Muay Thai and Race

My man Patee in Thailand

Hello all, hope this finds you all happy and healthy as we close out this year. It was an amazing year for us at Lucky's Muay Thai and I am so proud to be a part of such a great group of people. We are already scheduled for a couple of events in the new year and I am stoked. I wanted to touch on a subject that some find uncomfortable, and that's race relations in Muay Thai or Martial arts in general. Maybe it's a good thing that it makes people uncomfortable to talk about race or it could just be, the way that I see it, in Martial arts it just doesn't matter. It matters in other places in society e.g. politics, certain neighborhoods, social issues, etc, but in Muay Thai in my experience, it just doesn't matter.

Matthew from Switerland and Jihad from France

When you walk into a gym or dojo anywhere in the world the focus is on the discipline and technique. It's about uniting your mind, body and soul. Yes something about being hit in the face or kicked extremely hard is spiritual. I'm not sure why we don't think so much about race when we train in Muay Thai or Jiu Jitsu, or Taekwondo, or other arts. Possibly because we are spending most of our time trying to learn how not to get knocked out or choked to sleep. All of us seem to realize that we will progress faster individually if we work together as a group. We are more when we are training as one. Not to say we don't have our opinions on the social issues of society but the reality is when we get matched up at a tournament or in a ring or a cage the last thing we care about is the color of our opponent. We care about how well we trained, how hard we worked, how our coaches and team feel about the efforts we've made and can we express ourselves fully when the bell rings. What I find unfortunate is that some may read this and say, well you forgotten where you came from or you're not where i'm from. All of that couldn't further from the truth. I know exactly where I came from. I had great great grandmothers who were slaves, I grew up in Chicago where at times it was one of the most segregated cities in the country, I lived in Texas where I was called the N-word by cops and chased on more than one occasion by idiot racists with guns. So yes I get it things are not fair for everyone in society, particularly minorities but in every place i've lived and with every group I've had the honor of training with one thing rang true. Race was never an issue. From my Israeli friends that teach and train Krav Maga to my Brazilians that train Jiu Jitsu, all the way to my Thai friends that train Muay Thai and beyond.

MMA class 08'

We all love each other just the same and putting our heart into getting better at our arts and using that to make us better human beings is the goal across the board regardless of race. As most of my readers know I have a new baby, she is now five months old and she is bi-racial or mixed, or whatever label people are using now but to me she is just my baby. I didn't even realize she was light skinned until people would ask me,"who's baby is that", or "is that your baby?". No joke, i've heard that and more. As she starts to get older the only place I feel really comfortable with her being and people I feel comfortable being with are those that walk the Martial path because those are the people I know will instill in her a sense of love and compassion not based on her color and I love that. I wanted to add some pictures of people I've had the pleasure of training with from different parts of the world and of all different races but it would just be a never ending collage. So I just added a few but know that I think of you all and have truly enjoyed meeting you, training with you and growing with you.

       Only one thing left to say and that is thank you for letting go of the insensitivity of the outside world to become more sensitive and aware of your true self. Peace and blessings through the holidays and much success in your training and fighting in 2015

Last night's training all colors, all creeds, all L-O-V-E

Guess they haven't seen Kevin Ross fight

What's up people?! Hope all is well out there in your world during this holiday season. Before you jump to conclusions about the title of my post let's get one thing clear, though I am ma huge Kevin Ross fan this post isn't about how sick his spinning elbow looks or how he throws that sneaky head kick off the misdirection. No, this post is about us, the participants and fans of said fighting acumen. See we have a bit of a problem here in the U.S.. The problem is that in the midst of a combat sports renaissance world wide, from MMA to Jiu Jitsu, and even boxing finally making a comeback. Kickboxing whether it be Muay Thai, K-1, or Glory just isn't getting the love in the states. I'm not sure of the reason, because watching a high level kickboxing match is every bit as exciting as anything else on television.
           Maybe that's the problem, no major television deal. I mean we have Lion Fights on Axs which is awesome except for when I talk to people about it most of them don't know if they "have that channel". Not only that but they are not at all familiar with the fighters. If not knowing the fighters is an issue then an organization like Glory with an amazing show including dancers, pyrotechnics, smoke, and some good marketing, should have no problem promoting the fighters. Well, Glory does do a great job marketing it's product, unfortunately most of the fighters are European. So yeah, that doesn't help the American kickboxers almost at all. Leading the charge in Glory was Joe Schilling winning the middleweight tournament. Glory let his contract expire. So yeah, instead of seeing an awesome glory card featuring a fight between Schilling and Manhoef we instead had to tune in to Bellator MMA to watch the awesome knockout that should have further helped the growth of kickboxing in America. MMA wins.
           Speaking of MMA winning it just reminded me of how women's MMA has blown up and it was primarily kick started by one Gina Carano and carried on by now MMA champion Rhonda Rousey but let's keep it real, Gina is the original and was the first true face of MMA. There's only one problem with that situation and that's that Gina was a Muay Thai fighter first and had there been an outlet, maybe kickboxing could have shared in the success of women fighters.
          I don't know if we are that far away from enjoying some of the lucrativity that MMA has garnered, I don't even know how much of that we even want. How would it change our community if we were blessed with Muay Thai on Fox or Glory on ESPN a couple of times per month? Might not be in a good way as the market as we know can be oversaturated. That doesn't mean I wouldn't want fighters to have an organization that offered  good pay, promotion, marketing, and a way to let the fighters use their personalities to acquire some sponsorship dollars.
          So you see when I that "I guess they haven't seen Kevin Ross fight", what i'm really saying is I guess they have never seen Kevin Ross, Joe Shilling, Angela Hill, Tiffany Van Soest, Miriam Nakamoto, Angela Hill, Wayne Barrett, Joseph Valtellini, Chris Mauceri, Raymond Daniels,...etc..etc..because if they had they would realize that they have been missing out on seeing some of the most exciting fighters this country has to offer.

My interview on the Muay Thai Guy podcast with Sean Fagan

MTG 059: "Lucky" Lloyd Walton and I Discuss The Muay Thai/Kickboxing Divide, Balancing Life With Training and More!

