Nicknames are prevalent around the world. Friends, co-workers and celebrity culture regularly use a nickname. In the sporting arena we have become accustomed to characters such as 'Eddie the Eagle', 'Thorpedo' and 'Becks'. But what's in a nickname? Maybe Combat sports can help us find the answer.

'The Hurt Business' has made more use of the nickname than almost any other genre. Fighters such as Mike Tyson were emblazoned with terms such as 'Kid Dynamite' or 'Iron Mike' early in their career. I can remember growing up with boxing characters such as the 'Dark Destroyer' and 'Prince' Naseem Hamed. I knew them solely by their nickname like characters from a comic book.

My own fight moniker 'Kong' has a certain myth around the origin of how it came to be. Some stories say it was bestowed upon me from early competitions from members of the audience witnessing a 'King-Kong' style beating. Other accounts point to a drunken night of rampage across London. There is even suggestions to say the nickname arose due to me looking like the director of the last Kong movie Peter Jackson. Ex-girlfriends may even have their own tale! 

What becomes evident here is that the nickname transcends the fighter from a person to 'THE' character. The early example of 'Iron Mike' helped build a character ferocious and destructive.

Opponents said to be scared before they even entered the ring. Tyson's aura lasting long after the man Mike Tyson was conquered by Buster Douglas back in 1990. Sometimes we often wonder why a nickname seems so surreal, even pointless at times. My former foe Alex Reid being a case in point. Going into my clash with the 'Reidenator' many people commented or asked me: 'What the **** is a Reidenator?'

This week I established a UK MMA charity account for Children in Need, one of the most high-profile and prestigious annual TV charity events here in the UK.

Essentially, it's to raise money on behalf of an umbrella fund labelled "UK MMA," helping a great cause whilst enhancing public perceptions of the Mixed Martial Arts within the UK and introducing new mainstream audiences to the sport and its personalities. We Brits are several years behind the US in terms of the general perceptions of the sport, so this would certainly go some way to improving that situation.
 

I'm now two weeks post op but frustratingly still experiencing nerve pain. This shouldn't be the case as the operation is done to relieve pressure on the nerve.

So I just have to remain patient until I go back to the specialist in early December when will know pretty much where I stand. I find it very difficult being so far away from all my teammates at Jacksons and it was particularly tough to see the guys go 3-0 at UFC recently (Stann, Melvin, Leonard) and I know Greg and the other coaches will not be happy with this as it hasn't happened for a long time (there was a black period for Jacksons that everyone harped on about a few years back) and losing is not what we do. I know all those guys will be back to greater triumphs particuarly Stann as I know how driven he is.

I'm hoping to do something for Children in Need coming up next month but am just trying to figure out what I can do around my back. I'm hoping to maybe do a sponsored walk or something so will keep everyone posted. I really value the work they do helping UK children, especially because sometimes it's easy to forget there are so many disadvantaged children and young people struggling at an age when they shouldn't have these worries.

It’s a sad state of affairs that I’ve become accustomed to the negativity that often enshrouds MMA within the UK, caused by the general lack of understanding about the sport, and compounded by the unfortunate term of “cagefighting” which carries with it numerous unfavourable connotations.

So when I first saw the media frenzy over a grappling match between two boys, I must admit that I didn’t pay it much attention. As the controversy intensified, I actually investigated the incident and discovered a fairly innocuous contest taking place in a licensed venue. So let’s not confuse the situation. The principal issue is really about the surroundings in which the contest transpired, rather than the actual sport per se being showcased. If this footage were to have been captured unfolding in a local gym on the mats, it wouldn’t have even been newsworthy.

WOW is all I can say about BAMMA 7. What an event. Being on the sidelines during fight night actually enabled me to sit back and appreciate the significant progress that BAMMA is making as a promotion. Obviously, when you yourself are involved on a card, you are engrossed in the moment, fully focused on the forthcoming fight.

And that is the key for BAMMA, to continue making considerable strides forward with each event, a feat it has managed so far with aplomb. From the media set-up, to the calibre of fighter, to the sponsorship deals, to the production levels through various communication mediums and right through to the general buzz generated for the event, tangible improvements were observed from even the last event held in May. Personally, I’m proud to be part of the revolution in any way I can.

