My Week in Words: August 12-18, 2023
This is the kind of week that both makes me proud and frustrated, all at the same time
I know I haven’t been doing these regularly, and I’m sorry for that, but there is a good reason: putting this piece together every week has a weird combination impact on my brain, and this week is a perfect example as to why.
There are 16 pieces of work listed out below: two podcasts, three videos, and 11 written pieces, ranging from previews and prospect spotlights to interview features and discussion pieces about this weekend’s championship fights.
If I had to estimate how much time went into putting all these pieces together, I would guess somewhere in the neighbourhood of 20-21 hours, and I’m probably low-balling things because I’m trying not to sound like an asshole that complains about how hard he works.
Also, those are just the “in the moment” hours, because some of what allows me to get the Fight-By-Fight Preview done in a couple hours or crush the two Coach Conversation pieces in two hours is that I’ve spent numerous hours throughout my career watching all these athletes, building a knowledge base about them, and getting to a point where I can recall information far more quickly than when I started, all of which pays dividends now.
The reason laying all of this stuff out does my head in a little each week is because I honestly don’t feel like there is anyone else in the field right now that is putting out the depth and breadth of material that I put out each and every week, and while that fills me with pride, it also triggers some negative reactions and emotions in me as well.
While I’m extremely proud of everything I do and deeply appreciative of those of you reading this piece, consuming all my work regularly, I would be lying if I didn’t acknowledge there is also part of me that struggles with feeling unseen, unrecognized in this space that I’ve been building a lane in for 15 years.
I’m someone that craves community, relationships, and interactions, and for better or for worse (mostly worse) needs feedback in order to truly feel good about the work I’m doing.
It’s a tough thing to want, especially in this day and age, it’s something I’ve been working on in therapy for years, and there are people that do tell me when stuff I write is really good… but the serotonin shot from that atta boy doesn’t last nearly as long as the ennui that sets in when my brain tells me no one cares and the YouTube views, podcast downloads, and every other metric says its right.
And so I get to Friday and sit here in conflict, the side that wants to say “Look at everything I’ve done this week, motherfuckers! Show me someone doing as much quality work as me!” and the one that tells me, “Nobody fucking cares, dude!” battling in my brain until I decide who is going to win that week.
I know there is an in-between — you folks show me that every day by downloading, reading, consuming, messaging me, and it means the world to me, and I wish I could make it resonate even more in my being because it’s what I need — but I struggle to find it, and living on the ends of this spectrum is difficult for me.
I’m going to keep working on this stuff.
And I’m going to keep working, keep producing great week every week.
Thank you for supporting me and understanding — I promise I’ll keep working to be better at taking it to heart and letting that lift me up.
Enjoy the fights!
ESK
Couchside Judges
Filled in for my buddy Scott Fontana (while he was up here on vacation) opposite long-time supporter Dan Urban on this week’s episode of their Couchside Judges podcast, which is always terrific.
We talked contested rounds from last weekend’s show at the UFC APEX and touched on some of this weekend’s most interesting fights. Go check it out and support them!
Dana White’s Contender Series
DWCS Season 7, Week 2 Preview / DWCS Season 7, Week 2 Recaps
I adore this series, genuinely, and as I said on the podcast prior to the opening week of the season, the overall success of the program is undeniable.
This week featured one of the best matchups, on paper, in the show’s history, three first-round finishes, and five more athletes graduating to the UFC roster. For me, Eduarda Moura is the one to watch, but Ibo Aslan will get a real shot, and Abdul-Kerim Al-Selwady walks right into the thick of things at welterweight as well.
The Ultimate Fighter Season 31
The bantamweight finale is set, it’s all veterans in the finals, which means a Team Chandler sweep, even if Brad Katona switched sides and trains with the actual Team McGregor coaches, and the fights hit the Octagon on Saturday at UFC 292.
Not sure any of the finalists — Katona, Cody Gibson, Austin Hubbard, and Kurt Holobaugh — will go on to have prolonged stays and extended success in their next run with the promotion, but the fights this weekend should be entertaining additions to the lineup in Boston.
UFC 292
Coach Conversation
Changed things up a little this time around, going one-on-one with my man Tyson Chartier of the New England Cartel for more of an actual conversation about these two championship matchups.
There is more of me in these pieces than ever before, and I think it’s important for me to put more of myself out there in stuff like this more frequently because it shows my analytical side, which is something I’m constantly trying to build.
We’ll get back to having two coaches and yours truly for the next title fight — UFC 293 in Sydney — but I still want to keep tinkering with this series, and will be pitching something about it to my bosses in the not too distant future.
Keyboard Kimura Podcast, Episode 32: Why Don’t We Ever Add Context to Elevate Figthers?
So I jumped on the mic and recorded this pod on Thursday in response to a Twitter thread that essentially — in my opinion — did they “yeah, but those wins aren’t that good…” thing with Aljamain Sterling’s last five victories.
Big picture: I think we hide behind the notion of “adding context” to results only when we’re looking to tear people down and diminish their success, because we almost never see people rushing out to say, “But that win is better than it looks because…” while giving everyone all kinds of added context.
It’s one of those things I will argue about and fight about for years on end, because I have been arguing about it and fighting about it for years on end already, and I really wish we would just stop doing this stuff because it’s annoying and dumb… in my opinion.
I love being able to bounce between each of these styles whenever a pay-per-view comes around.
FBF is a “just the facts” type deal that gives you everything you a little insight in every fight on the card, with a greater focus on the main card, every single week, while the OSDB preview has always been tailor to a more casual sports fan, “gonna check out the UFC this weekend” audience, highlighting fighters to pay attention to and the key matchups on the card.
They’re very different to write, even though there are similarities between the two and other stuff I write.
Had to make a Sunday afternoon adjustment to this one because I wasn’t sure if Mario Bautista was going to be taking part in the festivities this weekend. That led to me tagging in Ian Machado Garry, who feels much more established, though still ascending, obviously.
“The Future” is joined by Brazilian flyweights Natalia and Karine Silva, no relation, who go back-to-back against Maryna Moroz and Andrea Lee, respectively, to open the show. Both have looked outstanding thus far. Each is favoured to keep moving forward on Saturday. Both are excellent prospects in my eyes.
Aljamain Sterling Interview Feature
Really enjoyed this conversation with Aljo, who has always had a terrific mindset and approach to things.
I appreciate that he steers into the criticisms and heat he gets from fans and observers that never want to give him the credit he’s due, and think his “this is all icing on the cake” view of things makes him extra dangerous, because he’s not chasing a need or a want; he’s completed his mission already.
Sean O’Malley Interview Feature
My man Zac Pacleb helped me out with this one, as he and others have done many times in the past, and I’m always grateful.
I think this is one of the better pieces I’ve written this year because it covers both sides of who O’Malley is heading into this weekend, and addresses each of those sides through his own words, which is fascinating to me. I love that the challenger understands the criticisms, but also has the Petr Yan counter, and I’m fascinated to see how things play out in the main event so we can finally get a little more clarity on whether O’Malley really is a superstar talent or if he tops out at being a popular contender.
I really appreciate Lee indulging the line of questioning I brought to the outset of this interview, because it probably sucks to have someone wanting to go back and comb through a split decision loss and various close defeats as you’re readying to get things moving in the right direction again.
But I was genuinely curious to know how she processes those close defeats and takes the positives out of the performances while almost discarding the result in order to keep improving and developing as a fighter.
She was great about it all and I think the piece came together nicely.