You gotta be a little crazy

Hope everyone is doing well and staying warm in most of the country. Pretty stoked about the holidays this year. not to say that I'm not normally but this year is special. Got a new babygirl to celebrate with, my sister is moving down, the team is strong and my woman is a badass. I say that because it takes a special kind of person to deal with a fighter because we are all a little crazy. And in lieu of my bad segway, i'll just get started..
     So what does it take for a human being to want to challenge themselves against another human being in hand to hand combat. Some might believe that it's money, well that's a huge misconception. Unless you are one of the top guys in the entire world, you're making some seriously average pay. How about fame? Nah, you can become moderately famous if you're winning but again unless you're getting some top billing internationally then you're just as local as the guy throwing boxes at UPS.
 So what is it then? The answer just isn't that simple, some people need it to keep control of some emotional fire within them, some do it to challenge themselves and their martial spirit, others just like to fight but all have one thing in common. We're all a little crazy. Not the kind of crazy that gets you put on the evening news... okay, a bit of that is also involved but it's not the main ingredient.
      No, what we are is a combination of bravery, heart, intelligence, passion and the ability to say at the moment the bell rings, I'm ready to face all of the potentially horrible possibilities as a warrior and I will go out on my shield if need be. Although that in itself might seem a little nuts, it's not nearly as crazy as the eight weeks of training we put our bodies through preparing to face somebody of the same mindset. Yes the actual fight can be brutal but the training is the truly insane part. What the average person sees on television or at an event is a fraction of the amount of time spent beating our bodies up in training. Between sparring, strength and conditioning, running, and visualizing it can drive a fighter to the brink. We are emotional especially in training camp, we fight our fight a thousand times in our heads, going over every possibility. It is a roller coaster ride of emotions, losing, winning, questioning why we even do it. The fact of the matter is it's in us, we are passionate for it and we do it even to our own detriment but it is a special thin we have, we are a brotherhood and a sisterhood of fighters and most will never understand us. Some might call us crazy, but we would rather be deemed crazy and know we tested our very existence against another willing to do the same, than to live a life so ordinary.
      That being said let's be clear, all of the best ever, greatest of all times, number ones, etc were a bit crazy. From artists, to intellectuals , to fighters. In every aspect of life the majority of the time the ones that were best at their crafts had a little extra crazy in them. The obsession for being great, they hate losing more than they like winning. If there is a chance you can tap into that even for a moment why wouldn't you try. I encourage everyone of you to go out and get obsessed about something you love, pour your heart in it and see what happens. The payoff is being able to say you did what others said you couldn't and doing what other people just won't. Be different, be brave, be challenged, and be a little crazy. Ossss...

Poverty over Passion

What's up people, hope this finds you all doing well and gearing up for the holiday season. Which for some of you means being angry because you're cutting weight and can't eat all of that tremendous holiday food. I hope that's not the case and if it is, i'll eat plenty on your behalf, no worries.
          I am stoked about how the LMT team did this year, we are growing stronger everyday and it is a humbling experience. Please check out our video posted on this blog if you haven't already it's called "LMT in motion", it's available on YouTube. Let me know what you think.
           After training numerous people from different walks of life I honestly am not sure that the idea that the poorer you are the harder you fight. There is definitely something to that, but I strongly believe that passion sometimes supersedes being hungry. I train a banker that is willing to leave it all in the ring and he is nowhere near poor and I honestly don't think he's ever been there. So where does that inner fight come from? I think it comes from human nature. The possibility to do something bigger than yourself for reasons other than getting out of a bad situation. Some fighters are engaged in a quest to prove something to themselves or dedicate their careers to the people that sacrificed for them to have a better life.
         I am a firm believer that whether you are in a impoverished situation or you're well to do, you will only get as far as your heart and your will are going to take you. You have to want it more than the next guy but you also have to train as hard, study as hard, and be prepared to go out on your shield. Now, if you have more to gain and nothing to lose from the fight then the wealthier fighter, you might be more willing to go out on swinging but if you haven't put in the time in training or studying the techniques it doesn't matter who you are, rich or poor, you're going to eventually hit a wall. Ultimately, you are only as good as the effort you put in and that has nothing to do with money and everything to do with heart, attitude, belief , and willingness.
         Be willing, and you just might attain greatness.

This is LMT.

This is just offensive.

Oh boy, a long post, I must be feeling it right now. Well the truth is that watching my team prepare for their upcoming fights has got me amped up.  Coaching them up for their competitions is an amazing feeling. Showing them what their bodies are capable of is even better. Before you can understand that, you must first know what you're equipped with. What the casual fight fan, beginning fighter, and unfortunately some trainers don't understand is their actual understanding of the weapons that are available. The human body is magnificent. It is secretly embedded with an arsenal of weapons. If you're not sold on that then let's examine them.
  Starting with the hands when balled up tight forcing the knuckles to extrude are no longer hands but spiked maces like the ones used by the gladiators. If used properly the fist can deliver devastating knockouts to both the head and body. Ask anyone that has had to stand in front of a person that has had any boxing training and knows where and how to place them. The great thing about them is they don't require a lot of effort to use, but the bad thing is that they can be broken if you landed on the wrong part of the opponents body. Which leads us to the pair of almost unbreakable axes attached to the middle of both arms. Elbows are some of the most devastating weapons in your possession. They can be used to both smash and cut your opponent. These are fight enders. When levied with the right velocity elbows can break jaws, collarbones, ribs, and skulls. As terrible as that might sound (or great), these weapons are as I said before, dual purposed. If your opponent is game enough to withstand the force of the elbow strike, their skin will almost certainly not be able to handle the slicing effect. Some of the bloodiest fights in all combat sports come from proper application of the elbow. Go back and watch Daniel "The Crow" Loiseau when he fought in the UFC, or how Bj Penn finished Joe "Daddy" Stevenson, and last but not least Yodsanklai Fairtex when he fought a much

Buakaw's  delivers a flying elbow

larger Chike Lindsey. Chike was much larger and more powerful but Yod began to slice him to bits with elbows securing his victory. The elbow is your friend at close range and can be used in a direct striking method as well as spinning and jumping. If you are not proficient in elbow striking I strongly suggest you become so before you reach an opponent that is. The results can be brutal.
        As we move into the lower part of the body let's first make sure we understand that these weapons are all tied together by one thing, the core. If the core is weak, these weapons are useless. I'm not saying of course that you couldn't strike with force but the effectiveness of any of these weapons with a strong core increases exponentially. Work on your core!
        So let's first start with the legs. The foundation for all of your abilities, the base of your pyramid. They seem innocuous enough from the outside. However for every martial artist knows that those legs are actually spring loaded baseball bats attached to your hips and core. The beauty of the legs is that they can be used in so many ways that when trained at a high  level an opponent can literally be lost as to what is coming next. Round kicks, axe kicks, side kicks, turning side kicks, low kicks, high kicks, and on and on and on. Something as simple as leg kicks can end a fight in incredible fashion. Edson Barbosa, Ramon Dekkers, Jose Aldo, Ernesto Hoost, all devastating leg kickers that have finished fights with those kicks. You can go on Youtube and literally watch fight after fight of leg kick knockouts. The the toes, core and hips helps fire the legs with power and gives a fighter a way to finish fights as well as destroy defenses. Blocking kicks with a single arm has a risk involved. Cung le broke Frank Shamrocks ulna in a competitive fight in Strikeforce up until that point and Alistair Overeem broke the arm of Gohkan Saki during the K-1 grand prix. Nothing worse than being on the wrong end of two baseball bats being swung at you from every angle and ultimately done from a distance which doesn't allow you to retaliate without taking punishment. If your core is right, you can throw kicks with the power of a major league homerun hitter. So what happens when someone is able to close the distance o those legs either by superior footwork, defense, or just willingness to take the punishment in order to apply some strikes of their own? Well then that leads us to the  Battering rams.

