Matt Hamill knows full well that fighting is just as much about your will as it is about your skill.
Professional fighting is just as much about the mind as it is the body, and the winner of a fight is usually the guy that is able to successfully control both.
My last fight against Tito Ortiz was an interesting one, because although we would fight with our bodies inside the Octagon, the battle was also a mental one. I had to overcome certain mental hurdles before and during the fight and, of course, Tito did his best to mess with my head in the lead-up.
I was very confident going into that particular fight, simply because Tito picked me to be a champion. I was his first pick on The Ultimate Fighter and he showed me a lot of respect on the show. By picking me first and spending the time he did with me, I knew he liked me as a fighter and as a person. So, when the time came to fight Tito, I knew he would still have that same respect for my fighting abilities.
I had also trained a lot with Tito in the past, so I knew what he could and couldn't do as a fighter. There was no unknown element for me. I went into the fight prepared and mentally strong.
As far as my friendship with Tito, I wouldn't say we were as close as I am with Rich Franklin, but we shared some kind of bond. Rich and I are longtime family friends, and it was particularly difficult preparing to face him in the Octagon. We both grew up in a small town and we both got on really well with one another. It was hard for me to adapt and work myself up to fight a man I had so much admiration for.
The Tito situation wasn't quite the same, but I still had plenty of respect for him. I liked the way he coached on the show and I really looked up to him, as both a coach and fighter. It was only when Tito came out and started speaking bad about the deaf community that the relationship changed. I sat back and let Tito take shots at me, knowing that he was only fuelling the fire and that I would put things right in the Octagon.
I like to think I'm a caring and sensitive individual and, in many ways, fighting doesn't come naturally to those kinds of people. I always try to go out of my way to help others and I'm never one to start confrontation. For the most part, I try to live life with a smile on my face.
Deep inside, though, there is definitely a monster and that monster comes out on fight night. When that monster comes out it can be scary. I remember getting poked in the eye against Keith Jardine in a close fight, and I actually felt this monster take control of my whole body and grind out the fight. I became even more determined, even more aggressive and would stop at nothing to take control and beat Keith.
After that eye poke -- which would later require surgery -- I came out like a man possessed and turned a close fight into a bloody, punishing war and dominated Keith for the remainder of the fight. It was a great win for me, as it showed my big heart and my spirit to come from a losing position and turn it into a winning one.
Fighting is a test of will and, at some point, you will be asked whether you want the victory badly enough. The guys that end up losing are the ones that can't answer the call. The winners are the fighters that can overcome their mental and physical obstacles and grind it out. I like to think I'm one of those guys...
Matt Hamill takes on Quinton (Rampage) Jackson in the main event of UFC 130 on Saturday, May 28 in Las Vegas. He will blog weekly for sportsnet.ca ahead of his fight.
UFC 130 will be shown live on pay-per-view at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. And you can watch two live preliminary fights on Sportsnet at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.