400 Undefeated Fights! Special Interview(Part 3) with Legendary Martial Artist Rickson Gracie
"Reasons for Retirement"
Until about 2007, I had every intention of stepping into the ring had something been able to be negotiated. Eventually, the decision was made that the likelihood of me fighting again was very little.
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| "I resolved to retire from a world that no longer fit me." Photo by Takahiro Kohara |
I decided it was time to retire from a world that was no longer appropriate for me.
I was undefeated and had become famous. However, I had passed up my last big opportunity to take a fight that could have led to an enormous payday.
That fight could have completely changed my life.
But, just because you have money doesn't give you the ability to fly, so you just have to accept the situation you are in. I regained my footing and set up a new plan. Being reborn as the new me, I decided to start walking on my new path.
Life just keeps going on.
The effectiveness of "Visualization" confirmed by the Funaki fight
Q: I heard you realized the value of "Visualization" from what ended up being your last fight against Funaki Masakatsu.
Visualization is an essential tool for athletes. Obviously I use it for special events, but I would also visualize before regular matches. Even if the fight ended in a different way, I would imagine every fight as though I was dreaming, ending every visualization with my hand being raised.
However, in my visualization I included getting dizzy or taking a heavy punch. I would have to guard myself and patiently wait until I recovered from being dizzy.
I always felt these type of visualization exercises were beneficial, and eventually an event took place that would confirm its effectiveness.
Q: And that was the battle against Funaki?
That's right. The fight against Funaki was sold out, and over forty thousand people packed Tokyo Dome. An estimated twenty million people viewed the televised fight.
Immediately following the beginning of the fight, both of us went down to the ground and Funaki started throwing heavy punches.
Funaki just kept dashing out punches without being in a really good position. He was wearing MMA gloves with his thumbs exposed, and some part of the leather that was sticking out hit my eye. You wouldn't really say those were accurate punches, but my eye began to feel compressed and I was unable to see anything out of my eye.
Up Next (Part 3-D):
"Crap, I can't see. I can't stand up like this!"
Article Source:
http://diamond.jp/articles/-/9643?page=3
Translation by:
Eliot Kelly
Eliot Kelly
www.edhbjj.com
"Learn, Share, Train, Adapt"
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