Overeem is really smart when he's fighting, had the patience to

Hear the words of Fabricio Werdum, who once faced a mighty adversary in the arena of combat: “Overeem is really smart when he’s fighting, had the patience to wait for the right moment.” These words, though born in the cage of warriors, echo truths as old as time. They remind us that victory is not seized by brute strength alone, but by the marriage of intelligence and patience, by the wisdom to wait until the hour is ripe, and then to strike with certainty.

Werdum speaks of smartness in battle, and here lies the first teaching: true combat is not a storm of wild blows, but a chess match of flesh and spirit. The warrior who charges blindly may appear fierce, but he is often defeated by the one who calculates, who observes, who discerns the rhythm of his foe. To be “smart when fighting” is to see beyond the clash of fists into the mind of the enemy, to master not only the body, but the flow of time itself.

He also names the rare gift of patience. In the heat of conflict, when the blood surges and the crowd roars, patience becomes the hardest virtue. Many strike too soon, wasting their strength on futile attacks. But Overeem, as Werdum declares, could wait for the right moment. This is the essence of mastery: to restrain one’s impulses, to endure the storm without fear, and to move only when destiny opens the door. Such patience transforms a fighter into a hunter, one who knows the prey will reveal itself if only he holds still long enough.

History offers us countless mirrors of this truth. Consider the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Norman leader, William the Conqueror, faced the shield wall of the English. To break it, he used cunning and patience—feigning retreat, drawing his enemy out of formation, waiting for the perfect moment. Then, with precision, he struck, and the wall collapsed. His victory, like Overeem’s craft, came not from reckless assault, but from the wisdom to wait and seize the moment when it appeared.

The same can be said of the great generals of antiquity. Hannibal at Cannae did not rush upon the Roman legions in fury. He arranged his forces with care, lured his enemy forward, and encircled them with devastating precision. It was not brute force alone that secured his name in history, but the blend of intelligence and patience, the ability to wait for the moment when one strike would carry the weight of a hundred.

From this we learn a lesson for all of life, not just the battlefield. In our struggles—whether in work, in love, or in the trials of the soul—success does not always come from rushing forward. Often, it is the quiet endurance, the careful observation, the holding back of one’s fire until the hour is right, that brings the greatest triumph. Patience is not weakness; it is strength under control.

Practical actions follow. Train yourself to see not only the opportunity before you, but the timing that gives it power. When anger tempts you to strike, pause. When fear drives you to hurry, breathe. Study your challenges as the warrior studies his foe. Ask yourself: is this the moment to act, or the moment to wait? Learn to hold your strength until it can be used with greatest effect. For the wise know: the right action at the wrong time is failure; the right action at the right time is victory.

Thus, Werdum’s words, spoken of Overeem, shine as an eternal truth: the greatest warriors—and the greatest souls—are not those who move fastest, nor those who strike hardest, but those who are smart in battle, patient in struggle, and courageous enough to wait for the right moment. This is the art not only of fighting, but of living.