Brasileiros Day Two: The Streak Is Broken But I'm OK With It....

Weight: 216.8

I wake up on time and get ready...Catch a taxi that actually knows which way he is going and make it to the tournament on time...I first see Fabio when I walk in and he explains to me about the move and really, I dunno if it is part pep talk or what, but he made me feel really good about my skills to know he felt that highly of me to think I could assist at all getting points...Reason I say this is, the level of Jiu-Jitsu there was EXCEPTIONAL! This weekend was all Black and Brown belts for one which lent itself to the competition being good, but it was just amazing to see the guys and women out there competing and really had me a bit taken aback...My confidence was definitely shaken, and I said a little prayer, just not to let one of these young guys make me look like an idiot...I went to change into my GI pants and get my competition free t-shirt only to find out I had to buy food to get the t-shirt...After arguing in very bad Portuguese...I understood it to be something of a food drive...You had to bring in something like a pound of rice beans etc etc and that got you your t-shirt...I thought this was a GREAT idea and it seemed throughout the day to get a LOT that will go to some very needy people....Well I get my GI on and meet up with all the great Alliance fighters...They make me feel like family...It is a great thing that they do as every time I come, it seems I have been missed...I met some new and some old guys and new ladies on the team as well...Met Luanna Alzuguir who is a Fabio black belt and someone Id watched before...was nice to actually meet her...VERY tough girl...Also saw some folks I had met at Master&Senior last year like the ring coordinator Thyzar Albuquerque(I thought it was spelled Gizaa LOL) and her sister the award girl Thiazar...Also saw some guys who screamed at me and made me think I was doing something wrong, but they were just remembering my gold medal match last year when I screamed...When they yelled out Pesadelo Triangulo Perigrosa(sp?) I was really flattered!!!...Anyways...Today really was a good day as I got to put into effect a lot of the things I worked on with Marcus coaching me on in our private lessons and it made so much of a difference I was able to stay on top, in control, and effective with one of the holes I had in my game...On to my first match...
Match 1
I get an inside leg lift to Jacare' knee/ankle pick and land in side control...I rotate my shoulders and work to secure the back of the collar...I remember a lesson Coach Allen gave me on this and brought the guys head onto my knee and got to my knees and windshield wipered the elbow to finish the paper cutter choke...I am surprised!!!
Match 2
I work trading grips and work the guy to get an over hook to try a hip toss...He hits the ground but bounces up and attempts to pull half guard...I shut down the half guard and smash the knee and straddle with my hips to put my weight down...I hear that little grunt that you hear when you know you are feeling heavy to someone and it gave me a bit of confidence...I tried to scoot up to mount but moved too fast and had him turn outward in an attempt to get to his knees...I work to his back and got in a hand to his collar...He starts to defend the bow and arrow choke as I feignt towards grabbing his leg...But I shoot my hand to the opposite lapel...I work it in and stay tight and work to the straight collar choke from the back...Once again I am surprised as when watching this guy he looked unbeatable...
Match 3
The guy works and tries to pull half guard...Again this plays ito what I had been working with Marcus in private lesson to close up as a hole in my game(I'd always gotten swept or reversed in half guard)...Well I work the under hooks and smash...he works to get the under-hook, and instead of fighting it...I let him...I'd always been scared to as this ended up with me on my back...I wizzer the arm and give his face a DEEP cross-face...Bump my knee up and drive it through...Then I drop my head and make the knee-through pass...I work from there to side control, but felt he was trying to reverse me so I straightened my body out and put all my weight on my chest and moved almost to fifty-fifty...From there I worked to Royler's arm bar...Learned it from Saulo Ribeiro's book - University Of Jiu-Jitsu...and got it...On the the Semi Finals...
Match 4 - Semi Final
I had watched this guy smash through everyone's guard and be really heavy in finishing his opponents (a trademark of Ryan Gracie guys)...Talking to Prof. Paiva before the match..He tells me "Stay on top...This guy is really good there..if you put him on his back you will win for sure!"...I told him I had thought to get to guard and he said do what your game is, but in thinking, who am I to question when someone of that caliber tells you what to do!? So...We work grips for a while and I fight the urge to pull guard..and he works to try to shoot to make me sit..but when he does, I pull and yank him to the ground...I do not get the take down points, BUT, even better he is turtled up! I tell my students and friends all the time...unelss you are Eduardo Telles, then the turtle position is horrible and will only lead you to getting submitted...Well I work side to side with really good leg control and work to try to get my hooks in a few times...I transition side to side and on top and keep digging but his back defense is good, and each time I try to get the second hook in, he rolls out very well...I must work on this more...I try again to work to get hooks in and he rolls early making it to half guard...Once again in what I have trained for...I work my hand under the z-guard leg and then control the bottom hand...after some time of me keeping him at a distance and working to put my head down and pass, I allow him to work tot he x-guard set up...both Coach Marcus and Coach Allen worked with me on shutting this downa dn I sit out and place heavy pressure on his jaw...When I sit out he works to try to under hook me...I swith around and work to a deep knee bar position in sometthing I worked in detail with Marcus...I secure it and pull hard...I'm in the finals!!!!
Match 5- Final...
We trade grips very hard for a long time and trade inside trip attempts...He pulls me into an outside single and puts me to the ground...We work around a bit and I scramble up...we work again and he keeps getting my leg in that same outside pull to single but I keep defending...eventually when he works it, I time it well and get him into a high arcing hip toss...He lands and I think I have him top-side in a sit out position but my weight lands on the floor..not on him...he can move his hips out and gets back to his feet...Weare tied now...This dude is STRONG!!!!!!...When he gets grips it takes EVERYTHING I have to get his hands off...He works me once again to this doggone pull to outside trip...(I WILL fix this when I get back home! ASAP) He gets it and as he does he walks to the outside instead of inside and lands in side control...He clamos down and that's where the match ends...I lose but I OK with it..I just wish I had pulled guard on him...I think I could have done better...
Anyways I get Silver in the Adult, Super Heavyweight, Brown Belt division of the Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championships....At 38 years old, and a normal Senior 1 division competitor...I am really happy with myself...To get the submission in all the fights up to the final tells me I am much more on the road to being where I'd like to be...I have a LOT of work to do however...Wathing the black belts (The Black Belt Open will be closed out by Alliance-Tarsis Humphries and Gabriel Vella, The Ladies Black Belt Open has our Luanna Alzuguir in the final as well and it seems we jumped way ahead inthe team points!) I see much I can do and with the high level of these guys I am FAR FAR FAR away from them. I will keep working on it though...Met and talked with lots of people who congratulated me and gave me an idea of the magnitude of what the day's events were...Also met with Terere's father who said that Terere would be competing tomorrow! That will be a definitely highlight...I got a picture with him as well...Got a patch from Thyzar for Athletes For Jesus which I will have to work into my GI somewhere....Met up with Dennis Asche from www. connectionrio.com and hope to make a good connection on a place for when me and the guys come down for Master&Senior in July...Hung out with legends of the game as well as future legends to be...And generally just soaked up all the Jiu-Jitsu as it was intended to be in the Tijuca Tanies Clube, which is, tome, the BEST place for a tournament in the world...Pidgeons flying through, open air stadium, just wonderful...It was a good day at the tournament...
I took a cab to thehotel and made my way to meet my team mate Darren at my favorite Rio place to eat (well Porcao is a close second) Nik's...Had a BUNCH of salmon, beef, and even had a Caipirinha made with Cachaca! As I write this, my back is killing me, so I know it will have to be worked on when I come back in...But...No matter what...I am encouraged...I fight on...


Though For The Day: Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.