We’ve now officially reached the midway point of TUF: Heavy Hitters, and things are good over here.
Looking back, I’m so happy that I was able to fight first. It allowed me to set the tone for my team, I was able to make a statement early, and I didn’t have to spend a bunch of additional time thinking about my fight before it happened. I’m just training hard, staying as relaxed as possible, and counting down the days until I get to compete again.
Having said that, things have changed a little since my fight.
After Team Gastelum jumped out to an early lead in the tournament, Team Whittaker is doing their best to get back on to an even footing, and we’re all tied up now.
As much as I want my team to win every fight, I believe it makes for a much more entertaining and competitive show when things are a bit more even. Morale in the TUF house is pretty good too, because everybody is excited about what’s going to happen next, since both teams are pretty evenly matched.
As much as I wanted my girl to get the win last night — like every fight — part of me was also happy for Leah Letson. She went through a lot, being on a team that didn’t suit her needs, so I know that victory was extra special for her too. That said, had Leah lost, it’d be a lot easier for her to come train with Team Gastelum for the remainder of the tournament. With her winning and moving on to the semifinals, it creates a weird situation, because she’d be training with the fighters she may have to fight.
I’ve said it a million times, but I’m so happy to be on Team Gastelum, and I can’t wait to showcase my improvements from working with Kelvin and his squad.
