Zac Robinson - From the Fields to the Garden: The Life of Stitch Duran

Copyright 2010 by Zac Robinson and Jacob Stitch Duran

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

First edition, first printing.

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black.mesa.publishing@gmail.com
David Horne & Marc CB Maxwell

Cover design by David Duran
Front cover photo courtesy of WOWWOW/Naoki Fukuda
Back cover photo courtesy of John Hornewer

Manufactured in the United States of America
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available upon request.

ISBN 978-0-9826759-5-3
E-Book ISBN: 978-1-61397-402-5

Black Mesa Publishing
Florida
www.blackmesabooks.com

Contents

BY BAS RUTTEN
SEPTEMBER 2010

I HAVE SEEN JACOB, AKA STITCH, work on fighters, in and out corners, a long time before I met him. Carlos Santana, I always thought that Stitch looked like him. Not the other way around, that would make him older, and I couldnt do that to him in this little praise I am writing. Praise I say because thats what pops up in my mind right away, its simple, when you meet Stitch, you like him, hes that guy that everybody likes.

The first time that I had more then just a hello, how are you doing? with Stitch, was, I believe, in Japan at the Pride Fighting Championships back in 2000, and since then we have been friends.

Because of the jetlag, everybody from the U.S. would be up early in Japan, so breakfast in the Tokyo Hilton was always a happening. All fighters, doctors, trainers, referees, commentators, managers, fighters, etc., would have breakfast in one room and I would always end up sitting at the same table as Stitch. Man, those times were awesome, ask any person who was there at the time and they will tell you the same, Breakfast at the Tokyo Hilton was the best! Books could have been written from the stories told there, and Stitch always had great ones, because lets face it, the boxing, Thai Boxing and MMA scene is an interesting one, and he has been in it for a long time!

Of course I have seen him at work on fighters hands and cuts, and I dare you to find ONE guy who doesnt think that hes the best at what hes doing. Its very simplehes the multiple, zillion time, best cut man and hand wrapper in the business. And because, in this profession, age actually makes you even better, I dont see anybody taking that title away from him.

Godspeed Stitch, and party on!

SEPTEMBER 15, 2007

FORREST GRIFFIN BRINGS A FOLDING CHAIR OVER, flips it around backwards, and lowers his 63 and 205 pound frame into it. I grab my own chair and pull my gauze, tape, and scissors from my bag

Griffin places his arm on the back of the chair. I adjust my glasses. You want the knockout wrap or the tapout wrap? I ask.

A sideways grin flashes on Griffins face. Give me the knock out.

With that I go to work. First with the gauze. I start on the top and work my way to the outside, one, two, three times around. Slowly a solid cast forms around Griffins hand. With each wrap, he knows he is that much closer. His tiny bit of equipment is being formed in front of his eyes and I can see he is thankful that I am the one who is giving him his tools.

Griffin, normally quite the jokester, isnt really in the mood. The fight is running through his head. Hes seeing it unfold. Soon he will be in the Octagon with Mauricio Shogun Rua. The Pride FC great is making his UFC debut. With a 16-2 record and crushing wins over guys like Quinton Jackson and Alistair Overeem, Shogun is as dangerous as they come.

The right hand is done. Griffin flexes and nods his approval. The process begins again on the left. Another cast of tape forms and I pack it around the hand, more flexing and another nod of approval from Griffin.

The quiet, calm part of my job is complete. We stand and Griffin gives me a hug. You know Ill take care of you like youre a son, I say.

Another sideways grin. I know Stitch, thanks.

Mauricio Shogun Rua peels off his shirt and shoes. I stand a couple steps away and watch as Leon Tabbs applies Vaseline to Shoguns brow. The fighter works his jaw open and closed, a physical sign of the anticipation of combat. Shogun climbs the steps. He circles the Octagon and the lights go out.

The music changes and the lights come back on. Forrest Griffin makes his way cageside. The hair on my arms stands. No matter how many times Ive done this, the energy still gets me. Mike Goldberg talks of Forrests pro debut, a decision loss to Dan Severn, and I begin applying the Vaseline. Griffin stands face stoic as I wipe his left brow, then the right. I then work to the cheeks and nose and finally indicate that I am done. Forrest gets a final check from the referee and joins Shogun in the Octagon.

I head to my seat just outside of the cage and plop down next to fellow cutman Don House and Dana White Sr. We watch the back and forth action and I keep an eye on Griffins face. Round one passes, Forrest sheds no blood.

In round two, Shogun is in Griffins guard. Griffin defends well, but with 3:46 remaining Shogun drops a sharp elbow between Forrests eyes. A river of red appears and I get ready for action. I can tell that this cut is a bad one. With a little less than two minutes in the round Goldberg talks to Rogan about the blood running into Forrests eye.

Im prepared. I know that the fight might now be in my hands.

The horn sounds and I meet Griffin before he reaches his stool. I apply pressure with the right hand and guide Forrest with the left. He sits down and I go to work.

I pull the cloth away and see that its a lightning bolt cut. The skin is split from just above the inside corner of Griffins right eye and it zigzags to the center of his forehead. It looks terrible, but only I know how deep it is. I also know that Griffin will see my reaction. I have to remain confident, steady, and fast.

The camera shot squeezes between my hands and the world sees the extent of the cut. The crowd groans. Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg groan as well. Goldberg compliments me by calling me the best.

The world looks on and I do my best to show that Goldbergs compliment is spot on. With my left hand I hold a cotton swab soaked in Adrenaline 1-1000 to the wound. The vessel constrictor works to decrease the blood flow. At the same time I use my right hand to mold Avitene, the coagulant is sticky like cotton candy and I form it to fit the gash. Forrest tilts his head down. Dont move I need to work on you, I say.

Griffin stays still and I remove the swab and quickly press the Avitene into the trench. The coagulant fills the wound perfectly and I work it into place. The Vaseline and Adrenaline 1-1000 mix is smoothed over the cut and everyone is ushered out of the Octagon. Just less than one minute of furious work. Now we will watch to see if it holds.

The third and final round begins and Forrest is still in the fight. I return to my seat next to Don House and Dana White Sr. and they watch the action. One minute passes, Shogun is in Griffins guard and the gash is not bleeding. Another minute goes by and Griffin sweeps Shogun rolling into an Omaplata. Almost everyone forgets about the gaping wound because it has not begun bleeding again. House hits me on the shoulder. Its still not bleeding, he says.