How do fighters cope with moving into old age?

[Home_Slice]

Having to “give up the dream”?

When you dedicated your entire life to something, then know that you simply have to stop cause of age. That most heinous of human conditions.

How does a career athlete come to terms with that?

Perhaps if there were great achievements early in ones career, but most fighters don’t get that. Only the extremely select few.

Sometimes development of what it takes to become pro or champion material, takes so long that by the time its accomplished, time is up on having an actual career.

What does their life look like after that, when the time is up?

 

[DoctorTaco]

It depends on how much they’ve worked on building up their next step along the way. If they plan on exiting into coaching then the ones who start coaching here and there can make that lateral when they’re done competing. If they want to get into commentary then ideally they’re working on their mic skills and calling local fights, filming back stage interviews of regional fighters, etc.

The ones who don’t work a little on the next thing while theyre still fighting usually end up retiring, starting from scratch, and then giving up and fighting again

 

[HARRISON_3]

Having to “give up the dream”?

What does their life look like after that?

Lot lizard.

 

[Get To Da Choppa]

Having to “give up the dream”?

When you dedicated your entire life to something, then know that you simply have to stop cause of age. That most heinous of human conditions.

How does a career athlete come to terms with that?

Perhaps if there were great achievements early in ones career, but most fighters don’t get that. Only the extremely select few.

Sometimes development of what it takes to become pro or champion material, takes so long that by the time its accomplished, time is up on having an actual career.

What does their life look like after that, when the time is up?

Become an onlyfans creator like Diego Sanchez

 

[Jack Reacheround]

The same way most other athletes do: They get on synthetic testosterone.

 

[supermurph]

Coaching, commentary, politics, podcasting, regular job. Need to find something to fill the void now that you got a lot more time on your hands.

 

[Osculater]

They take hormones to feel young

 

[Official]

For me I just took up another sport. Then I conquered that sport and took up posing.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

Not well, look at how many keep coming back

 

[Long Dark Blues]

Same way non-fighters do, TRT and a new wardrobe.

 

[stalehotdog]

Copious amounts of CTE makes them forget they’re getting old.

 

[Grassshoppa]

Fight old people?

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Bare-Knuckle Boxing

 

[pugilistico]

A lot of fighters are addicts in a sense. Fighting is what gets them going in life and without it they feel like they're nothing. If it wasn't for fighting they'd be junkies or involved in gangs or in prison. I mean a lot of fighters do that even while having a career as a fighter. A lot of them end up being alcoholics or junkies when they retire. It seems like not many fighters age and retire gracefully.

It's because the type of people who would choose fighting as a career path are being chased by inner demons. A lot of fighters obviously love fighting but they would probably be happier if they stopped fighting and made peace with themselves.

 

[560ti]

A lot of fighters obviously love fighting but they would probably be happier if they stopped fighting and made peace with themselves.

God damn, wise words

 

[Home_Slice]

A lot of fighters are addicts in a sense. Fighting is what gets them going in life and without it they feel like they're nothing. If it wasn't for fighting they'd be junkies or involved in gangs or in prison. I mean a lot of fighters do that even while having a career as a fighter. A lot of them end up being alcoholics or junkies when they retire. It seems like not many fighters age and retire gracefully.

It's because the type of people who would choose fighting as a career path are being chased by inner demons. A lot of fighters obviously love fighting but they would probably be happier if they stopped fighting and made peace with themselves.

Interesting take.

They probably fight cause they don't know how else to make peace with themselves?

 

[RoastBeast]

You'd have to ask a real fighter. We throw virtual uppercuts here.

 

[Spounman]

For me I just took up another sport. Then I conquered that sport and took up posing.

Yeah after I quit my full court basketball game obsession I just started walking 30-60 minutes daily.

 

[Frode Falch]

I am glad i didnt make fighting my life. Because i know that would have made getting old 100 times worse.

That being said.. my last real fight was in 2013. But i still train like a fighter. Because thats what i love to do. You can just turn in off.

I guess i am a coach now. But i to everything together with the young people i train. Even if i am twice their age at 45.

I do the sparring, clinching, all the rounds of drilling and bagwork. Show by doing.

I also feel it keeps me young.

 

[Aegon Spengler]

Some guys like GSP get into acting and find other stuff to do. For Chocolate L he ran on the treadmill naked with his GF. Rampage ate burgers, Bisping stuck around doing commentary… it’s just a shame they can’t retire and have comfortable lives the way pros from the other major sports can.