MMA and me; day 231

Managed to get up to Alderwood MMA yesterday, and it felt great. Got to work on a little stand up for the last half of kickboxing, working on my hook and kick combos. I've been focusing mostly on keeping my hands up, because I decided that getting hit in the head sucks and I don't like it. Hands up, circle off, pump the jab, keep your punches crisp and clean, and keep working at it!

We drilled more arm triangles, so I wont go into too much detail there, Elbow down on the mat, and this is where the S grip comes in handy. If your elbow starts to come off the mat, lift your other arm, which should be the under hand in the S grip, and it will pull the other hand up, forcing your elbow down to the mat. I also need to be better at not no-gi grappling when I roll. Grab lapels (cross grip) sleeves (at the end, not the middle), and use them to your advantage! Play the puppet master, get your knees inside their arms, pull their arms out wide and slap on a triangle. It's pretty goddamn fun! Can't wait for tonight!

MMA and me; day 229 and 230

I am really tired and really beat up tonight. Forgot to cover last Thursdays classes, but I will go the lazy route and say check the previous evenings arm triangle focus.
Tonight we once again worked on the arm triangles, covering ten specifically
1) mount
2) gift wrap from mount
3) side control
4) side control with an under hook,
5) head and arm
6) north south
7) backmount
8) turtle/four corners
9) your own guard
10) kimura head mount

Yes we were given a sheet that had these all written down, and no I didn't mix them up intentionally to make it seem like I didn't copy them verbatim. I remembered them, because Seth and I went through and did each one four to five times each. I like arm triangles, a lot. Anyways, we rolled a bit before we moved on to fighter training/sparring, and though I apparently made some strides towards improvement in the stand up department, I still feel beat up and weary. Gotta find the means to distance the emotion, or at least harness it. I'll get there, but until then, it's bumps and bruises city for this fella. I think I can love with that. Thank you Seth, Riley, Reagan, Hannah, Batman, Alvin, Brent, Big Nate, Little Nate, and of course Coach Wise. (I think that's everyone there tonight. Forgive me, I was kicked in the head a lot) You are all truly amazing, and I love that we are all making each other better!!!!!!

UFC 145

Man, this is a sneaky card. Six fights on the main portion, but they seem on the surface to be somewhat pedestrian in comparison to the main event. Don't be surprised if one of those five leading up flash some highlights, I'm just sayin....


Mark Bocek vs. John "The Natural" Alessio
lightweight

After a six year absence from the UFC spent fighting for just about every other promotion under the sun, Alessio returns on short notice to replace the injured Matt Wiman. I like Alessio, and he is a solid fighter, but it will be tough for him to find any footing against the extremely submission savvy Bocek. This fight will get to the ground, and the grappling-centric style Bocek employs will likely lead to a grinding decision. Look for Alessio to get another shot with the promotion, they love guys who step in and help out on short notice.

Bocek by Unanimous Decision

Mark "The Machine" Hominick vs. Eddie "The Filipino Phenom" Yagin
featherweight

After his stunning upset loss to Chan Sung-Jung, Hominick is looking to avoid his first ever three fight losing streak, and though he was supposedly a sure fire win against "The Korean Zombie" Yagin should be no trouble. Hominick lost because he fought outside of his game, but when he is on it and throwing crisp, clean combos, stalking his opponent, they are in big trouble. Yagin is tough, but has wilted when facing even slightly tougher opponents. I expect Hominick to get back on track with a late TKO, or lopsided decision. It may not be flashy, but it will be very dominant either way.

Hominick via TKO, Rd. 3.

Miguel Torres vs. Michael "Mayday" McDonald
bantamweight

This is an early candidate for fight of the night, as former champ Torres looks to get back to title contention, while the uber prospect McDonald tries to continue his rapid ascension through the ranks of the 135 pounders. Torres is a tall, lanky, smart fighter who uses his length very well in his stand up, but also possesses an incredibly aggressive ground game from top or bottom, and will always hunt for a submission. McDonald has shined so far in the UFC, going 3-0, and making a big impact so far, in spite of his youth (21!) With a very well rounded game, and the ability to start and maintain an impressive pace, he will bring the fight to Torres for sure. All signs point to Torres having the advantage in this fight, even if only slightly. It's going to be a war from the get go, with the fight taking place everywhere, and neither fighter giving any ground. After the dust settles, expect Torres to have his hand raised, in what I expect will be an awesome fight.

