World of Fight Island: Odd sleep patterns, training in hotel rooms

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Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has been going through the paces between 7-7.30 am.

Ashwani Kumar - Athletes have been adjusting their sleeping and training hours to match the schedule of the UFC 251, which is timed keeping in mind the US audience.

By Abu Dhabi

Published: Wed 8 Jul 2020, 2:56 PM

Last updated: Wed 8 Jul 2020, 5:01 PM

The UFC fighters are adapting to the new terrain of Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. An official video released by the UFC on Wednesday shows how athletes are training inside their W Hotel rooms and gym facilities from morning hours.
The athletes have been adjusting their sleeping and training hours to match the schedule of the UFC 251, which is timed keeping in mind the US audience.

?? @BlessedMMA is up early and hoping for a change in venue.#UFC251 #InAbuDhabi @VisitAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/8cWACnLKeL
- UFC (@ufc) July 8, 2020

The UFC team, who arrived from July 4, completed their 48-hour quarantine, which enables them to go out inside the Safe Zone.
While the preliminary fights start by 2 am (UAE time) on Sunday and the main card starts by 6 am.
So, in order with acclimatise for the fight, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is going through paces between 7-7.30 am, when he expects his fight to be against challenger Max Holloway. He trades punches and kicks with his training partners inside his hotel room.
"I have fought in the morning. I have fought at all different times. I will be training at 7.30, probably when I am going to fight. So we are trying to train at the same time. I want to make sure I am awake when I fight. I don't want to go to sleep before and then come fight time it'll be like my bed."
Holloway said he is sleeping in the afternoon to stay closer to the US time zone.
"I am getting used to the time difference. I'll probably make the walk around 8-8.30 am, I don't know. It's just probably the craziest thing to me. It's the first time ever that I had to force myself to sleep during the day like a vampire and wake up at night like a vampire. So maybe they knew that's the time so I can put my hair like Dracula or something."
Women's strawweight number one contender Jessica Andrade and number two Rose Namajunas are both training from their spaces inside hotel rooms too.
While Namajunas' MMA coach Trevor Wittman said the team now stays up all night, Andrade too has her unusual schedule sorted out.
"I wake up at 7 pm, eat breakfast, do my first workout, eat lunch, train, and then go back to room, take bath again, eat dinner, then train at 6 am."
Also, all athletes have been provided personalised gyms next to their rooms.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com