The card also managed to live up to the hype, and even exceeded my lofty expectations. An explosive evening of entertainment was provided, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The prelims particularly delivered for BJJ enthusiasts, with 5 of the 8 bouts decided via one specific submission. Indeed, the NIA in Birmingham is now officially home to the Rear-Naked-Choke. And there were also fireworks for those aficionados of the standup game, with 4 (T)KOs, most notably lightweight champion Rob Sinclair’s devastating uppercut finish of Diego Vital.

Whilst undoubtedly biased, I was particularly impressed with my two Jackson’s gym teammates Erik Perez & Robert Devane, who I had the privilege of cornering. Perez showcased his much-improved wrestling defense in the face of James Brum's continuous takedown attempts, and I look forward to witnessing his development en route to becoming the BAMMA 135lb champion. Unfortunately, my good friend Devane didn’t fare as well, but he should be extremely proud of his performance.

The odds were certainly stacked against him. According to the bookies and statistics, my man was the heavy underdog against Eugene Fadiora and bear in mind that Robert had a mere 3 weeks to prepare following a 4-week honeymoon (I told him he shouldn’t have got married). Irrespective of all this, he still managed to dominate the majority of the first round, and I know his future is very bright.

The co-main and main event, whilst both culminating in decisions, were highly exhilarating fights, with Daley and Wallhead putting on top-notch performances. Daley threw everything but the proverbial kitchen sink at Radev, displaying the entire gamut of his standup game, but the Bulgarian proved incredibly resilient. His performance resembled that of an MMA cyborg, withstanding an inordinate amount of punishment throughout the entire duration of the three rounds. Both Nate and Paul are great friends and training partners of mine, but for the sake of pure entertainment, I hope they fight in December. This is a showdown between two of the world’s top ten welterweights, and would have MMA purists purring globally.

The main event was also a fantastic spectacle. I had accurately predicted that Wallhead would narrowly shade the victory, and I was delighted for him to earn the most significant victory of his career. I was caught in two minds though, as whilst I wanted Wallhead to win, I was also keen for Trigg to secure the next shot at my title. As I watched the fight unfold, I couldn’t help but feel that I would have comfortably finished Trigg within the allotted 5-rounds, but alas it wasn’t meant to be. I believe Wallhead poses a much tougher proposition if that transpires to be my next scheduled bout upon returning to BAMMA.

As many people are aware, I’ve been feeling a little bit downbeat owing to the confirmation of my back injury, but the support and kind words I received from people during the course of the weekend really helped to lift my spirits. I really appreciated that. I am ordinarily backstage which renders it difficult to find opportunities to interact with the crowd, but on this occasion I was able to converse with plenty of fans. I specifically enjoyed my time at the merchandising stall, where I had the opportunity to chat to many members of the “Kong army”.

On an ending note, I believe BAMMA should appoint me as post-event shindig organiser moving forward. I will duly resurrect my legendary afterparties. When I return everyone is cordially invited to Kong’s bash! Vodka for every man and his dog!!!

Thanks for taking the time to read, and cheers for all the positive comments about the blog. I’ll continue to write up something every time I get a chance. In the meantime, follow me on Twitter @TomKongWatson if you’re interested in discovering my daily trivialities and miscellaneous musings.

Kong

Buenos días from sunny Southampton,

So here we are…Fight Week. I’m experiencing mixed emotions in the build-up to BAMMA 7. On the one hand, I’m gutted personally not to be competing due to injury. On the other hand, fight week never fails to excite me. If you’re a fighter, this is game-time, the culmination of all the hard work during training camp.

This is the fun part. From the pre-fight presser, to the weigh-ins, to the event itself, there’s always a special buzz that surrounds the lead-up to an MMA event, and particularly a BAMMA event in the UK. It’s great catching up with a lot of familiar faces within the promotion. I’m particularly looking forward to watching the fights that involve my Jackson’s stable-mates Erik Perez and Robert Devane (who’s a really funny guy with a dry sense of humour, and with whom I first trained in Canada, a real high-level Karate practitioner) and I also eagerly-anticipate the co-main event fight between my friend/training partner Paul Daley facing off against dangerous Bulgarian wrestler Jordan Radev.

