Chumps drink water. Champs faint from dehydration. Don’t be a chump!
Former UFC flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko, is coaching The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 32 opposite current 125-pound titleholder Alexa Grasso. At the conclusion of the combat sports reality show, “Bullet” is expected to complete her championship trilogy against her longtime rival atop the UFC 306 pay-per-view (PPV) event at The Sphere.
During last night’s TUF 32 season premiere (see the full roster here), Shevchenko caused quite a stir after banning water from her squad’s daily training sessions. According to “Bullet,” prolonged dehydration during intense physical activity is what develops a champion’s mindset
It also develops dizziness, cramping, and heart palpitations; but who cares, we’re here to WAR!
“On the training, we don’t drink water, nothing,” Shevchenko said. “When you are drinking water you kind of like focusing on that you are tired. This is a way how you kind of like develop your champion’s mindset. Water before or after. During the training, nothing, we don’t drink.”
I think Jimmy put it best: NUTTIN?!?
MMA fighters have already faced criticism for extreme dehydration during pre-fight weight cuts, which in rare cases, has led to death. It seems counterproductive to ban hydration during practice, but I’m not a UFC champion and don’t frequent MMA gyms because they smell like the inside of a bowling shoe, so I’m hardly an expert on this sorta thing.
Fans on social media remain divided over Shevchenko’s training methods, at least in terms of hydration. That said, does any coach in the NFL ban Gatorade during practice to help its players develop a “champion’s mindset?”