Boston

The IBJJF Boston Spring Open was this past Saturday and a bunch of us drove out.  There was Brian, Brandon, Pumba, Yogi, Boston and myself.  We booked a hotel in Burlington, which was 20 miles outside Boston and stayed the night.  The next day we checked our weights (everyone was on point) and headed to the tournament site at UMass Boston.

Blue Belt adults were up first, which meant Pumba, Yogi and Boston, were fighting right away.  Boston's bracket had 25 guys in it.  His first match was tough one against the guy who ended up second in the division and third in the absolute division.  Yogi got paired up against a monster (size wise) who ended up winning that division and coming in second in absolute.  Pumba dominated his match up until the last twenty seconds when he got caught with a triangle.  Overall I think the guys did very well, made some good moves, got some great experience and had a few teaching moments mixed in.  I'm kind of excited to see how they go from here, since all of them are young athletic and pretty determined.

Brian was up next in his Black Belt division.  In his first match he picked up a quick sub, then in his second match he got the win on points.  This put him in the division final where he got to face off against eventual winner Kayron Gracie.  Unfortunately I missed all of his matches since I was either in the bullpen, sitting by my mat waiting to fight or fighting while his matches were happening.  I was really looking forward to seeing him compete and actually put under some pressure since it never happens when we train.  I think Boston recorded some of them and the IBJJF recorded some also.

Brandon had two or three matches in his Purple Belt division and ended up wining first place. He looked pretty good, he has a methodical style and incorporates pressure well into his passing and attacks.  Apparently he hadn't competed in three years but you would have never known it from watching him.  In class he is always a tough roll and always gets me.

I had fourteen guys in my Master 1 division.  My first opponent was familiar to me, since I had beaten him last year, and I expected him to come out balls to the wall which he did.  It was a good match and although I was up on points I caught him with a choke from the back with four seconds left.  My second opponent was tough also and I didn't help myself by gifting him two points, but I managed to win on points at the last second.  The third opponent I faced that day was pretty agile and strong.  I managed to get mount and pressure him (he stood up with a mouth full of blood afterword) but he turned and I went for an belly down armbar, but I switched mid attack and rolled him over with my foot for a conventional armbar and the finish. The finals had me face off with another solid opponent. We had a back and forth battle but I managed to take his back and get the tap for first place.  Boston coached me for all my matches (Brian was competing) and did a phenomenal job.  I see why Brian has him run the kids classes.

Overall it was a good day I think.  We all learned a bit about ourselves and about each other and I appreciate all my teammates running me ragged in training.  I finally watched all my matches from the NY Open and this tournament and came up with a list of things to work on.  Now I just have to sit down with Brian to watch the matches and see what he thinks I need to work on.