It was only 3 years ago that Karo Parisyan was considered the clear number one contender for the UFC welterweight division.  He was young, explosive and was fitting of a nickname like “The Heat.”

Since then Karo has struggled in many of his fights, yet he has still managed a solid record of 3 wins 1 loss and 1 no contest since his loss to Diego Sanchez in the summer of 06. So what has changed, why doesn’t Karo look like the same fighter?  Some may blame the injuries but I think the problem runs much deeper.  Karo’s anxiety issues have been well documented and in my opinion, are the true source of his struggles.

The mental aspect of fighting is something that I believe is over looked by the casual fans of the sport.  We as fans cannot imagine the immense pressure put on top-level fighters not only by themselves and their teams, but also by their families and fans.

Having dealt with anxiety issues for most of my life I do no think Karo can be successful in the UFC until he gets his anxiety sorted out.  Anxiety goes way beyond the fear of performing in front of others. It can make you feel physically exhausted even if you’ve been in bed all day, it can drain you of some or all motivation to do the things you love.  Most importantly it robs you of something that is essential in my opinion to being successful in the octagon and that is confidence.

A fighter cannot expect to win if he doubts his own abilities.  Mixed Martial Arts is the epitome of individual sports in that a fighter must be completely in tune with both his mind and body if he wants to compete at a high level.  He’s beating himself before the fight even starts if he goes in thinking he can’t win.

Karo has recently been suspended for 9 months and I believe this may be one of the best things for his career, if he chooses to use this time wisely.  This will give his body time to heal and also he can address the mental issues that have been nagging him.  Anxiety is not something that will go away with only part of your focus; it needs and deserves undivided attention.

These 9 months off will give Karo the time to focus on himself.  In his mind this may seem like the worst thing that could happen to him especially in the short term, but he needs to recognize his problem and address it if he wants to be successful in the long run.

Karo needs to start some serious sessions with a therapist who can help discover where his anxiety stems from.  In therapy he can not only learn what has caused anxiety in his life but also learn new ways of managing it.

Also being on Greg Jackson’s team is the best place for Karo right now, he needs to be surrounded by a positive group of people at a time like this.  In addition he can speak with another fighter who was able to overcome mental struggles in his teammate Georges St. Pierre.  St. Pierre is a great role model for anyone to show that you can overcome some mental setbacks, and he can share his experience with Parisyan to help him along.  GSP has admitted to seeing a sports therapist and has looked more dominant than ever since he has done so.

This will by no means be an easy 9 months for Karo.  To regain his old fire and return to the days where he brought “The Heat” he needs to focus all of his energy on himself.  He needs to regain his confidence and accept that while anxiety can be a life altering condition it can also be overcome.

Not fighting for 9 months will give him a chance to have less pressure training, which will give him time to focus on his mind.  It will not be easy, but in my opinion if he does not take this time to get his issues under control, he will fizzle out and never return to the top of the division.

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