Media Ngannou tried to purposely knockout UFC contender in sparring.

[Edward Henry Greb]

I liked hard sparring but I always asked whoever wanted to spar with me what they were OK with.

That being said, I have had some people try to pull a Charlie Zelenoff on me. I dont care how hard you like to spar, that is bullshit.

So maybe that is what was going on in with Francis. Ank felt that this was not to about anything other than this guy is coming for my head no matter what.

You can feel a difference right away when its personal.

Sometimes, it's good to do this as well.

In 6 years of being a gym rat, I can say I had only two "personal' wars, in the midst of a lot of intense sparring.

Both were against bigger opponents. I was 5,10", 154-160 lb.

One was with a white guy named "Lincoln," who was green, but big @ 6', 205. He was physically-gifted, intense, but green. He liked to burn all his energy in the first round, and made a lot of fellow-beginners quit.
I was the opposite, like a "poor man's" Chavez ... I would always came forward, and put steady pressure (for the first round or two), but didn't do too much — just trying to get the pule going + a read on my opponent under fire — after which I began relentless work.

Long story short, at the end of 1.5 rounds, "Lincoln" was done, quit in front of his team, and never came back to the gym again. I had humiliated him (he brought his girlfriend, in front of whom he quit )

The other was an Hispanic guy named "Harry," who was experienced, and also strapping/big @ 6'3", 185. He (like some on this thread) complained about "how hard" I went. In the opening round, the 6'3" Arroyo came right after me, at 5'10" — and within maybe two minutes — click me with a straight right, causing me to fall back, and had it not been for the ropes, I probably would've went down. (I've never been knocked-down, ever, in six years of sparring pros. That time, if the ropes weren't there, I quite possibly would have fallen.)

Still, it didn't mean shit, as I was fully-aware of what was going on. It was an immediate "gym war" — toe-to-toe exchanges, the whole bit. No one went down, no one was knocked-out. (I had some blood under my left nostril, his nose was broken, and his mouth was bleeding into his T-shirt.) It only went two rounds, because both our trainers told us to STOP — DON'T MAKE THIS PERSONAL! "Harry" and I spoke afterward, and he criticized me for "always going so hard" — and I told him, I am training to fight, not "be friends."

I also reminded him he was 5" taller than me, with a significant reach advantage, and there is no way in hell I could compete with him "boxing on the outside." I had to be willing to take three hard shots, to back him up, get him against the ropes, and try to beat TF out of him in-close — especially since he dropped me, within the first two minutes.

We shook hands and each understood the other better after that. No bad blood.

(Which was a good thing for "Harry," because I had begun to train in Gracie jujitsu at that point )

 

[CatchtheseHands]

What does that have to do with being a piece of shit for trying to KO a guy 50lbs less than you

Why are you always so triggered Mark?

 

[Goatenstein]

It doesn't surprise me at all Ngannou is such a phony nice guy it is sickening.

 

[HHJ]

Sometimes, it's good to do this as well.

In 6 years of being a gym rat, I can say I had only two "personal' wars, in the midst of a lot of intense sparring.

Both were against bigger opponents. I was 5,10", 154-160 lb.

One was with a white guy named "Lincoln," who was green, but big @ 6', 205. He was physically-gifted, intense, but green. He liked to burn all his energy in the first round.
I was the opposite, like a "poor man's" Chavez, I always came forward, and put steady pressure (for the first round or two), but didn't do too much — just trying to get a read under fire — after which I began relentless work. At the end of 1.5 rounds, "Lincoln" was done, quit in for this team, and never came back to the gym. I had humiliated him (he brought his girlfriend, in front of whom he quit )

The other was an Hispanic guy named "Harry," who was experienced, and also strapping/big @ 6'3", 185. He (like some on this thread) complained about "how hard" I went. In the opening round, the 6'3" Arroyo came right after me, at 5'10" — and within maybe two minutes — click me with a straight right, and had it not been for the ropes, I probably would've went down. (I've never been knocked-down, ever, in six years of sparring pros. That time, if the ropes were there, I likely would have fallen.)

