Elias Theodorou of Mississauga, Ont., is one of eight Canadians competing on TUF Nations. He will be writing weekly blogs for sportsnet.ca to share an inside perspective about what went on inside the gym and house.
TUF Nations: Canada vs. Australia episode five recap
Mighty Moose Down…
After Team Canada’s first defeat of the season, there was a sense of mortality that was previously absent. Kajan, Chad and I beat each of our opponents with relatively little difficulty and we assumed Team Canada would continue its winning ways. This wasn’t to say the Australians didn’t have a chance, but on paper, Team Canada was stacked. Nordine was one of our aces, but he was upset by the Joker from down under.
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Rallying The Troops…
Once back at the TUF gym, our morale was low for the first time. Coach Cote spoke to us while wearing both his coach and veteran hats. Not only has he been in a TUF house before (making to the finals of TUF 4: The Comeback), but he has experienced the highs and lows of a fighting career. Cote has gone from being the top middleweight contender to being cut from the UFC (twice), but he always remained hungry and fought his way back, never losing outside the No. 1 promotion. Now dropping down to welterweight, Cote has a great chance of becoming a top dog in the division, much like each of us has the incredible opportunity of winning this tournament. We just need to stay hungry; we need to learn and grow from each experience, because “knowing is half the battle,” as G.I. Joe taught us.
The Snowball Assassin…
Much like life, the show must go on, and once back at the house, I eventually noticed the Aussies outside throwing snowballs. Naturally, I wanted in, expecting my team to follow suit. So, without thinking, I ran outside (in my sandals), snowballs-a-blazing, picking off Aussies left, right and centre. I eventually realized no Canadians joined in my assault. Luckily, most of my kangaroo counterparts had never even seen snow prior to their visit. If snowball fighting were an Olympic event this year in Sochi (Go Canada!), I would definitely be a medal favourite, if not taking the gold outright!
Small interactions like this allow us to do a couple things: Turn off that fighter “switch,” let our hair down — my hair is great even when down — and interact with our opponents. After all, they’re not that different from us. A true martial artist doesn’t need to hate someone they fight; you can respect them, even like them.
The Mental Game…
Matthew DesRoches is a 21-year-old former Air Force corporal who compiled an undefeated record in just a few years on pure, raw talent. Matt is an athlete with a brain to match. His inquisitive nature keeps him searching for new challenges, both mental and physical. Taking his first fight simply because a friend signed him up is unbelievable to me, but that’s Matt. He initially entered the house quiet and kept to himself; he slept much of the day, when not training. It wasn’t until I got him to play pool that he started to emerge from his shell. I still owe him $100. It’s in the mail, Matt. I promise!
The key to Matt’s victory was mental. He possessed the athleticism and most of the skills to win, but needed to believe he could emerge victorious. Right from the beginning it was clear he held Team Canada in high regard, but omitted himself. Due to his relatively young career (having only four fights), he had a bit of self-doubt, even wondering out loud if he deserved to be here with us.
In the fight, Matt did what was successful for him in his four victories and looked for the kill, throwing mostly haymakers and single shots intended to take Filthy Rich’s head off. Being the more experienced fighter, both in training and cage/ring time, Rich looked to neutralize Matt and set up shots, getting the better of the exchanges, with straight punches, which connected before Matt’s wider hooks could find their mark.
Even though Matt lost the fight, he learned a very valuable lesson regarding game planning. I am proud of him in what he has accomplished and the strides he made up until this point, and would continue to make. He has every right to hold his head high while he prepares for his next battle.
Occupational Hazard…
For a fighter, there’s nothing more terrifying in training than accidentally hurting one of your partners. These are the people — the friends — you spend the most time with each and every day, both in the TUF house and back home. To be involved in an incident that will prevent someone from doing what they love is gut wrenching, especially as it can impact their hopes, career and dreams.
Unfortunately, this nightmare scenario played out during a sparring session between Sheldon and myself. It was a case of falling weird and his knee popped. I felt horrible. After I apologized profusely for the dreadful accident, Sheldon put on a brave face and kept on going. Actually, he put on that face each and every day — this was his dream and nothing was stopping him. I’m just as upset now as I was then when I think about what happened. Sorry, my friend.
Judo Chop!
Team Australia has now won two in a row, keeping their spirits high and their belief growing. Former judo Olympian Dan Kelly is next up to the plate for the Aussies. He made it abundantly clear before the selection what he wanted, sarcastically begging to be in the next fight. When tapped, he avoided the other Judo specialist, Luke. The Australian Olympian obviously smelled blood after sharing countless drives to physio with Sheldon. Kelly (at 36 years of age) is physically worn down from years of training and competing in one on the most taxing sports around: judo. Sheldon is young and clearly hobbled after our sparring accident. Kelly is attacking the perceived weakest link, in hopes of giving himself the best odds to advance.
It’s up to Sheldon to shoulder not only the weight of representing his country, but also his dream of reaching the UFC, all while being at less than 100 percent. Sheldon must remain focused and show how much he wants to win, as physical injuries can affect a fighter’s mental state in the Octagon.
Also, we see Jake and I embark upon our first “Nudie Run.” You’re welcome, world. Stay tuned.
Until next week,
The Spartan.
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasTheodorou