Michael Chiesa revealed what his mindset was like heading into his final fight at UFC Seattle. Chiesa admitted that he did not look at his last. Instead, he viewed it as his next fight, which ultimately worked in his favor.
Chiesa, 38, retired following a 1st round submission victory over Niko Price at UFC Seattle. He made it known that he planned to retire after the fight. However, he made sure that the decision did not affect his strategy.
The former TUF winner noted that his mentality allowed him to remain focused and not try anything uncharacteristic. Although Chiesa still earned a 1st round submission, it was secure it through positioning rather than forcing the finish early on.
Michael Chiesa Opens Up About His Mindset at UFC Seattle
Michael Chiesa credited his uncle for helping him ahead of his final fight at UFC Seattle. His uncle is a sports psychologist and provided him with excellent strategies to help him perform at his best.
“My uncle Joe’s a sports psychologist, so that’s something that he really wanted me to focus on heading into this fight, just so I didn’t let anything slip through the cracks. Just focus on it being the next fight and then we can focus on it being the last one after I get my hand raised. So that was just kind of my mindset going into it, and it was an amazing experience,” Chiesa exclusively told Heavy Sports via The Game Plan.
He continued:
“I really wasn’t focused on this [fight] being the last time I get to do this. Very much just focused on being in the moment. I was focused on this being the next fight, not the last fight. It was better for me to just approach this fight like any other fight. I had to be locked in, there was no margin for error inside the octagon,” Chiesa exclusively told Heavy Sports via The Game Plan. “I feel like if I, on fight night, put so much emphasis on it being the last one, I didn’t want it to take me out of that competitive space that I need to be in to perform at my best.”
Chiesa Explains Why His Mentality Was Crucial
Chiesa also explained why having the mentality that he did for UFC Seattle was so crucial. ‘Maverick’ has faced a who’s who of opponents during his career and split time between lightweight and welterweight.
Chiesa has made a strong push toward title contention during his career. Although he was unable to achieve that goal, he was still successful and enjoyed great longevity at a high level.
Chiesa said focusing on his next fight allowed him to maintain the same competitiveness and hunger.
“Me focusing on [the fight] being the next fight just made me locked into staying focused on the game plan. Staying focused on the task at hand and just kind of going about it the same way I have all of my fights,” Chiesa exclusively told Heavy Sports via The Game Plan. “Over the course of my career, I was always competing for something bigger. I was always trying to climb the rankings, always trying to get myself in the conversation for a title fight and become a number-one contender and world champion. I just wanted to maintain that same mindset.”
Michael Chiesa Reveals the Mindset He Had Entering His Final UFC Fight