UFC 130: Matt Hamill blogs on what it's like to be a deaf fighter
by Geno Mrosko on May 15, 2011 1:58 PM EDT
in UFC News
Email
Print
In advance of his UFC 130 main event fight against Quinton Jackson on May 28 in Las Vegas, Matt Hamill took to Sportsnet.ca to blog about his life and how he got to this point.
"The Hammer" is unique in that he was born deaf and somehow manages to compete at the highest level as a mixed martial artist in the UFC. How does he do it? He explains:
People assume that it is hard for me to compete as a deaf fighter, but this is all I've ever known. I don't know any other way to fight, and so I've learned to adapt to my environment. Whereas some fighters get weighed down by the advice of their cornermen during a fight, I am in a position where I can receive advice in between rounds and then relax and carry them out for the five-minute rounds. I don't panic or worry if things are going wrong and I don't hear the shouts and screams of my cornermen. It's all on me, and I like it that way.
I remember during Round 1 of the Reese Andy fight (December 2008) I was really struggling to find my groove and things weren't looking great for me. I then got back to the corner and realized Duff Holmes, my coach, was going crazy at me and was really disappointed with the way I was fighting.
Even though I couldn't hear the expletives he was shouting at me, I could pick up his mood and emotions. I then ran out for the next round and stopped Andy. I just needed somebody to pull that inner animal out of me. Once it's out there, nobody can stop me...
Hamill has very quietly amassed a five-fight winning streak, although an asterisk may be necessary due to one of those victories coming over Jon Jones via disqualification. Before the DQ, the Ohioan was getting manhandled.
A win is a win is a win, though, and the records show the amateur wrestling champion hasn't lost a fight since Sept. 2008. His steady rise up the light heavyweight ladder will culminate in two weeks when he throws hands with Jackson.
Can he bring out his inner animal and take out the former 205-pound champion? Or will "Rampage" hit beast-mode and send him back down the divisional standings?
Sound off!
22 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
This fight is getting toughter to call.....
when this fight was first announced, I figured Hamill was gonna get destroyed……but I’m not so sure now. Page sounds like he’s a bit distracted and looking past Hamill, which can’t be a good thing. This is starting to look a lot more even…..
GSP has no killer instinct and i can't believe I made a sig bet thinking that he will actually finish a fight.
Greg Jackson is a money hungry snake for telling GSP to fight with one eye blind without consulting a doctor.
Im not reading too much into what Rampage has said in interviews about movies and whatnot.
I just dont see what Hamill can do other than lay on rampage for 15 minutes. That being said I dont think Hamills wrestling is good enough to get rampage down let alone keep him there
Mauro: "Theres a left by Jackson…. or make that Randleman, sorry!"
Rampage: "Thats alright, all black folks look alike."
by Rampagelangford on May 15, 2011 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think Hamill can keep Rampage down either…….but he is a tough bastard, and I can see him lasting all three rounds. As long as Rampage doesn’t completely shit the bed, he probably wins a UD.
GSP has no killer instinct and i can't believe I made a sig bet thinking that he will actually finish a fight.
Greg Jackson is a money hungry snake for telling GSP to fight with one eye blind without consulting a doctor.
hahaha
As long as Rampage doesn’t completely shit the bed
i did a LOL haha
As long as Rampage keeps it standing i see a TKO somewhere along the line
Mauro: "Theres a left by Jackson…. or make that Randleman, sorry!"
Rampage: "Thats alright, all black folks look alike."
by Rampagelangford on May 15, 2011 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions
SCHAUB TO FACE BIG NOG IN RIO
"ever heard of a tune up? tee hee hee hee
"ah hee hee hee ever heard of a ritual killing? tee hee hee hee"
"i dont get it"
"you gnaw on her face in public like that again and you'll be one tee hee hee hee"
wheyyyy Nogs gettin KO'd then unles he can get it to the ground
Mauro: "Theres a left by Jackson…. or make that Randleman, sorry!"
