it’s an intense fighter coach moment… and i photographed them

One of my favorite photos.

To the average person, this photo is JUST a photo. A guy in head gear and gloves ready to go into the ring. Giving his coach a ‘glove shake’.

But to me.. this is an EPIC moment.  It reminds me of my ALL TIME FAVORITE fighter coach moment, the first one I ever captured. I am still waiting on the right time to bring THAT photo out… 

As I watch their journeys unfold on fight night, there’s a lot of emotion and intensity that goes into the hours leading up to the bout. There’s the wrapping, the stretching, the warm up… then there is THIS VERY MOMENT… The moment when a fighter meets his coaches eyes, the LAST set of eyes he looks into before he steps into battle and he is reminded of the support he has behind him. He is reminded of his goal. He is reminded of who helped him get here and why! It’s in that moment that the coach says his final words of encouragement and lets his fighter know that THIS IS HIS TIME. 

I look into Roger’s eyes and I can see the determination. I look at Shihan’s profile and I can see the pride. I look at their hands, glove to glove, and I know that Roger isn’t going into that ring alone, he’s going in there with Shihan Simpson, Sensei Villafane, his coaches, his school, his training-mates and all his fans that came out to support him that night.  

But no matter who else is around, or what else is going on, having the people he trusts the most… IN HIS CORNER, makes it all worth it. 

Whether it happens in the ring, or just before, THIS VERY MOMENT is probably one of the most intense and personal and special moments that I AIM to capture at every fight night for every one of the fighters I cover.

Roger Garcia Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts

U.S.K.A. fights April 21 2012

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See more photos from U.S.K.A. fights Hamburg Fight Night here –>> http://bit.ly/KnBEoj See more Fight Night Pics at FightNightPics.com April 21 2012 Hamburg Fight Night KICKBOXING & MUAY THAI Hamburg Field House 500 Pine Street, Hamburg PA 19526 Hamburg, PA TSMMA Fighters Brandon Cuttino Andrew Greenspan Tony Mcrae Greg Fonda Roger Garcia Craig Alexander Andy Garzillo