CORNER MEN

I have been asked many times about what I feel makes a good Cornerman. What I am about to write should not be considered as the definitive rule of cornering, it is only an opinion from one person. Mixed Martial Arts encourages its practitioners to be creative in body and mind and this creativity and self exploration should cover all aspects of MMA, including being a cornerman.

I believe the work of a cornerman or perhaps a head cornerman starts 8 - 10 weeks prior to the fight itself. Some may disagree and state that this is the job of a Coach or Trainer and they have a reasonable and valid point. My response would be how prepared can you be to work with a fighter if you have not worked with him in the build up to the fight and I think its fair to say that most coaches or trainers do fill the role of head cornerman. During the fight build up your preparation should focus on studying the opponent, his strengths and weaknesses, ways you can deal with his strengths and way you can capitalise on his weaknesses. I am not going to focus anymore on this as we start to enter the realms of training and start to pull away from the point of interest, that of being a corner.

During the period of the fight build up, the fighter needs to recognise your voice and your instructions especially when he is in a pressure situation, so during heavy training sessions you need to be talking and instructing him so its second nature for him to pick our your voice without being distracted from what he is doing. This time period also allows the fighter to gain confidence in you, when he is fighting you are his second pair of eyes and so he needs to have absolute confidence in you. A bond between a fighter and a cornerman is essential and important and cannot be forged overnight.

It is important to know your fighter; this is usually the case because you spend so much time together in and out of the gym. You want and need to be aware of what music they like, favourite movies, food etc. This allows you to prepare the time building up to the fight, which could involve an overnight stay or a week or two overseas. You need to be aware of what will relax and chill them out prior to a fight so they do not allow adrenaline, nerves and anticipation to burn themselves out.

If you are staying away from home, either the night before a fight or for a longer duration you need to know the area for local facilities. These would include restaurants and eateries if the fighter wants some space and time away from the hotel you are staying in, you dont want to spend your time aimlessly walking to find a place to eat especially if they are hungry and irritable. Other facilities to know would be a cinema, favourite take away establishment or supermarket/ local shop.

The fighter is there for one reason and one reason only, to fight. I am a firm believer that corner staff, coaches and trainers should take care of everything else. If a fighter has to cut weight in a sauna then it should be arranged for a training partner or corner to go in the sauna with them, make it a team effort rather than an individual effort. If you then need to transport the fighter to the weigh in venue don't have drinks or food in the car, if they go without then you should too. For me this illustrates a team effort and your support for them. Have food and drink ready for their immediate consumption after a weigh in such as Lucozade Drink, Bananas, pasta, energy bars or chocolate bars. The weight cut in the sauna means that the fighter has lost alot of electrolytes from the body and minerals such as potassium and sodium, which need to be replaced as well as rehydration, which should be done steadily over the next few hours after the weigh in.

If you see myself or one of the other corner staff from the Range Fighting team with a fighter, you will notice they never carry baggage. A fighter does not want to risk pulling a muscle or risking an injury. I remember when I followed body building and a competitor named Vince Taylor had to compete with an eye patch as a luggage strap came loose and caught him in the eye. He could still compete but a fighter could not so why take the risk if there is no need. It is important to remember you are there for your fighter and not yourself and their needs and requirements come first. If this concept seems slightly alien to you then you have to question why you are working as a cornerman.

On the day of the fight check out the facilities first if you can. Make sure you know where you will take the fighter to later that day, that there are mats to warm up on and an ample supply of water. In the past some promotions have not always provided mats and so on many occasions we take our own; maybe 4 or 6 jigsaw mats, just enough for you to use for basic drills. Also check you have the correct kit with you. The following is a list of what I would want in my physio bag ready to work as a corner;

1. Gauze and tape for hand wrapping
2. Scissors
3. Vaseline
4. Spray bottle
5. Towel
6. Stopwatch
7. Ice, either ice cubes or ice packs
8. water
9. Towel
10. Focus pads

When it comes to warming up it is essential that you have a warm up partner, this does not have to be a designated cornerman but does need to be someone the fighter has worked and drilled closely with and someone he feels comfortable with. Take time to have a good warm up and stretch before you do any drills as this helps with injury prevention. Move onto basic drills from all aspects of MMA ie kickboxing, Jui-Jitsu, wrestling etc and then move onto the specific drills that you have highlighted and identified from viewing footage of the opponent. These should be a small amount of precise drills repeated so they become instructual. It is always advisable to put the MMA gloves on whilst they are doing these drills so the fighter gets used to them especially if they are a new pair. This also allows the fighter to make sure the gloves are the correct size as you do not want to be changing gloves just before the fight. During this time get the fighter to constantly hydrate small sips throughout the warm up period, do not allow them to drink too much and feel bloated. You know how your fighter gets fired up and ready, do not allow this to happen too early as they will use up too much energy. Keep them focused and use praise and encouragement to keep them confident and focused.

As you leave the dressing room ensure vaseline has been applied and you know where the gum shield is. Make sure the fighter puts footwear on as the floor leading to the arena may have all sorts of hazards on it. Also put a top on them as the temperature will be cooler than in the warm up area and you could well be held in a holding area. This issue of putting a top on can be used during the warm up. Between drills a T-shirt can be put on the fighter to prevent them cooling down. At this point you know how to fire your fighter up by a comforting last few words or instructions, a reminder of how good they are or a few aggresive quotes.

As the fight starts have one speaker in the corner, this person should give basic instructions and repeat so as not to confuse the fighter. So many times you see both corners shouting wildly, often different instructions which is of no use to your fighter. This will instill confusion and panic. A fighter knows your voice and if you sound panicked they could easily lose focus and panic themselves. Between rounds 2 corners can enter, you should have already discussed who will do what, ie towel down and apply vaseline, give water and instructions etc. Again your instructions here should be precise and short, dont give the fighter 6 things to do or to watch out for as it will confuse them. From the previous round you know what to tell them to do or to watch out for. At this point don't put a bottle of water in their mouth straight away. Allow them to relax and regulate their breathing as having a mouth full of water while gasping for air will only hamper their minutes recovery.

You may have to make a tough decision by pulling a fighter out between rounds. I have had to do this and you know if this is the right thing to do. Ask yourself if a fighter can't see properly, can't breathe properly or can't defend themselves properly, what sense is there to send them out to get hurt. Keep the damage limitation down and allow them to avoid a possible serious injury. Second to the referee you are in control of your mans safety and well being.

As a referee I will also say here to keep down and in your designated area, and act in a professional manner. Your inability to do so could cost your fighter a point and in a close fight could mean the difference between winning and losing.

The above is my overview and my opinion, not a definite guide. Being a corner is a serious and responsible position. You experience the highs and lows of the fight world as well as the stress and the excitement. I feel it is a privilaged position, you have been chosen to do a job and you owe it to your fighter to do it right and to the highest possible standard.

WRITEN BY

Leon Roberts