Stepping into the Octagon on fight night is the moment when fighters finally get to show what they are made of. The cage door will close, the referee will step aside, and they will attempt to prove their superiority against the challenger standing across from them in the cage.
While the live-action world of a UFC fight allows fighters the opportunity to prove themselves , the rigorous process of preparation for that night goes largely unseen. Aside from the circumstantial short-notice bout, every fighter typically engages in a six- to eight-week training camp to prepare for the task at hand.
Once the bout agreement is signed, a fighter gets to look forward to three months of gym time while their coaches and teammates whip, twist and pound them into fighting shape. Where there are the occasional days off throughout the journey, the large majority of a fighter’s time is spent within the walls of the gym as they attempt to push themselves to new heights.
That said, all of this work is done so that when they step into the Octagon for the fight, they will be a new and improved version of the fighter they were the last time around.
There is no doubt the glory of getting your hand raised at the end of the battle is what every fighter aspires to achieve, but the work on the road to reach that destination is nothing short of tedious. Bleacher Report caught up with a collection of UFC fighters to get their takes on what part of the training process they dread the most, and their answers provide an in-depth look at what they go through to prepare for battle.
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