KEYBOARD WARRIORS

BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, A PLETHORA OF VIDEOS HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO WISH TO CONTINUE THEIR TRAINING WHILE IN LOCKDOWN OR NEAR LOCKDOWN. THIS IS A GREAT THING FOR ALL PRACTICING MARTIAL ARTISTS BECAUSE EVERYONE SUDDENLY HAS ACCESS TO NOTABLE FIGHTERS AND TRAINERS WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY UNAVAILABLE TO THE MASSES.

- KELLY McCANN

You’d think that the response would be equally great and grateful by members of the public who are seeking to better their skills. But you would be wrong. Instead, average Joe’s with nothing more than an opinionated keyboard wade in to critique, criticize, malign and impugn well-known and accomplished fighters, coaches and instructors.

The most recent target I’ve seen is Cain Velasquez. You know, he’s the two-time UFC heavyweight champion who, after developing a notable wrestling pedigree, went on to amateur MMA, fighting his way to the top and eventually getting his shot in the UFC. He then beat a slew of accomplished fighters — no tomato cans — that included Brock Lesnar, Junior dos Santos, Cheick Kongo, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Travis Browne and Ben Rothwell.

Velasquez’s video topic was how to develop punching power — which obviously he has and has demonstrated by accumulating many TKO and KO victories. What he was teaching has worked for him in high-level combat-sports bouts attended by tens of thousands and watched by millions. So, as a matter of fact (not fiction or fantasy), he’s proved that he can sleep the big boys.