          Knees... Two battering rams that are destruction heavy. So maybe your opponent can withstand the punches, and elbows, and checks kicks like nobodies business. The question is can their body continue on while sustaining blunt force trauma to the thighs, ribcage, sternum, and if you involve a solid clinch game, the head.
The knees have no mercy, if the arms are put in front of them to block, then the arms are broken or severely bruised and rendered useless. The amazing thing about knees is that they don't need to be thrown at full force to cause damage, a simple raise of the leg and the knee can be felt. As I mentioned if you have a solid clinch game and can manipulate your opponents movement, the knee can be your best friend. So what is the clinch game?
        Clinching allows you to control the movement, posture, and ability of your opponent to get off their own offense. When stuck in the clinch of someone that knows how to clinch it feels claustrophobic or like quicksand. The only options when in the clinch are to be defensive or try to escape, or break the clinch and get into your own clinch. All of these things are easier said than done, especially when knees are being hurled into your torso and your head is being bent into your chest and you're being whipped in circles around the ring.
        After writing this I can only say that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Striking methods and weapons are many and they are evolving everyday. Learn your craft and put as many tools in your toolbox as you can or else you might be on the wrong end of a technique that you might have overlooked or just didn't respect.
       Lastly, don't forget the most important weapon of all, your brain. Train smart, understand your flaws and places that need improvement. Don't take unnecessary punishment in training just for the sake of banging it out. Save something for the fight. Fight smart, learn to recognize the movements of your opponents and be tactical. Hit and don't get hit. Don't be in the fight, be the fight. Tune in to the very frequency of the energy and be one with the ebb and flow. Be the fighter you always say you can be. If you take the time to learn your craft, how can you be stopped from succeeding.
Love you guys.
Lucky

Bigger, faster, stronger.. Maybe

Oh boy!! It's a blog, finally! I am currently writing this blog on my phone with one hand as the beautiful Nin sleeps in my other arm. One thing I've learned since the arrival of this beautiful child is that it requires near super human strength to carry her around or "mommy strength" as it were... Lol..  This brings me to the body of this blog which is the question. As a fighter, should I be lifting weights? Seems like a no brainer to some but the reality is much more complicated.
    Most boxers I know spend almost no time lifting weights of any real significance. It tends to get them to tight and inhibit their ability to move, or so I've heard. The belief that the science of the sport itself along with proper conditioning as well as the usual regimen of calisthenics is enough to get the fighters in peak condition.
       However in this new age of MMA and the growth of other combat sports along with the explosion of Crossfit and sports optimization facilities a simple regimen of old school calisthenics may not be enough to keep up with the athletes of today. I mean how can you compete with someone that's doing Olympic style lifting and gymnastics as well as having training that's monitored by a certified trainer that knows everything about you including the last time you sat on the toilet?.. That doesn't even begin to even touch the surface about supplements and those "other supplements" that people are taking just to keep up with the rigors of that kind of training.
  It's a lot to go up against when you don't have access to those opportunities. For myself I can only say that I can completely understand the necessity of a balanced approach to your strength and conditioning training. When I was just doing conditioning I felt great but I often would find myself dealing with nagging injuries. When I only lifted I felt like I couldn't move and stiff as a board. I had to go a different route to get to my destination. I laid off the weights for a while and began to research what other athletes were doing. It all became clear after watching a sickening amount of videos and reading a ridiculous amount of information, most of which was nonsense. The best way to get what yourself in peak condition is to vary your training and go between explosive workouts like sprints and plyos, to swimming and long runs for cardio work, mix in some circuit training with kettle bells and sandbags etc for core.. And last but not least throw in some good old fashioned weight training. You may not be able to afford the high priced gyms and trainers but hard work doesn't cost anything but sweat. Always remember that no matter what training the guy or girl with all the resources is doing the two things they can't train is their heart and their chin. You have to do one thing. Want it more!
     

Evolution through coaching!

What's up people, hope all is well out there . I know it's been a minute but the LMT family was focused in preparation for battle. We had three fights in Tampa in the Muay Thai classic. We came back with one victory and two losses but we came away with the respect of the other teams and some new fans! We made a big statement for our team which really set us up for future success.

 

Will getting some coaching

Felipe pre-fight

 In my case, as a coach over the last couple of camps and fights I've noticed a personal evolution. I've dedicated the  last 14 years of my life to muay thai and just as it did as a fighter, it's starting to happen as a coach. I'm beginning to be able to do a couple of things with confidence. First off I've been able to coach each fighter to their ability. When I first started out as a coach I believe I just wanted the technique to be correct. Now I've started to pull each fighters strength to the forefront. Each person utilizes different techniques in different ways and it's important to be able to put the fighters in the best possible position to be successful. For instance in Sarah, my female fighter's debut I thought for sure that with her soccer background that her legs would be key. I had told her that before the fight she could end the fight with her knee. In the first round she dropped her opponent with a knee and nearly finished the fight. I based that theory specifically on the training we did and the power in her legs. Which leads to the next thing I noticed about my coaching evolution. Making adjustments on the fly.

Sarah "La Pantera" post victory

Watching my fighter's opponent for holes in their game that we can exploit throughout the fight. In the same fight I noticed that Sarah's opponent wasn't using her jab to keep Sarah from advancing and because Sarah is a southpaw we had worked on staying on the outside of the lead leg. I yelled to Sarah to throw the lead hook and follow with the cross. She later told me she didn't know why I asked her to do it but she bought into it and it worked. At one point she threw it 3 times in a row and the girl couldn't defend it or figure it out. This has been the newest addition to my coaching game. I left the fights extremely happy for the growth team and very happy with my progress as a coach.

