Mike Dolce Interview/Diet for Performance

I use common sense when it comes to my diet. As I integrate staples into my diet, I look at how "full" I feel after eating, later that date, at rest before sleep, of course during training and how sore I am through the week until my rest day.

I also look at how I feel after I take something out of my diet and this is particularly true of my attitude toward supplements (I take a multivitamin and fish oil and of course some protein.....and that's it for supplements).

Keenan Cornelius @ Five Grappling in California

Monday Morning/Afternoon Post Judo Tournament Review

Despite the snow days interrupting training, I did Mayfields Judo Open this past Saturday.
I have some nagging injuries, one relatively limiting that affected a good bit of my options on the feet but you can win or learn and I knew I would get more out of competing than going to Open mat like I normally do on a Saturday. Saturday was supposed to be my return to right-handed play in Judo, but an injury has delayed that again. I haven't competed/played right handed since before my ACL surgery.

I took 2nd in the -66kg adult advanced/black belt division.
Threw my first two opponents in the first or second exchange, something like 20 seconds or so apiece if I recall correctly. I threw the first for an uranage still counter to an uchimata or ouchigari. The 2nd match I won with two throws for waza ari in the first few exchanges, finishing with a seionage or seiotoshi.

The final was a tough match with my less than stellar conditioning not being up to par and some missed opportunities on the ground, namely a triangle/armbar locked in but stopped by a stand-up/restart from the referee. On the plus side I managed to hit a deep half sweep and reverse de la riva sweep despite the shorter time on the ground in Judo competition and very nearly pinned him for the win but needed about 5 more seconds of pin time to get the "W".

2 weeks until the next tournament put on by Bushido Judo, then the US Grappling Virginia Beach tournament on March 15th.

Monday's MMA Multimedia Mailbag: UFC 170 Underwhelmingly Meh Edition

Well, UFC 170....happened.

I spent the day out 2 hours out of town competing at a Judo tournament in the -66kg black belt division. I took 2nd after a very tough match in the finals. I won the first two rounds of the bracket by Ippon/throw then had a very tough match in the finals against a very tough competitor. I needed 5 more seconds of pin time to win before time expired but he beat me fair and square. My hat off to him. I had some good transitions, locked a triangle and armbar but lost it to a referee restart, the same for a deep set RNC grip, but c'est la vie.

On to the event:

Rousey won a woefully underwhelming fight that leaves me wondering who is really left for her to fight.

Cormier outclassed a guy who clearly looked like a 10 day replacement in a main event of the "NFL of Mixed Martial Arts"

Maia again failed to capitalize with a high level fight right in front of him. I love Demian Maia but his come out and shoot repeatedly from way too far out was ill-advised and looked worse and worse as he tired. He shows up some nights and crushes guys (like Jon Fitch) then other nights....well, you saw Saturday night.

Metamoris 3 Countdown: Rafa Mendes vs Clark Gracie

Berimbolo vs Omoplata

Can't wait.

UFC 170 Countdown Special: Rousey vs McMann, Cormier vs Cummins, Maia vs McDonald

I've put them in order of my interest to see the fights. I'm actually buying some of the hype/grudge match angle to see Cormier and Cummins fight. Call me a sucker. Call me an unabashed narrative/MMA fan. Whatever. Cormier has had some great wins to his credit. He won the Strikeforce Grand Prix Champion. Say what you will, at heavyweight, all of those guys on any given night are dangerous. Bigfoot, Kharitonov, Barnett, *ahem* Fedor, Fabricio Werdum.....it was kind of the best heavyweight bracket ever likely done in MMA history.



Rory wilted under Robbie Lawler's pressure as I expected and won me a whole boatload of fantasy money. I'm interested to see how Maia handles the longer-framed Rory who has a much more versatile standing attack when he decides to use it. It remains to be seen if Demian Maia can put him on his back and punish him and control him like he did when he out-Fitchd Jon Fitch.



Stylisticlaly, I'm interested to see Ronda face an elite level grappler as the rest of her wins have been over women with simply not the combat sports credentials necessary to have with Rowdy on the mat.

 

Metamoris III Countdown: Zak Maxwell vs Sean Roberts

We're about a month away.