bogey_j

I'm currently taking mauy thai at my gym and had the chance to set up my first official match. I usually do so well in sparring sessions I thought I was ready. I was gonna **** this guy up

the match started out well enough. touched gloves, was utilizing head movement and proper footwork. I even clipped him in the first exchange, but after that things started to go downhill. Soon I realized something about myself: I really don't like getting hit. I have a glass chin. In the second exchange I threw a wild haymaker, and my opponment mangaged to slip that punch and countered brilliantly with an uppercut flush on the chin. As soon as it landed I could feel my legs getting wobbly. I was rocked. He hit me again and my legs quit on me. That's one of the worst feelings in the world..having your legs give out on you (not being able to stand on your own power). My opponent then pounced and landed at least 4-6 more shots at the side of my head. I was covering up but at that point I was basically blocking his punches with my face. Every punch with those 4 oz gloves felt like my head was about to cave in. I remember all I could think was 'chill bro chill!'. The ref eventually stepped in and my opponent won by TKO in the first.

Two things I learned:

1) I am not an MMA fighter

2) Pro Mix martial artists are ******* warriors and I have a new found respect for them.

I'll just stick to watching the UFC..

Kado

Well you can say you gave it a shot.

Kin

Props for stepping in there. Mixed Martial Arts fighters are warriors, and as you have a newfound respect for the pros, spectators and fans in general have (or should have) respect for you and any other guy who trains hard and gets into the cage or ring.

I can see that it wasn't a particularly great experience for you, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you should give up. Not everybody can take shots, and apparently you're one of the people that can't. That leaves you with two options.

You can decide that this just isn't for you, which is perfectly fine. That is, as long as you don't still crave it. (There's a difference between not wanting to do something anymore on the whole, and not wanting to do something anymore because you dislike some part of it.)

Or you can decide to try again, but perhaps with a different approach. There are plenty of fighters who can't take a great shot, but strategize around that. You could remodel yourself to be more of a grappler and use your striking to set up takedowns, as opposed to that being your main mode of fighting. Or you could become more of a stick and move guy, ala Machida. Either way, just skip the haymakers... For obvious reasons.

I personally know a few fighters with crap striking, who don't like to be hit, but are very successful in using their takedowns and groundwork to win fights. It's an avenue to consider, if you don't truly want to hang up the gloves.

The other thing to consider is that maybe you have a decent chin and the other guy just had amazing power.

Anyways, props for stepping up. Most people wish they could, but never will have even that first fight. And if that's your only fight, that's perfectly okay. You did the deed, and if it's not for you, just enjoy training. But if you find that you still want more, mold your style around the fact that you don't like to be hit -- which is actually a good thing, strategically.

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Halfraq9

I like what kin has to say. If you like the sport, don't quit. I'm an old guy that likes to spar but can't take a punch worth sh@t. I also have an old guys cardio which means that I can't physically keep up with most 20 somethings. My current work around is a very energy conservative game with a focus on imposing my plan and not letting my opponent get set up. For me its all about strategy and like Kin said, set ups.

You did the cage thing. Be proud of yourself for working hard enough to step up. Good job!

G_Land

Welcome!!!! The first thing anybody learns as soon as they put those gloves on is weather or not they want to get hit. And you have to remember your going to get hit in almost every match in some form. So if its just the hitting part you dont like there are plenty of submission grappling events you could take up. If anything its a good excuse to stay in shape.

Good on ya for steping up and Im sorry you got put away like that.

punchbag

Total respect for stepping in and doing it mate, even if you never do it again, this is the main reason I never really bad mouth people on here, as a fighter when your outside the cage,ring, fight in general, you can be the toughest guy in the world, but doing it is a different matter as you found out by the sound of it, but so what you lost, but had the balls to jump in and do it and no one can bad mouth you for that, and on the upside you found out the worst that can happen and it'll be great motivation if you do it again as winning an MMA fight gives a feeling possibly only second to being with a woman,lol.
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