It's my first No-gi grappling tournament ever, and sweat has gone into this one! The training for this event has had me spending the last couple of months rolling, lifting, running and strething above all other activities, I honestly don't think I've ever worked quite so hard for what is essentialy a hobby. :lifting: Tragedy brews, unfortunatly a stiff dose of disappointment is awaiting me in the wings. I don't know it yet. But the guy I have to beat to qualify for the second round is... now get this... A blue belt, European silver medalist BJJer who has spent the past 3 years training at the Griphouse MMA gym... if the gravity of the situation hasn't quite hit you yet then google it now... that's a frightening Curriculum Vitae! Who'd of thought that's the guy I'd get at what was initially supposed to be an inter-university grappling tournament. I shouldn't have to tell you the outcome for that particular battle... but... I lost... and as a consequence was knocked out of the tournament at the first hurdle. Though I will say to my credit I lasted up till the last thirty seconds of the scheduled five minute round before being submitted. Compare that to when our monster in the ring won his fight in the semi-finals via flying armbar in the first 30 seconds! I'm not sure if anyone got my fight on video, or even if its worth putting up 4 minutes and 33 seconds of me being taken-down, dominated in side control and north-south before gaining some leverage by pulling guard and desperatly scrabbling at a possible kimura for 40 seconds. Then getting passed and caught in what I think was.... well.. I'm still to figure out exactly what it was that he did to me... Closing thoughts, I'm a bit annoyed that my first chance to compete was reduced to a fight which before the word "go" could only be described as a down-hill slope punctuated with vertical drops... I did however, get to have some open matt time and do some proper rolling with new people, that opportunity to trade skills with strangers was greatly appreciated. Still, I'm entering another grappling competition on the 11th of June.. Make the correct sacrifices and visit the right temples.... maybe the gods of fate will be kinder to me next time I step into the ring. Only one way to go now, onwards! :woo:
