Unique | ‘Blended Martial Arts stored me on proper path and centered on proper issues’: MMA veteran Michael ‘Venom’ Web page

Do you know that blended martial arts, a full-contact fight sport which includes strategies from numerous totally different martial arts is rising steadily in India? Actually, India has a governing physique for the sports activities – MMA India, in addition to regional associations. There was additionally an open MMA championship organised by the MMA Affiliation of Maharashtra in September final 12 months, full with a personal sponsor. Cities like Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai have change into main MMA coaching hubs.

Most MMA athletes goal a spot within the Final Preventing Championship or UFC. The UFC was initiated in 1993 as knowledgeable MMA platform. It went on to revolutionise the blended martial arts and total combat business and at this time, in line with some metrics, is the world’s largest pay-per-view occasion supplier.

Over time, Indian MMA fighters like Bharat Kandare, Anshul Jubli and Puja Tomar have signed up with the UFC.

Whereas UFC’s recognition is the very best within the US, different areas like Canada, the UK, Germany and Australia should not very far behind.

So, what does it actually take to change into a profitable MMA fighter? Can somebody who shouldn’t be naturally endowed with a big physique additionally make it within the MMA world and what are a few of the issues which might be completely crucial for an athlete to have with a purpose to be a profitable blended martial artist?

British skilled blended martial artist Michael “Venom” Web page, who has been knowledgeable MMA athlete since 2012 and signed up with the UFC final 12 months, spoke completely with Firstpost to supply the solutions to those questions and extra and to assist us perceive how the world of MMA works.

Michael, who received a silver medal on the 2010 World Fight Video games in Beijing and has an total MMA win-loss document of 22-3, with 13 wins by way of technical knock-out, will square-up towards Sharaputdin Magomedov of Russia in his subsequent UFC bout on February 1.

Excerpts…

Firstpost: Your fashion of preventing is usually referred to as explosive and credit score for that’s given to your fashion of freestyle kickboxing and in addition the truth that you maintain a black belt in Kung Fu — in your thoughts how do you deliver these totally different martial arts kinds collectively to type your personal distinctive fashion?

Michael “Venom” Web page: It comes from a spot referred to as freestyle kickboxing or sports activities karate. It’s a method that already exists and I add my spin on it, my creativity on it. The coaches taught me the best way to make it protected and efficient in MMA.

FP: Your mother and father have each been Kung Fu practitioners, you’ve siblings who’re kick-boxing champions. Inform us what your childhood was like, rising up on this surroundings of martial arts

MP: Martial arts had been an ideal anchor to have that retains me on the suitable highway, as a result of it’s not simply the punching and kicking that you just study, but additionally self-discipline, focus, perseverance, so many various issues. Additionally, social points of stuff you study from martial arts. And clearly having your loved ones round doing the identical factor helped massively. So, for me that stored me on the suitable path. I wasn’t at all times raised in the perfect areas and it helped me to say no to my associates who had been doing the mistaken issues and stored me centered on the suitable issues.

FP: How robust is it, total, when it comes to onerous work and dedication to change into an MMA athlete, contemplating you must grasp various martial arts, kinds, strategies and so on?

MP: Sure, it’s very troublesome. I at all times say to those who you have to love this sport. Don’t do it for fame, don’t do it for cash, you must adore it, as a result of it’s very robust. The one approach you’ll get to the highest is by loads of sacrifice and loads of ache sadly, since you (need to) put your physique although a washer of accidents and a great deal of (different) stuff. After which once more due to the dedication to it, you must miss out on loads of social issues that you could be wish to attend. It may be fairly lonely generally, so you must love the game and be passionate concerning the sport to essentially wish to do it.

FP: Lots of people have this misguided notion that martial arts is all about physicality and expending vitality. The very fact that there’s a very massive meditational facet to it isn’t a really well-known reality — that one of many key components of martial arts is enjoyable the thoughts and coaching it to focus increasingly more. Your tackle that….

