Editing artist Grabinski aims to retrace their path towards triumph again
Three straight losses, something Mo Grabinski hadn't tasted in his MMA journey till his recent bout. Now, the German looks to rebound in front of his home crowd in Oberhausen and promises changes.
Ever since Marcel Mohamed Grabinski began dabbling in combat sports 16 years back, the idea of a professional career was the farthest thing from his mind. Today, the mixed martial arts fighter from Germany is one of the veterans in the sport, but far from calling it quits. The 32-year-old has his sights set on shining at Oktagon 60 on September 7 in Oberhausen and then kickstarting a winning spree. To make this happen, he's willingly enduring months of hardship, shedding tons of weight.
In an interview with ntv.de, the Düsseldorf resident exudes enthusiasm for his sport. The payday wasn't a motivating factor in his younger years. "Now I earn a fair income that allows me to live comfortably," he says.
In school, Grabinski was among the kids who weren't too sure about their future. After earning a certification in fitness retailing, he went on to establish his very own gym, seamlessly merging daily professional athletic sessions with entrepreneurship.
However, training isn't enough by itself. MMA is a lifestyle. "I already sacrificed every last bit of my free time in my youth. While others enjoyed swimming on those gorgeous summer afternoons, I hit the gym. And they'd always invite me to join them at the pool, saying, 'Come swim with us, it's a beautiful day, what are you training for?' But those are the guys who'll be cheering me on at my September 7 fight and are now my biggest fans."
When probed about the secret to success, Grabinski attributes its roots to the sacrifices he consciously made. "While others were partying on Saturdays, I hit the sack by 8 pm because I had to train early the next morning. Sacrifices like that have been - and continue to be - made."
The lightweight fighter (up to 70 kg) goes through a unique transformation prior to each of his fights. To prepare for his upcoming bout, the former GMC champion has to shed weight - often tipping the scales at over 90 kg. "I've been following a diet plan devised by my nutrition coach Max Merten for the past three months," says Grabinski. "About three weeks before the fight, I've already shed 10 kg."
Grabinski reveals a brand new fighting style
The 32-year-old is all set to shed even more weight in the coming weeks and days leading up to the fight through intense sweat sessions. Post the weigh-in, he makes a swift recovery to his normal weight - a process that every MMA fighter follows to some extent.
"Losing weight is one thing," says the fighter from the Düsseldorf UFD Gym. "But how you do it is another." Training twice a day and ending up drained isn't a wise move, Grabinski advises.
But Grabinski isn't just flexible when it comes to weight, but also inside the ring. For his forthcoming fight against Jakub Bahnik, he hints at potentially showcasing "a new style." His Czech opponent is an exceptional striker and an unexpected package. The German, boasting a career record of 23 wins and 10 losses, has yet to experience three consecutive losses before. The disappointing points loss against Spanish fighter Acoidan Duque a few months back still stings.
His primary objective is to triumph in Oberhausen and get back on the winning wagon. Unlike weight management, the 'how' isn't as crucial for success in his 34th professional bout.
Despite the three consecutive losses, Mo Grabinski is determined to showcase his skills in front of his home crowd in Oberhausen and aims to rebound with a win. In preparation for his upcoming bout, he plans to implement a new fighting style to challenge his opponent, Jakub Bahnik, an exceptional striker.
