Читать книгу The Fighter Within. Everyone Has A Fight-Insights into the Minds and Souls of True Champions онлайн

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I was continuing to work through the same tedious cycle of life, getting five-minute heat breaks when the smoke-filled factory reached over 113°F (45°C), creating a sauna-like setting. All I could think about was my escape: Muay Thai. The days seemed to flow together like water as the dog days of summer weighed heavily on my shoulders. I needed an “out,” some kind of yin to the yang that I was living, something of import to supplement my great family life and to counter-balance the tedious hard labor I was accustomed to. Close to the end of summer, I picked up the local newspaper; little did I know, it would change my life forever.

I read about a local mixed martial arts club that was putting on a big seminar for a local women’s charity with Matt Hughes, who at the time was the reigning welterweight champion of the UFC. Matt Hughes was a force within the UFC, a devastating wrestler who was known for his vicious slams, crafty ground game, and sheer power. He was a farmboy who had taken that farm strength and mentality and really imposed it on his craft of MMA. He had beaten some notables such as Georges St-Pierre, Royce Gracie, and Carlos Newton, among many other great warriors. I knew of Matt from television, but I figured that it would be quite an honor to meet him and train with him in my hometown of London, Ontario.