MP: Sure, that’s massively vital, I feel. Every thing is yin and yang. You’ll be able to’t have one factor with out the opposite. This is the reason there are loads of athletes who’re excellent and distinctive within the gymnasium, however they go to the stage, their thoughts struggles to permit them to carry out in the identical approach they do within the gymnasium. So, you must learn to practice your thoughts equally and focus your thoughts equally, as a lot as coaching your physique.

FP: Your subsequent combat is on Feb 1 towards Sharaputdin Magomedov of Russia whose most important martial artwork proficiency is in Muay Thai. How are you approaching this bout?

MP: My fashion may be very awkward. Though I’ve received a particular fashion, it’s very distinctive, which signifies that it’s going to be onerous for him to determine or have folks to coach towards or study to coach (to combat) towards me, so for me it’s about going on the market and being the perfect (model of) me, being efficient, being quick, being exact after which the outcome will come.

FP: As somebody who has been knowledgeable MMA athlete since 2012, should you needed to listing three issues that are completely important for somebody to reach MMA, what would they be?

MP: Firstly health. I’ve seen people who find themselves tremendous proficient, however they aren’t match sufficient to maintain up with some others. All people is hard on this sport, so it’s not about coaching your toughness, everyone is hard, it’s about being match. Fitter than the opposite individual, so cardio is king – it’s one thing we prefer to say in our gymnasium and we actually work onerous on being as match as potential. That’s one technical aspect.

Then actually studying the significance of the strikes. Generally the smallest of issues, particularly within the grappling space, the smallest of particulars could make such an enormous distinction throughout a combat. After which as we spoke about earlier – the mindset. Be sure you have the proper mindset. That you’re not doing it for the mistaken causes, you’re in there, you’re centered, you keep centered from begin to end of that combat. These are the three issues which might be a very powerful.

FP: Can an athlete who shouldn’t be endowed with a naturally sturdy physique make it as an MMA athlete, if she or he places within the onerous yards?

MP: Anyone has the potential. If you’re desirous to do it and you’ll find the suitable folks to show you, prepared to place the hassle in, discover the suitable group that may help you, then 100 per cent you are able to do it. No one begins off as very sturdy. Generally after I take a look at a few of my outdated movies of myself and I see how skinny I used to be again then and the way slim I used to be again then. I got here from the kickboxing world, the place the fashion was very totally different, I didn’t have to be large and robust (there). However now you see my physique has developed over time, due to all of the work that I’ve put in so, all you must do is begin. For those who actually love this and you actually wish to do it, all you must do is begin. After which the journey begins from there.

FP: How large is MMA within the UK proper now and the way a lot have you ever seen the fan following and total MMA tradition change/develop within the UK within the final decade or so?

MP: It’s rising massively. Once I began, MMA was getting larger, however it nonetheless wasn’t one thing that individuals, particularly on this nation – they had been very pro-boxing, however not essentially for MMA. The likes of Ronda Rousey (American blended martial artist) introduced large consideration to it. The likes of Conor McGregor (Irish blended martial artist) introduced much more consideration to it. After which we had all of our champions like Michael Bisping (British blended martial artist) that made it all of the extra plausible for the followers within the UK.

After which there have been guys like myself additionally carrying the flag and exhibiting those who this can be a path they’ll do (stroll on) and that it’s an pleasing path. So there have been lots of people and (followers) from after I began until now have elevated. It’s going from power to power within the UK. They adore it over right here (within the UK) now.

FP: Which one has been the hardest combat of your UFC profession, up to now and why?

MP: The hardest combat was positively my final combat (vs Ian Machado Garry of Eire). It was irritating, I wasn’t making the suitable choices through the combat, so it was extra irritating (than something), it wasn’t robust, however it was simply irritating mentally, as a result of I wasn’t making the proper choices, so the combat didn’t go my approach. However I nonetheless consider that I haven’t had any robust fights, as of now, so, we are going to see.

Watch UFC Combat Night time – Adesanya vs Imavov on 1st February, 2025 at 10:30 PM IST LIVE on the Sony Sports activities Community.