Samuel Kain is a well known mixed martial artist, holding world titles in One Championship and Pride as well as being a title contender in the UFC. Today Sam is talking to us about what it\u2019s like being a retired MMA fighter and how he thinks the sport is evolving. Plus his take on Oneplus Zen mode and how he relaxes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sam talked a lot about his decision to retire.\u201d When something has been your life for so long, it is you\u2026 I am a fighter, it was weird to not be that anymore.\u201d With a sport so interlinked in how its competitors perceive their value, Sam found it hard to separate his identity from fighting. But having kids changed Sam\u2019s perspective. \u201cSuddenly I was a dad first and a fighter second and the way my brain works, I have to be all in on something\u201d so for Sam, the question became not \u2018How do I be the best fighter?\u2019 but \u2018How do I become the best dad?\u2019 Even if this goal came at the expense of his past life as a fighter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We showed Sam how to use Zen mode on his Oneplus phone and he was blown away with how the limiting of features increased his productivity, as well as helping him find the headspace he needs to relax. \u201cHonestly I was shocked at how often I was reaching for my phone but didn\u2019t need it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sam talked about how his perspective on the fight game has changed since he has been separated from it. \u201cI think when I was in it, I was too busy to see the big picture.\u201d Since he stopped fighting Sam has made even more of a name for himself as a pundit and reporter on top of his MMA career. His fighting pedigree gives him a level of authenticity and empathy for the fighters he interviews which really comes across in the quality of the content he delivers. \u201cIt\u2019s like being both in and outside, I know the business but I\u2019m disconnected enough that I can notice what\u2019s weird about it.\u201d There are many arbitrary rules that have latched onto MMA, perhaps because the sport started underground, so the rules were never something to emphasise. Now, however as the sport has ballooned in popularity, those strange rules have come into sharp focus. The twelve to six elbow rule is one that stands out specifically for its stupidity, but I\u2019m sure we\u2019ve all heard enough about that. Another rule that seems strange is the idea of rounds. Why even have rounds as opposed to unadulterated combat? The answer obviously being ignorant state commissions and the spectre of boxing hanging around MMA like a scarf made of rotting racoons. Who knows, maybe in a couple of years, MMA will shake off these challenges and reach its greatest potential as one of the world\u2019s biggest sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, in a sport as quickly evolving as mixed martial arts, it\u2019s hard to find time for prioritising your mental health. For fighters like Sam, Zen mode really helped him develop that balance he needed for a healthy lifestyle. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"