UFC Fighters are Becoming too Dependent on "12 Week Camps".

[George Jetson]

Claudia Gadelha will be physically fine for early January against JJ.

However, due to the need for a 12 week fight "camp" she may not be ready for Joanna in January.

But it's not just Claudia I'm talking about here. I'm talking about the whole UFC's culture of fight camps.

Including the Chad Mendez excuse makers saying that 3 weeks wasn't enough to achieve cardio.

I say bullshit.

If Olympic level athletes can compete in back to back international competitions quicker than that, without any loss of cardio, then MMA athletes can do it.

MMA fight camps are quickly spiraling out of control.

Years ago... UFC fighters used to fight multiple times, against multiple people, on the same night.

But then they began using 4-6 week camps for each opponent.

Then they began using 6-8 week camps.

Then 8-10 week camps.

Now they need 12 week camps or they can't fight.

After another few years, they'll need 6 month camps for each opponent.

MMA is quickly spiraling into Pussies-R-US, Inc.

It has nothing to do with healing from injuries (since those heal quickly). It has to do with "cardio" which supposedly can't be attained unless you go thru a fucken 12 week camp.

Olympic athletes (boxers, wrestlers, judo players, swimmers, etc) do not need a 12 week 'camp' just to get ready for every single opponent or race they enter.

Olympic boxers, wrestlers, Judo players and swimmers have to compete multiple times -- against multiple people -- during the same competition. Often within days or hours of their last race or fight. Yet they do it anyway without complaining about CARDIO.

Sometimes they must also compete several weeks later (or the very next month) in back to back international competitions, yet they still have the cardio to compete at the highest level (without 12 week camps).

Oh, and MMA athletes face less steep competitors than Olympians do.

So why do MMA fighters need a 12 week camp just for cardio?

They don't. It's just a bullshit excuse that is costing the UFC millions of dollars in lost/unmade main events that could be happening more often.

Discuss.

 

[mmafan559]

Donald Cerrone.

If fighters stayed in shape and wanted to fight more they could, they just don't.

 

[SuperiorHands]

I agree, I think about 6-8 weeks is more than sufficient unless after a fight you completely let yourself go with both diet and training.

 

[Sac423]

Do you MMA? Or are you an armchair athlete like myself?

 

[120wrestling]

brb olympic athletes get slammed, kicked, or have someone trying to knock themselves out

I agreed for the most part, but the way a swimmer can train back to back is different from a Prize fighter. You should know that. Ideally 6-8 is best imo, get in good shape and don't risk injury from fatigue and over exertion

 

[BJPenn2012]

Donald Cerrone.

If fighters stayed in shape and wanted to fight more they could, they just don't.

Neil Magny as well. Its usually on the fighter though I would assume, and coming out of fights healthy as well.

 

[Fatal Catro]

Only thing worse than the Sherdog armchair world-class fighters
( training does not apply ) are the armchair coaches/trainers.

 

[LogicalError]

I think it's more a product of how significant their records are, or how damaging a single loss can be. If fighters were rewarded more and appreciated for their willingness to fight and take risks and not have everything ride on wins or losses, they'd be more like Cerrone.

 

[FollowTheReap3r]

lol at doing a 12 week camp and expecting to be 100% fight night

camps should be 6-8 weeks maximum

 

[KILL KILL]

I'm starting to like this guy's troll threads. It's straight to the point, easy to read, and he even underlines / holds parts for emphasis.

6/10. You're getting there TS!

 

[Iron Leg]

For better or worse, it's a different world now.

Fighters are much more skilled and much better trained across the board. Fighters now fight professionally full-time for a living, and there's also a lot more at stake if you win or lose. Gambling with your body, career, fame, and fortune is too high stakes a game for fighters to take it lightly or risk coming in less prepared than their opponent.

Yup, as fans, it kind of sucks when the need for lengthy fight camps delays or prevents fights from happening, but it's an inevitable side effect of becoming a bigger sport.

 

[fleshcross]

Holy shit OP, you do realize shit has changed over the years, right?

The sport is different than when they did tournaments. The game has evolved. There is more money, and therefore more careful planning involved.

You bring up cardio, over and over, yet fail to mention weight cutting, probably one of the bigger reasons that fighters don't fight more often.

 

[Diet Otsuka]

Ross Clifton never needed no 12 week camp, and that dude was a warrior

 

[luv24nic8]

Cutting so much weight that you need 12 weeks to do it- thats BS! Fight closer to your natural weight. Just because someone that normally weighs 190, and is a champ at 145 is lame imho.

But I agree with the op - 12 weeks is too long.

 

[ALAN PARTRIDGE]

Great points made

it's there job to fight, they should be physically fit at the drop of a hat

 

[BruceLeeOnTRT]

Yeah it's basically extra time to trim the fat they got in the offseason. Guys who are always in shape don't need that much time to peak for a fight.

 

[Buck Murdock]

You need 12 weeks to get the drug cycles correct.

 

[Jermei]

Holy shit OP, you do realize shit has changed over the years, right?

The sport is different than when they did tournaments. The game has evolved. There is more money, and therefore more careful planning involved.

You bring up cardio, over and over, yet fail to mention weight cutting, probably one of the bigger reasons that fighters don't fight more often.

WSOF is doing an 8 man tournament in one night where 2 guys will fight 3x. Good luck training for that...

 

[TwoFace]

It's the excessive weight cutting and extreme dieting that is the prime reason why we don't see fighters fight as often like the good ol' days.

 

[Me]

Yeah? How many camps have you done, TS?