EFC fighter’s pain is thrilling to fans, what’s the costs?
They throw punches for a living, but at what cost? EFC fighter Lucky Magekha shares how they push through the pain to give their spectators a show to remember.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a physically demanding and mentally tough sport, pushing fighters to their limits in the pursuit of victory. While the spotlight shines brightly on the thrill of competition and the agony of defeat, there’s another, often overlooked, aspect of an MMA fighter’s life: The constant battle against injury.
From torn muscles and shattered bones, to chronic conditions and nagging pains, injuries are an unfortunate reality for many MMA fighters. But what happens when the fight is over, and the real challenge begins? How do fighters cope with the physical and mental toll of injury, and what strategies do they use to prevent them in the first place?
EFC fighter Lucky Magekha admits it is scary. He said an injury that got him shivering to the bone was when he noticed a fighter who was going for an electric kick, fell and broke his chin.
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Magekha said he has never had any serious injuries, however, he recently injured his knee, tearing the muscles. He said because he loves what he does, he just kept on training.
“I don’t put much pressure on it. Instead, I just keep my focus on things I am able to do. Mentally, I channel the spirit of the fellow fighters at the gym as motivation, so that I can forget the injury.”
He said what he does after training, and his fights, is body conditioning, which refers to the process of preparing or recovering the body for physical activity. This can involve various techniques and exercises aimed at improving flexibility, strength, endurance, and overall physical resilience.
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“We do everything at the gym, and if a fighter gets injured, they have to nurse it. We don’t avoid training to avoid injuries. To prevent injuries, we focus more on technical sparring, and also, after the session, one can get into an ice bath or sauna for a few minutes.
“When we do sparring, we wear chin pads, head guards, elbow pads, and gloves, just to prevent injuries. But you do have a choice to go for a rough sparring, without the gear, or normal one.”
Magekha is set to face off against Musa Sethwape on March 6 at the World Sports Betting Arena in Paulshof. He is more determined than ever to emerge triumphant after his recent loss to Slimen Hassaini, a skilled grappler, at the UAE Warriors 56 Arabia vs Africa in Abu Dhabi, where he was submitted in just two minutes of the first round.
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