Are you friends with the people you’ve competed against in tournaments?
For example, Zoltan Bathory is friends with almost everyone he has ever competed against, and he loves the “get-together” tournament atmosphere.
However, Nicholas Meregali doesn’t feel like being friends with his rivals.
Here’s what he said about the topic in a recent social media post:
What I do outside the mats is part of my job and as I said in interviews, I will never have a friendship with a guy a compete with because it destroys the sport, and I will always bring some dark energy to the battle because nothing is more exciting than watch a match in that atmosphere, Jiu-Jitsu deserves it, like you or not.
I know few of my opponents, and I know they are great guys but the way I approach the game doesn’t allow me to create any inches of personal contact, it’s 100% aligned to my purpose and I’m taking this high risk/pressure to build the sport.
In other words, Meregali has respect for his opponents… But that’s all that they’re getting:
If you’re my opponent, I want you to know that you have my respect, but the dark energy and my desire to beat a sh*t of you will always be there and that’s what I’m going to do if we face each other in the future.
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The post Nicholas Meregali: “I Will Never Have A Friendship With A Guy I Compete With” appeared first on Bjj Eastern Europe.