--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now I am training with sparring partners…" description: "\"Now I am training with sparring partners who are nice people, sure, but not my friends. These are sparring partners who want to knock me out in sparrin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce3/mirko-cro-cop-8621_death_now-i-am-training-with-sparring-partners_1704163.jpg" --- # Now I am training with sparring partners who are nice… ![“Now I am training with sparring partners who are nice people, sure, but not my friends. These are sparring partners who want to knock me out in sparring. In the Croatian media, they said it was 'life and death' sparring - it was not quite life and death, but it was all-out fighting, very hard.” quote by Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce3/mirko-cro-cop-8621_death_now-i-am-training-with-sparring-partners_1704163.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce3/mirko-cro-cop-8621_death_now-i-am-training-with-sparring-partners_1704163.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce3/mirko-cro-cop-8621_death_now-i-am-training-with-sparring-partners_1704163.jpg) > “Now I am training with sparring partners who are nice people, sure, but not my friends. These are sparring partners who want to knock me out in sparring. In the Croatian media, they said it was 'life and death' sparring - it was not quite life and death, but it was all-out fighting, very hard.” [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Training with competent but non‑friendly sparring partners pushes you to improve without comfort, highlighting the harsh reality of competitive preparation. **In simple terms:** Training with tough, non‑friend partners forces growth. Key Takeaway Embrace challenging partners for real progress. Themes competition growth resilience Mood determined focused Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - MMA preparation - skill development - mental toughness - team dynamics Key Concepts combat sports psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does training with non‑friends affect your performance? - What benefits arise from high‑intensity sparring? A Different Perspective Friends may offer support but not the same intensity as adversaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Sparring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-sparring-1181409/) [Friends Sparring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends-sparring-1181411/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life and death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-and-death/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Nice people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice-people/) [Sparring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sparring/) [Sparring Croatian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sparring-croatian-1181412/) [Sparring partner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sparring-partner/) [Sparring Partners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sparring-partners-1181410/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [For my whole career, I didn't have sparring partners. I was frustrated when I came to the UFC because, after a few minutes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/for-my-whole-career-i-didn-t-have-sparring-partners-i-was-frustrated/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [The standard is the same. Don't get me wrong, the main difference is the number of sparring partners. Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-perosh/the-standard-is-the-same-don-t-get-me-wrong-the-main-difference-is/) [Anthony Perosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-perosh/) > [I had to get up run in the morning for 2 hours, go to the gym and also get good opponents as sparring partners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-arguello/i-had-to-get-up-run-in-the-morning-for-2-hours-go-to-the-gym-and-also/) [Alexis Arguello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-arguello/) > [I had the greatest sparring partners, I had the greatest sparring team. And these guys they wrapped me up a lot. I never got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spinks/i-had-the-greatest-sparring-partners-i-had-the-greatest-sparring-team/) [Michael Spinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spinks/) > [I've fought a maths teacher, one of my sparring partners has a degree in biochemistry; there's a lot of brain in the octagon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hardy/i-ve-fought-a-maths-teacher-one-of-my-sparring-partners-has-a-degree/) [Dan Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hardy/) > [I've mixed sparring partners up. I've done tons upon tons of rounds with big, heavy lumps who are trying to take my head off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bellew/i-ve-mixed-sparring-partners-up-i-ve-done-tons-upon-tons-of-rounds/) [Tony Bellew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bellew/) > [There are not many heavyweight fighters to come by, so having so many sparring partners is a big luxury a lot of other fighters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-overeem/there-are-not-many-heavyweight-fighters-to-come-by-so-having-so-many/) [Alistair Overeem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-overeem/) > [We have coaches to pay, trainers, different sparring partners. There's a cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-andrade/we-have-coaches-to-pay-trainers-different-sparring-partners-there-s-a/) [Jessica Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-andrade/) > [Maybe Manny can take Espinosa for his roadwork or as an adviser. As we all know, Manny shows no mercy even with his sparring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/maybe-manny-can-take-espinosa-for-his-roadwork-or-as-an-adviser-as-we/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [I bring in the hardest sparring partners you can imagine and I'm going through the guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artem-lobov/i-bring-in-the-hardest-sparring-partners-you-can-imagine-and-i-m/) [Artem Lobov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artem-lobov/) > [We always train with heavier sparring partners to make it harder so the fight will be easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-aldo/we-always-train-with-heavier-sparring-partners-to-make-it-harder-so/) [Jose Aldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-aldo/) > [In U.S., there are lot of good fighters, female fighters. Lots of different sparring partners. So it's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-jedrzejczyk/in-u-s-there-are-lot-of-good-fighters-female-fighters-lots-of/) [Joanna Jedrzejczyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-jedrzejczyk/) > [Khabib