My BJJ Journey

On a whim a little over a month ago, I decided I was going to enter a local BJJ tournament here in the Seattle area. I pre-registered, $40 bucks got me my spot, and a free competitor’s tshirt. This being after absolutely no training for the past 8 months, minus the 2 days I went for trial classes at Gracie Barra Seattle. I really am meaning to get back to there full time, I just have had a few setbacks. OK. So in realizing this would be the first time I ever started any type of match from the standing position, I realized my take downs were going to be horrible. So I ended up studying Cesar Gracie’s Instructional Videos for like a week straight. I’m glad I did, as my take down was the one thing I felt was positive. What follows is the note I blogged on my “home BJJ forum” afterward:

So I ended up being one and done….

First things first, my division got called to the mat at 1130 am, saying warm up, you’re next…..next turned into right after….3 more divisions…..first match of my division started at 4:01 pm.

My goal going in was to just survive. I knew I would probably be out pointed, but I was going to call it a win if I could go the distance and not get submitted. I drew the oldest guy in the division, I think he’s on the same super hormone drugs that Ed and Otto (two of the older guys on our forums)are on, because he was as strong as an ox.

I was most worried about my stand up game, as I have…none. But it turns out it was the highlight of my tournament. I remember thinking he isn’t taking me down, I just could feel that he didn’t have the skill to take me down…he tried a few trips, and I successfully evaded them, I told myself, the next time he goes for it, you wrap your leg, around his, and trip him instead….and low and behold, I took side control, and was up 3-0. This was really the beginning of the end for me. I was in solid position, I cannot for the life of me figure out why I decided to go to north/south, but as soon as I gave up that pressure on his hips, he was over, and reversed me, passed my feeble attempt at guard and eventually took the mount. I struggled here, as I knew and saw what I could do, but for some reason, I couldn’t make my body respond. I ended up turning away from him, he took the gift willingly and finished me with an arm bar, with what I think was about 30 seconds to go.

It was hella fun, I can’t wait for Revolution in November. Just like I thought, it sparked my drive again, and I am trying to clear my schedule so I can get back to training full time by the end of the month.