Post fight celebrations

It is a constant learning experience. Each fight, fighter and opponent is different. I am focusing on the organization of the growth of the team. New techniques, better conditioning, sound fundamentals, and recognizing opportunities within the fight. The best thing about all of this is that I've seen my own Muay Thai game evolve. I'm seeing things differently and applying the knowledge I'm gaining as a coach to my own growth as a fighter. I'm looking forward to October when my team fights again and being in the ring later this year to put it all to the test. Thanks for all the support and donations, the podcast is on the way and the sound of the LMT chant is getting louder and louder.  Peace and blessings don't forget to follow is on social media: @luckysmuaythai

Fighting at all speeds

Hey guys, hope all is well in your neck of the woods.  Perfect time for a blog. Heading into the last week of camp for the fighters, two of which are competing for a state title and one that is having her debut on August 8th in Tampa. All of this brings back memories. When I first started it was like a tornado, just chaos for 3 rounds, but it seemed like it took forever. Now it's still chaos but very controlled. I always feel like regardless of the pace of the fight it moves in slow motion for me. Now that doesn't mean that I see everything and am able to pull a Matrix move everytime I get swung at or kicked. However because of the ability to finally settle my mind I can hear the voice inside my head as it attempts to figure out my opponents defense in order to open up my offense. It's a mental and physical chess game bolstered by the skill level of each player. There's almost a formula for it. Number of techniques known multiplied by conditioning divided by defensive ability and strength of chin and mind. Either way it's like two military commanders executing attacks and counter attacks as mapped out in a war room. Now more so than ever, I get it. A person preparing for a fight must be able prepare not only the body but also the mind. Well, we know that, you might say. Yes, but there is a factor that isn't touched on as much. The speeds at which your body and mind must be ready to perform. The knowledge of when to attack verbally, or when to listen to your opponent blow hot air and you sit back and smile. When to blitz your opposition and when to frustrate them with your movement and counterattacking. All of this is done at different speeds and all of it requires training. The ability to subtly get your opponent to fight your fight against their will is an art in itself. At, 50 years of age Bernard Hopkins won another title by forcing his younger opponent to fight at his speed. A young Cassius Clay (Muhammed Ali) convinced a much larger more experienced Sonny Liston that he would beat him during a press conference that had Liston thinking that Ali was crazy. There are moments in MMA that a ground specialist will beat a world class striker simply based on the ability to get them to fight at their speed and make them believe they are the better striker. This happened in the Fabricio Werdum vs Travis Browne fight. The lesson here is to be well rounded, believe in your skill, and impose the beauty of your style on all opponents mentally and physically in life and in competition. Sometimes that is done by moving forward, and sometimes by hanging back, sometimes by talking and other times by listening but to achieve this it takes practice and commitment to your art and yourself. You must get to know who you are to know what you are capable of. Fight and train at all speeds. Peace and Love from all of us at Lucky's Muay Thai!

LMT: The Journey podcast ep.2

In this episode Lucky rambles deliriously the Ufc, Lion Fights, and his new baby. Jennifer spills the beans about how she got the nickname "Supergirl"... Kick back and enjoy the listen, it's short and sweet.

Student of the game

Hello all! Hope you guys all got a chance to hear Jenn and I rant on the new Blog companion podcast. If you haven't had a chance to hear it you can download it on iTunes. Just go to the podcast section and search LMT The Journey and you should be in business. Thanks in advance for the support!! Now that that's out of the way let's get down to my obsession. Studying, my fixation on knowledge is both ambitious and absolutely annoying as hell. It kept me taking college courses for a decade but bouncing around so much that I never really completed a program. That will be done before the end of the year btw. As a fighter I started researching training techniques through Youtube which I then dubbed Youtube University. If you want to learn it, it's on Youtube. It was really subtle at first, learning kicking techniques and punching techniques, defensive drills, conditioning etc. It quickly became an obsession,I couldn't go a day without watching a video about fighting or reading about it. It became my coach, I was learning to thread together different styles of striking by studying videos of the techniques and practicing them everyday at the gym. This is a great way to add some techniques and variety to your training on your own. It is however necessary to have somebody there to watch your techniques for missteps. Sometimes a good coach is hard to find but training partners that you trust can be a big help when you don't have one. As I began to fight and train with a group of fighters it was an invaluable tool for learning pad holding, angles, and just for watching frickin' fights! I spent the first bit of time on the computer catching up on fights I had missed over the years.I can only say that I have seen more fights than I could even begin to count. I mean is it in the hundreds , maybe but probably though closer to the thousands. When I started to do Jiu Jitsu it just added more to my playlist and then I started coaching and my head exploded, not really obviously but I have been flooding my brain now for years with information. I wouldn't be surprised if it did actually explode. Don't get me wrong there is nothing better for learning than actually doing. However, now you have an endless supply of knowledge and for fighters, it is priceless. Want to work on your timing, look up timing drills, figure out how to throw a check hook, it's on there, or if you just want to see Anderson Silva front kick Vitor Belfort in the chops i
t is at your fingertips, no excuses. Now as for me it has gotten to a point of ridiculousness. Television has fights on, computer has techniques or drills playing, smartphone is playing a podcast of some sort (Joe Rogan, Fighter and the Kid, Josh Barnett, etc), and I have at least one book around and a notebook with pen. This might not seem like it's annoying but when a six year old wants to play Playstation and when turned down says to her mom, "he's watching boxing, he's always watching boxing", it might be a bit much..lol. I am definitely hooked on studying and it is a little annoying but it has made me a better fighter, a better coach and a much more evolved thinker. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn and grow your game at a faster pace and with more options.

LMT The Journey Podcast Ep.1

My interview for IKF-PKB!

Sit Down with Kru Lucky for IKF-PKB: http://youtu.be/uegVQP9dN94

The idea of Enson

What's up people?!! It's been a bit since I last wrote but it's been a bit busy getting the team ready to fight. We came back with a win, a loss, and an opponent no show. Congrats to all three of my guys Felipe, Chris, and Hugo for all their hard work. A good weekend overall, so proud of my team. That being said, this was going to be a blog about fighting and a fighter that I like and the phrase that was used to define him but I think it is more than that. This blog is about Enson Inoue and "Yamato Damashii".

