JavI fights MMA
I love this kid.
Combat sports are personal in a way that other sports aren’t. And I apologize in advance for the trope of, “if you don’t do it, you don’t understand” because I realize that sounds pompous and arrogant and exclusive. But combat sports are uniquely personal and deeply meaningful - especially Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Sam Sheridan perfectly described this fifteen years ago in “A Fighter’s Heart”:
“MMA fighters are scary in a way boxers or kickboxers are not. They are savage. When you go to the ground, there is a desperation in the struggle for dominance that fuels a ferocity you don’t get in other sports…and whoever wins the fight, the unspoken signifier of victory is *I could have killed you*. There are no excuses in the rules. If we were alone, in some back alley or on a deserted island, and we fought without all these people watching, then I could have killed you.”
It’s tempting to dismiss that as meat-head, testosterone-fueled bravado, but it is inconveniently true. And that implication doesn’t exist even in other physically violent sports like football, hockey, or rugby.
What’s also true is that I can’t really even speak as intelligently about it as I purport to here. I’ve never fought, and never will. Martial Arts have been a big part of my life. I’ve competed a little officially, and a lot in the gym. While I’ve dabbled in each one of the major arts that comprise MMA, apart from a few uncoordinated, playful rounds, I’ve never competed even in a simulated MMA match. Jiu-jitsu is hard. Wrestling is harder. Kickboxing is painfully frustrating. But when I’m at Mass BJJ and watching two relatively small 140 pound men practicing a live round of MMA, it’s a collision of mass with power and speed that is often shocking. This leads us to twenty-one year old Javier Acosta, who made his MMA debut last night at Cage Titans in the 125-pound flyweight division.
I’m so lucky to have been a part of Javi’s fight camp. I have watched him work so hard with singular focus in order to be able to fight last night. I’ve shared a myriad of texts and phone calls with his MMA coaches (especially Ubermensch Scott Gorgone). I’ve toiled over each strength and conditioning session he’s performed at ATC. I’ve jammed various elixirs of protein, sugar, and electrolytes down his gullet. I’ve tried my best to talk about the psychology of competing at such a high level. But my part is so easy compared to his.
Javi trains four hours a week just at ATC. He trains around at least another 6-8 hours of MMA, and also teaches the kids jiu-jitsu class. He has dedicated and structured his entire existence to the pursuit of proficiency in this sport. For better or worse, he has made his bet, and laid his cards down for all to see. That is who Javier Acosta is, and that is why he is so infectious and charismatic, and quite literally, universally adored.
If you just look at wins and losses, it’s easy to be disappointed over the result last night. It’s not how we hoped or planned. For much of the night, I felt pretty crushed for my friend and athlete and training partner. Now that I’ve slept a bit, it’s easy to see how, on balance, last night was a major win. Off the top of my head alone, Javi increased his skill, his fitness, his experience, and his perspective. He has a literal army of fans just at my gym alone who know next to nothing about MMA. The buzz in my gym this week was palpable and like nothing I’d seen before. Check out this text from a client last night:
This is just remarkable, and it wasn’t just about an MMA fight. It was Javi who created all of this wonderful spectacle.
I can’t wait to see what comes next. I’m here for all of it, in whatever capacity I’m needed. He’s a lifelong friend, and I’m a lifelong fan.
