I put my hand up to compete in a grappling super fight on a weeks notice, even though I didn't know what that meant, because fuck it, why not.
Sports and competition have always provided some of life's best lessons, and continues to deliver. Here is what I found from competing in my first ever grappling match.
Lessons from the mat. 3 key takeaways!
Lesson #1
Ask The Right Questions
Turns out a very important aspect of competition is in knowing and understanding the rules.
I thought leg locks weren't on the table for beginner/white belt level competition.
This belief began a few years ago when I started my jiu-jitsu journey, albeit, in the Gi. I didn't question it again. I made an assumption. That assumption was incorrect.
I asked what time I had to be there and how long the match would be.
Oh, are slams allowed?
No.
I realised my predicament when I ended up in a leglock one minute into a 10-minute no-gi grappling match, and my brain froze for a second.
Okay, this must be legal. I'll pull from the 6 minutes my brain was paying attention in that one leglock class I attended 3 months ago, and find a way out of here...
"No plan survives contact with the enemy."
Lesson #2
Always Be Ready
"Hey brother. Do you have anyone in these weight categories that would like to compete in a grappling super fight for our anniversary next weekend?"
"Let me get back to you. Maybe I'll fill a slot if ______ is not available."
______ wasn't available.
The reason I put my hand up was because Phuket Fight Club, whom had hosted the Apollo Sponsored Athlete Selection Course in their MMA program a few days previous, were having an open day and required competitors for their eleven-year anniversary coming up the following weekend.
I had trained a little MMA grappling recently as I put a handful of fighters through the aforementioned Selection Course, but other than that, I've been spending a little more time just free-flowing training, as I haven't been training for anything specific due to a heavier work load in recent months.
10-minute grappling match on a weeks notice? Sweet. Strength endurance and gas tank. Use my natural instinctual movements and strengths, and 20+ year rugby background to put a pace on and wear my opponent down, without having to worry about leglocks or cutting weight👍🏼
Lesson #3
Ego Management is Key
I went in with a gameplan, and ended up on my back a minute into the match.
No problem, I'll work my way back up. I've got time.
I made a massive mistake and gave my leg, based on information I received years ago, and hadn't questioned since.
My opponent is a very good guy, and a skilled professional fighter with One Championship, whom now represents Phuket Fight Club. We had trained together previously, whilst I was running the Pro Fight Team Athlete Program at Tiger Muay Thai and MMA, as part of my 6 year tenure.
@konstantin_marareskul did his job and locked me up ever so gracefully. My knee clicked. He kinda looked at me weird. I tapped and smiled at him.
"Are you okay? I felt something."
"Yeah bro. That's just a Saturday. Thanks for taking it easy on me."
Thanks to everyone who came down to @phuketfightclub to watch me compete in my first grappling match.
*This is not the first time I have learned these lessons, and I'm sure they will continue to surface for the remainder of my life, as required. These lessons just happened to be a friendly reminder from the mat.
"When the student is ready, the teacher appears"
To summarise:
Ask the right questions
Always be ready
Ego management is key
Leave a comment about one moment in your own life where you learned one of these 3 Key Lessons.
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