     Simply put Yamato Damashii means "the spirit of Japan". Now I can't pretend that I comprehend the term in the way it is meant in it's entirety. I ,as you might know, am not Japanese. Enson received this nickname from the press when he fought in Pride fighting championships in the golden age of MMA. With a ten minute first round, soccer kicks and face stomps, and an entire roster of destroyers, Pride set the tone for the future of MMA. Though he accepted the nickname it wasn't until living with it for a while that he actually understood it. It stands for integrity, honesty and pride, it stands for respect and belief, and it stands for facing challenges head on no matter what the outcome. It embodies the Bushido lifestyle and it was the perfect nickname for the fighter who cared little about the money and more about conquering his fears, this same man would write letters to his family before he fought just in case something tragic happened. He just simply understood the warriors code as it is meant to be, you either are or you aren't, there really isn't a middle ground. There can't be doubt if you expect to compete in combat with another human being. I tell my fighters before fights that the win or the loss doesn't matter, what matters to me is that they give everything and express themselves fully. I believe that if they do that then they will find what they are looking for not only in the ring but also in life.
      As it goes, Enson is retired and does seminars and trains fighters etc. but when the earthquake struck Japan everything changed as he went to see some friends that didn't live near the damage he found that they had all `gone North in the direction of the catastrophe. He felt in his soul that he had to do something and he too headed towards the destruction levied by a powerful earthquake and compounded by a damaged nuclear power plant. The radiation didn't matter, nor did the fear of the unknown, what Enson Inoue had found was a clear path to having something better than money. The feeling you only get when you give of yourself for no other reason than it's the right thing to do. He began bringing food and clothes to those displaced and games and toys for the kids. This is where that nickname really shines through, "Yamato Damashii", is a phrase but the idea behind it can only be created by actions. As we fight forward and bite down on our mouthpieces and swing, when everything is against us and we stare adversity in the face and moreover when we take the time to help those of us who have fallen we are showing our spirit. In this I hope you look to find your own version of "Yamato Damashii", as I am in constant search of mine.
      I hope you guys enjoy my writing, if you do please subscribe to the blog or the youtube channel "Lucky's Muay Thai", or catch me on instagram and twitter @Luckysmuaythai. I also attached the first part of a documentary on Enson's work in Japan. You should also check out his highlights and keep a look out for the LMT: The Journey podcast coming soon! Peace and Blessings!

One day...

 

Hey people, hope all is going well in your lives and blessings are falling from the sky like raindrops. I have a lot on my plate these days and it's about to get crazier. But before we get into that, I want to talk about one of the most used phrases you hear in life. The phrase "One day" is used by ambitious people that see a goal and are determined to achieve it. One day i'll have a nice car, a house, i'll travel, become a doctor or lawyer, and one of the phrases I hear the most, "One day i'll be a champion".
     It all starts with a single thought, the beginning of a journey that for some may actually take a lifetime. There is no timeline for achieving your goal, the only idea you will ever need is that no matter what, you will never quit chasing your dream. Spend each moment embracing your journey and conquering your obstacles. The pursuit is never easy but the fruits of your labor will endure a lifetime.
     Your goals will evolve and change and grow, they will seem out of reach and impossible at times. You will uncover potholes and discouragement but this is only so rough because it is the path less traveled. Success and achievement are not supposed to be easy. If you can adapt and stay focused you will not be denied. Be relentless!

Luna demos Muay Thai @school

Me and T going to Thailand

      In my case I just wanted to teach Muay Thai and learn a little MMA and boy did it take a life of it's own. Although I have far exceeded anything I ever thought probable or possible, the goals I achieved aren't my "one day" achievements. I know that sounds strange, but the thing I've wanted most in my life is to have what I had when I was young. I had a family. Before the alcohol took my grandfather and before the crack epidemic that pulled the men in my family out into the streets, it was my happiest time. I always thought that one day I would have that again, and now I am about two months away from welcoming my little girl into the world and I am stoked. The road has been a long one, love has been won and lost but all of it has been leading up to this. I managed to get lucky (no pun intended) and fall in love with someone that knows and understands me and in the process got to practice fatherhood in a crash course. With another girl coming into the house I am going to be terribly outnumbered and I am absolutely okay with that. How can I complain about my life, i'm being given a chance to have the one thing that has eluded me, I get to have my "One day"!!!

My little lady due July 14th

       I wish the same for all of you.

Thoughts from Caroline, Erick, Margaret, and Sarah - Part 3

#4 Sarah w/ Felipe

It’s pretty widely accepted that one should “learn from their past” and commonly said to “seize the day” or “live in the moment”, but then there’s the pull of “hope for tomorrow” and “plan for the future.”  With all the catch phrases of life and time, it can be hard to know where to place your focus.  Our generation is infamous for seeking instant gratification.  We’ve grown up in an era where everything we could possibly need is at our fingertips.  Need directions?   Address?  Reservations?  Tickets?  To pay a bill? To answer a question?  At one point in history it was a big deal to be able to access these luxuries from a bulky computer with a monitor and a mouse, however, now our smartphones are so slim and compact that I lose mine like three times a day.  We have popularized the profound saying of “YOLO”- as if anyone at any point in time thought we ever lived more than one time – and use it as an excuse or an explanation for acting recklessly or irresponsibly.  Planning for the future has become outdated, saving money seems nearly impossible, and debt is increasingly trending.  Despite the ridiculousness of the phrase and the actions it sometimes ensues, there is truth to it.  Trends, sayings, money, and even people, will come and go, but time only goes.  The rush to live life to its fullest doesn’t come with the surprise of only having one, but with the uncertainty of when it may suddenly be taken from us.  I lost a close friend and teammate last year to a tragic accident very suddenly, and it was the first time that my invincibility was terribly shaken.  It’s not the first time I’ve experienced death of someone I love, but it was the first to occur suddenly and of someone my own age.  At only 22, her memory will always serve as a reminder that happiness or success can’t be measured by the number of years put into your life, but the life you put into your years.
So comes the challenge:  how can you balance living the present moment while still working towards future goals.  It’s hard to save for graduate school when you’re paying off undergrad.  I also refuse to be one of those people that looks back from age 30 wondering how time passed so quickly and nothing seemed to have changed.  The dilemma arises in almost every area of my life, including Muay Thai.  After my first class with Lucky, I was ready to jump in the ring with heavy hitters and bang; oh how quickly I forgot that just an hour before he was showing me how to wrap my hands for the first time.  Since starting in December, I have received advice from so many sources and gained so much from my time with LMT, but I still haven’t fought.  I’ve moved through stages of emotions with the sport – obsession, anger, frustration, doubt, joy, love.  Practice can be tedious, especially with the constant taunt of the draw to fight, but I know the hard work of the present is what will make my future successful.  The trick is learning how to enjoy the ride, take the speed bumps, and avoid the wrecks.  Struggling with my weight and some mild overtraining symptoms jerked me back to the present when I had my blinders locked in on a potential fight.  You have to pay attention to yourself every day, without losing sight of your dreams.  Focus is a key component of success.  Focusing on your dreams of the future can give you drive, but if you don’t focus on present tasks at hand, your training is less effective.  Unfortunately, there is no secret equation to finding this balance.  If you find one, PLEASE tell me!  Ability to juggle past, present, and future is a learned skill and varies from person to person.  My one luxury is having an amazing coach to keep me on the straight and narrow and anchor me when I try floating between the three time zones; when I get frustrated with myself or a skill, or if I’m too anxious to fight or try something out of my level of ability, Lucky is always there telling me “these things take time.”  My other luxury is the awesome team I’ve become a part of with LMT.  As a novice fighter, I have so many amazing people surrounding and supporting me that I can’t imagine learning Muay Thai any other way.  When I need advice, help tweaking a skill, or just a laugh (maybe a lot of laughs) I have at least two teammates five days a week and most of their cell numbers.  Friends are a good link to the past, a necessity in the present, and a hope for the future.  We all just do the best we can and lift each other up.  So to my LMT locos, here’s to our past obstacles overcame, our present obstacles being tackled, and the future when we look back and smile at all the fun we had figuring it out along the way.  Find your balance – in life and push kicks.

