It has been a while since I've blogged, and this is because I've been tired as hell! It's also because I've been watching episodes of "Dexter" every night when I get home from the gym. Who ever thought a serial killer could be so charming?
If you don't know what I'm talking about, you owe it to yourself to check out one of the greatest shows of all time (inspired by the novel, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, by Jeff Lindsay).
More importantly however, is a recent development at our gym which has all of us really excited. Last week, the addition of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor and former Renzo (pronounced "hen-zo") Gracie student, Todd Wheeler, was a big step up for us as an MMA gym.
Coach Wheeler recently moved here from Los Angeles, where he trained with the best of the best at Hollywood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Renzo Gracie is one of the most well-known Jiu Jitsu fighters in the world, and to have a brown belt out of his academy as one of our instructors, is a huge deal. To boot, Coach Wheeler is probably the nicest person I've ever met in a gym, and he is wholly committed to the positive development of our skills and of our school. His friendliness, positive attitude, experience, and eagerness to teach makes for the perfect combination in an instructor.
He even agreed to support my Army unit during our combatives training this May. The Modern Army Combatives Program (MACP) consists primarily of BJJ and originated at the Gracie Academy in California.
The first day he joined our team, he rolled with every single person in the class without so much as 40 seconds rest in between opponents. Of course, he submitted each one of us, some taking longer than others. When I pulled a technique called "Rubber Guard" on him he told me, "Eddie used to pull that on me all the time."
Of course I knew exactly who he was talking about. Eddie Bravo, creator of his own breed of BJJ called "10th Planet Jiu Jitsu," also created the technique I'd just employed. It just so happens that he is also one of my idols, and Coach Wheeler trained with him for about two years in L.A.
Incredible. Renzo Gracie, Eddie Bravo ... who knows what other great Jiu Jitsu artists this guy has crossed paths with and trained with? I will be sure to find out.
This new instructor has a wealth of experience, knowledge and skill, and I would have to be stupid not to take advantage of this opportunity.
As a result, I was eager to get to BJJ class this evening, where I not only learned some great new moves from Coach Wheeler, but I got to roll with him again as well.
He wasn't as easy on me this time as he was the first day, and literally within seconds, he tapped me out. We continued to roll, and he landed me in everything from wrist locks and arm bars to various chokes. He did the same with everyone else in the class. I didn't last quite as long as some of the others, but as I said before - win or lose - every second on the mat brings me closer to where I need to be.
Some other great news in my world, is that a buddy of mine from Erie emailed me yesterday that he had an extra ticket to the World Extreme Cagefighting (W.E.C.) fights in Columbus, Ohio next month. W.E.C. is the lighter-weight classes of the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), and as a result, the fights are generally packed with much faster-paced action in comparison.
I was trying to figure out how I could drive from North Carolina to Ohio without spending a bunch of dough, because I really, really wanted to go to my first major-organization pro MMA event. This event features some big names, such as former UFC fighter Jens Pulver, Miguel Torres, Brian Bowles, and Dominic Cruz. Cruz trains with one of my all time favorite fighters, Brandon Vera. Might catch a glimpse of him there - maybe even get a photo with him.
That same night, I was flagged down by one of our fighters just before Muay Thai class. He wanted me to to sign up to go with our team to the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus the same day of the W.E.C. fights. Apparently there is Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu tournaments as well. The trip is free - hotel included!
I don't think I believed in destiny before yesterday. But if it exists, this has got to be it. Great times lie ahead, for sure!
As if all that isn't great enough, after seeing my designs, the head of MMA at our gym, Johnny "Kru," agreed to carry and sell some of my Instinct Fightwear merchandise at our gym. Pardon me, but holy shit!
Now, I've got another idea - it would be an investment, but I could print some t-shirts prior to the Ohio trip and give them away for free to pro fighters at the W.E.C. event and sell them at the Arnold event. Nice.
Let's hope my luck continues in this direction!
As Bob Marley said, "Positive vibrations, yeah ..."
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