For a long time now, fans have wondered what is on the minds of professional fighters as they watch their peers compete in the cage.
Case in point: Josh Thomson watching Diego Sanchez battling with Gilbert Melendez.
Of course, fans of the sport know that Thomson and Melendez know each other very well. How could they not after battling each other three times for a total of 75 minutes on three different occasions? Their first bout saw Thompson victorious, while the following two fights saw Melendez emerge the victor.
But very rarely do we get this kind of insider’s view on a fight. We get commentaries in movies from the directors, producers and actors, but rarely do we see it in the combative sports, where the drama and the blood are real.
It’s a rare treat to see a fighter react to the action in the cage as a fan. It’s an even rarer prize to see the fan give us the learned perspective of an actual fighter.
In watching Thomson view the bout between Sanchez and Melendez, we see that all pulses are quickened by such high-action combat. Thomson’s appreciation for the efforts of both Sanchez and Melendez speaks volumes for the passion professional fighters have for their life’s vocation.
Of course, a fight like Sanchez vs. Melendez speaks for itself; it was an easy pick for Fight of the Year for 2013, given the desperation and drama displayed over the full three rounds.
But to see a fighter like Thomson enjoy it in much the same way as we, the casual fans do, is a rare treat.
Watch and enjoy; his is an expert’s perspective, after all.
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