2012 Copa America Submission Grappling Championship

It finally happened. Yesterday was my first grappling tournament. Things got off to a rough start since I had to work the night before and got less than two hours of sleep before we had to leave for Atlanta, but it still turned out well. We got to the tournament shortly after 9am for the weigh-ins. The limit for master's middleweight was 189.9, and I made it easily at 187. Most of the morning and early afternoon were spent coaching our kids and teens as they competed in their matches (all of whom did really well). My first match wasn't until around 3pm. When my turn finally rolled around, I got a bit of a surprise. It seems there was no one else in my weight class, so I had to fight up a class (cruiserweight was 190-209.9). Fortunately, I'm used to training with larger opponents. I was a little nervous during my first match, but I managed to go out and get a takedown. I jacked up my foot somehow, but I maintained good top control and won my first match on points. I got another takedown in my second match, but I managed to get behind on points. I did get a reversal though, and caught my opponent in an arm-in guillotine just a few moments later, causing him to tap out. And that was it. I had won the men's masters advanced division. All in all, it was a fun day and a good experience. I definitely think I'll be competing again.


If you're interested in trying out Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for yourself, come see us at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts.