As I arrived at the venue in the District to check in for the NFC JJ 17 event, I received a text message from a friend of mine who needed a spot filled for his team for the three-man, four-team tournament. Well, I didn't have my gi with me, let alone my belt. Luckily, there was a gi for me and a purple belt; and I'm not going to lie, I was nervous because I had no idea who I was going to be standing in front of in my match. Luckily, they didn't know who they were going to be standing in front of. And I'd be lying to you if I said that I wasn't nervous, considering that I already had a superfight of my own. But, you know, the one thing that came out of that tournament is that sometimes you have to just step in there to see what you're truly made of in situations where you don't know what you're up against. Sometimes you may surprise yourself in that process. I learned a lot in my first match, such as that you don't stop until you get to a point where you know you can no longer protect yourself. In my second match, I learned that regardless of the outcome, making sure that you yourself are safe, and when it gets to where you know you are at risk and you can't get out, that it's more than okay to yield than to chance causing serious harm to yourself. All that to say is that I'm thankful that I took that step of faith, stepping in at a time where I could have been justified by turning this down. But, you know, it helped me prepare for what I need to get done in my superfight. I'm very thankful that I took the chance because, as I say to myself so many times, it doesn't matter who's in front of you on the mat. Your toughest opponent is always going to be yourself.

I have semi long hair, and thinking of cutting it soon. What do you think about long hair? Can you have it loose or in a bun, or better to cut?

It was quite a shock, 1 hour sparring, 30 mins technique. Instead of 1,45 hour technique and 15-30 min sparring the first 8 weeks. The tempo is more even and in a level where you can manage longer periods, compared to beginners who max out on all. I still don’t know what I’m doing. I made it anyway and the pic is there to show some evidence only.

Well I did a thing and signed up for Naga a few months ago and prepped myself for 4/11. Went and checked in today and didn’t have anyone close to me to compete against so I took a credit. I’m 100% fine with it and will continue to train and I’m looking at the IBBF on 5/2. I’m proud of myself for putting myself out there and signing up!

🎥 INTRODUCE YOURSELF: This is your spot to step in, show your face (or voice 👀), and tell the community who you are and why jiu-jitsu matters to you. Post a short video (30–90 seconds) and hit as many of these as you want: 1️⃣ Who you are Name, where you’re from, and how long you’ve been training (or if you’re brand new). 2️⃣ Why you started jiu-jitsu What pulled you onto the mats? Fitness, confidence, self-defense, competition, mental health, community — whatever it was. 3️⃣ What you LOVE about jiu-jitsu Be honest. The grind, the problem-solving, the chaos, the discipline, the people, the way it humbles you — all of it counts. 4️⃣ Where you’re at right now Beginner? Returning after time off? Competing? Just trying to survive rounds and breathe? 😅 No judgment here. 5️⃣ Your goals Short-term and long-term: - Get in shape - Learn the fundamentals - Compete - Build confidence - Stay consistent - Train for life Say it out loud. It matters. 6️⃣ One thing you’re working on Could be technical, physical, or mental: - Guard retention - Escapes - Cardio - Staying calm under pressure - Showing up consistently 💬 After you post: Drop a comment on at least one other intro and welcome them in. This is how the culture gets built. This community isn’t about ego, belts, or highlight reels. It’s about real people, real stories, and real progress — on and off the mats. Let’s hear your story 👊🥋🔥