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- Aug 1, 2006
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Well, I finally made it! I do believe that this is where "they" say that the learning really starts - starting the next phase as a brand new black belt!
Background - a few seasons of wrestling as a kid, a couple of years of judo as a kid, and then most of my younger life I did striking arts - boxing, Shotokan, Tae Kwon do, Muay Thai. UFC1 & 2 altered my paradigm, so I started looking for ways to train jiu jitsu in the middle of Missouri in the mid-90s. This consisted mostly of training on gymnastics mats at the local Y with guys from questionable jiu jitsu (most likely Japanese JJ), learning from Gracie In Action VHS tapes and Gracie-Kirkut instructional VHS tapes, and this cool old photocopied 3-Ring binder from "New England Submission Wrestling".
Around 2004, I found a proper school to train at. In the years since, I've had numerous injuries (separated & broken ribs, broken fingers, broken toes, broken nose requiring surgery, torn groin muscles, torn LCL, separated clavicle, torn rotator cuff, torn bicep, etc), but I've never taken any substantial time off. Nothing longer than two weeks. I would typically just modify my training to match my medical shape!
So here I am, a 43 year old man with a wife, three kids (21, 15 & 6) a full-time job, a co-owner of a MMA/BJJ/MT gym with alumni/former training partners in the UFC, bad joints but good health, and a black belt from my coach, friend, and mentor, Daniel "Montanha" De Lima!
Attached are a few pics from the promotion. I'm the guy who is not a 6 year old kid, a 15 year old kid, or a gargantuan Brazilian.
Background - a few seasons of wrestling as a kid, a couple of years of judo as a kid, and then most of my younger life I did striking arts - boxing, Shotokan, Tae Kwon do, Muay Thai. UFC1 & 2 altered my paradigm, so I started looking for ways to train jiu jitsu in the middle of Missouri in the mid-90s. This consisted mostly of training on gymnastics mats at the local Y with guys from questionable jiu jitsu (most likely Japanese JJ), learning from Gracie In Action VHS tapes and Gracie-Kirkut instructional VHS tapes, and this cool old photocopied 3-Ring binder from "New England Submission Wrestling".
Around 2004, I found a proper school to train at. In the years since, I've had numerous injuries (separated & broken ribs, broken fingers, broken toes, broken nose requiring surgery, torn groin muscles, torn LCL, separated clavicle, torn rotator cuff, torn bicep, etc), but I've never taken any substantial time off. Nothing longer than two weeks. I would typically just modify my training to match my medical shape!
So here I am, a 43 year old man with a wife, three kids (21, 15 & 6) a full-time job, a co-owner of a MMA/BJJ/MT gym with alumni/former training partners in the UFC, bad joints but good health, and a black belt from my coach, friend, and mentor, Daniel "Montanha" De Lima!
Attached are a few pics from the promotion. I'm the guy who is not a 6 year old kid, a 15 year old kid, or a gargantuan Brazilian.
