#8 Master Worlds

Oct 31

“You don’t look like a fighter; you look like you eat biscuits!” feedback I received from my taxi driver going back to my hotel after the tournament. He is not wrong; I like a good biscuit.

I was 7lbs underweight without my gi the morning of the tournament. So, I was able to eat breakfast and stay hydrated as I waited for my match which was near the end of the day. I had several teammates compete the previous 2 days. It was awesome having teammates and coaches at the tournament. Different than most of my tournaments this year.

I did better than last year but still came up short. Thinking during a match is so different than thinking during normal sparring. I can intelligently think when sparring but during this tournament I was only reacting, and it felt like no actual thinking was occurring. I have things I consistently do in certain spots in those same spots during my match it never occurred to me to do any of it. I didn’t feel like I was processing what was going on correctly. I watched the video afterwards and saw my opponent stand up at one point. I was so surprised because I had no memory of her ever standing up. After some reflection I had an adrenaline dump that clouded everything. I let expectation get to me, having my team and coaches there made me really want to do well and although I’ve tried to have no expectations of myself throughout this journey it got to me.

That being said I think I did the best bjj I’ve ever done in a match. I escaped a back take to a decent open guard and executed a De La Riva sweep. In general, my open guard was the best it’s ever been. It’s one of the weakest parts of my game. My attempt to pull guard was terrible. I need to be more patient at the start. My standup game continues to be a challenge. I had a game plan for the stand up and didn’t execute on it. I immediately wanted a do-over.

I ended up popping a rib with a little over a minute to go in the match. I was down by like 16 points, so I decided to tap to save my body. I’m not sure if it was the right decision. I had popped the same rib a week prior, so I wasn’t surprised. This match was winnable, which stings a little. Last year, I didn’t stand a chance of winning my match. I’m definitely getting better and so much of that growth has been in the 4 months leading up to Master Worlds, when I started this quest. I’m excited to get back to work on the mats.

Key Takeaways

I need to go down in weight. I’m not meant for this weight class. My weight isn’t functional and theirs usually is. 2 weight classes down would probably be ideal, I’m pretty short at 5’2” and currently competing in the Middle weight class. (152lbs max)
I’ve been rethinking my takedown game. I’m not sure I’m durable enough for takedowns. I had a hurt shoulder after Austin and it’s had me thinking about developing my open guard more so I can pull guard instead of trying for a takedown. We’ll see how things develop.
I need to calm down. The adrenaline rush was a new thing for me. It was an unsettling feeling like I was in a fog. I assume just doing more tournaments will help with this, but not something I’ve dealt with before. I’ve done several tournaments this year, but this was the first one with coaches and multiple teammates at the venue and online watching. I didn’t want to let them down. This was different than last year when I just happened to be able to show up and try. Putting expectations on myself lead to an adrenaline dump and me not performing as well I know I can. Need to get back to releasing all expectations.

Current goals

Win a bracket

Score a takedown

Restaurants I visited

Lola’s – off strip. This is a cajun restaurant about 25 minutes from the strip. I had shrimp and grits. I thought it was great and there were other things I would have liked to try but couldn’t go overboard before the tournament.

Curry House Zen – off strip. Asian curry place. Lots of curry options. About 15 minutes from the strip. It’s a small restaurant that was pretty busy. I was really watching my weight this day, so I didn’t try the curry but everyone I was with liked it.

Noodle Asia – Venetian. Night Market Fried Rice! I’ve been going to Noodle Asia for years, it’s right next to the Venetian poker room was a frequent break in long poker sessions.

Black Tap Bar – Venetian. I really wanted to go here to try the over-the-top CrazyShakes. Milkshakes plus so much more. This was my reward for making weight. I had the CakeShake: Cake batter shake with vanilla frosted rim with sprinkles topped with a full piece of funfetti cake. Others in our group had Brooklyn Blackout Shake: Chocolate shake with chocolate frosted rim with mini chocolate chips and two large brownies on top and the Cookies & Cream Supreme: Oreo shake with vanilla frosted rim with crushed oreos and a cookies & cream ice cream sandwich and crumbled oreos on top. Worth a visit!

Grand Lux Cafe - Venetian. A solid restaurant especially if you are with a group. We were able to get a reservation for 14 people with an hours notice. They easily accomodate a group and the menu is big and has something for everyone.

Upcoming tournaments:

No planned tournaments the rest of the year

Nov 1st I have hysterectomy surgery that will require 8 weeks off from bjj

Nov 10th I have surgery to break up the scar tissue in my frozen shoulder. Lots more PT to follow.

Hoping to be back at tournaments in the new year.