I'm still on Cloud 9 from winning my first fight on TUF. Even after weeks have passed and I watched it at home on the big screen with family and friends, it still really hasn't sunk in yet. I've worked so hard to get to this level, and it's starting to pay off.
That being said, I think it's crucial to always be striving for more, and to never be totally satisfied with where you're at, so I'm just as hungry now as I've ever been. After taking a bit of time to celebrate -- in the TUF house and at home in Minnesota -- I'm so excited to fight again. THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER EPISODE 2 RECAP
Another fighter who embodies this philosophy, I believe, is my teammate Pannie Kianzad, who fought and won last night.
This week's episode did an awesome job of focusing on her as a fighter and what makes her tick. A big factor in her success, as you may have guessed, is her work ethic.
With the victory, Team Gastelum improved to 2-0, and I couldn't be happier for myself and my team. Even though it's an individual competition, the team aspect does mean a lot to me as well. The coaches that Kevin brought in have been working really hard to help us put our best foot forward. They're not trying to reinvent our game; they're working with us on what we need as individual competitors. With everything they do for us, it's even more motivating.
I'm not surprised by Team Gastelum's success so far and, after two big wins, I'm more confident than ever in the direction my team is headed.