Pan Ams 2009

I did decent in Pan Ams.

I weighed in at 145(!) for the 154 division, which may have made a difference in my last match.

First match- Danny Hayes- Gracie Humaita (Megaton Oregon)

I pull guard right away and start working the tail game. I eventually get a triangle on him, and he tries to posture up, but I come up with him. I end up in flying triangle position for a minute or so, just hanging out up there. I look to the sidelines, and they keep telling me to pull the head, and I do and he comes down to the mat. He doesn't want to tap at all, and he eventually gets out. I think I swept him? I get on top and pass his half guard and end up in side control. I then put the knee on stomach, and he turns to expose his collar. I finish with the bow and arrow.

Second match- bye? Keith Fukumae from Guerilla Jiu Jitsu didn't show up.

Third match- Takatoshi Matsumo- Parestra (Tokyo).

Crazy match. Maybe one of the best guys in the division. We both try to pull guard, but I get up first for the sweep. I work to pass with knee slide, and he does some de la riva back door trickery and nearly takes my back. He starts choking the collar and I escape, and he shoots a triangle and I escape. He goes to upside down guard, so I go knee on face. He eventually gets out I think and goes back door trickery again, this time sweeping me. Score is tied. I get to my guard and get him in a triangle and sweep to mount. Should be 6 points (2 for sweep and 4 for mount), but I get robbed and get two advantages. We end somehow with him trying to pass my guard, which he does not do. I win the match. A hard, hard match. The first match I was losing momentum and about to get finished before coming back and winning.

Fourth match (to win the page 1 of the 8 page bracket)- Mark Diffley from Alliance Atlanta

He must have seen my matches and knows I'm going to jump guard. He jumps over my guard and lands in mount. 10 seconds in I'm down 7-0. Crap. I get back to half guard and then guard, and work to sweep with Cobrinha stuff, x-guard, lots of other stuff. Only thing is, this guy TRAINS with the guy, and I have only seen the dvds. Needless to say, it didn't work. He had excellent base, almost as if he had wrestled before. He ends up jumping guard and sweeping me with some Cobrinha thing. I work from reverse de la riva, try to come back door, but he faces me up. He eventually collar chokes me from half guard.

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I felt I did well considering that I was way undersized for the division. I felt I got the two toughest guys in the whole 78 man bracket, but I'm proud of myself for what I accomplished.

A great experience. My gameplan is coming together and I'm focused on what I need to look into.