Ronnie Britt Week 6 Blog

I love to read, it is one on my favorite past times. However, as I prepare for fights, I don’t have the time to read as much as I would like. That’s unfortunate because I draw a lot of inspiration from some of the material I read as well as a chance to get some introspective insight into myself.  One of my favorite authors is Richard Marcinko. He is a former navy seal, a Viet Nam vet and has more testosterone than any ten men.  One of my favorite books of his is ‘Rogue Warrior’, there is a quote in that book concerning training that goes like this… ‘If you aint getting bumps and bruises, you aint doin it right’.  Granted he is talking about training for warfare, but training for a cage fight, that kind of mentality comes in handy.  Right now I am bruised and battered, my body has bruises on it everywhere. I ache in almost all of my joints. I feel wore down much of the time, aches and pains are an everyday reminder that I getting closer to the end of my fight career for good reason.

I have heard it said that fighting is 90% mental, and I can agree with that to an extent. Mental toughness is needed to endure grueling training day after day for weeks on end.  Its also needed to be successful in the heat of combat. I have seen fighters full of potential quit when the fight isn’t going their way. That said, you may have the fastest car in the world, it ain’t goin’ anywhere without gas. You have to put in the rounds and hard time to get ready.  You put your body through hell to get ready, but mental toughness is developed here, in training, when no one is watching. Some guys are athletically gifted and they get by with their physical attributes. Others have this innate aggressiveness and a strong desire and they break their opponents will.  Lol, I don’t have any of that!  I wish I did.  I don’t profess to have any more mental toughness than the next fighter, but I am willing to take the hits. I am willing to endure the pain and discomfort because even if I don’t come out on top, I know I gave it my all. I wont tap just because I am tired. I wont quit just because the other guy is beating my face in. I wont quit unless I am asleep or caught without escape. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I just gave up. My dentist has told me that I have an extremely high tolerance for pain. I like to think I have the ability to put pain to the side and live with it. My pain is something I have earned, just as I have earned the battle scars and the bent nose. These are my badges of courage, a testament to my will. Pain is substance of the mind. Now I wouldn’t be human if I hadn’t cracked at some point. We all have that point where we just cant take anymore. I have my limits and I know them. Like most fighters, we test those limits, push them, see how much we can take. There have been times in training where I wanted to quit during a tough row of rounds. And a few times I did in the early years.  I don’t do it anymore, a person will fight like they train I have learned. If you quit in practice, then you most definitely will quit during a fight.

When I have a fight coming up such as I do now, I start to visualize every aspect of that fight night. From the start of walking in the door of the venue, to the fighters meeting, to watching the fights before mine, to right up to my fight. I close my eyes and put myself into the cage with my opponent. I go through every scenario possible with me always persevering and coming out on top. I know some guys like to get angry, they want to hurt the other fighter. They pace and rant and work themselves into a frenzy. One guy told me he likes to imagine the other guy killed his family and raped the dog.  Or something like that. I know another guy that takes a nap right up to his fight time. I am not like either of those guys. My mental preparation really starts at training weeks before. I discipline myself with the diet and making the workouts and sparring sessions. This keeps me from enjoying other aspects of my life and I begin to get a bit surly as the fight draws closer. Denying myself the pleasure of donuts, cookies, sweets, beer, whiskey and sex alters my otherwise happy persona. I do become a bit more serious and short tempered, my girlfriend does not enjoy my company as much as she normally does, lol. My every thought is on the fight, every thing else becomes secondary. I like to make it back to my hometown every so often as I feel it gives me an edge. It reminds me of where I came from and who I am. Its a reminder that I represent my family, friends and a way of life that made me what I am.

People have asked me if I get scared or nervous when I step into the cage. I used to get anxiety so bad that I would feel the strength fade out of me as I walked into the cage. But I have never been afraid, even when I thought I would lose. Its a sport and we have a referee in the cage, what is there to fear?  The other guy is human just like me, just sometimes he might be a better looking human with muscles and stuff.  But this aint Mr. Olympia, this is a test of skills and heart.  Its a kinetic chess match, one mistake and the other guy could get his hand raised and you have to live with it.  I love that aspect of it, to me it’s the ultimate contest.  So I don’t get nervous, I get excited. When they announce my name and my music starts, I am ready to go. I cant wait to get it on!  And thanks to the MCC, I get to showcase my skills to my family and loved ones. So rest assured as you watch me step into the cage on June 26th, know that I am happy, ready for my last hurrah.

Ok, I didn’t get a chance to get into MMA as it was and as it is now, I will try next week. I also apologize for not getting to more stories as have been requested, hopefully next week I will get one in. However, I will fulfill a request for a record of my fights which will follow the end of this blog. I have been running short on time it seems, or maybe I am just getting grouchy…

See you guys soon. Till next week, don’t croak.

The Warfrog

Amatuer Fight Record  0-1
Lose James Wade  6:12  1st rd Mid-West Shootfighting Tournament 6/27/1998
Professional Fight Record  15-3
Win Mike Van Meer Submission (Heel Hook)  2:30  1st rd Sokol Hall Brawl 4 3/8/2003
Win Wayne Porter Submission (Guillotine Choke) 1:17 1st rd Xtreme Kage Kombat 8/7/2004
Win Devon Christian TKO (Strikes)  1:23 1st rd Xtreme Kage Kombat: Doomsday in Des Moines 3/19/2005
Win Ryan Scheeper KO (Punch)  0:11  1st rd Xtreme Kage Kombat: Trials 8/27/2005
Win Tim Ross Submission (Neck Crank)  1:03  1st rd Xtreme Kage Kombat 11/23/2005
Win Wes White Submission (Guillotine Choke)  0:15  1st rd Midwest Cage Championship 1: In The Beginning 2/11/2006
Win Jason Purcell Submission (North-South Choke)  2:47  1st rd Midwest Cage Championship 2: Midwest Xplosion 4/8/2006
Win Josh Pankey Submission (Knee Bar)  0:09  1st rd Title Fight Championship 4/21/2006
Win Jesse Sanders Submission (Arm Bar)  0:54  1st rd Warparty Cage Fighting 2 5/13/2006
Win John Miller Submission (Toe Hold)  0:17  1st rd Warparty Cage Fighting 4 11/11/2006
Win Jeromy Garmin TKO (Strikes)  1:11   1st rd Warparty Cage Fighting 9 11/4/2007
Win Shane Mosby Submission (Modified Shoulder Choke) 3:30 1st rd Title Fighting Championship – The Awakening 1/26/2008
Loss Bryce Teager  (Decision) 3rd rd Midwest Cage Championship 12/3/2008
Win Chuck Rainey Submission (Guillotine Choke) 2nd rd 4:07 Midwest Cage Championship 13 Contenders 4/25/2008
Win Dustin Deprizio Submission (Arm/Shoulder Choke) 1rd 2:57  Midwest Cage Championship 15 Lights Out 7/25/2008
Loss Sam Jackson (Decision) 3rd rd Extreme Challenge 107 9/20/2008
Loss Evan Marks (KO) 1st rd 4:31 Midwest Cage Championship 18 1/16/2009
Win Chad Ruby Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 1st rd 2:06 Midwest Cage Championship 19 3/14/2009