All the hard work has paid off for a mixed martial artist when their hand is raised in victory.

The fighters likely view a win as validation, instead of merely a positive tally on their record. Think about it: those who willingly decide to lock themselves in a cage for a fist fight wouldn’t do so if they thought they’d lose. Success means you’re on the right track, even if the chosen career path seems a little off the rails. 

Sadly, a victory, or even a winning record, isn’t enough to catapult fighters into the sport’s upper echelon. Other factors, such as popularity and other politics, also play a part. 

Much like most things in life, winning isn’t everything. 

Prompted from the A to Z Challenge at: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/.