Watching Thomas Fight

   It's Tom's birthday today so I have to share one more blog post. I've had some people ask me about his fight and how I was able to sit through it. So, I wrote about that and just added a happy birthday at the end!
      When I very first heard about Tom, my friend showed me a video on YouTube of his first fight in the cage that he won in something like 90 seconds. I was just like... *droolzzzz* hahaha but really that was all it was to me. It was just sport he did. Where we lived before, the only place to train was a half hour drive away and it wasn't nearly as intense as he was looking for. Tom used to work in the oilfield before now so the times he could actually train were few and far between. I admit, for a long time I wasn't as supportive as I should have been. I thought eventually he would let it go and accept that it wasn't something he would be able to do. Then, my crazy freaking husband accepted a title fight at a weight class higher than he had ever fought! So I'm all, oh this will be just great. I was terrified.

When we moved, he was lucky to find a great gym with a coach who really cares about him and wants him to succeed. It wasn't until he started training at a really intense level that I understood it's not just a hobby to him, its a lifestyle and a dream. A dream that Thomas really has a chance at achieving. He lives, breathes, eats, and sleeps fighting. He would come home every night after training for hours drenched in sweat and hurting all over yet he would be bubbling with excitement and talking about what they would be doing tomorrow... ok, weirdo. That's not a sickness just anybody has.
   So it gets to be fight night... Before we even got to the venue I had a raging headache. I mean the type of headache I went around asking people for tylenol. I'm thinking to myself.. this is it. This is going to be one of those freak occasions where someone dies and it's going to be Tom and I'm going to end up a widow at 24 because my husband picked MMA over golf or something that doesn't involve the other opponent trying to choke the life out of you or knock your brain around until you're unconscious. Three fights before Tom's fight I went to the bathroom and I threw up everywhere. I mean, puking for like five minutes. I thought I was nervous then and that I wouldn't be able to watch but as soon as the fight started I could not look away. It was like when you're driving and you see two vehicles you just KNOW are going to get in a huge accident but you can't look away. I was screaming and jumping and pulling my hair out and as soon as the round was over I went back to my seat and laid my head down on the table. I was so grateful to have everyone who came sitting by me because they kept patting my shoulder telling me "He's ok! He's doing so good!" and I was like nope, he's dying. I have to make it stop. Then as soon as another round would start, I was screaming "Punch him! Choke him! Get out of that armbar! If you break your arm I will kill you! Don't let go, damnit!" then the round would end and I was back to thinking he was dying. As you can tell my emotions were reallyyyyyy confused. At one point there was a fighter standing next to me who had lost his fight earlier in the night. I bumped into him and said "Sorry, thats my husband in there." He replied, "Yea, well, your husband just about got his freaking arm broken." Aaaaand it was there that I snapped. I SCREAMED at that guy with several obscenities but basically said, "I'm sorry, did you win your fight? No? Then shut your mouth." But I am paraphrasing. Needless to say, he moved to another table.
     Guys, I just can't describe how incredible this fight was. I've never seen anything like it. Thomas pushed passed the point of breaking and then continued on and on. Actually, there were several fights that night that ended because one of the fighters just gave up. I knew beforehand that Thomas would die before doing that but when the fight got started, I was thinking this is why guys give up. I get it. We found out a few days later Thomas had gotten a broken rib in we think the second round. The body shots he took have stopped many fighters after only one and I can't even tell you how many he took but never stopped fighting. One of the fight promoters told him later that as he watched the fight the word that kept coming to mind was "tenacious." The definition of that word is: not readily relinquishing position, principle, or course of action; determined. Persisting in existence; not easily dispelled. There is not a more accurate description of Thomas. I watched all of his training be put to work. All of those hours at the gym he had put in; all the time I had sacrificed. And I watched it all come together in a terrific show of strength both mental and physical.
     The pain of him losing was huge for us both. Later though, we learned that there are a great many things to learn from losing. It is humbling in a wonderful way. I know his next fight will be even greater and I am excited for more people in the world to see his talent, strength, and determination.

I will continue to support him in all he does even if that means getting sick before every fight and going bald from pulling out all my hair. The way he fights is a good example of how he lives his life. Strong, unyielding, determined, stubborn, and passionate. Happy Birthday, Thomas. Keep succeeding in all you do.