One of the most pure sports in the world is Mixed Martial Arts. What essentially started out as a test to discover the most effective martial art, has turned into one of the largest global sports. As MMA gains more exposure around the world, fans are exposed to more MMA athletes. One thing we experience is learning how more and more athletes train and prepare for fights. Not every fighter has access to the top gyms, equipment, and coaching staff. There are many fighters getting by with what seems like unique training in their part of the world. Minimalist training is something we see a lot more of lately.
We have seen many success stories of fighters who came from very little. A great example of this is Francis Ngannou who was born in the tiny town of Batie, Cameroon. He has gone from a challenging upbringing to becoming one of the top UFC fighters in the world. At one point he was homeless in France, and later on went to fight for a world title. He went from working in the sand quarry at age 12 to training at the UFC Performance Institute.
Minimalist MMA Fighter
Many fighters have admitted to living a minimalist lifestyle while training for fights. This helps them focus on training and not have too many outside distractions. This can also be great for up and coming fighters who are trying to make fighting a career. Due to the nature of the sport, there isn’t a lot of money in it until you reach the higher levels as a pro. It’s not uncommon for a fighter to make less than a few thousand dollars competing at a regional show. The fight game can be rough and sometimes you need time to heal and recover after a fight. Broken bones, fractures, and torn ligaments are common and take some time to heal. Having a minimalist lifestyle can help you focus on the things you need to prepare for a fight.
Limit Your Spending
For a lot of people this also includes limiting your spending, one of the biggest parts of being a minimalist. Lowering your spending will give you freedom to focus your finances where you need. It’s not uncommon for MMA Fighters to literally live in the gym while they chase their dreams. We’ve heard countless stories of fighters bartering for their training with cleaning or coaching. Some gym owners recognize that certain fighters may be able to reach the highest levels with a little assistance. There are a lot of places that take in up and coming fighters and give them housing and training. A lot of times they work something out where the fighter can pay it back later when they get a fight scheduled.
One of the best ways for up and coming fighters to save and earn money is through sponsorships. Cultivating a following across social platforms can make a fighter more valuable to a brand. Fighters get the chance to promote sponsors during their fight with a banner and a logo on their shorts. However fighters with social followings can usually offer more promotion to sponsors. This means more paid sponsorships and more free things they need to prepare. Finding the right sponsors as an MMA fighter can help you limit your spending. I’ve seen many pro fighters target nutrition, equipment, and medical sponsors. These are usually things a fighter can end up spending a lot on. Setting up a relationship with people that can offer you free or discounted products and services can make a huge difference.
Save Money when you Can
Controlling your spending is a big part of financial success when it comes to being a minimalist. But it’s also important to remember to save money when you can. For most fighters, they only get a few paychecks a year. This can be difficult without other sources of income but it is important to try to save. After a fight a good portion of the money goes to the coaches, managers, nutritionists, etc. It is important for a fighter to understand their cut and have the ability to save what they can. Nothing would be worse than getting injured and you don’t have enough money set aside to allow you to recover. Establishing a plan for your savings can help you prepare for the unexpected.
Multiple Income Sources
Most entry level pro fighters work regular jobs to help pay for training and cover costs. Typically at the lower levels your earning potential isn’t great unless you have a lot of sponsors. While paid sponsorships can be a huge factor, they might not be available to everyone. Not everyone has the same ability to gain a following on social media. Not everyone is marketable to every sponsor. Having a job outside of fighting can be be the difference. Stipe Miocic works as a firefighter and he is the UFC Heavyweight Champion of the world. This speaks volumes to his work ethic and commitment to the sport.
- Five ways you can ingest CBD - September 22, 2020
- How to be a Minimalist MMA Fighter - September 2, 2020
- UFC Fight Night: Anthony Smith vs Aleksander Rakic Betting Preview - August 27, 2020
