Inside the Mind of a CAGEFIGHTER Part 1

Go back to previous page

By Elie for Ultimate Fightsports . Photo by Josh Hedges, Courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.

Fight day… what are you thinking? Walking towards the battle ground… what is going through your head? Standing in a closed area, the cage door shuts… how are the nerves now? Staring at your opponent knowing he will do what it takes to win this fight… how quickly is your heart racing?

Many terms have been used for the words Mixed Martial Arts… Cagefighting arguably being the most popular and usually catches the attention of most readers. No Holds Barred, No Rules, Vale Tudo and the list goes on and on. But have you ever wondered what goes inside the mind of
a Mixed Martial Artist?

Now, when the cage door shuts, only three people remain… you, your opponent and the referee.

So what makes a person jump into a cage and fight?

We interviewed four of the best Mixed Martial Arts fighters from Australia who have competed in the biggest MMA organisation in the world, Ultimate Fighting Championships. We find out what’s... Inside the Mind of a CAGEFIGHTER.

ELVIS SINOSIC INTERVIEW

Elvis Sinosic has performed on the highest of levels of competition in Mixed Martial Arts. He is a UFC veteran and co- owner of the renowned Sinosic Perosh Martial Arts training centres. Also known as the “King of Rock N Rumble”, Sinosic is one of the most experienced MMA fighters in Australia and has competed against the who’s who of the fight world including Jeremy Horn, Michael Bisping, Forrest Griffin, Frank Shamrock, Tito Ortiz, Renato “Babalu” Sobral, Evan Tanner and Mark “The Beast” Epstein.

Elie: What made you want to compete in MMA?
Elvis: For me the first time was a personal test. To see if what I had been learning really worked. To see if I had the courage to do it. To see if I could make it work under pressure in a real situation. From then on it was the thrill of competition and the challenge that drove my desire to compete.

Elie: What are you thinking when that cage door shuts?
Elvis: The first time was like “Oh man this is it”, everything else disappeared. It was like I was in my own world with just my opponent on the other side. Now it’s “Let’s get it on!” as I’m excited and pumped. Now it’s like a roller coaster ride. The nerves are there before, but when you’re in there it’s a blast. As soon as I finish I want to do it again. Win or Lose.

Elie: Staring at your opponent who stands opposite you in the cage, what rushes through your mind?
Elvis: Nothing really. I’m just pumped to get in there and mix it up. I have no thoughts other than let’s do it.

Elie: How do you prepare mentally for an MMA fight? Do you picture your opponent as an enemy?
Elvis: There is always mental preparation. I spend lots of time visualising all the different ways I can win the match. Of course I try to only visualise the moves I use and am training to use in the fight. I visualise all the things my opponent could do and how I would get escape/defend them. I don’t visualise my opponent as an enemy. There is no malice, it is never personal for me. He is just my opponent. If anything he is a road block that I need deal with before I can face success.

Elie: For you, what is the difference of fighting in the ring and in the cage?
Elvis: For me fighting is fighting. The only real difference is how I prepare for the fight. And honestly it is more the rules that I have to deal with rather than the environment. Usually in a cage there are elbows, normally in a ring, kicks to a downed opponent are allowed. It is all just adjustments that are made in training.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------