Old Guard, New Guard
It seems now more than ever, we see fighters who were the new hot contenders at one time hang up their gloves. This past weekend, Jung Chan-sung better known as “The Korean Zombie” hung up his gloves in Singapore when he lost to Max Halloway in the latest UFC event.
I know it’s been written about here before but something in martial arts culture, because it truly is a way of life makes moments like that stand out. Martial arts often teach us the importance of keeping a present mind during stressful situations. It’s healthy, to not dwell on the past or worry too much about the future. But the future still comes, and often with a message that it’s time to evolve into something else.
Professional fighters try their hardest not to hear that call. The call to train and compete is more easily answered than the call to take a seat when it might be past your prime. The good thing about it though, in martial arts anyway is that it can be a sign of maturity. Transcendence into something or someone that has nothing left to prove anymore, and there is freedom in that.
