This was supposed to be the post about how the fight went, but instead its about how it did not go.
Friday night, after sweating it out all day, I show up at the weigh-in. I feel good mentally, having cut effectively and rapidly, but pretty lousy physically at 24 hours without water. I get on the scale and it reads 151.4, which is a shock after two separate scales put me at 149. Its also not good as 151.0 is as high as I can be. So off come all the clothes (except my underwear) and, whew, 151.0. Made it and now to re-hydrate and eat, everything is on track with 24 hours to get back to normal.
Then I get home and right around 11 the promoter calls me, the other side says if I am an ounce over 155 tomorrow afternoon then there is no fight. They think the promoter is suckering them into a fight with a bigger guy, and my close weigh-in hasn't helped. Normally I would not worry, but after an almost 2.5 lb error from my scales I realize I don't have much margin for error. So limited food and water for a second day. To cut to the chase, 4:00 on Saturday afternoon I am at 153.2 and everyone is happy. The other guy's coaches seem like nice guys and we chat a bit. And back to the re-hydrating and fueling up.
So then the waiting starts, they are building the cage in front of us and rumors begin to float around that the expected 10 fights are down to 5. More time passes, no rules meeting and no ring doctor are in evidence. Around 5 the doctor shows up, and they commence with the rules meeting and the pre-fight physicals simultaneously. I am definitely feeling it at this point, I like to think I am cool on the outside, joking with the other fighters, but the excitement is building. My turn comes up, and the ring doctor and I start joking about doing one for the old guys. He looks me over and seems happy. then I stick my arm in the blood pressure cuff, and he doesn't look happy. "There is no way I can clear you." My blood pressure is at 197/79! We talk, he rechecks it, still right there. He has me go drink water, hit the pads for a few minutes, and try to bring down my heart rate (which unsurprisingly has jumped a bit). I come back, and its 201/78. No arguing with that, he tells me that this is hospitalization level blood pressure, and I am out.
Here's the thing, I don't have high blood pressure. I never get a reading above 130ish/75-80, and even that is rare. Today as I write this its at 121/70. So WTF! After a visit to the emergency room and my doctor the conclusion is a combination of dehydration, the stress of the situation and (possibly) overproduction of adrenaline (its a superpower not a problem).
So we are working on it and I should have it under control the next time out, but I am not sure I can convince my coach that I will be able to do this, much less anyone else's team. Who would schedule a fight with me at this point? It is bitterly frustrating to be so close and be denied.
I feel like I am the Jonah of kickboxing shows as the event was down to 4 fights when my results came in and finished with 3 total (this after the first event I was offered a fight for was canceled because of a sanctioning problem, and the second one had my opponent drop out and then a snow storm force rescheduling of the event). I apologized to my opponent and his team (who were very gracious) and the promoter (less gracious).
Okay, time to start pushing that boulder back up this damn hill.