Still, I was fully-aware of what was going on. It was an immediate "gym war" — toe-to-toe exchanges, the whole bit. No one went down, no one was knocked-out. (I had some blood under my left nostril, his nose was broken, and his mouth was bleeding into his T-shirt.) It only went to rounds, because both are trainers told us to STOP — DON'T MAKE THIS PERSONAL! "Harry" and I spoke afterward, and he criticized me for "always going so hard" — and I told him, trying to learn how to fight, not "be friends."

I also reminded him he was 5" taller than me, with a significant reach advantage, and there is no way in hell I could compete with him "boxing on the outside." I had to be willing to take three hard shots, to back him up, get them against the ropes, and try to beat TF out of him — especially since he dropped me, within the first two minutes.

We shook hands and each understood the other better after that. No bad blood.

(Which was a good thing for "Harry," because I had begun to train in Gracie jujitsu at that point )

I dont try to knock people out in sparring. Even tho it does happen. I wont hook them as hard as someone can be hooked. Sure if someone escalates things i will respond with equal force, but GENERALLY in my experience, things didnt need to get out of hand like that.

But sometimes some thugs would try to take me out as soon as the bell rung. I now look back at this as valuable experience, but these guys were just fucking assholes. You can tell this wasnt sparring for them they just wanted to hurt someone.

There IS a difference.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

No surprise all those Chuteboxe guys got CTE now

They've all got CTE from that area and as the sport gets older I think it will the norm, except for fighters that employed an offensive grappling heavy approach that minimises damage

 

[HHJ]

They've all got CTE from that area and as the sport gets older I think it will the norm, except for fighters that employed an offensive grappling heavy approach that minimises damage

Yeah but, especially the chute boxe guys who were noted for goin as hard in the gym as they did in the fights.

 

[shunyata]

Sounds like a quick way to end up retarded, even "hard" sparing shouldnt be aiming to hurt your partner too bad. Keep some sting on your punches but you should always be controling yourself and pulling your punches.

Thais are far and away the dominating force in muay thai and spar relatively light.

30% power, 70% speed was how I was taught.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

Sometimes, it's good to do this as well.

In 6 years of being a gym rat, I can say I had only two "personal' wars, in the midst of a lot of intense sparring.

Both were against bigger opponents. I was 5,10", 154-160 lb.

One was with a white guy named "Lincoln," who was green, but big @ 6', 205. He was physically-gifted, intense, but green. He liked to burn all his energy in the first round, and made a lot of fellow-beginners quit.
I was the opposite, like a "poor man's" Chavez ... I would always came forward, and put steady pressure (for the first round or two), but didn't do too much — just trying to get the pule going + a read on my opponent under fire — after which I began relentless work.

Long story short, at the end of 1.5 rounds, "Lincoln" was done, quit in front of his team, and never came back to the gym again. I had humiliated him (he brought his girlfriend, in front of whom he quit )

The other was an Hispanic guy named "Harry," who was experienced, and also strapping/big @ 6'3", 185. He (like some on this thread) complained about "how hard" I went. In the opening round, the 6'3" Arroyo came right after me, at 5'10" — and within maybe two minutes — click me with a straight right, causing me to fall back, and had it not been for the ropes, I probably would've went down. (I've never been knocked-down, ever, in six years of sparring pros. That time, if the ropes weren't there, I quite possibly would have fallen.)

Still, it didn't mean shit, as I was fully-aware of what was going on. It was an immediate "gym war" — toe-to-toe exchanges, the whole bit. No one went down, no one was knocked-out. (I had some blood under my left nostril, his nose was broken, and his mouth was bleeding into his T-shirt.) It only went two rounds, because both our trainers told us to STOP — DON'T MAKE THIS PERSONAL! "Harry" and I spoke afterward, and he criticized me for "always going so hard" — and I told him, I am training to fight, not "be friends."

I also reminded him he was 5" taller than me, with a significant reach advantage, and there is no way in hell I could compete with him "boxing on the outside." I had to be willing to take three hard shots, to back him up, get him against the ropes, and try to beat TF out of him in-close — especially since he dropped me, within the first two minutes.