I'm writing a matter of hours after the pre-fight press conference which took place on the Wednesday preceding the fights. In light of certain remarks made by Paul Daley following Nate Marquardt’s dismissal from the UFC (he was found to have elevated levels of testosterone prior to his last fight), it was foreseen by some that there would be some tension today between Paul and Nate. However, Paul was as good as gold, and the presser proved largely uneventful for those expecting drama. Whilst it’s between them, I’m glad there wasn’t any tension since I am friends with both.

The irony is that I may end up training with both Paul and Nate at different periods in the lead up to a fight between them, should it materialise. At the top level of fighting, this kind of scenario crops up regularly, since there only exist a finite number of elite gyms out of which to train. If Jimmy Wallhead overcomes Frank Trigg this weekend, I may find myself in a position to fight Jimmy, who is one of Paul’s principal training partners at Team Rough House in Nottingham. It’s not a big deal, and both Paul and Nate are aware of each other’s skills, so they won’t be asking me for inside information.

I realise that I’ve left you in the lurch a little since my last blog instalment, which itself was rather downbeat, since it was only written a matter of days after I was forced to pull out of my BAMMA 7 main event title defence against Frank Trigg.

The psychological aspect of injuries is always the hardest to deal with for any sportsman, and like all professional athletes on the sidelines, I have my positive days and my pessimistic days. On my worst days, it sometimes proves hard to envisage stepping back into the cage but I remain hopeful that I will be back fighting fit as soon as possible. And I promise to remain more upbeat from now on.

In terms of my injury, I’ve had a few consultations with my specialist since last writing, and the surgeon’s diagnosis was accurate. I have two ruptured discs in my back, which will require a certain amount of rest and a series of injections to ease the pain, and reduce the swelling at a quicker rate. It’s hit and miss whether the injections will prove effective for me. They assist some people. The injection is a temporary measure, to relieve pressure on the nerve, and in turn attempt things to improve the situation. A ruptured disc can heal itself within 1-3 months. My own personal research suggests that 90% of them heal themselves, with 10% requiring surgery.

I’m not much closer to confirming my return date, though needless to say I’d love to compete at BAMMA 8 in December if my body permits me. However, how likely this is, I’m not sure, since following injections, I will still need a period of recuperation before I can begin training at the intensity required to prepare for an elite opponent. It’s a decision I’ll probably back during October. With the benefit of hindsight, this episode with Frank Trigg has taught me not to rush into signing for a fight.

Ask anybody with whom I train, but I’m a prolific fighter in terms of my frequency of performance. When I first moved out to the US to train, I was having to fight on a monthly basis just to sustain the lifestyle. Now that I’ve reached a high level within UK MMA, I’m at the stage where it isn’t necessary to fight every month.

The injury issues I’ve encountered this year, including my arm surgeries and now my back, can probably be attributed to the rate at which I’ve competed over recent years, but it’d be difficult to have changed that given the financials. I mean, look at my close buddy Brian Stann, who still works a job outside of training full-time for the UFC. I’d still need to fight a few times a year, but certainly I’d be more sensible and contractually commit to fewer fights just so that I’ll be able walk later in life. It’s all part of the learning process, as a fighter and as a person.

Even swimming aggravates my back at the minute, so I’m really cautious to not rush back into fighting with only a month’s preparation. When I do return, I want to be fully fit, and able to give a good account of myself inside the cage.

In terms of my free time, I’ve been filling it by trying to learn some Spanish. I’d prefer to do something productive whilst I have the time at my disposal. I learnt Spanish up until GCSE level at school, so I already possess a base level in the language, and I’ve always promised myself that I’d dedicate enough time to do so.

We English don’t seem to attach as much importance to speaking foreign languages, predominantly because most other nationalities can speak English so we are complacent. I have Mexican teammates out in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and it would be great to converse with them in their native tongue. I’m primarily teaching myself online, and immersing myself in the language by watching films with Spanish subtitles. It’s a relatively easy language to learn because most of the words are pronounced as they appear.

