Compassion for Pro/Ex-Fighters

[Masato]

Hey all, just saw this:

"Big girls may not cry, but big guys do. There is a strong, unique sense of community in mixed martial arts, and it was on compelling display recently.

On his latest The Fighter and The Kid podcast, UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub emotionally discussed his controversial split decision loss to Andrei Arlovski.

"For me, it's just frustrating, but it's onwards and upwards," he said to co host Bryan Callen, as transcribed by Luke Thomas for MMAFighting. I don't know any different, but to get back to training and just...this is what I do, man. This is what I do. This is it. It went to the judges. I got screwed in a decision. I probably should've done more to make it clear, that's on me.

"That's the sport, man. You're only as good as your last fight. As far as the naysayers and criticism and stuff like that, that's what you sign up. That happens. It's just part of the sport. That doesn't really bother me. When I knocked out Mirko CroCop, I got negative comments. When I beat Lavar Johnson, of course, I get negative comments. When I beat Matt Mitrione and didn't get touched, I got negative comments."

Schaub's voice then began to tremble and he teared up as he discussed connecting with the fans through his and Callen's wildly successful podcast.

"This is serious here," said Schaub. "I'm trying not to get emotional here. I've never got so much love in my life since this fight."

"I put so much into it. In the second round, I was a little tired. I thought I lost the first, I knew I won the second and Rener goes, 'Schaub, you have to win this third. Take him down and win this third.' And I took him down, won that third. I swear on my life, what I thought about was all the support I get from this podcast. I swear to god."

It reminded me what a CRAZY life it must be to be a pro-fighter.

Such a weird, weird occupation. So much pressure. So fragile. So fickle. These guys are not getting paid much, most live fight-to-fight. And if they don't win they fall off real fast.

This was a touching insight from Schaub, but hell think about Arlovski too - trying to make ANOTHER comeback? wtf. That guy must be going through some insanity too.

I like to knock on the mythology of MMA fan-dom, and its great to see these people as entertainers and subject for discussion, but MAN sometimes I forget what an amazing passion these dudes are choosing to take.

I wonder a LOT about all the fighters who shot and missed, where are they now, how do they live, and how did they deal with the falls.

Would be an interesting subject for a documentary I think

[Edge Guerrero]

Hey all, just saw this:

It reminded me what a CRAZY life it must be to be a pro-fighter.

Such a weird, weird occupation. So much pressure. So fragile. So fickle. These guys are not getting paid much, most live fight-to-fight. And if they don't win they fall off real fast.

This was a touching insight from Schaub, but hell think about Arlovski too - trying to make ANOTHER comeback? wtf. That guy must be going through some insanity too.

I like to knock on the mythology of MMA fan-dom, and its great to see these people as entertainers and subject for discussion, but MAN sometimes I forget what an amazing passion these dudes are choosing to take.

I wonder a LOT about all the fighters who shot and missed, where are they now, how do they live, and how did they deal with the falls.

Would be an interesting subject for a documentary I think

- I was cheering for Andrei, maybe he could do better, maybe his body can't handle this anymore.
Isn't that the first fight that Schaub goes with the intent of nothing losing, Andrei did most damage, so maybe this time the judges got it right?

I wonder a LOT about all the fighters who shot and missed, where are they now, how do they live, and how did they deal with the falls.

[color=#0000FF] - Some of them are trainers, some have others jobs that aren't related to fighting, and sadly some of them will get lost in the life, it's the same with former boxers, pro-wrestlers, actors, the entertaining world chew your body and soul and spit it out.

Some people will forget them achivements, some people will romantize them, and tell the next generations how incredible they are.
Sad as a fan is seeing our idols retiring, some years ago i could cont on the fingers of my hand, how manny of my hero had retired, now i lack fingers enough to do.

Well, Irgor has a restaurant, T Kosaka has a gym, i thin it's teh same with the Inoue brothers, they both are trainers, Genki has his own org, Coleman i think is trainer at a school, i don't know about Kerr, wish he is a good place now, Oleg Taktarov did movies, and i think has a school too, Sakurai has a dojo, would like to know if Otsuka is well.

I bet a lot of them are imortalized in the wall of some kid that dreams about being a fighter.

Some people say fighters aren't made, fighters are born, but if wasn't for the warriors of the past, why keep fighting?
The day has no memory after all, but the heart of some fans has.

[Canuckster]

dude lost that fight, stfu and move on.

[Flying Eye Angle]

That podcast with Bryan Callan is pretty good. Got me to root for him a bit more. Made me feel bad when his jaw blew up, like i knew him a little better or something. Probably feeling more pressure from having more fans than haters for once. Shouldnt have waited so long to try and get takedown points though. Shoulda took pitbull down all 3 rounds

[Masato]

Great post, Edge..!

Canucksters was good too in a stoke extinguisher kind of way, lol

It was kind of a rough matchup either way, I don't think either of them deserved to be on a UFC card with them cutting so many younger/better fighters.

[Canuckster]

That fight was hardly a robbery, sanchez vs pearson was a full on armored car heist.

[Joe Mama]

In a sense though its not the 'end of the world' (end of the world) for Schaub. He is still very young and can recover from this loss easily. At least he can look at it and say it was to one of the best in the world. (Even if it was a has been)

[johnkilo]

I remember one of the post fight press conferences where Phil Baroni had just lost, and he was really emotional... thanking Mark Coleman and stuff. I wish I could find it, but I can't remember which organization it was. It was really touching.

Here's another one though.

[Masato]

^ ya man, Baroni always pulls at the heartstrings.

A lot easier for Schaub though when you're boning a rich Ronda Rousey, lol