Torres via Split Decision

Brendan "The Hybrid" Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell
heavyweight

Both fighters are coming off losses, so they're likely to be fighting with the feeling that their backs are up against the cage, so to speak. Schaub is a big physical specimen, who is quick, agile, and frighteningly powerful. He's had a hard time really putting it together against tougher opponents though, so how he does here could be telling about where his future in the promotion will go. Rothwell has four times the experience, a very similar unexpected athleticism for a big man, along with an extremely durable chin. My heart says Rothwell, but my head says Schaub, so I'm going to say "The Hybrid" ekes out a close decision, that will likely have a very lackluster third round, as neither fighter looks particularly dominant.

Schaub via Unanimous Decision

Rory "Ares" McDonald vs. Che "Beautiful" Mills
welterweight

McDonald looks to continue his ascension towards the top of the welterweight division, while Mills is looking to put his own stamp on 170 pounds. At 22, McDonald is already emerging as the "next big thing" and he will have a tough customer in Mills, who has already been at the fight game for ten years. Mills has a solid striking game, but if he gets to the mat, submission defense has been a weakness. McDonald, though young, has already been fighting since he was 16, and has been training in all aspects of MMA his entire career. He seems to be the prototype of what future champions will be doing, and he seems equally comfortable in all aspects of the game. If the stand up is not to his liking, he should have no issue getting the fight to the mat, where he can flex his grappling muscles, and coax a tap from Mills, early to mid way through the second round.

McDonald via submission (rear naked choke) Rd. 2

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT

Champion Jon "Bones"Jones vs. Rashad "Suga" Evans

This fight has been in the works for far too long, and the back story aside, it is still a fantastic match up. The freakishly athletic and physical gifts that Jones possesses, combined with his thoroughly unorthodox style make him an extremely tough puzzle to solve. Combined with him being one of the biggest light heavyweights out there, and having roughly the same wing span as a pterodactyl, well, it's easy to see why he won the title and has been the first person to defend it more than once in over five years. Evans is fast and explosive, with fantastic wrestling. He is somewhat undersized for the division, and has a questionable chin. He supposedly got the better of Jones in the gym when they were still training together, but it remains to be seen if that will give him the mental edge or not. In any event, this fight will be hard fought, but Jones is simply too good. I see stoppage in this fight, possibly in the third round due to strikes, but I have a feeling that there will likely remain some bad blood, and we may see a rematch down the road. For now, Jones will remain the champ, and in dominant fashion.

Jones via TKO, Rd. 3

MMA and me; day 228

Wow, almost a week off from the gym, but no more! The next couple of months are going to be chock full of busting my ass, so here we go. Made my way over to Alderwood MMA yesterday, and it was arm triangles for days. We drilled the ones we have done before; arm triangle from mount, back mount, head mount from kimura, and we added a new one, from inside the guard. Push one of their arms across their chest, and quickly swim your other arm under it and behind their head, and lock up a rear naked choke grip. Open your guard, and shrimp your hips out to the side opposite the side your hands are on, keeping your bottom leg flat to the ground. Chop your bottom leg into their legs to sweep them to their back and transition their grip from the RNC, to the monkey grip, and voila, arm triangle. Once you get to the arm triangle position, (and this goes for all of them) don't fidget and adjust. Simply keep your far elbow down on the mat, and pull your weight over them. Fun class, and had a good roll with coach afterward, and I am very much looking forward to my upcoming tournaments!!!

MMA and me; day 227

Yesterday was more arm triangles, which I loved!! We went over everything we did on Tuesday, but the things I picked up and started to focus on more were the small details. Much like an arm bar, there is a checklist of things to go over once you get your entry. Make sure their arm is pushed across the chest, keep your hips out wide from their body so you don't get pulled into half guard, keep your elbow of the arm under their head on the mat (pulling it up may feel like you're adding to the pressure, but it's not), once your hips are out, don't sink your weight back, shrug it up over their shoulders, don't squeeze with your arms, use your weight and your head to create pressure. Arm triangles are everywhere, and for some reason, I really like them. An excellent class, and I am looking forward to next week which is going to be very grappling heavy!