I’m not a massive TV fan either, so that hasn’t really been assisting me in staving off the boredom. I’ve not watched “The Geordie Shore”, and I’m reluctant to even begin in case I get involved. With respect to the staple British soaps, I understand that they’re a part of British culture, but I won’t go out of my way to watch them. And obviously Celebrity Big Brother has been dominating the headlines recently, but I’ve not bothered with that either. That whole Big Brother situation would be extremely difficult. I couldn’t last in that house for a sustained period of time without being bored out of my mind. If they offered me a decent amount of money, I’d probably give it a go, but I’d be very surprised if I lasted longer than the first week. In my current injured state I’d last longer than if I was healthy, because I could just lie down a lot.

I’ve been approached to do “The Ultimate Fighter”, the world’s most recognised combat-sports based reality TV show, but even that didn’t appeal to me. The idea of staying in a house with a dozen other fighters who I’ve never met isn’t one which massively interests me, and they aren’t constantly caged in (mind the pun) like the Big Brother contestants.

I alluded in my last blog entry to the issue of maintaining a steady weight whilst on the sidelines. Some athletes tend to overindulge (Ricky Hatton being the most infamous example) whilst other adhere to a stringent diet regardless of active competition. I probably lie somewhere in-between. In the last week or so, I’ve refrained from constantly trying to keep my weight down.

I’m enjoying some of my mum’s home-cooking, lying down and taking some walks. Luckily, I eat clean most of the year, and so I’ve come to prefer the taste of healthy foods like fresh fish. I tend to prepare my own food, and I find Marks & Spencer is one of the best places to shop at for food in England. In the M & S near me, there’s a café that serves high-quality food like fresh seabass.

And thankfully, I’m not a fan of stodgy English food such as Fish ‘N’ Chips, which is pretty much all we have to offer in terms of culinary dishes. That’s not to say that every now and then I won’t enjoy a kebab. Like for most people, food is one of the biggest pleasures in life.

Before I move on to my fight predictions and conclude this blog entry, I’d just like to thank my fans for their kind and supportive words upon discovering about my injury setback. And somebody informed me of the #ThereIsOnlyOneTomKo​ngWatson (or something to that effect) that was trending recently on Twitter when the American golfer was playing well in a tournament, which is highly amusing and I loved it.

There’s actually a funny story behind that; when I was born, Tom Watson the golfer had won the Open that year so the doctor that helped to deliver me just presumed that my parents were big golf fans, when in reality they didn’t have a clue about the American Tom Watson. I’ve never actually been confused with the middle-aged American golfer, or my namesake Labour MP.

As is typical in some other sports, I anticipated that a few months on the sidelines might lead people to forget me, but I really do appear to have a loyal fanbase which is great. I do attempt to reply to most of the tweets that I receive, which usually arrive to my phone whilst I’m training.

In terms of my predictions for this coming Saturday, I always go with my own, so I believe that Paul Daley, Erik Perez and Robert Devane will all triumph. I also feel that Jimmy Wallhead, Rob Sinclair, Andre Winner, Lee Taylor and Danny Compton (the last two used to train sporadically at my gym, and are local lads) will all prevail on the night.

Cheers for reading, and enjoy BAMMA 7 this Saturday night, it promises to be an explosive evening of entertainment. Look out for me watching from cageside with interest, and follow me on Twitter @TomKongWatson if you want to know my thoughts about all the fights.

Kong

GoDaddy.com presents BAMMA 7 in association with Lonsdale and PKR.com

Saturday September 10th at The National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, UK

Tickets Available Now from www.bamma.com and www.theticketfactory​.com

Watch it live and exclusive on Syfy (UK) at 9pm GMT, The Fight Network (Canada) and Worldwide at www.bamma.tv at 4pm ET / 1pm PT

In case you haven't noticed there's an event going on this weekend.

Saturday September 10. If you can't be there, watch it on Syfy.

In case you haven't noticed, there's an event going on at the weekend.

Saturday September 10. If you can't be there, watch it on Syfy.