Full-Time Fighter: Fighting for Ring of Combat and thoughts on Chuck Liddell

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

Once again, it has been some time since I last wrote, so here is the quick update.

I just fought this past weekend in Atlantic City for one of the best, most well-run promotions I have ever fought for: Lou Neglia's Ring of Combat, which is based out of the Tropicana Atlantic City Casino and Resort. In fact, of all the different promotions that I have fought for, ROC is right there next to Kim Couture's Night of Combat and Greg Kalikas's NAAFS promotion.

Those are the three promotions that have gone above and beyond what I expect out of a promotion as far as being taken care of and making things easy on me.

My brother Danny and I got to Atlantic City on Wednesday morning, April 15, and we had to go straight from the airport to the hospital to get all the medicals (eye exam, CT scan, EKG, blood work and physical) done. We got all that knocked out in a couple hours, checked into the hotel, and then started the 30 or so hours of making weight. I finally have gotten my diet and training down to the point in which I am getting as low as 193 pounds before dehydrating myself. It really has made my life as a middleweight a lot easier dieting the right way.

Heading into a fight after dropping your previous two in a row is a very nerve-racking experience. I was prepared, I was motivated, and I felt great, but thinking about losing three in a row really freaked me out.

My gameplan was to keep the fight standing and work on some of the things I have been training to gauge my improvement. But all that went out the window the second Dan Miragliotta said "Fight!" All I could think about was not losing this fight. I went to what I know best, takedowns. I took down my opponent, John Doyle, in the first minute of all three rounds, maintained sidemount and punched him.

He was a tough opponent, but I really feel that I could have finished him had I not been told when I got to Atlantic City that ROC does not allow elbows to the head of a grounded opponent, which is obviously my weapon of choice once we go the ground.

I settled for a unanimous-decision win with scores of 30-27, 30-26 and 30-25. Right when the fight ended, I was disappointed that I wasn't able to finish, but since watching the tape, I feel I did do some good things. And going all three rounds offers a lot of footage to examine and from which to improve, so I am not as disappointed as I was.

I got back to Columbus on Saturday evening and was so worn out that I didn't even stay up to watch UFC 97 later that night. I checked the results right when I woke up and watched it later that day.

*************

Finally, I want to (as always) thank my sponsors: TF Supplements (www.tfsupplements.com), the cheapest place to get any supplement you need, and Cagefighter (www.mmaauthentics.com), where Mike and Adam DiSabato, as well as Jake Castle, have been taking great care of me with all the gear I need for training and fighting.

Lastly, make sure to check out SS Combat and Fitness at www.sscombatandfitness.com. And if you live in the Columbus area, come by and check us out for a week free!

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com