Recent Tournament, Mixed Results

Discussion in 'Brazilian Jiu Jitsu' started by philosoraptor, Nov 19, 2013.

  1. philosoraptor

    philosoraptor carnivore in a top hat Supporter

    I took a tournament this 16th! A local gym was having an in-house tournament and after receiving the go-ahead from my coach, I decided to compete. Unfortunately, I was far from prepared. In the three weeks leading up to the match, I made it to class... three or four times? I know. I know. Horrible attendance. Abysmal in fact. But I decided that it's been two years since I've competed and at that point I'd made enough excuses. I knew I wouldn't do well, but decided that what the heck, even if I lose, at least I got that first competition out of the way and could compete again and redeem myself. Plus, heck, it was $20.

    The tournament was, as many BJJ tournaments are, somewhat off schedule. I drove around an hour outside of my town with my buddy who started BJJ three weeks ago and my girlfriend in tow. We arrived at around 11AM and weighed in, I managed to sneak in just under 200 lbs at 198. Felt pretty good, since I've been dieting recently! We settled in and waited for our matches, and for the weight divisions to be announced. Looking around the gym, I saw quite a few guys around my size. I thought I had a good shot of landing in a favorable weight bracket, but I was wrong, I got into a division of 190-230 or 240lbs. Not really sure honestly, just that those guys were BIG.

    My first match came up and it was against an older gentleman. I figured I was in for an easy time of it until he got his grips in. The guy was at least as strong as me and his cardio seemed to be just as good. Honestly, two days later, I'm having trouble remembering the details of the match. I think I got the takedown, or he may have pulled guard. In any case, I passed and established side control, then knee on belly. For the first time I was really thinking about racking up the points and fighting smart, rather than just going for the submission. He swept me from knee on belly, but I played some open guard and recovered closed guard before he got points for a dominant position. At that point I knew I was up on points and played very cautiously until the end of the match. When they separated us, I was pleasantly surprised that my counting of the points was accurate and I won.

    Second match was against a much bigger person. I believe he had somewhere between 20-30 pounds on me. Because the division was only four people, I knew I had already secured second place, which made me complacent. I thought "I've got second, this is just extra." I should have stayed hungry, but I was tired and my conditioning was not holding up. We got our grips and he went for an uchi mata, which I defended, then attempted a counter takedown. I don't know the name for it, but it's where you clasp your arms around their waist and kind of sit out, throwing them over your leg. I didn't get it.

    After the failed throw, I pulled guard and immediately tried to toss him to take the back. I almost made it, but he grabbed my leg and shoved me back into closed guard. All I could hear was his coach telling him how to counter every single move I was trying for. I attempted spider guard, but he neutralized my grips. Finally, I went for an armbar from closed guard, he spun around and defended it, passing my guard at the same moment.

    I switched to defense, but he got me in a scarf hold before I could get my legs up. I couldn't breathe. All I could feel was his weight pushing down on my chest and I couldn't inhale. I tried to breathe with my stomach, but it didn't do anything. I tried to bump him, shrimp, nothing. He didn't attempt any submissions, but there was still that same unceasing weight.

    I tapped out... to a scarf hold.

    Embarrassed might not be a strong enough word for how I feel about the end of that match. I contemplated burning my gi, but was consoled (only slightly) by the fact that Kesting has also tapped out to it. I'm planning on hill sprints and for the next month starting every roll with my opponent in kesa gatame. I need to improve my cardio, but I've also got to stop all the flow rolling I do and at least once a day do a few serious rounds. I've also definitely got to get my butt to class more frequently. Overall though, it was a good experience. Everyone was quite kind, I had some matches with parts that I was proud of, and I remembered that competing was not that big a deal. I also didn't burn my gi. On to the next!
     
  2. philosoraptor

    philosoraptor carnivore in a top hat Supporter

    I also managed to acquire one of my favorite bonsai artist's trees and line up a seminar with him. The aforementioned girlfriend wired and styled one of my trees, so it was a good week overall!

