THE CLINCH REPORT

By: Jonathan King The Clinch Report

The golden road to the UFC: lost somewhere between the beginning, and a snowballs chance in hell. Amateur MMA events are often times when dreams run face first into reality. After all even the top amateurs have at best a ‘punchers chance’ to crack into the UFC ranks. Still the effort, the passion, and unfortunately the anguish of defeat is just as potent as it is on the grandest of stages.

And unfortunately for these fighters, once the claps have quieted, and the eyes of the audience glance away; these fighters are left with only a continued dream, or a lesson learned. Amateur fighters don’t receive any financial compensation.

Spar Star MMA provides an environment for these fighters to test their training, and ultimately themselves. Each one of these combat cadets spend so much time training, and preparing for the future, that the present is often left in limbo. Most exhibit a sort of feigned confidence, that the first few seconds of the fight have a way of exposing for being either myth or reality.

In most cases, panic usually eases slowly into a chaotic search for the basics. Once the initial rush of the ‘fight or flight’ instinct passes, the instructional pleas from coaches usually reminding the fighters to breathe or relax follow.

Mixed martial arts is a pretty fair and rewarding venue in the cruel sport of life. For fighters the equation is a simple cliche, ‘what you put in, is what you get out!’ Even at the amateur level the fights are won weeks ahead of time. Even at the amateur level the winners are simply willing to do, what the losers is not!