We shook hands and each understood the other better after that. No bad blood.

(Which was a good thing for "Harry," because I had begun to train in Gracie jujitsu at that point )

I find this amusing in my own way. Never once did I feel I was in a legit anger filled sparring season (yet I'd be reprimanded by coaches from other other clubs for going to hard. Yet they'll be more than happy for their guys to bomb on me).

Intra club sparring was especially intersting when 2 young boys would set the intensity by trying to murder each other straight of the bat. Then you could feel the hostility brewing in the gym. So by the time it got around to me (light guys, girls and young boys went 1st then it went by weight and experience) and the place would be humming by the time I was up. Fun times.

 

[HHJ]

I find this amusing in my own way. Never once did I feel I was in a legit anger filled sparring season (yet I'd be reprimanded by coaches from other other clubs for going to hard. Yet they'll be more than happy for their guys to bomb on me).

Intra club sparring was especially intersting when 2 young boys would set the intensity by trying to murder each other straight of the bat. Then you could feel the hostility brewing in the gym. So by the time it got around to me (light guys, girls and young boys went 1st then it went by weight and experience) and the place would be humming by the time I was up. Fun times.

Hahaha fuck those 12 yrs old kids with no regard for their own lives would be fun to watch

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

you should probably know what kind of person the guy you're sparring is. some people spar like that. they were paying dudes to go in there and get murdered by Mike Tyson and George Foreman. that's how they build their style, practicing brutalizing people in sparring. the same as Chute Boxe. you can't build that kind of brand of MMA without having that kind of sparring.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

Hahaha fuck those 12 yrs old kids with no regard for their own lives would be fun to watch

It was even worse when they'd put a 12 yearold boy against a 19 yearold girl and she'd beat the piss out of him for 2 rnds because he didn't want to hit her. But when they finally got over that hurdle, it got nasty real quick.

 

[Khaosan]

Cope.

 

[Khaosan]

I don't believe in "light sparring," for the most part.

Unless you're working on drills, and specific combinations, sparring should be fairly intense.

No, you don't go for the KO if you wobble your sparring partner, you let him back in — but once in, then you continue to go pretty hard.

My trainer always said, "What you do repeatedly = habit-forming" ... meaning, if you want to BE for real, then you need to train for real.

For example, a professional drummer doesn't "go soft" on the drum set in practice — and then expect to go all-out in a rock concert.
(He may not go full throttle in a jam session, but he will be pretty close to it the whole time.)

Again, repetitive "softer" drills to master technique notwithstanding, you can't expect to go half-ass in sparring, and be "a fearsome killer" in the cage.

You have to practice pretty effin hard ... to be prepared to go absolutely effin hard, at your best, when it's for real.

.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

Hahaha fuck those 12 yrs old kids with no regard for their own lives would be fun to watch

These where great times. Another funny 1 was a coach from another gym wanted to spar our coach and pulled out a waiver for him to sign in case he was seriously injured. Little did he know our coach was still the gym champ and sparring 40-50 rnds every week and still sharp as fuck even though he looked out of shape and came across slightly dim.

The look on the kids face's from the other gym was priceless, it as was if they had seen there father murdered. Shock and horror as he was ironed out within the 1st punching exchange.

 

[Pequeño Corey]

I don't believe in "light sparring," for the most part.

Unless you're working on drills, and specific combinations, sparring should be fairly intense.

No, you don't go for the KO if you wobble your sparring partner, you let him back in — but once in, then you continue to go pretty hard.

My trainer always said, "What you do = habit-forming" ... meaning, if you want to BE for real, then you need to train for real.

For example, a professional drummer doesn't "go soft" on the drum set in practice — and then expect to go all out in a rock concert. He may not go full throttle in a jam session, but he will be pretty close to it the whole time.

Lots of professional drummers prefer technique and finesse on the kit. All of your favorite hard rock gods who inspired modern metal grew up listening to finesse players. Not really a good analogy.

 

[Oscar Madison]

Sometimes, it's good to do this as well.

