After watching the way the great Anderson Silva defeated Yushin Okami in their rematch at UFC 134, it reminded me of Mike Tyson’s observations at ringside of Anderson's team mate Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 when Mike predicted the result pre fight. Machida and Anderson use their foot work defence to cool of an opponent, get them into fighting their rythmless, feinting style, the opponents start to stand in front of them and go to sleep or 'wait' on them as it’s known in boxing, a cardinal sin in that sport. Tyson made commented that Machida lulls his opponents to sleep then and explodes on them. No UFC the commentators had commented on this so concisely and none of his opponents or their coaches had at this stage seemed to adequately prepare for this either. The similarities between Anderson and Machida stylistically are easily apparent. Andersons last two devastating knockouts and Machida’s Ko of Couture follow exactly this pattern. This technique all though complex in its components is simple in its execution. Why is it that Mike Tyson, a Boxer, is able to read this when no one in MMA seems to be able to see or solve it?
I will come back to this. MMA or any sport or in fact any activity in life has rules, rules based on consequences by law or by nature. Now we are all fully aware that there are people that choose not to obey theses rules and there are other people that are completely unaware that there even are rules and that they may have an easier life if they at least acknowledge this. Life as in MMA is full of people who think they know best or think they are right, unfortunately for those who choose to test this in MMA competition the truth is revealed quickly as first last and second place mean nothing in a fight. The real question is why they are like this. For one, the fight game is an ego sport, it is necessary to win. However ego is an equally powerful ingredient in loosing. The story to justified ignorance is endless, they believe they are right because it has worked thus far; they are too tough for that, their coach/team never told them so it can’t be right, or they are unfortunately just not able to think on that level. Whatever the cause the effect is the same. Ignorance. And in the fight game, that can kill.
So now we come back to our answer. The reason Tyson could read what so many others could not is his education. He is a pedigree boxer, trained by the genius mind of Cus D’Amato, who taught Tyson to watch fights not as violent confrontations but as emotional power plays like Shakespearian dramas, in acts and stanzas. The rules are different but the game is the same. This is why Boxing is so important to MMA, this pedigree education system of coaches, armatures, championships passed down from generation to generation from champion to champion. There is so much more than simply the skill of punches to study in boxing the science is to learn the GAME form boxing. Learning to study the game and the pedigree of your education is paramount. From all great boxers you can trace a pedigree, Manny Paqiaou = Freddy Roach = Eddie Futch, James Toney and Floyd Mayweather Both form old school Michigan boxing stylist with the likes of the Kronk gym and Joe Louis, and Jersey Joe Walcott, Bernard Hopkins trained in the old school Philadelphia gyms with veteran trainers from that great boxing city. Learn from the great scholars of boxing, Cus D’Amato, George Foreman, Teddy Atlas, Emanuel Steward, Freddie Roach and Bernard Hopkins. These boxers can read the game of MMA because although they may not have known what was going to happen they know that something was. Gregg Jackson although he may not know the game or the science of boxing has studied some of the rules and applies them to his stable. He is a studious example of an outstanding coach and may go down as the great pioneer in MMA coaching. Next time you watch a fight watch it as Cus D’Amato taught as a psychodrama a contest of wills and wits. Because just as in University and prestigious schools of science and philosophy the pedigree of your education is the most important.
You can do the wrong things or the right things but they are all just things, moves techniques, strategies, mindsets, practice, knowledge, experience. They can be acquired, taught and also ignored.
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