Have Gi Will Travel - Munster Open

Big thanks first off to the Pedro guys from Cork for putting on a cracking comp. This has to be one of the best run and kept on schedule comps I've been to.

I mean, to get 3 belt divisions, Absolute and 6 no gi divisions all done on one day before 5pm, is just an amazing feat.

I would just say don't meet up with the Pedro bessa guys from wales the night before a comp. This is how the conversation went in the first bar;

Neil: What do you want to drink?

Me: Pint of Bud

Neil: (to the barman) four pints of Murphys

Me: Speachless.

Great night, met up with the Fokai guys, Toni and Roman. Good night chatting and drinking unitl the silly hours. Mark Tucker turned up while we where in some random German bar with his leopard skin hair style which amazingly got a lot of attension from the ladies. There was a fair bit more drinking.

The next day we where all a lot worse for wear than any of us had hoped.

Off to the comp, it started a little late and I watched some really good white belts. One doing a really nice flying armbar, the same guywon his first match in No gi with a standing guilotine.

My division went from 4 to 2, and my opponent was a guy who beat me with a paint brush at the seni in 2008. After four minutes of neither of us being able to take the other down. I thought I'd try a suicide sweep and almost pulled it off. More practice is needed on this I think. I ended up on the bottom and we where both on one advantage each as I tap out on 5:59.5 out of 6:00. I tapped to a paint brush as I was trying to wrist lock the guy and heared time. So gutted. Would have much rather seen what the ref would have decided.

My First No gi match was against a very tall chap, Phil Fox. We got the rules off Mark, No reaping of the knee from either side. I had to check the inside to out as I've been working some mean leg compresions. I manages to end up getting a single leg takedown, but still ended up in Phil's guard. as I was trying to pass, I got swept into a perfect leg lock, I crank it on, Mark Says Don't reap..... and Phil taps as my face instantly realises I've just lost with a awesome leg lock. My first submision in a comp since I've become a blue belt. Gutted it got me my first DQ.

I then watched the guy who beat me to go on and win the No Gi over 76KG advanced cat tapping out purple belts. I don't feel as bad about my loss. but kept the thought I should have kept it standing for 5:30 seconds. :D

I thought the day was over, I asked about the absolute thinking I'd be told that it would be not on. Great news, it's on and time to get a gi on again. first Match against Rory from Pedro's in Cork, he jumps guard, tries to X-Guard me I pass, he turtles I play around trying to get a grip of his colar and go for a clock chock varient. I can feel him trying to escape from behind me, I just pull harder on the colar and wait for the tap which comes quickly.

Then on to Vince from Carlson Gracies in London who had travelled across for the comp too. Great fight. he jumps guard, I pass I knee mount him, I can see he's not comfy there, he get's me back in half guard and almost taps me with a loop choke, there was no panic from me, I looked down saw enough space to get my hand to my colar and snached it out of his grip and pass to mount and tap him with a sort of drop choke. 145KG's dropping it's forearm across your neck is not where you want to be.

Lukas, a big polish guy manages to take me down and get on top of me, he dominates me from side control. I managed to get him back to half guard but he just powers through to side control. He gets the victory. I was gutted.