By Mindset Mike for FloCombat

If you’ve been reading my Mindset Monday articles, you’ve heard me talk about things like the predator mindset. 

A predator fighter has a laser focus on themselves and three objectives: aggressively look to do harm, relentlessly improve position, and constantly score points. If you can focus on the first two, the points and wins take care of themselves.

Former LFA champion Andrea Lee made her UFC debut in Chile against Veronica Macedo, demonstrating the qualities of a predator fighter as she emerged victorious and with a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus.

Lee identifies with being a predator fighter, saying, “I have an alpha mindset. I believe I’m the alpha out there and I feel like the wolf fighting the sheep.” 

That same mindset carried over into her game plan. 

“I didn’t give her the opportunity to do what she wanted to do – I manhandled her," Lee said in an interview after the fight. "I knew what her weaknesses were and I went right after them.” 

I don’t think you can give a better definition of how an alpha-female, predator fighter should perform.

What did that look like in her fight? Lee aggressively sought out positions where Macedo was weak instead of waiting for the fight to take her there. Once she realized Macedo couldn’t handle the clinch or her wrestling, she kept the fight where she wanted and stayed relentless once she smelled blood.

In our interview, Andrea and I dug deeper into how to tactically be aggressive and relentless in the cage without being reckless.

“Aggressive – you’re methodical, pushing the pressure, keeping the pace, cutting them off while being technical," Lee said. “Relentless is borderline reckless, except never giving up without letting your emotions get the best of you. That’s where a lot of fighters go wrong." 

Lee said the key to overcoming your emotions is to “keep talking positively to yourself through the position; don’t freak out.” 

We tell our clients at Martial Arts Mindset to do the same and one step further—focus on improving your position, and not just getting out. Otherwise, you’ll get overwhelmed.

Despite winning Fight of the Night, Lee and her coach Donny Aaron don’t believe you saw the best version of "KGB." 

“I’m a complete mixed martial artist and the next fight, I look forward to showing off my striking and seeing blood," Lee said. "I like to finish fights.”

Check out the rest of my interview with Lee in the video embedded above, where we talk about more about her fight, what she thinks it takes to break your opponent, how she deals with nerves, and what we can expect from her in the next fight.

Mindset Mike is the director of Martial Arts Mindset, a systematic mindset training program used by many professional fighters in the UFC, Bellator, Legacy, Invicta, and other major promotions. For more information on the program or the concepts presented, visit www.martialartsmindset.com.