Kendall Grove learns GSP's hard life lesson

Often it is possible to learn from another's hard learned experience.  Yet for others, the lesson must be learned the hard way -- by experiencing it for themselves.

Kendall Grove just learned a lesson that Georges St. Pierre had to learn the hard way after his stunning defeat in his first title defence on April 7, 2007, by MMA veteran Matt Serra.

After losing the title and confidence in his own abilities, Georges found it necessary to "clean house" and rid himself of everything that had hindered him in accomplishing what he most dearly wanted: to defend and retain his Welterweight Championship.

He said good bye to the fair weather friends who had surrounded him during his winning days, got a new trainer, as well as a new philosophy for regaining his fighting mentality so he could pick up the pieces and regain the title he had lost.

Kendall mentioned having to bury his old persona and find a new alter ego to begin his quest to get back to his former winning ways.

He calls this new alter ego "Trotter," although I do not know why or how he picked this new nickname.  Hopefully he will also adopt a new post-win routine that does not involve the infamous "Tito Ortiz burial ceremony" that the "old" Kendal had copied from his one-time mentor.

Kendal returned to his Hawaiian homeland to become a student of the new, improved "prodigy" BJ Penn.

Much like a good sports therapist would, BJ asked Kendall the more or less rhetorical question that all MMA fighters are asked at one time or another: "Why do you fight?"  Of course Kendall answered, "Because I love fighting."  And Penn told him, "Then fight for yourself."

Kendall also found himself unloading some garbage, including former "friends" who were always glad to take from him while he was winning, but had nothing to give back to him after his last two losses.

Now like Georges, he has a new mentor who is teaching him how to become a better, more dedicated fighter for his bout with MMA veteran Evan Tanner.

With both men needing a win to keep them in the UFC's roster, it is bound to be an exciting fight.

Luckily both Kendall and Georges are still young enough in their fighting careers to benefit from their life lesson and work towards realizing their dreams for growing old in the UFC.

Ah, to be young and have their options!