You're Alright
After a round in which their fighter is hurt or visibly damaged most cornermen are quick to tell their fighter that they're okay.
If your fighter looked like Antonio Silva does do you really think telling them they're okay is going to do anything? Obviously they're not okay or their face wouldn't resemble hamburger meat.
Instead of lying and telling your fighter they're okay tell them why they got hurt in the first place. That would go a lot further in helping their fighter rather than telling them they're okay.
"Yes you're bleeding a bit but you're okay. Just a flesh wound."
The Other Guy Has No Power
I know it's a common phrase in the training sessions leading up to the fight and even between rounds but let's be honest, anyone can be KO'ed on any given night in MMA.
Telling your fighter that their opponent doesn't have any power may give them a bit of confidence but it could also lead to a false sense of security. A fighter should worry about their opponent's punching power even if they don't own a single KO victory.
With four-ounce gloves, it's far too easy to get clipped because a fighter didn't respect their punching ability. Better safe than sorry. Or unconscious.
Stick to the Game Plan
Perhaps the most frustrating part of watching coaches talk to their fighter in between rounds is when they tell them to stick to the game plan even if they're losing.
I understand sticking to the plan if you're winning but when the fight's not going a fighter's way, obviously something needs to change. The Diaz brothers are a prime example of this due to their usual single-minded strategy coming into a fight.
When a fighter is clearly down on the scorecards or their strategy isn't working, it's time to switch things up even if it means throwing leather. Fighters and coaches should always have a plan B or C.
Just Coast
As Dana White loves to say: "Don't leave it in the hands of the judges."
Yet, some fighters and their corners are still confident in their ability to score a fight. Recently Bryan Caraway's corner told him to "just coast" in the final round of his contest with Takeya Mizugaki. The bad corner advice due to lying and telling their fighter he was up on the scorecards cost Caraway a victory.
Coaches aren't judges and therefore shouldn't tell their fighters they're up on the scorecard. Judging scorecards are too funky to be depended on.
Athletes love to control their own destiny and "just coasting" doesn't put them in that position. Why wait for a judge to decide your fate when you can do it yourself via tapout or knockout?
