Purple Belt Debut/Hectic Jiu-Jitsu Weekend/No Rest for the Weary

2nd place, purple belt combined -162 lbs

Busy weekend spent helping set up and do some referee training with the awesome folks at US Grappling for their Submission Only Greensboro. I won my first match at purple belt, lost to a teammate in the next round of a round robin bracket combining the 3 guys under 162 lbs.
I got to see a number of good matches while working a table between a good number of black belts as well.

Sunday morning was back at Judo practice then some hard rolling at another Jiu-Jitsu Open Mat because the Virginia Judo Open is in 2 weeks.
I plan to do the ADCC Nationals in Virginia Beach the following weekend.
Then, schedule permitting, US Grappling's Virginia Beach Tournament mid-March.

 Thought I may have injured my knee in the absolute when the guy jumped guard very low and hit my knee from the outside/going in, but my knee is okay. I got caught in a triangle/armbar by worrying about my knee rather than staying in the present but I relearned an old axiom that the guy who gets to where he wants to be first usually wins (Thanks Justin Rader).




I was undecided if I should sit to open guard or fight for the takedown, and every time I've done that in a match I've lost.

Lesson (re)learned.

I also got a sweet Jeff Shaw designed Gracies in Action inspired T-shirt from Cageside MMA's vendor booth.