is not just some training or sparring partner. He can give me more because he has so much experience in this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/islam-makhachev/khabib-is-not-just-some-training-or-sparring-partner-he-can-give-me/) [Islam Makhachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/islam-makhachev/) > [As the tide of feminism that crested two decades ago recedes and the old advance-and-retreat games of courtship return, "Pride & Prejudice" speaks wistfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-holden/as-the-tide-of-feminism-that-crested-two-decades-ago-recedes-and-the/) [Stephen Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-holden/) > [I will knock out Vernon Forrest in two rounds whether I have a cigarette or not. I know a lot of people want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-mayorga/i-will-knock-out-vernon-forrest-in-two-rounds-whether-i-have-a/) [Ricardo Mayorga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-mayorga/) ## More by Mirko Cro Cop > [I think the best thing to say is that I was born to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/i-think-the-best-thing-to-say-is-that-i-was-born-to-fight/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [I underestimated the difference of fighting in a cage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/i-underestimated-the-difference-of-fighting-in-a-cage/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [I'm not allowed to be woken up under any circumstances except if my house starts burning. Then my wife is authorised to wake me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/i-m-not-allowed-to-be-woken-up-under-any-circumstances-except-if-my/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [Even though I didn't do as well in the UFC as the rest of my career, I feel like I did everything that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/even-though-i-didn-t-do-as-well-in-the-ufc-as-the-rest-of-my-career-i/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [Of course I will submit if I have a chance, but I always prefer to finish a fight in a stand-up position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/of-course-i-will-submit-if-i-have-a-chance-but-i-always-prefer-to/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [I just hope that God will give me the strength that I can prove my worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/i-just-hope-that-god-will-give-me-the-strength-that-i-can-prove-my/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [Nobody should underestimate me. When you have a self-made fighter like I am with the Pride belt I earned, it's not good to underestimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/nobody-should-underestimate-me-when-you-have-a-self-made-fighter-like/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [I'm not old. I'm 37, but I can do things that fighters 10 years younger cannot. I will prove that, or I will die trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/i-m-not-old-i-m-37-but-i-can-do-things-that-fighters-10-years-younger/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [I was training in an old garage - just a roof. And when its snowed, it would cover the floor, so I would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/i-was-training-in-an-old-garage-just-a-roof-and-when-its-snowed-it/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [I don't know if I will take the UFC title, but I will die trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/i-don-t-know-if-i-will-take-the-ufc-title-but-i-will-die-trying/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [Saying that fights in Japan were fixed and that me, along with other guys like Silva, Minotauro, etc., did not win those fights legitimately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/saying-that-fights-in-japan-were-fixed-and-that-me-along-with-other/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [Talking about a fight with Randy Couture is a jinx for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/talking-about-a-fight-with-randy-couture-is-a-jinx-for-me/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [Training is not the key. Head is the key. For me, it's head. How aggressive you will be. Who will attack first? But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/training-is-not-the-key-head-is-the-key-for-me-it-s-head-how/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [The biggest shock was the first fight. I didn't know what to expect. I fought Fujita. At that time, he was one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/the-biggest-shock-was-the-first-fight-i-didn-t-know-what-to-expect-i/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [I wish you could see a new Cro Cop, 15 years younger. I wish it was possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/i-wish-you-could-see-a-new-cro-cop-15-years-younger-i-wish-it-was/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) [Explore all 79 Mirko Cro Cop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) [J. Anthony Torino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-torino/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Now I am training with sparring partners who are nice people, sure, but not my friends. These are sparring partners who want to knock me out in sparring. In the Croatian media, they said it was 'life and death' sparring - it was not quite life and death, but it was all-out fighting, very hard.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mirko Cro Cop" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/now-i-am-training-with-sparring-partners-who-are-nice-people-sure-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/now-i-am-training-with-sparring-partners-who-are-nice-people-sure-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce3/mirko-cro-cop-8621_death_now-i-am-training-with-sparring-partners_1704163.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce3/mirko-cro-cop-8621_death_now-i-am-training-with-sparring-partners_1704163.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce3/mirko-cro-cop-8621_death_now-i-am-training-with-sparring-partners_1704163.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Now I am training with sparring partners who are nice people, sure, but not my friends. These are sparring…” — Mirko Cro Cop", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mirko Cro Cop", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Now I am training with sparring...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/now-i-am-training-with-sparring-partners-who-are-nice-people-sure-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/now-i-am-training-with-sparring-partners-who-are-nice-people-sure-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```