Diary of a Fighter w/ Daniel Swain #5: 168 hours to go

*Photo Courtesy of Andy Marinos

My fight is now only one week away. Exactly 168 hours from now I’ll be weighed in and re-hydrating. For most people fighting is considered human cock fighting, but when looked at in the proper light, fighting is much more beautiful than that. I am asked all the time why do something that involves being punched repeatedly or why would I want to do something so barbaric. It’s simple, I am and always will be very competitive and there is no truer form of competition than MMA and that’s a FACT. I mean think about it, in boxing it’s all about who the better striker is. In Jiu Jitsu it’s who is best on the ground. In wrestling you can’t throw punches. So you see, fighting is the ultimate form of competition, who the better fighter that particular night is most likely going to win, unless of course there is a fluke win like when Cheal Sonnen fought Anderson Silva the first time.

That being said, I don’t believe fights are won the night of the fight. In my opinion, fights are won in the gym. If you have given everything you have to show up to that fight the better man and you know you’re the better man you have already won. I was always taught confidence was more than half the battle, knowing you’re the best and training like the best is the only way to be the best. Every night when I leave the gym I know whether or not I did everything I could to be the best I can be. If I don’t feel like I worked hard enough then I won’t leave the gym. I feel like if I’m leaving a workout not completely spent then it was a waste to even go.

With the fight only being a week away, that means I have only a few more days to prepare before I go into my weight cut. which means I push harder, go faster and train longer. I have been doing everything in 5×5 minute intervals to prepare for a five round war. Even though the fight is scheduled for only three rounds, I don’t want any doubt going into this fight. In my training I can feel I am as sharp as I have ever been in every aspect of the game. To me, this means I have put in the work and time to win this fight and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I have never been so sure in my life that I have done everything necessary to succeed. I guarantee victory on May 26^th 2012.

Thanks to all my sponsors: Dominant Ground, Kombat Nation, Klench Kustom Mouth Guards, Nuckl, Drako, and of course MMASucka.com. Thanks to my management Echelon Fighter Management and all my training partners for helping get me to where I need to be. My family and friends for all the support I could ask for and my wonderful girlfriend for dealing with me during this camp. Also good luck to one of my training partners, John Bennett, who is making is MMA debut tomorrow at Vengeance in the Valley in Spokane, WA.

Go like my facebook fan page http://www.facebook.com/DanielSwainMMA and if you’re on twitter follow me at @swain145.

Thanks for reading,

Daniel Swain

Read Daniel’s other blogs :

#1 – Who is Swain?

#2 – Iron Sharpens Iron

#3 – Three weeks out

#4 – Bad news bears for Lee Morrison