MPG Letter Issue #6
Injury Update, A reality of being a pro fighter, and UFC 282!
So You Wanna Be A Fighter, Huh?
If you didn’t know, I busted up my right hand in my fight with Tim Means. The doctors put these pins in my hand so it could heal properly. And I’ve had these things in for almost a month!
Well, the pins FINALLY come out next week!!
And to be honest, this is nothing new for me. My right hand gets hurt all the time. These guys I’m fighting got some hard noggins, haha.
So in the meantime, my training sessions have been a lot of movement and footwork. I’ve been focusing on my other weapons. Kicks, knees, elbows.
My right hand puts people to sleep, but I’m making sure my other tools are just as dangerous.
The Reality Of Injuries In MMA
As you’ve probably seen, this year in the UFC has been full of injuries. Fighters pulling out of big fights, main events stopping because of a freak injury.
And that’s because we have to push our bodies to the limit. So we can be the best version of ourselves for 15 or 25 minutes.
Sometimes, that comes with a cost.
As an MMA fighter, I train four times a day, six days a week. With a schedule like that, I’m bound to get some kind of injury or ailment. Bumps and bruises are part of the game.
For me, I think there’s a difference between being hurt and being injured.
So many guys get hurt and think they can’t do anything. They use it as an excuse to sit on the sidelines.
Not me. My mentality is different.
If I’m hurt (like with my hand), I find creative ways to train around an injury. If I can’t use both my arms, I’ll be kicking 🦵.
If I’m laying in a hospital bed trapped inside a full body cast, I’d be watching film or meditating, haha.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to be in tune with your body. I just turned 37 so I’m focused on longevity. But because I’m so in tuned with my body, I can tell when my knee or elbow feels “off”.
If this happens, my focus shifts, but the work doesn’t stop. I focus on other tools in my arsenal. I focus on recovery so I can get back on track.
So many of these guys try to ignore the signs and push through an injury. Long term, this makes it worse for themselves.
That’s why a lot of fighters show up to fights with pre-existing injuries. I may or may not have done that a couple times. But I did win those fights 😬
Now I think of my body like a car. If the check engine light comes on, I’m not waiting until the engine falls out. I’m taking care of it ASAP!
Same thing with fuel. You can’t put 87 in a BMW. You gotta spend the money for 91.
That’s why I’m eating high quality food during fight camp. Bison, broccoli, sweet potatoes. You won’t see me munching on a bag of Hot Cheetos before practice!
Longevity is the name of the game.
UFC 282
Crazy turn of events for this one.
Dana said Jiri had the worst shoulder injury the UFC has ever seen! An injury like that could take months, maybe even years to recover from. So unfortunately, Jiri volunteered vacate the belt. If not, it would’ve probably been stripped from him.
But in my opinion, he took the honorable way to go out. So good on him!
Other than that, I’m literally excited for every fight on this card 💥💥💥
Everything from the main event, Morono stepping in on short notice against Ponzinibbio, to my guy Bryce Mitchell vs Topuria.
Excited for Dricus vs. Till, the 17 year old Contender Series kid, Chris Curtis, and even Billy Q vs. Hernandez. So stacked!!
Psst… Pain’s Picks will be available by subscription only. No more free game. Go to my Instagram and subscribe if you want in.
In Other News…
My boy made HONOR ROLL!! 📚🍎
I’m beyond proud of him for how hard he worked to make it happen!!! 💯👏🏽
Meme of the Week 😂
And for those of y’all who might be feeling down 🙏
Max Pain CBD
I’ve had a fantastic recovery with my hand because of CBD!
I’ve tried a lot of other CBD products out there with no success. So instead of going through brand after brand, I decided to make my own.
You gotta be careful with what you put in your body! I’m sourcing the best ingredients so I can guarantee I know what’s going in each gummy, oil, and topical.
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That ends MPG Letter #6. Hope you enjoyed this one. Leave me your thoughts below, I read every comment!
And if you’re new here, hit ya boy with a subscribe below! Share it with a friend.
I’ll be doing more cool stuff in the future with MPG Letter subscribers, so stay tuned for that.
Have a great rest of the week! And enjoy the fights tomorrow!! 👊
Max “Pain” Griffin
Hey Max, I’m glad to hear your recovery is going good! Keep at it champ! This is so cool to be able to subscribe to this and hear your words. Thanks!
Laurie Doupe’