May 1st marked the day of my first bjj competition at the American Cup in San Jose, Ca. Luckily I did not need to cut any weight and it was an early match so I could finish it early and cheer for my teammates. My first (and only) match was with a tough opponent from Cia Paulista. I spent most of the match in guard or attempting to pass. After five long minutes, it was a referee’s decision to her. I left the mat indifferent and hoped that since I lost to her, she would win my weight division. My team mates started trickling in throughout the morning. We cheered, provided encouragement, and enjoyed the tournament together.
Lots of the great jiu jitsu masters were present coaching their students including, Alex Khanbabian, Dave Camarillo, Gumby, Kurt Osiander, Stan Kendricks, Sandro Batata, Caio Terra, Claudio Franca and more. (If you haven’t watched the Ask a Black Belt series, youtube it immediately!)