This Fight Camp
I truly believe that we did everything we could do to be ready for a 5 round war with Chito.
Sug was so dialed in with Brandon and Dan Garner. His conditioning is on point and his heart’s in shape.
Now he’s heading into this fight very confident and ready to flow.
I’m helping Sug keep his mind right. If something crazy happens in the cage, which you never know since it’s a fight, we gotta stick with it. It’s 25 minutes in there.
Compared to the Aljo fight, we’re both very thankful that Sean’s not dealing with any injuries.
We got a lot of great sparring done with great partners. And we’re not dealing with any sicknesses.
A lot of guys during fight week start getting sick while cutting weight. And now that’s another battle they have to deal with.
Trying to lose another 10 pounds while sick is a nightmare, trust me.
Thorne
Want to stay dialed in with your health?
A bunch of UFC fighters use Thorne as part of their daily health routine.
Thorne is third-party tested for the best quality ingredients so you know exactly what you’re putting into your body.
I personally use magnesium before sleep, fish oils, amino acids when I’m training hard, and their VeganPro complex protein.
If you’re in the market for some good supplements, Thorne is the brand I trust. You can feel safe and good about what you’re putting into your body with Thorne.
Use the link below and Throne will hook you up with an additional 15% discount on your order.
Fight Week
Our goal for this fight week is to enjoy the process. Not just always thinking about the fight or the results.
We’re here. We’re in Miami. Let’s just enjoy the fight week and stay present.
Easier said than done when you can’t eat food and looking forward until after weigh-ins when you can normally.
But this is Sug and I’s 22nd fight together. Crazy to think about.
That’s a lot of trips and doing the same things together.
It does seem like another fight, but obviously, there are higher stakes involved. The world title is on the line.
There’s way more media than you think. And when your body is craving calories, doing these interviews is tough.
Just yesterday alone, Sug had 12 different interviews with different people. All asking the same questions in different ways.
Getting through that alone is beastly.
PrizePicks
If you guys want to do some fun bets like over and under, check out PrizePicks.
Use my code TIMBO and you can get a free $100 with your first deposit. That’s a sweet deal.
While you’re at it, follow me on Snapchat at Timwelchmt
Dealing With The Nerves
I’ve said this before, but you gotta focus on what you can control.
There are thousands of different things that can happen in a fight. Totally out of your control.
So let’s do the best we can on what we can control.
Being in the moment. Having a good weight cut. Getting a good warm-up in. Rehydrating and refueling the right way.
Plus, everyone has negative thoughts. It goes through everyone’s minds.
Our job is to counter those negative thoughts as soon as they enter. Reroute them to something good.
For some people, they let these thoughts consume them. They let the thoughts take over and that’s all you’re thinking about.
It's a waste of energy. It’s a waste of energy thinking about things that aren’t even here yet in general.
And at the end of the day, all the hard work is done.
Whatever’s gonna happen is gonna happen. That’s the way it is.
So that’s why it’s important to bring yourself back to the present.
That’s what makes Sean special. His mind. He’s so good at bringing himself back to the present and not stressing so much about the fight.
He knows when it’s time to fight, he’s gonna be able to bring himself into the moment and do what he needs to do.
And that’s what being a champion is all about.
Thanks for sticking with me and reading the newsletter. We’ll be back on a consistent schedule next week when all this chaos is over.
Make sure you tune in on Saturday, we’re bringing that belt back home with us.
Quick Hits From This Week
Red Hawk Recap Ep. 130
Ryan Garcia Calls Out Suga
Ryan wants to fight Sean in the UFC. Boy did he look like he did some booger sugar before going on. Why do boxers seem to be more insecure?
Peace Of Mind For Piece Of Luxury
I’ve talked to younger fighters about this. They want a nice car, but I tell them that also comes with a $500/month note. Now you’re gonna have to trade your time somewhere else to pay for it. When you’re coming up, don’t be afraid to drive a shitty car and live in a shitty place. Every car drives the fucking same.
Having A Meaningful Life
They talk about this with jobs. When you find a job that you enjoy, you’re lucky. According to a survey, 85% of adults hate their jobs. That’s crazy. And for the people who do love their jobs, they enjoy the intangibles like passion, fulfillment, and joy. Not the tangibles like money and benefits.
Formula For Having A Good Day
Get a workout done and do your most important task before noon. You’ll feel like you’re ahead of the day. If I get real high the night before, I have a battle with myself the next morning. But I put my underwear on, hit the gym in my garage, cold plunge, and now I’m ready to go.
Red Hawk Academy Patreon
Welcome to all the new Patreon members and shoutouts to all the OGs!
On Patreon, we’ve done a bunch of giveaways, podcasts, and vlogs.
We’ve been going 4 years strong with our Patreon. There are hundreds of videos on there, with new content going up all the time.
You can get exclusive access to technique videos, extra podcasts, and general healthy living videos.
We’re also doing a new show called the Confident Pod exclusive on Patreon every week. We get a little spicy on there and it’s a good time.
I reply to everyone on Patreon, so if you have any questions, hit me up there!
That ends it for this week’s Red Hawk Essentials.
Hope you enjoyed this one. Give me a like/comment/subscribe below.
If you’re new here, welcome to the fam! We’re dropping gems like this each week.
Luv ya, talk next week.
Tim
My name is David Mertens I am nineteen years old and to be honest with you I am stuck. Every morning I wake up to a life that I can’t stand. I go to a school that I can’t stand. I live with roommates that I can’t stand. Although I am great full for all of the blessings that god has given me in my life, I want more. I want to be a part of something bigger and something I am passionate about. I have been following Sean and Tim’s journey since the contender series and have been a fan since then. I love what you guys are doing with this whole new approach to MMA and the creativity your team displays. To put it simply I want in. I have trained jiu jitsu as a hobby since watching Sean’s first fight and although I’m getting better I know that it will not be a career for me. However I still want to be a part of that world. Currently I live in Buffalo NY the weather is cold and the days are short. I know your team is based out of Arizona and I want you to know that if either of you need a personal assistant I would fly west as soon as possible. Whether I’m picking up dry cleaning or cooking your steaks (I am a great cook) I would be passionate and as hard working as one could be. I am not asking for a hand out simply an opportunity. I promise you, you won’t regret it and if I am not the best personal assistant you have ever had in the first month then you don’t need to pay me a penny and I will return to Buffalo knowing that I truly tried my hardest. Thank you for reading my long ass message.
Sincerely,
David Mertens
Good luck today Tim , I agree with what @gandalfs flipflops said about supplements. I would love to see a bit of what Sugas meal prep looks like as well.
As always, great read.