Thoughts from Caroline, Erick, Margaret, and Sarah - Part 2

#3 Margaret

I am an opera singer who enjoys learning Muay Thai.  What I have come to realize is that training as a Muay Thai fighter is virtually identical to training as an opera singer.   I know this sounds crazy, but when it comes down to it, in Muay Thai and in opera your body is your instrument.  You practice your basic techniques: hours of kick pyramids, working on angles for your elbows, and 1000s of sit-ups. For me, every kick pyramid is a set of 6 scales on one breath to strengthen my breath support. Extending my jab is singing, “how now brown cow” for 30 minutes a day to get my “o” vowel in just the right spot.  My 1000s of sit ups are the hours of practice I put in daily so that I don’t get tired when I have to sing for long stretches of time.

We carefully train and shape our bodies to make them as effective as possible, but our bodies aren’t everything - they are the blank canvas necessary to execute our chosen discipline. By the time I start rehearsals on an opera, the technique required is engrained in my muscles allowing me to focus on other aspects of the opera because it’s not just about belting out your notes and words - you have to know WHY you’re singing them. Who is your character? What’s their background story? What is their purpose within the story?

In Muay Thai, your neutral ground is the muscle memory you’ve created through all of your technical work.  The rest is intellectual - there must be purpose behind your movements.  A kick doesn’t mean much if you don’t have a reason for throwing it. When sweep someone, do you want them to simply fall or is your goal to knock their wind out? Having purpose behind your actions allows you to maximize the work you’ve done with your technique.

One of our main challenges is incorporating our practice into the reality of a fight or performance.  Lets be honest - whether you’re on stage or you’re in a fight it’s not really about you, it’s about you and the other person/people working with you and the story you create together. Every brilliant and weak moment your opponent has allows you the opportunity to learn.  As you learn, you can start to adapt to their style, exploit their weaknesses and minimize their brilliance (this works for Muay Thai, in singing it’s better to minimize your cast mate’s weak bits!) If you look beyond individual kicks and punches, you gain the opportunity to become inspired by your opponent, to improvise and create an entirely unique experience together.


I am no expert on Muay Thai, nor am I really an expert in opera, but the more I learn about both disciplines the more I believe that Muay Thai and opera are two in the same. As an opera singer, the only time I will be punched will be fake and if I fall it will be planned in advance, but I do believe that my training in Muay Thai is symbiotic with that of my vocal training and it’s been fun watching those two parts of my life work together.

Thoughts from Caroline, Erick, Margaret, and Sarah - Part 1

Hey guys! Fresh off the Boca Raton IBJJF International open and looking forward to May 31st and my fighters getting a shot at glory. Loving life right now!! So this post isn't really mine. I did a little contest for some of my students and asked them to write their thoughts about LMT or training, or fighting..etc. I just wanted to hear from them. They all won a t-shirt just for participating. I am blessed to have them. That being said I'll shut up and let you read for yourselves.

#1 Caroline Roa

To challenge ourselves to the extremes is in my opinion one of the most extraordinary things in life. I believe that we should all test our every ability whether it be physical, mental, or spiritual. If we do not test these abilities, we throw away what mostly every single human being is gifted with. In the last several months I have been blessed to experience an art of beauty and ultimate challenge. Muay Thai has changed me in many ways that no other sport has. It has made me realize how special and powerful the human form is. Practicing this martial art has also humbled me in ways that I could never have imagined. It's made me conscious of the fact that you never know what others are capable of and that there is always someone bigger, better, stronger, and more willing to fight for what they believe in. But never has this conscious thought discouraged me, because now I am better, stronger, and more willing to fight for what I believe in. Thank you for the beginning of an endless journey Lucky! (And of course to your magnificent apprentices as well) 

#2 Erick Rodriguez

  Unity from conflict

                The aroma of sweat and worn leather consumes the ring on this warm spring evening. The sun has almost completely set, only a glimmer of the remaining sunlight peers threw the single window that dawns upon the ring. In the squared circle are two opponents, bitter rivals are facing off unleashing havoc upon one another with surgical precision.  A head kick whips just past his face narrowly missing his brow followed by multitude of punching combinations. The strikes that have been drilled over and over to near perfection force him to the corner. Even though the strikes  are so vicious, so calculated they are only meant to instill doubt into the fighter putting him on the defensive.  Finally forced into a corner slipping and parrying as many strikes he could excepting the ones he could not defend his inner lion has been unleashed. 

                Dazed he makes himself a silent promise: he will not be the prey any longer and begins to push forward. He  begins his  assault  throwing a thundering leg kick which is checked just as expected. The leg kick was only to distract; to close the distance then an overhand right immediately follows which connects to the chin. The two modern day gladiators tired and battered are now clinched up in the center of the ring. While adrenaline courses through their veins they try to keep their composure. Heavy breathing commences between the two while they clasp striking knee for knee elbow for elbow. Groans of pain and determination are now echoing throughout the gym neither refusing to yield. Each time bone meets bruised flesh the groans go louder; the determination grows stronger. It has now become a battle of will, of heart, two lions refusing to fall to their adversary. Thirty seconds left signifies the bell, just outside the ring stands their mentor stands. His arms are neatly folded against his barreled chest standing strong, still and silent. He is laser locked on the war going on just inches away from him; but he is not alone.  As his gladiators play out the brutal chess match inside the ring, outside the ring is just as Relentless. People from all walks of life, all creeds, all nations all sexes are busy at works some in search of  peace through regimen and others for prestige through combat.