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Second tree is the girlfriend's now. Wouldn't trust her with one of the good ones.
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2013
  3. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    Scarf hold (like kesa gatame in Judo) is simple to apply but notoriously difficult to escape when executed by a bigger person who knows exactly where to put their weight. My Judo class is taught at a BJJ gym so a lot of the jits guys cross train and I have a hard time dealing with kesa gatame because I'm a smaller dude. It's okay in Judo ne-waza because all I need to do is trap a leg to break the pin count but I'm still stuck underneath thinking "If this was BJJ or a real fight I'd be screwed!" Good job for jumping back on the competition horse! :)
     
  4. Johnno

    Johnno Valued Member

    I don't know diddly about BJJ, but I would assume that if you haven't competed for two years then you're bound to be rusty. Seems to me that the main thing is that you did compete, and if you do so more regularly then you're bound to improve.

    Well done for getting back in there, and all the best for next time round.
     
  5. Mushroom

    Mushroom De-powered to come back better than before.

    I refer to you my recent match on the same day too. :)

    Good stuff getting in there.

    If its any consolation, in training years ago I tapped to a side mount...the guy was 110kg at the time tho and he was a purple belt.
     
  6. Southpaw535

    Southpaw535 Well-Known Member Moderator Supporter

    Sounds like you did alright for someone who's been out of it for a while. Tapping to scarf hold from someone a lot heavier isn't something to feel bad about. Its one of the things you like to believe you'd never tap to but there is a limit to it. Its like how most people who've trained for more than a couple weeks shouldn't be tapping out to headlocks or can openers, but you get someone 50 odd pounds heavier wrenching on your neck and its a whole different thing. And at the end of the day it wasn't a cross choke from inside someone's guard. That's an embarrassing thing to get caught with :p
     
  7. philosoraptor

    philosoraptor carnivore in a top hat Supporter

    Thanks guys! I think my major victory was going through with the competition. At various points through the day, I kept thinking bad thoughts like "You've been doing this for a while, if you don't wipe the floor with these guys you should be embarrassed" and "Y'know, it's not too late to just turn around and go home." Managed to shut up those voices and had a great time. I'm trying to get video of the matches, but transferring the files has been... problematic.
     
  8. peterc8455

    peterc8455 Valued Member

    Congrats and thanks for the report and it sounds like you did pretty well too.

    It's just a competition and its about learning and getting better. It would have been nice to have your coach there too during that one match. :D

    During one of the matches in my first competition, the guy I was competing against had his coach who was a black belt giving him very sound technical advice from the side. Then picture me with my friend who had 4 months of BJJ training who was my "coach" yelling "good job", "get him", "uh don't let him do that thing", etc... :p

    If you do get the video straightened out, I would like to see it if you are comfortable posting it.

    My next competition is in the beginning of December and I'll report and share too.

    Congrats again and keep going
     
  9. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    One of the simplest moves to apply from scarf is the crank n' crush, and it is very effective - because kesa as a position is derided so much in BJJ people take it for granted that no one with any level uses it. CACC guys use it, CSW guys use it and Judoka use it so getting caught and tapped by it is no shame at all.

    If it's any consolation I once tapped to a 400lb dude who took a mount on me...no crank or pressure i just couldn't breath under the fat!
     
  10. philosoraptor

    philosoraptor carnivore in a top hat Supporter

    Haha, I was placed in the same situation when I had to coach my friend. He actually wound up taking bronze, which I am taking all credit for :evil: Never realized how much of an advantage having a coach there is, last time I competed without a coach, the other guy kept mum saying that he felt it was an unfair advantage to his student.

    Will post the video when my friend sends it to me! As long as it's not too embarrassing.

    I actually REALLY like it, especially to stop folks from reclaiming guard. Won't ever talk smack about it, I promise. I've been there too with the 400 lb dude :]
     
  11. Giovanni

    Giovanni Well-Known Member Supporter

    philosoraptor, you should be proud. it's one thing to do an art like bjj, it's quite another to put it all on the line and compete. good work brother.
     
  12. Johnno

    Johnno Valued Member

    I'm prettysure that all the competetive Judo matches I won were only achieved by crushing the wind out of my opponent. I don't recall ever successfully throwing anyone, just squashing them. :eek:
     

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