NAGA Tournament of Champions Results

The guy I fought in the blue belt division was actually a 4 stripe white belt from a De La Riva school whose instructor was there telling him to fight up because he was promoting him to blue belt this week.  I beat the guy 11-0 and was very happy with the match.  I had been telling myself to be more aggressive with submission attempts, and I threw a bunch at him.  Pulled guard, broke him down and locked the diamond on him but we had to shift before I could turn it into the triangle because we were near the edge of the mat.  Right away I put an armbar on him…  turned it belly down but he had long legs and managed to step over my shoulder so I had to bail on it and rolled him back into my guard.  Locked the diamond on him again but I didn’t control his posture and he got out.  Sunk a pretty deep cross choke in and I thought I had it done there but he toughed it out for a bit so instead of burning my grips on the first match I let it go.  He reached back and I locked on a triangle… he stood up, so I hooked his leg and swept him with it.  I tried to come up into the mounted triangle but couldn’t quite make it al the way up on top and we got caught in a scramble which I won.  Passing him and getting side control.  I transitioned to mount, then S mount with his arm wrapped around his neck.  He bridged and rolled me, I turned around and swept him back to mount one more time at the bell.

So that was gold.  Not that I really counts, considering it was only one match and a blue belt who was a couple of days short of his actual blue.

Where it got all jacked up was that they had the blue belt and purple belt masters go first… then they decided to split the master an adult white belt divisions between two separate rings.  So I had to decide which one to forfeit… so I bailed on masters and went for the adult division.

That match started well.  Pulled guard (but guard pulls were as technically sound as I know how to do by the way…  sleeve pulled tight, foot on hip, etc…) but I had a hard time keeping this guys posture broken.  He kept trying to violator pass me, and on his third attempt he managed to get his knee wedged in.  I grabbed his pant leg so he couldn’t knee cut and went to half guard… he wasn’t able to flatten me out and we fought from there for a bit.  I tried to go deep half on him but he stymied it, then with about 45 seconds left to go I swept him.  It was a sloppy sweep though, and I ended up in his guard instead of in side control.  So at this point I am up 2-0.  I had his lapel by his belt with my right hand, and I made a stupid mistake and stepped up with my left instead of my right.  He hail mary armbars me… it isn’t too deep and there is 30 seconds left on the clock.  I stand and he rolls me with it.  It is deep, but I have my arm turned just enough so there isn’t any danger.  I reach up to pull his leg off of my head and the guy yells “He tapped” to the ref… and the ref stops it with under 20 seconds left on the clock.  Telling me he was afraid my arm was going to get hurt.  I protested but there was nothing I could do.

And of course at this point I can’t go do the master’s division.  So I am pretty pissed at myself and NAGA right now to say the least…

NY International Open Results

** = split division w/ teammate; no losses.

Keith “Trainspotting” Cebula easily won the Masters Blue Belt division, submitting his first two opponents with breadcutter chokes before posting a 6-0 victory in the Championship round with 2 guard passes.  Having placed Top 3 in his weight division, our teammate qualified for the Open division. Unfortunately, there were only 2 other competitors in that division so Trainspotting won his match on a massive number of points and then split the Open Division title with Pere from Camp Springs! Awesome showing!

Timothy “#1 Stunna” Spriggs dominated the Meio Pesado division, going 4-0.   He won 18-0, 2-0, 8-2, and 4-0 to win his first CBJJ Gold medal.  He controlled every match and did not look like a full-time college student who trains during vacations.  #1 Stunna has been working out hard and studying video heavily and has been able to maintain his skills even when he is not in Maryland.  Great job from the 18 year old.

Cathy Tran-Zwanetz made her IBJJF debut…luckily.  There was originally no one in her division to fight but the officials were kind enough to let her bump up a weight class to compete against another girl who was also opponent-less.  Cathy used her crushing shoulder pressure to pass her opponent’s guard, mount, and ezekielle in 45 seconds.  A textbook match that brings Ms. Cathy’s record to 3-0.