Tokyo trip

TOKYO, Japan -- It's 4:30 a.m. and I cannot sleep, and I've been awake since 3 a.m. The 14-hour time difference between Toronto and Japan is wreaking havoc on my sleep pattern, but it's not my first rodeo. I'll get over it and should return to my regular ways within a few days.

It's times like these where I truly feel for the non-Japanese fighters that have to compete on the UFC 144 card. I can just imagine how difficult it is and will be as we get closer to Saturday night (Sunday morning in Japan).

The 13-hour flight to Tokyo was quite the educational one. Normally, I simply cannot sleep on planes. I try and try, but generally fail. And I was definitely prepared.

I spent the flight reading one of the four books on my "Must Read" list. I got through half of it then needed to rest my eyes. I got up, stretched, then watched two documentaries, and two submission grappling instructional videos. For those wondering which ones, they featured Eddie Bravo and Robert Drysdale. All I could think about while watching them was I cannot wait to get on the mat and try out these techniques.

Arriving at the massive Narita airport, an old adage entered my mind, and one I often follow when I travel: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." In this case, "When in Japan, ...."

I wanted to blend in right away and it was extremely easy to do so. Right away I was greeted by some of the friendliest people I've ever met. They pointed me in the right direction, showing me a sign that was in both English and Japanese, and one that could be seen every 100 meters. It was a long walk to the baggage area, but the customs process was unlike any other country I've been to. Very friendly, asked the right questions, and before I knew it, I was welcomed into the Land of the Rising Sun.

As I walked out into the crowd, I was looking for my transportation guide, as was Frankie Edgar's cornerman, Kru Phil Nurse.

We were scheduled to be picked up at the same time, but he had already been waiting an hour. It took us awhile to find our guide, and when we did, out walks Georges St-Pierre's manager and friend. After some mild discussions and two hours of miscommunication, I got the feeling that GSP's manager (a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt) wants to settle our score on the mats. I may need to re-watch the aforementioned instructional videos and pick up a few more. I'll be outweighed by 30 pounds, so technique is important against him.

Kru Phil Nurse and I ended up being the only two the guide was scheduled to bring back to the hotel, so we embarked on another 1.5 hour journey to the location. The ninety minutes spent with Kru Phil were great. We spoke about Edgar, GSP, Carlos Condit, Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, Edson Barboza and our children. Kru Phil's son is about a year older than mine, so the tips on what to do during this stage of my son's life were greatly appreciated.

Upon arriving at the hotel, the familiar travelling circus was front and centre. From fighters to various UFC staff, it was a big greeting session, but to be honest, I was hit by a wave of exhaustion and hunger like I've never felt before in my life. I needed food and sleep, and needed it right away.

I checked into my room and rushed downstairs to ingest the healthiest fare I could order. My state of rush did not realize that I should have exercised my patience and actually exited the hotel to grab a bite. Turns out, after the exchange rate, I paid $59 for a plate of chicken and shrimp noodles, and $15 for ONE cup of coffee. Yes, I know … go ahead, say it. But to be honest, live and learn and I cannot tell you how hungry I was.

After dinner, I meet with the UFC PR team and confirmed the schedule for the week. Later this morning, I will have some time with Anthony Pettis, Joe Lauzon, Tim Boetsch, Cheick Kongo and Mark Hunt. Then, this afternoon, it's the media workouts at Gold's Gym with the main card fighters. Looks to me like I could be doing approximately 8-12 interviews. Then, it's my regular shoots across the city. I'm excited, and this is just day one.

It's coming up to 5:45 a.m. in Japan -- time to hit the gym, grab some breakfast and get ready for the busy day.

With my luck, I'll be smacked with a wave of "NEED SLEEP" right in the middle of the workouts. Better see if I can find some coffee in Tokyo asap.