I covered a lot on wrestling and BJJ in my other thread which is stickied above, I don't want to go as in depth in thread with that.
As I stressed before, Learn wrestling, both offensive as well as defensive. The best offence is a great defense and vice versa. If you want to have a great top game, you need to understand the bottom game very well. If you want to have great Takedown defense you need to understand what goes into a good double leg, single leg, etc.
Look at BJ Penn, he has been raved about for years for having the best TDD in MMA and then in his last fight he goes out and takes down Jon Fitch. I always knew he had a great offensive wrestling game but I never fathomed it was that good.
Mental Strength
Mental strength is so important in daily life as well as athletics, most of all its important in fighting. A lot of fights seem won before they are even started simply by looking at the two fighters and how they are carrying themselves.
Believing in yourself and being batshit crazy are two different things. Learn to train as hard as you can and push yourself past the breaking point. Nothing can build confidence better than knowing you are fully prepared for anything that comes your way.
Fight to win, don't simply fight to say you have. My best friend and someone who I consider my brother (UFC Middleweight Jesse Bongfeldt) told me before one of my last fights and being calm is a great thing. But he always thought I was too calm before fights. He told me that when that cage door closes and your feet tough the mats, its time for war. That guy standing in front of you is out to take everything away from you that you worked so hard for. Don't let this happen.
At the end of the day if your going to lose, Make damn sure that the other guy knows he was in a war.
Sponsors
Everyone wants to find sponsors, at the end of the day it all comes down to Money. You have to be able to attach worth and value to yourself. I have been very lucky with finding sponsorships but it is not always that easy. It is a two way straight with a fine line down the middle. You are looking for money or a product and the sponsor is looking for worth and value to them shelling out their money or product.
If you are serious about finding sponsors work out a business plan and make sure its well written and promotes you well. From there the best advice I can give you is to search the internet and pound the pavement.
End thoughts
here are 3 videos of me hitting pads recently, really upped my training lately!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bDMRkSq080&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZNILM_csyk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh7CSvdfskI&feature=youtu.be
Learn to be a better person, I believe this has so much to do with mental strength. When I started fighting I was so ****y and arrogant It disgusts me to think of myself to this day. The best thing you can do as a fighter is be a nice guy, help others, be a role model for others. This sport is still in such infancy that it needs all the good ambassadors it can find.
Learn to carry yourself in a way that reflects power and strengh but at the same time calmness and a good heart. The beauty about bravery is that nobody has to know that your scared but you.. Never start fights with your training, but never back down either. If someone lays a hand on you or a loved one then put a stop to it quickly. Stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, but don't ever be the tapout wearing goof at the bar starting fights with anyone who will look their way.
Fight nerves are the most pure thing in the world in my opinion. I don't mean a street fight or a fight at the bar. I mean going to an arena where you know people spent their hard earned cash to watch some good tilts. There is nothing out there that beats getting those hands taped up for war and walking around that arena chatting with the fans and fanatics alike. To me that is pure bliss. Regardless of whether its in front of 200 people or 20 thousand. I feel the most alive 10 minutes before I walk out to that cage or ring.
At the end of the day, I hope this helps some of you, I might never be the best fighter that walks the earth, but I want to be known as a good guy who did his best each and every single time out there and I want to be the guy that runs a nice gym with great classes to help people learn and grow within themselves.
If you learned anything at all from this thread feel free to post a comment, I write this stuff for you guys and I love the feedback.
Just remember above anything else, it doesn't matter how many times you fall, it matters how many times you rise, mistakes build character, and character takes you places money cant.
Thanks for reading,
Keep Kicking,
JH