Yesterday was my first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Tournament!! I had a great time! and yes, I was able to make my weight class! I have been trying for two weeks to get down below 170 (from at least 176) and I ended up weighing in at 168.4lbs!
In terms of learning things, my first match went well! Even though I lost. My game plan was to go out there and go for the take down. Even if I didn't get it, at least he wouldn't have gotten it. Well it turns out that I went into the match and completely went against my plan. I just stood there playing with him. In my mind I was trying to feel him out...see if I should shoot in for a single/double or clinch up and work from there. He ended up going for the takedown. I don't know if he was awarded any points for it (other than an advantage)) because I defended it pretty well and after some rolling around he ended up in my guard.
I didn't have anyone there coaching me, so that made it a little hard as well but I did hear his coach telling him what to do so I played off of that. They wanted him to posture up and get his hands on my belt. So I kept him close with his hands above my belt. I tried for a scissor sweep and a sit up sweep (and almost got them) but he defended pretty well. He eventually passed my guard (after keeping him in there and putting him back in there a few times). From side control he finally got me in an americana. I straightened my arm once but he manhandled me and got it back. This time I tried to roll out of it but I guess he had his weight distributed well enough. All of a sudden I felt the ref stop us so I figured time ran out or we had moved to far to the side. It turns out the ref stopped the fight early because "it was in tight". I know he wanted to play it safe but to tell you the truth the kid didn't have it in very well.
Take aways from the match:
- Impose my game on him - get out there and shoot for the takedown.
- Attack! - I tried the X choke on him but I didn't have it in good so I gave it up. Even if I didn't have it in good I should have still continued with it because it would have put him on the D instead of a position to pass my guard.
- When going for the sweep just do it! I was scared of him passing my guard if I went for the sweep. I know at least once I didn't try my hardest for the sweep because of this fear.
My second match was absolute division. And to my disadvantage I ended up with one of the heavy weights. Go figure. And on top of it, he was a blue belt that looked like he had been for quite some time.
By this time I had already learned from my mistakes. I went it there and went for his lapel (to see if I could pull it out a little). It seemed in there pretty good and I didn't want to waste any time because it looked like he wanted to clinch me right there. Remembering that Sa Bom Nim had said bigger guys like to clinch rather than shoot in, I decided to shoot in for the single. He sprawled so I tried to duck under and pop out the left side (my left). I gout out but not fully around to his back. He almost got my back but I got out of it and he somehow got mount. I was smothered under there! I got out of mount and put him into 1/2 guard. By the time I could even react he hand my arm straightened and was ready to arm lock it. I tried to get out of it by grabbing something (a lapel, his arm, anything!) and turning but he ended up with my arm straight on the ground. I tried ti bend it back to my body but it was to late.
Take aways from this match:
- I imposed my game on him (at least with the takedown). I went for it and when it didn't work I tried my backup plan of escape.
- Pay more attention to my arm placement and what he is doing with them. Don't worry about my surroundings (points, time, etc....in this case trying to breathe because he was smothering me.
And I cant forget to mention, Matt came home with third in his division (he had to forfeit his last match because of a wedding) and Zack came home with first in his division! Way to go!
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