If you’re a young BJJ athlete or/and a mixed martial arts fighter, it’s a good idea to listen to those who’ve been in the game longer than you have… And to pick up on their, often times invaluable, pieces of advice and tips that could turn you into a much better athlete.
Perhaps one of the best people to listen to when it comes to this sort of advice is Donald Cerrone. The popular “Cowboy” is one of the most successful UFC athletes of all time, who’s been competing as a professional MMA fighter for over 15 years.

He took the time to share some great words of wisdom for the young, aspiring fighters, in a recent video on his YouTube channel:

Now we are in today’s world with MMA getting so big, you have to find a manager, find a coach, find somebody that has those outlets so that they can help you. “Hey, I know so and so, he runs this show, I can get you in.”
And then enough of those ins, get you to the next level.

The Cowboy emphasized the importance of changing things up regularly, so that a young fighter can continue making progress:

And as you move up to the next levels, you have to keep elevating everything. Your managers, your training, your training partners, everything has to keep going.
You can’t stay with the same guys. It doesn’t happen. It’s like trying to say I married my high school sweetheart. Sometimes, that works. But the person I am right now is so much different than the person I was then. And that happens as you get fame and success and everything as well.

Finally, Donald Cerrone highlighted that if you want to succeed, you need to be ready at all times:

I was the guy they’d call and I’d take a fight on two days notice, three days notice. I was always the last-minute guy. All the time. Which is why I tell these kids: ‘You guys gotta be ready. Because they’re gonna call.”

Watch the video below for more amazing tips from Cerrone: