The Boston Celtics are one victory away from winning the championship after an incredible season. The Celtics looked fantastic in their most recent game against the Dallas Mavericks. After the game, star player Jayson Tatum made some interesting revelations about head coach Joe Mazzulla. It delves into how Mazzulla used examples from UFC/MMA fighters to coach the team.
Jayson Tatum recently appeared in front of the media after the game between The Celtics and Mavs. During the interview, Tatum talked about Joe Mazzulla showing them UFC fights and teaching them not to be complacent. As such, the revelation just showed the preparation and mindset of coach Mazzulla.
He’s a big UFC fan and showing us fights of people. I don’t know the terminology in UFC but put him in the chokehold and s****. Like they about to tap out and you just see the guy who’s winning relaxing cause they feel like they about to win…just trying to translate that to the game of basketball. You know, the closer you are to winning, the closer they are to surviving.Â
Jayson Tatum via 2024 NBA Finals post-game interviewÂ
Joe Mazzulla is a huge UFC fan and was present at the UFC 292 pay-per-view event held in Boston. Mazzulla also met Zhang Weili after her Strawweight title win at the event. From Mazzulla’s perspective, Tatum refers to circumstances in which fighters mistakenly release their hold when they believe they have successfully secured a submission.
La résilience hors du commun de Alexander Volkanovski face à Brian Ortega, quand j’ai vu ça en direct j’étais chokbar mdrr
Makhachev sera t’il le premier combattant à faire taper le Volk ? 👀#UFC294 pic.twitter.com/dUeYNkCy0j
— REVOLUTION MMA (@RevolutionMMA_) October 19, 2023
In the past, many fighters lost their bout after failing to submit their opponents even after a nasty hold. Some big examples include Dustin Poirier going for a guillotine choke against Khabib Nurmagomedov. Alexander Volkanovski‘s incredible escape from Brian Ortega’s guillotine. All these instances were great examples of sheer determination and a mindset of never giving up.
The struggles undergone by UFC fighters make MMA the hardest sport in the world
Every sport is different and has varying degrees of difficulty and obstacles. It takes a great deal of work, commitment, and sacrifice to succeed or master one. In football or basketball, there is never an easy way out. On top of it, young, hungry athletes make the competition even more difficult.Â
What makes MMA the hardest sport (via X)However, when it comes to MMA, many don’t see its significance compared to other sports. It might be because many viewers don’t understand the struggle and sacrifice that goes on behind the scenes for an MMA fighter. From extreme weight cuts to tough fight camps, fighters do everything for those few minutes inside the octagon.
On top of it, the dangers involved in a fighting sport like MMA are unparalleled. Fighters risk their lives every time they step into the octagon in order to put on a show for the fans. Broken bones, injured eyes, and torn muscles are pretty common in the fighting business. Nevertheless, their mentality to survive sets MMA fighters apart from other athletes.Â
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