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John Doe
Ms. Burrows
Intro to Composition 1
4 May 2016
The UFC: Toughest Sport on Earth
They stand in the tunnel waiting for their name to be called. The crowd is cheering either
for or against them. They do not care; they have one mission, which is to knock out, technically
knock out, or submit their opponent. All the long days and hours of preparation have been put in
for this one moment, and they will do whatever it takes to capture that moment. For this reason
and more are why the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the hardest and toughest sport
in the world, both mentally and physically.
The best fighters will have an excellent mental preparation. If a fighter is not mentally
prepared for the contest, then the outcome will not be in their favor. On average, a fighter in the
UFC has two to three fights a year. The rest of the time is spent training, assuming injuries do not
prevent doing so. This means that there is a lot of self-motivation that must be put into being the
best. Another challenge that one faces is the fact that they are going to fight with another human
being. The fact that another human wants to cause harm to you can be hard on the mind. This is
why only the best athletes from around the world can compete in the UFC.
In addition to the mental game, part of being the best is the physical battle. The physical
battle that fighters must go through is a never ending struggle to see how much grit the fighter
has and what they are willing to do to be the best. Some fighters, like Urijah Faber, train seven
days a week for four to six hours a day, taking a day off only when he sees fit to do so. He is on a
strict diet that helps fuel his intense lifestyle. This is the lifestyle of nearly 500 athletes that the

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UFC employs. Day in and day out, these athletes train to be the best to be successful. However,
some critics would dare think lightly of what these fighters go through.
Some would argue the fact that the physical portion isnt much different from a
professional football, wrestling, or lacrosse player. However they are not intentionally going to
get punched, kicked, and/or elbowed in the head. These UFC fighters must defend their bodies as
they attacked by a raging storm of punches, kicks, elbows, and knees all while countering and
sending the same storm back at their opponent. This comes on a daily basis as they train with
sparing partners and technician coaches. The action gets even more intense when the real fight
comes along, especially when the outcome of the fight determines how much money a fighter
earns.
President of the UFC, Mr. Dana White, has been quoted saying, "This isn't a long-term
[expletive] job. You don't come into the UFC thinking, man, I'm going to stay here until I'm 65
and then I'm going to retire, get a pension and do this, that and the other. This is a [expletive]
short-term gig." Similarly, on the lines of short term, UFC fighters get paid by performance. This
paycheck on performance way of doing things helps add tension and makes everything more
interesting for the fans as they watch the battle unfold. This adds pressure on the fighters when
the time comes that blows are about to fly. The greatest part about the UFC is the fact that it is
one on one. There is no one to blame when you lose; only the fact that your opponent was better
than you that day. This is where the best fighters get their heads on straight and get back to work
to prepare for the next fight. They will be preparing themselves for that moment of victory.
In conclusion, when the battle is won the victor can now listen to the sound of mixed
emotions. They can hold their head high and take in the moment that they have just captured;
knowing all the hard work has paid off. All the physical punishment and training day in and day

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out have paid off. The ruthless mental battle has been won and for a brief moment, all it great.
This will be short lived, for tomorrow is another day and another fight is already being
scheduled. So as you can see, the UFC is the toughest sport in the world, mentally as well as
physically, and nothing can come close.

Work Cited
Brookhouse, Brent. "Dana White on Fighting in the UFC." Bloody Elbow. SB Nation, 08 July
2013. Web. 08 Mar. 2016.
Burguess, Bill, and Drake Jones. "How Often Should a UFC Fighter Fight a Year? | The
Tapology MMA Forums." Tapology. Tapology, 2 June 2012. Web. 09 Mar. 2016.
Thorpe, Mark. "URIJAH FABER: CALIFORNIA HURTIN'." Muscle & Fitness. Muscle &
Fitness, Spring 2006. Web. 08 Mar. 2016.