There is always someone betterFiled Under: Rantings
Especially true for amateurs, there is always someone better. Some times it’s a harsh thing for your ego – but a good thing for your character (the best ego defense is not to have one).
BJ Penn has cleared out his division and was handed a crushing defeat by GSP. I remember when Wallid Ismail beat Royce Gracie with a clock choke back in 1998 – it was the first time I heard of a Gracie being defeated. Now of course, there are tons of people better than me, but I recently got owned by John McCain (not the Presidential candidate, but a Utah local MMA’er ) while rolling. John was kind enough to show me a couple pointers on how he uses side control, and I was grateful for his help.
Does this stuff diminish from how good the Gracie’s really are? Or does this mean that BJ isn’t top notch in his weight division? Of course not. For a moment, sure, there’s a depression with the loss but ultimately, if you let it, defeat can be an awesome tutor.
Defeat is an opportunity – so is criticism and failure. So you’re the biggest fish in your grappling pond? Finder a bigger pond and work your way up the food chain. If you’re at the top, it just takes one bad day, another set of rules, or a new weight class and boom – #2 spot for you.
I think it’s kind of liberating, actually. Instead of having to defend and justify – you can just accept, evolve and move on.
In short, there is always someone better. Unless you are this guy. 
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Tags: Philosophy
- Permalink
- BartB
- 18 Mar 2009 2:45 AM
- Comments (8)
March 18th, 2009 at 4:26 am
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March 18th, 2009 at 10:33 am
True, everything that I’ve ever been good at, I only bothered to get good at it after receiving a serious humbling from someone better.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Fedor recently lost the Sambo world championships. So yeah, there is somebody better.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:27 am
John is one of my favorites to train with. You didn’t mention the woopins you received by Tony.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Man, Gray. You just come around to fling poo? If you don’t like the blog, start your own and do it better.
Besides, I’m pretty sure the Fedor thing was meant as a joke. At least I thought it was funny.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Hey Bart hope you had a good break.
Hey, sad days from over at NSAC:
http://anonym.to/?http://mmajunkie.com/news/14288/nsac-issues-karo-parisyan-nine-month-suspension-ufc-94-win-overturned.mma
Karo Parisyan failed his post game drug test and is suspended for 9 months and fined something like $32,000.
March 20th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
I wasn’t “flinging poo”? If anything I was reinforcing the point he made..
Seriously? I know Bart is your brother, but when I’m innocent why would you berate me still?
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:05 am
No need for fisticuffs gentlemen. Notice the smiley face next to Fedor? Don’t worry be happy.
Also, Fedor seems to be smiling too -albeit in a creepy Mona Lisa type fashion.
Sam – yeah I heard about Karo, and I too was bummed. Who is going to carry the Judo torch in MMA?