                Some of the stable watch along next to the experienced sensei studying every technique, cheering every blow some in awe knowing they have the honor of viewing the controlled chaos. Just a little further away are others shadow boxing, playing out fight scenarios deep within their own minds. They enjoy the cerebral  madness of concocting up new combination to out Witt the imaginary  adversary.  More in the far corner of the gym striking the heavy bags and double end bags. Working on the timing and speed of their favorite techniques. Timing is everything in combat one must know when to be tenacious and when to recover.  As the heavy bags are being struck furiously others battle their limitations. Gloves and shin pads replaced with barbells and jump ropes.  Some need to tend to the cardiovascular aspect of combat, for their is no excuse to do battle out of shape. At the same time some need the cold iron pressed against there skin as they rigorously repeat the same lift until the muscles feels like they 

!will rip through the skin. 

            The bell sounds again the round is over, after six straight grueling rounds of fury the coach finally speaks. " Everyone circle up", he shouts. in that instant the separate sects run in unison to their caller and you can start to see the bigger picture. The weights are put back on the racks quickly. The jump ropes stop whipping against the air. The heavy bags are left to sway in peace. For hours all the commotion that cluttered the gym has stopped and all is deathly quiet. All these separate entities are now all united and listening to the well thought out words that are being spoken. During the choice words the two warriors that had been battling for so long just stare at each other. The day has finally come to an end as the unthinkable happens. The battered rivals do what few people outside this very misunderstood  world can grasp, they bow and embrace each other as brothers. Their is no blood relation between them once so ever, except for the blood they caused each other during the sparring session. 

              In many ways this family though is stronger then your conventional family; for its forged threw the fires of combat. So many different individuals of race, beliefs, personalities put away all their social and economical differences aside and replace it for blood and sweat and tears for one common goal. The goal is nothing more then to better themselves threw martial arts. Regardless of who you are or where your from for those few hours your only concern is to leave your gym/dojo a better  person then once you came in.  Every day is a new lesson be it: physical, emotional or spiritual martial arts regardless of style sends you down a journey of self-discovery. And this same journey has a way of uniting individuals who would probably never even speak an avenue to broaden their spectrum of family and friendships.  In a time where the world is constantly at war because of its differences. Martial arts has taken the act of war and taken those same differences to unify people. That's the bigger picture, take smaller entities/countries and create unity and forge a better team/world. That's martial arts.

The Fever!

Jorge Pereira and Rickson Gracie

        Hi guys!! I hope you are all well, healthy and happy. I'm super stoked and excited as the LMT family continues to grow. We have added a bunch of new team members. Some are fighters and some are not and that's what I love about it. I love this team and how far they have come. That being said I think that the ones that want to fight and be successful on the highest levels must dedicate their lives or as my Jiu Jitsu sensei Jorge Pereira says, they must have the "fever".
        After training Friday night in which I rolled with sensei for the better part of an hour having some success but being submitted more often than not, we all sat around and listened to Master Pereira give his regular after class lessons. I in particular tend to get into the stories of his time training with Rickson and preparing for the Vale tudo wars that made him a legend. I believe that the Jiu Jitsu lives in these stories and it gives soul to the art. On this day though he was making a comparison. Maybe to force us to train more, or maybe he was just being nostalgic but he was comparing his time training Jiu Jitsu to the Jiu Jitsu being trained now. Obviously the times were different and the place was definitely different (not by much living in Miami), but different. He began to speak about how they trained sometimes three times in a day. "We would train in the morning, then go to surf, then back to train. We would talk about the girls, and the university, then back to train".. All of these stories are told in a un-americanized Brazilian accent that lends itself completely to the moment.

The LMT team

        He then said a statement that I took personally. Not that it was directed towards me but it stuck with me. He said,"The difference between training Jiu Jitsu then and the way we train now is the Fever", "you have to have the fever for the fight. If you want to be great at Jiu Jitsu, then you must dedicate your life. People train now like for a hobby".  Those are words that I get, I have done that with Muay Thai and it has done me well and provided for me. I don't know how much I can dedicate to my Jiu Jitsu studies with my schedule the way it is training my team for their futures but I will say that for a large majority of them, they have the fever for Muay Thai and it is inspiring.

        I am committed to having better Jiu Jitsu. I want to be on a championship level and however much I have to train to get there, I will get there. I have the fever for sure. I encourage you to do what so many have said and that's to fall in Love with your art. Fall in love with yourself. Fall in Love with your best friend(Taylor). Let that fever guide you to the highest levels achievable where you can feel accomplished by something other than beating the hardest level on "Candy crush".
     

Determination, it's a conscious choice

       
           What's up people? I hope this finds you all well and good, healthy and happy. I wanted to touch on something that is more than necessary when entering into contact sports and that is summed up best in one word, "Determination". This is a conscious effort to decide to do something no matter the difficulty. When it comes to fighting I believe the only way to approach the training and competition is with complete and utter determination. You can wear all the brand name gear, and buy all of the top quality gear but that doesn't make your focus any stronger. Committing to the idea that whether it's an amateur title or a world title, a gold medal locally or world championship in another country, you can't achieve your goal by part timing it.

Rewards of my decision!

           If your expectations are high then the work you put in has to equate to what you want. You can't be the last one with your gloves on or the first one to your water bottle. I've seen men and women cry during training and i've seen some play around and joke about it. The truth is I would rather train with the ones that are breaking down and continuing to train, those are the fighters. The ones that want it so much that they are willing to give all of themselves to the evolution of their craft. I would even go on a limb in a lot of cases and say if you haven't pushed to the breaking point then maybe you don't want what you think you want.
           I listen to people everyday tell me of their goals and expectations of themselves and in return I try to help them set a path towards those goals. The path I lead them on is one that will require hard work, pain, and little room for laziness. It is up to the person to make the choice on how to deal with it. I myself have far outreached anything I thought possible. I was a late starter into Muay Thai and initially thought of MMA. I have won some amateur titles and some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu medals and I am not done. I was inspired by seeing the accomplishments of others and made a decision that I will have what I want and nothing will stop me. I was working until 5 or 6 a.m. and getting up walking to the gym and training by myself for at least two years, maybe more. I was and still am determined to accomplish more. I didn't even know exactly what I was looking for. I didn't know how to get a fight, how to train properly, or the names of techniques I was doing but it did not deter me. I lost some friendships, probably strained some relationships etc.. These things are called sacrifices.
             The reality of this path is if they are your friends, then they will be supportive and at your side through the journey. You can't expect everyone to understand it, it's your journey not theirs. Be prepared to make sacrifices, deal with scrutiny, injury and aggravation because the road to greatness is cluttered with obstacles but you can make it if you so choose.
            What is it that you want? Not what you see on television, in real life. Pick some goals to shoot for and as you accomplish those goals, the future goals of world championships, gold medals and legacy will start to become more real an attainable. Just remember that the goals are all in reach. All you have to do is be determined.

de·ter·mi·na·tion

 noun \di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən\

: a quality that makes you continue trying to do or achieve something that is difficult

: the act of finding out or calculating something

: the act of officially deciding something

A blog about money with Music from Everlast

           Hola people, hope all is well in your neighborhood! Everything is great on this side as the team gears up for fights this year and my family and the team continue to grow. Exciting times!! Since my team is growing so are my responsibilities. Now I am taking it upon myself to get way better at something I am super poor at. Finances! I wasn't really exposed to how to take care of money, save money, or grow my money. If you don't know how to do these things I urge you to find out how immediately, especially if you're planning on a career in the fight game.

