giguer

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T-Bone

Yeah I would fight my training partner and/or friend. It is a business. Instead of always wondering...what if, what if...don't turn down a title shot or a chance to move up. Careers are only so long...carpe diem!

Let's get it on!

y0utapped

definately, there is no reason why you can't put your friendship on hold for a few minutes and jus resume it after. this is a sport and a business just like anythin else. you wouldn't ask this question if it was tennis and to me the fact that you are trying to hurt each other doesn't change anythin

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5 Favourite Fighters:
hw: cro cop
lhw: thiago silva
mw: henderson
ww: davies
lw: stevenson

jyd94

Not only a friendship thing it is you are training at the same place. Issues will arise, one guy will say the other is getting more time / better treatment, the coach for both is saying hey this guy is having troubles with (insert whatever), bad situation all around. Not even mentioning who corners who etc.I never mix money and friends, this is in a way is the same thing.

giguer

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Beazt

I see no problem with it.
There will be a conflict of interest with coaches, but yourself and said friend just have to hammer that out before you both start training.

Simply: No excuses from either of us if we lose.

RampageMcKellar

For a title shot definetly.

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Respect I dont earn it I just f***in take it- Tito Ortiz

Fav Fighters
Rampage - Franklin - Hughes - Arlovski - St. Pierre

asronn

I dont think I would fight my training partner if we were also really good friends. I think it would ruin a friendship. But I guess it really depends on what kind of friend you are.

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I've got a strategy, it's called whoop that ass!"

-Quinton Jackson

Rocky12233

Honestly, I dont think I could...

I look at all the guys I train with now and I have become really good friends with pretty much all of them....When we spar, grapple, wrestle, ect... that is one thing...We are helping each other out in training and making each other better, not trying to hurt one another to prove who is the dominant fighter in dominant fashion...

Now if we had to put our friendship on the side for 15 - 25 mins of fighting, that could possibly change everything....What if something went completely wrong and him or I injured the other severely (something like Quarry/Franklin, Tim/Mir, etc..) I don't know if I would be able to live with myself knowing I just put a good friend of mine out of commision for god knows how long, all to put on a show for the fans/viewers.......

I know business is business, but good, best friends that you can trust are hard to find.

Another thing to look at is that if you are training with each other before hand for months, or even yrs, you learn what there game is. You know exactly what they are good and not good at.. I'll use myself as an example:

One of my training partners (who happens to be one of my best friends/future brother in law lol) and I have been training together full time for around 4-6 months now...I am the dominant striker between the both of us and he is the dominant ju jitsu guy....When the fight is standing he knows what combos I like and dont like...I'll throw a right leg kick to the thigh, followed by a left leg kick to his midsection, followed by a right leg head kick and then mix in some punching combos...He can now defend it a lot easier than some other guys because he is so used to seeing it and has been hit with is so many times... Same thing when the fight goes to the ground...I know he loves 180 degree armbars from side control and can pull off bicep locks and what knot so smoothly...I have learned to defend it from getting it done so many times. When the fight goes to the ground, I know I can control him a lot better in my side control than if I have him mounted (sounds weird I know).... When I am in his gaurd I know I better posture up completely because a tiny bit of slouch and I am caught in an armbar (he has some of the best armbars from gaurd) Just a few examples...

Basically what I am trying to say is that when you are training with someone for so long, you each know exactly what each others game is, so it is going to be quite hard to dominate when you each know what each other is going to do in certain situations...

Sorry for dragging the post on....I might have repeated myself a little bit.....but I hope I made some points that made sense haha.....

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"When Matthew got hit in the nose I think that bothered him a little bit, he thinks he's one of those pretty boys and they don't like that ya know? See you punch me in the face I don't care cuz I'm ugly as hell." -Rampage

MTKrav911

For a couple bucks? No.

For say, 6 figures plus bonuses?

I'd do my best to knock the ever lovin piss out of him and I hope he'd respect me enough to do the same for me.

We'd beat the crap out of each other real good, take the winnings and go party.

If you're really both professional and understand that training and competition fighting isnt the same as street fighting?

Why not?

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"You Don't Like Beethoven!"

rhtufts

Wouldn’t be a problem for me.

I really don’t see how it could be unless you or your friend are the type that has to hate or be mad at the guy they are fighting. To me an attitude like that is unprofessional.

.02

stillstanding

I would in a heartbeat. Nothing against my friend. I hope he would have honor to fight me like everyone else.

Although if I was in the same camp I would temporarily change locations.

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Stillstanding
This is for those who told me that Griffin would never be champ.

The-Iceman-Chuck-Liddell

I would. I spar pretty hard with them anyway. Like said above, It's a business, It's sport. To me it would be like playing ping pong against my friend.

LABJJ

It depends on how bad he normally beats me when we spar..... but seriously, I would. We give each other bloody noses and black eyes almost every time we train. Nobody gets mad or pissed at each other, because its all about becoming a better fighter and competitor. When I first started training and fighting I thought it was going to be all egos and the attitiude of I'm better than you and so on. It is nothing like that with the people I train with. If i would win, Then I would be better that day. A couple of our guys have ended meeting up with each other in a MMA match and they did what they had to do. It was business as usual in the ring and they still train and hang out together.

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I’m not so enthused with people coming up patting me on the back saying you’re the best. I don’t need people to do that to me. If I win its only because I wanted to be the best one time in my life.

OneBigThrow

nah no way would i do it, i cant fathom fightign a training partner that is also a friend


a friend from another camp or gym? hell yea no sweat


but not a guy i train with and hang with daily

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-Vitor Belfort

Crashsti

There are certain circumstances that would require me to fight a friend if my goal was to be a champion. For example, if i was the #1 contender and my friend was champ. If i would'nt fight him i would be left with few options if i wanted to advance my career. Overall though i think fighters are going to have to accept that they may indeed have to fight friends and fellow camp members, especially with the best fighters coming out of a handful of training centers.

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Be Free Where You Are

The World Turned Upside Down

NateRupe

I'd beat the **** out of my best friend for money.

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"Both these guys are as well rounded as you can get, with hearts the size of Tito's ****in' head." - Dana Whote on KenFlo and Huerta

x.MMA.x

LOL, I'd beat up my friend for fun... Its more than just a fight to me you get to know the person a hole let better in a fight, I've faught people ive absolutly hated and then both of us come out of the fight with alot more respect for each other. So hell yes I'd fight anyone of my friends anyday.

chicago504

Yes i would, i would put friendship aside for 15 or 25 minutes , to get to the top.