In 6 years of being a gym rat, I can say I had only two "personal' wars, in the midst of a lot of intense sparring.

Both were against bigger opponents. I was 5,10", 154-160 lb.

One was with a white guy named "Lincoln," who was green, but big @ 6', 205. He was physically-gifted, intense, but green. He liked to burn all his energy in the first round, and made a lot of fellow-beginners quit.
I was the opposite, like a "poor man's" Chavez ... I would always came forward, and put steady pressure (for the first round or two), but didn't do too much — just trying to get the pule going + a read on my opponent under fire — after which I began relentless work.

Long story short, at the end of 1.5 rounds, "Lincoln" was done, quit in front of his team, and never came back to the gym again. I had humiliated him (he brought his girlfriend, in front of whom he quit )

The other was an Hispanic guy named "Harry," who was experienced, and also strapping/big @ 6'3", 185. He (like some on this thread) complained about "how hard" I went. In the opening round, the 6'3" Arroyo came right after me, at 5'10" — and within maybe two minutes — click me with a straight right, causing me to fall back, and had it not been for the ropes, I probably would've went down. (I've never been knocked-down, ever, in six years of sparring pros. That time, if the ropes weren't there, I quite possibly would have fallen.)

Still, it didn't mean shit, as I was fully-aware of what was going on. It was an immediate "gym war" — toe-to-toe exchanges, the whole bit. No one went down, no one was knocked-out. (I had some blood under my left nostril, his nose was broken, and his mouth was bleeding into his T-shirt.) It only went two rounds, because both our trainers told us to STOP — DON'T MAKE THIS PERSONAL! "Harry" and I spoke afterward, and he criticized me for "always going so hard" — and I told him, I am training to fight, not "be friends."

I also reminded him he was 5" taller than me, with a significant reach advantage, and there is no way in hell I could compete with him "boxing on the outside." I had to be willing to take three hard shots, to back him up, get him against the ropes, and try to beat TF out of him in-close — especially since he dropped me, within the first two minutes.

We shook hands and each understood the other better after that. No bad blood.

(Which was a good thing for "Harry," because I had begun to train in Gracie jujitsu at that point )

Wow -- I read ALL that!

Solid story telling.

Are you carrying any Long Term Injuries from your training and fights?

 

[shunyata]

Hahaha fuck those 12 yrs old kids with no regard for their own lives would be fun to watch

One time I apologized after kickboxing class because we were round robin sparring and I got this 5'3" 14 year old who could fucking box. I'm primarily a grappler, I've got judo and bjj and a jab but I'm not winning any boxing matches.

I leg kicked the shit out of him, but he had balls and straight shot a double leg on me during kickboxing. Sweeped instantly on landing to settle in full mount and then got off him to reset.

Afterwards I'm like "dude I feel bad for leg kicking and teeping the shit out of you but your inside boxing is solid and I had to control the range".

Lil bro is like "don't apologize, that's what I need. Keep doing that. I need to be able to get through that to beat the tall fuckers like you."

 

[HHJ]

One time I apologized after class because we were round robin sparring and I got this 5'3" 14 year old who could fucking box.

I leg kicked the shit out of him, but he had balls and straight shot a double leg on me during kickboxing. Sweeped instantly on landing to settle in full mount and then got off him to reset.

Afterwards I'm like "dude I feel bad for leg kicking and teeping the shit out of you but your inside boxing is solid and I had to control the range".

Lil bro is like "don't apologize, that's what I need. I need to be able to get through that to beat the tall fuckers like you."

Some E. European 17 yr old dude came at me hard. Strong as fuck. I took him down to wear his ass out, and then locked in the RNC. WHEW

 

[Edward Henry Greb]

Wow -- I read ALL that!

Solid story telling.

Are you carrying any Long Term Injuries from your training and fights?

Just a nose that's been broken 3x, and a hole in my lip.

My trainer also used to say, "The Lord said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive,' and that is especially true in fighting. So make sure you do all the giving and take nothing."

 

[Koro_11]

Poatan’s spirit entered Ngannou for that sparring session.