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“For Me It’s Hard”- UFC Fighters Open Up About the Struggle of Training Amid the Coronavirus Epidemic

Published 05/06/2020, 11:36 AM EDT

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The Coronavirus pandemic has forced fighters from the UFC to use their imagination to train in a way that allows them to avoid unnecessary human contact. And fighters like Uriah Hall have not failed to improvise.

Training has been a huge concern ever since the world descended into this chaos. With gyms on lockdown, many fighters have been struggling with their preparation. None more so than the ones who are looking to perform at UFC 249.

The situation is easier to some extent for fighters who own a home gym or share a living space with other fighters. However, the situation is very different for those who lack these amenities.

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The pressure of social distancing and stringent self-quarantine measures have been hanging over everyone’s heads. Fighters are being forced to tap into their creative side and come up with an innovative alternative.

Which is what Uriah Hall has successfully managed to do. Hall was looking to take on Jacare Souza on April 18th, however, the fight did not materialize. Unlike many other fighters, Hall did not use this as an excuse to slack off and stop training.

On the contrary, he moved into the Fortis MMA facility along with his baggage to train. Hall started living at the training facility full time to ensure that he would be ready when the call finally comes.

Being Called to Action at UFC 249

Fortunately for the Brazilian middleweight, the UFC did not waste time in ringing Hall with an opportunity to fight Souza. One of the main reasons behind Hall’s drastic decision is the amount of time he has left in the sport.

The 35-year-old fighter understands the fact that he cannot keep doing this forever. Which is why he wants to do it properly till he is capable of doing it, no matter what difficulties he has to face. “If I’m on deck,” Hall told ESPN, “there are opportunities I can take.”

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On the other hand, Souza’s camp unable to come up with a solution like that of Hall’s was left with no other option but his wife’s training equipment. The former Strikeforce champion admits that he has been doing a lot of training at home to keep in shape.

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“For me, it’s hard, because I have to use my wife’s weights. She has a lot of CrossFit stuff, and I have to use this. It’s hard. When I trained with her, it made me sore! My wife is so strong. And she helped me a lot.” said Jacare Souza while talking to MMA Junkie

Nonetheless, Souza claims that he has had a very successful training camp and believes that he is more than ready for the fight. The fight taking place in Florida allows Souza to drive into the venue three days ahead of the event, which he feels is a significant advantage.

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Considering the circumstances it is fair to say that any and every positive change can turn up a huge advantage for a fighter.

Who’s training camp will prove to be more successful?

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Written by:

Vinayak

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