The Secret To Ev Ting's Phenomenal Success

If there is one thing that has defined ONE Championship lightweight contender Ev Ting, it would be hard work.

The 29-year-old Malaysian-born Kiwi’s did not get to the elite level of mixed martial arts by accident. He has spent years dedicating himself to his craft and doing everything he could to support himself.

When he first started getting interested in martial arts, “E.T.” knew there was not going to earn much money, so he had to take multiple jobs to pay the bills.

He was barely out of high school and spent every free hour he could spare training tirelessly at Auckland MMA in New Zealand.

Ting was hooked, and he went to great lengths to set himself up for a prosperous mixed martial arts career. In fact, it actually cost him quite a bit of money to compete as an amateur.

“I’m sure I’m not the only fighter that was in this position,” he says.

“In my case, in my first amateur fight, the medicals were NZD$400 (USD$265) or NZD$500 (USD$330), you’d get paid $NZD200 (USD$130) to fight, and then maybe $NZD200 to win, so you’re already losing money when you step in there.

“But those were the obstacles and the challenges that I knew I had to take to get to where I’m at today.

“I feel like those encounters, and the real grassroots levels I went through, is what made me be mentally strong and confident against the competitors of today.”

Ting held a number of occupations, all while sharpening his skills in the gym and pursuing his true passion.

He delivered pizzas, cleaned cars, made deliveries as a courier, picked fruit, and worked at a supermarket. Also, he helped support his family and even worked in their cleaning business on the side.

“E.T.” frequently held two or three of those jobs simultaneously just so he could keep a roof over his head, as well as help his loved ones stay afloat.

The backbreaking labor, coupled with the grind of daily training sessions, took a toll on Ting. However, it taught him a valuable lesson about work ethic.

“You only stop working when the job is done,” Ting says.

“Everything was on a project basis. You finish the job, or you don’t stop working. That was the mindset with regard to our work ethic.

“From the very start, I knew I wanted to be competing at the top level. From the first day I walked into the gym and talked to my coaches, they guided me through all the amateur stages. I’m grateful for the opportunity.

“One of my favorite quotes is, ‘Progress equals happiness.’ You’ve just got to keep progressing to reach happiness.”

There were times when Ting was working so much that one day would just become the next. In his life, there was no such thing as a day off.

Despite the arduous work weeks, he did not stray from the path he chose. He remained focused on his dream of becoming a successful and financially stable mixed martial artist, and soon it paid off.

“E.T.” signed with ONE Championship in 2014, and his star has been soaring ever since.

As many times as it nearly broke him, the Malaysian admits he would not do anything differently.

“It definitely wasn’t easy to get here, but I would not change a day of my life,” he explains.

“I would not rather be anyone else right now. I’m really embracing this journey with ONE Championship.

“This is what martial arts is all about. I feel like I’m very fortunate to be in such a position.

“I see competing as a luxury, in a way. It’s finally starting to pay off in some ways, because I’m finally at the top where it’s getting appreciated and getting paid what it’s worth.”

Ting could find himself at the top of the lightweight division very soon.

He is scheduled to face former titleholder Shinya Aoki at ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES on Saturday, 6 October in Bangkok, Thailand.

If he defeats the Japanese legend at the Impact Arena, then he will finally get that second shot at the ONE Lightweight World Championship he so desperately craves.