Rampage: "Thats alright, all black folks look alike."
by Rampagelangford on May 15, 2011 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions
agreed
we all know matt is training his ass off right now while page is dreaming of Hollywood.But i cant see matt taking page down and his stand upis too zombieish.even a 75% rampage takes this imo
"ever heard of a tune up? tee hee hee hee
"ah hee hee hee ever heard of a ritual killing? tee hee hee hee"
"i dont get it"
"you gnaw on her face in public like that again and you'll be one tee hee hee hee"
Hammil going to smash him like he did against Jones
Ah, gravity - thou art a heartless bitch.
by Newfie3 on May 15, 2011 3:29 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
When did Hamill smash Jones? If I remember correctly, Hamill was getting absolutely crushed.
Greatest P4P in the world.........Cain Velasquez. Know it, learn it, live it.
Official Sig Bet Record: 5-1-2. Who's got next?
think its called sarcasm dude :P
Mauro: "Theres a left by Jackson…. or make that Randleman, sorry!"
Rampage: "Thats alright, all black folks look alike."
by Rampagelangford on May 15, 2011 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions
cool......
i didn’t know Newfie was that random with the sarcasm. I think he is sharp enough to remember how that fight went down, so you’re probably right. Now Danago, she probably believes it……
Greatest P4P in the world.........Cain Velasquez. Know it, learn it, live it.
Official Sig Bet Record: 5-1-2. Who's got next?
a weak troll attempt with Danago in mind
Ah, gravity - thou art a heartless bitch.
by Newfie3 on May 15, 2011 4:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
haha if danago said that then i would believe he/she thought that
I dont think anyone else on this site would say such a thing and believe it :P
Mauro: "Theres a left by Jackson…. or make that Randleman, sorry!"
Rampage: "Thats alright, all black folks look alike."
by Rampagelangford on May 15, 2011 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions
what do you mean?
Hamill had Bones right where he wanted him. It was the unlucky injury or Hamill would be the one with the belt right now!
Ok, now THAT was sarcasm
"That wasn't any act of God. That was an act of pure human f*ckery."
-Larry Underwood
by Scottidog on May 15, 2011 4:59 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I hope Hamill beats Jackson. He's
certainly more deserving and would appreciate the recognition, as opposed to Jackson, who would probably go to Hollywood the next week to star in some crap.
GSP Nut hugger 4 life! Ya, that's right!
Hamill was blocking Bones elbows with his face quite well until the illegal one. I believe his gameplan was to tire Bones out, until his skull caved completely in
by Dwizz on May 15, 2011 6:24 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
That was so stupid. It was like, Bones!!! NO!!! His only loss?
They should just consider it a N/C. It’s obvious that Jones didn’t mean to do it.
GSP Nut hugger 4 life! Ya, that's right!
by i_am_awesome_o on May 15, 2011 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions
if you repeatedly throw 12-6 elbows, you kinda mean to do it. it was the right call ruling it a DQ
The only person who could beat Melvin Manhoef in a street fight is Fro-be bryant
by theoregonduck on May 15, 2011 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions
he threw one illegal elbow and then stopped.
GSP Nut hugger 4 life! Ya, that's right!
by i_am_awesome_o on May 15, 2011 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions
he threw 3 and on the 3rd was stopped.
The only person who could beat Melvin Manhoef in a street fight is Fro-be bryant
by theoregonduck on May 15, 2011 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions
I always think cornermen shouting mid round
Is like telling an opposing poker player you’re holding A-K suited. Yeah, you know what you’re going to do with it, but so does the other guy. If I heard my opponents corner yelling what to hit me with, you can be damn sure I’m going to do everything I can to avoid it. It’s like knowing the future. If he is told between rounds there is no way for me to hear it and will have no advance knowledge of it.
I’ve always thought fighters should learn signs (like baseball, not language). That way their corner can yell out specific calls and I know what they mean but the other dude doesn’t. Just for example if my corner yells out “He’s ready for a cheeseburger!!!” or “Hit him with a fifteen, twelve, thirty seven!!!” I know that he’s open for a take down, or head kick, or over hand right or some other technique. But the opponent will be like…“WTF, I can have cheeseburger?!!?!??!” It will not only camouflage my move but confuse him and get him thinking what the hell am I about to do?
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on MMAmania.com
Related FanShots on MMAmania.com
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
