have not promised and failed to deliver. But this way, it is just a forever soundbyte of you claiming you are not going to lose, followed by a clip of you, definitely losing. Again there is no shame in losing, but you cause shame for yourself in bragging and failing to deliver.
And honestly I think even Woodley’s comments to the media indicated a man who was talking about why he couldn’t lose, or perceived non-germane social media statements/stances, rather than a fighter who was working on how he will win. And while I would have liked for Woodley to win, there is nothing in his recent performances, or in his build-up to this one, that would lead one to believe he would beat Colby.
That to the side, congrats to both men for bringing what they had.
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Moving on Chimaev and Meerschert, again a build up filled with a lot of talking, mostly on Meershaert’s end about feeling disrespected, and derailing Chimaev, and win or lose leaving him in no condition for another quick turnaround fight. Again, no shame in losing. But to do all this talking about taking the new guy into the deep water, and instead getting ended in 17 seconds— you have created a ready made meme.
Do your talking in the ring.
Because only God can truly guarantee the fates of men.
All in all, another exciting UFC card, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming Adesanya/Costa fight, this coming Saturday! Both fighters have been talking much smack, the difference here being, both fighters have winning records, and have recently shown the heart and the victories to back up that talk. That should be a must watch fight!
Heroic Times 