MPG Letter #132
Humble Pie, I Need My Space, How To View The Man Across The Ring
Humble Pie
I haven’t seen the internet dogpile a fighter like Bo Nickal in a minute.
Everyone was high on him coming in. D1 wrestler, undefeated, finishing guys fast. But the second he looked human, people flipped.
That’s the game though. Hype builds fast, and so does backlash.
For me, I don’t judge a fighter based on one performance. Fighting’s hard. Some nights you don’t feel right. The crowd, the lights, the pressure—it hits different on the big stage. Especially when you have a big step up in competition.
I think Bo still has the tools. But this sport will humble you quick. You either grow from it, or you fold.
We’ll see what he does next, but the hate? That’s just noise.
I Need My Space
One thing I’ve come to accept about myself is that I need space.
Not because I’m antisocial, not because I don’t care, but because space is where I reset. It’s where I think clearly, breathe deeply, and come back stronger.
I used to feel guilty for pulling back. Like I had to constantly be there for everyone.
But the truth is, when I don’t take time to reset, I start running on fumes. And nobody gets the best version of me when I’m drained.
I remember my old boss Scott once telling me, “Don’t let your email lead you by the nose.” That stuck with me.
Now I check in on my time. And yeah—I don’t always text back or respond right away, if I did, I would be glued to my phone. I’ve got a lot going on.
But that’s part of the boundary. I can’t be everywhere all the time. And I’ve stopped apologizing for needing to take care of myself first.
Showing up for yourself isn’t selfish. It’s how you show up better for everyone else.
What’s something you’ve stopped apologizing for?
How To View The Man Across The Ring
Some fighters try to minimize their opponent before a fight.
They downplay them mentally so they don’t get in their head. I get it.
This sport is as much mental as it is physical.
But I’ve found it’s all about balance. You can’t go in blind, but you also can't be obsessed.
One fight that taught me this was my first pro title fight against Jaime Jara. Dude was a savage. 50+ fights, mostly finishes. Experience was on his side.
Watching film on him didn’t exactly build my confidence. I was young. And honestly, if I’d watched all his highlights beforehand, I might’ve talked myself out of even taking the fight.
But I didn’t. I showed up, locked in, and finished him in the first round.
When I went back and watched the footage of all the chaos he’d done to other people… I thought, “Damn, I probably shouldn’t have fought that guy.”
That fight taught me something important. Respect your opponent, but don’t fear them.
Train to be your best, not just to match theirs. Know enough to prepare, but not so much that it shakes your belief.
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That ends it for this week’s MPG Letter!
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Talk soon,
Max “Pain” Griffin