Tyson made about $400 million. Filed for bankruptcy in 2004.

          I was once told, "fighters don't make money, promoters do". Over the years I have realized that this is beyond the truth. It is a business and the promoters are the CEOs and the fighters are their product. There is an unlimited supply of bodies to throw at each other. Each one searching for fame or fortune. Unfortunately the fighters get paid a very small percentage of the pot and they take all the damage. From the outside it may seem "glamorous" or "so cool" to be a fighter, but the reality is much more sinister. I obviously love being a trainer and I truly enjoy teaching Muay Thai and working on my Jiu Jitsu so don't get me wrong but the truth must be told. Full disclosure for up and coming fighters is not only beneficial to the fighters but also to the business of combat sports.
         First off, if you plan on becoming a world champion fighter, then you need a few things. You will definitely need talent, mix that in with discipline and heart and top that off with the most necessary of items, MONEY!! Yes you'll need money. You want to train jiu jitsu with a top notch instructor, maybe $200 per month for the gym alone, or up to $150 per session for private lessons. What about a Muay Thai instructor, might be a little less for the gym but private lessons could still get up to $100 or more per session. Have you considered strength and conditioning or even a manager? In order to get to a world champions level and maintain that, it will require some cash. So many people think they are getting into fighting to make money but don't realize that unless you're in  the top 3%  to 5% you're not really making money. So let's say hypothetically that you are making $15,000 per fight but you only fight twice per year. That's only $30,000 and that's before Uncle Sam takes 40%, then of course you have to pay your trainers and management, don't forget bills etc... If you don't believe me just do your due diligence, fighters are coming out of the woodwork against the payment methods of the UFC and it's not unheard of for boxers to get paid poorly and end up broke as well. I mean not for nothing one of the greatest fighters in our generation, Manny Pacquiao, with a full team around him to make sure everything is taken care of owes about 45 million dollars in taxes. How does that happen when you have a major promoter "supporting you". It's simple, they don't support you. While you're winning you're the greatest thing since sliced bread, but as you start to decline or skid they start to put focus on the new guy or girl that is doing well. As a fighter you have a shelf life. There is a laundry list of broke world champions out there.
          The only way to fight this trend of getting beat up and ending up broke is to get educated, save, invest and diversify. Maybe while looking for trainers and gyms you should also look into accountants. Don't think of the long term as you standing in the ring or the octagon hoisting the belt over your head while fans scream your name. You should think of the long term as you standing in front of your trophy case showing your grandchildren that belt and explaining how that fight money that you invested is the reason they don't have to settle for a public school education. Life is fleeting and fighting is even a shorter window of opportunity. I'm working on getting it right for myself as a trainer and I plan on passing on any knowledge I gain to my fighters as they start down this road to their dreams.

Here's a link to the list of the earnings for the UFC in 2013. Where do you think you would rank?

http://www.mma-manifesto.com/ufc-fighter-salary-database/salary-main/2013-year-in-review-ufc-fighter-salaries.html

LMT Fight Team 2014

Stress the constant opponent

             Stress in one definition was described as "mental, emotional, or physical strain or tension". They simply forgot about athletes because as far as I can tell it's generally all of the above. Dealing with the stresses of everyday life along with the expectations, and physical demands is enough to have you curled up in the fetal position calling for momma. I certainly wish that was a joke. Often times friends and family might not understand what your vision is, or they might expect to much. Or as is the case most times we as athletes expect too much of ourselves. We all understand that without that mentality it is difficult to achieve the highest of dreams. It is the thing that makes victory so sweet and defeat almost unbearable. However that being said it is an extreme amount of pressure to put on oneself. Compounding life's stresses with the physical exertion used during training can be overwhelming. Pushing yourself to your physical limitations while under the pressures of your life outside of the gym often leads to injury, anxiety, and even depression. Adding onto that is the idea that somewhere down the road the athlete has to perform at the highest level possible. Knowing that in a few weeks someone is waiting to try to kick your head off your shoulders is an anxiety that'll have you not sleeping at night as well as not eating. One or two of these issues isn't easy to deal with but a combination of all of these could be the downfall for the athlete. In Muay Thai, MMA, Boxing, as well as other combat sports high levels of stress could mean the doorway to a serious injury that could even be career threatening. 
             So how do we deal with this?  I'm not sure that there is one clear cut answer. I believe that to combat this opponent you must attack it from multiple angles. First, make sure you're getting enough rest. Sleep is key to recovery from training as well as mental health. Make sure your diet is compatible with your training and that your getting proper nutrients. After attacking it from the inside take some time and do something fun with friends socially. See a movie, get out to dinner, and laugh. Take your mind off of the pressure for a moment. You train hard, you deserve a break to clear your head.
As you move closer to your fight or event, spend some time in a quiet space meditating or visualizing. This will help you maintain your focus and see what it is you want to do in the fight. Last but not least, Yoga might be your key, stretching and breathing are definitely helpful in relieving stress in your body and what ever is circulating in your brain. 
I have to admit I am not the best at managing my stress but much better now then in the past. I did something that isn't mentioned above, I simplified. I spent some time trying to figure out what I wanted in my life and began to slice away at the excess. This isn't to say that everything is always perfect, I still suffer from some heavy anxiety from time to time. So I try my best to keep up with at least a few of suggestions above at all times. If you're suffering anxiety due to stress, whether it's work or relationships, or competition, or all of the above, just remember everything will ultimately be okay. Spend some time trying to find a way to relax and breathe. Life is hard and there is no handbook on how to deal with the pressures but with a little practice and a good support system you'll surely overcome all obstacles in the way of reaching your goals. Good luck and be blessed.