Another day of all sparring in fighter training, and once again, I got my ass handed to me. Things I took away from sparring; hands up, head up, or you'll get uppercutted or kneed in the face, circle right unless turning left and pumping the jab, hands up, don't be afraid to walk someone down just because their bigger than you, use length when you can, and crowd them when you can't, breathe and keep as calm as you can. I started to get a little worked up towards the end, and had to remind myself to not lose my cool, but I felt better about my stand up as the class progressed. My face is lumpy, and while I know I am tough, I need to be better about avoiding those shots instead of taking one to give one. Next week, NEXT WEEK!!!!! As always, I love my gym and my teammates. Speedy has a fight tomorrow night, and the guy has been putting in crazy work. I can't be there in person, but I will be there in spirit cheering him on. GTB SPEEDRO!!!!!

MMA and me; day 226

WHEW! Took a week off, but was back in the gym last night, and it was a great evening. In grappling, we got warmed up with our arm bar/triangle/omoplata drill, and then got going with a myriad of arm triangles. First, we worked one from mount. Press on the left arm to get them to push back, and as they do, push the arm across their chest, and swim your right arm underneath it, and drop your head to the mat on the opposite side as your arm. With your left hand, push their head into your other arm, and lift it slightly so you can slide your right arm underneath it. From here, you can get a monkey grip, or a Gable grip if you like, but keep your head on the mat, and pushing into their head as much as you can. Flick your right leg across their hip, and slide your knee to the mat to dismount, while walking your hand further under the head. Sprawl your hips out flat, getting your feet as far out behind you as you can. Raise your feet off the mat, and shrug your shoulders forward to increase the pressure until they tap. Gripping your hands is entirely up to you, as the choke can be finished with one arm by getting your butt high up in the air, and driving your shoulder down into their neck as you roll your weight over them, and it looks pretty bad ass too.

Next we worked on the arm triangle from back mount. With an over/under seat belt grip, relieve your leg on the same side as the over hook. As they slide their hips over your leg, quickly turn into them, leaving the back mount, and driving your under hooked arm over their far side shoulder, and plant your head on the mat on the near side of their head, trapping their arm across their neck. From here, either monkey grip, or Gable grip your hands, and shrug your weight up across their head for the tap.

We did a new one for me next, an arm triangle from north/south. With one arm inside their arm pit and under their head, and the other on the outside of their opposite arm, relieve the arm from under their head, and slide the arm on the outside across their chest. As you do this, immediately bring it across and over their far side shoulder, much like the arm triangle from back mount, and bring it under their head, get your hands clasped together, and finish the submission.

A fun one we hadn't worked on in a while was next, kind of a sweep/arm triangle combination. With your opponent being in the four corners or turtle position, you are beside them with your near side arm over their back and far shoulder, while your far side arm is under their near arm pit, and clasping your other hand. So it's kinda funky, but from here, you straighten out your outside leg and hip into them, and roll them over you to the opposite side from where they started. The best way to insure that the submission is to begin to slide your arm into place across and over their far shoulder as you roll, instead of after. Doing so after you have tossed them leads to a lot of readjusting, and possibly losing position altogether. So as you roll, slide the arm which was under their arm pit to begin, across and over the shoulder, and swim it under their head, and as you lad you will be in fantastic position to finish the submission.

We also briefly touched on an arm triangle from side control, where all you do is push their near side arm across their chest, and then slide your bottom side arm under their head into arm triangle position. I really like this one for when working a kimura, or key lock, and they reach over to clasp their hands together in an attempt to defend it. At this point, all you really have to do is turn and swim your arm under their head, since they have already done you the courtesy of bringing their arm across. Man do I love chain grappling!!

In fighter training, we fought. Plain and simple, we sparred for an hour and a half, and it was brutal. I think I went a total of eight or nine rounds, but I had to take a couple rounds off because I was starting to get a little light headed. (should have eaten more) Got hit with a lot of solid shots, but I got in some good licks of my own as well. Really, REALLY starting to like sparring, and I am looking forward to the day where we do that, but with grappling! Can't wait for tomorrow, I LOVE MY GYM!!!

MMA and me; day 224/225

Space cadet that I am, forgot to write about last Thursday. Well, in gi club, we worked on reclaiming guard with the step over/pull hips through drill, worked on our arm bar drill. For the last portion of class of class, we went over several of the defenses that we covered on Tuesday, and then moved on to fighter training. In fighter training, we did the medicine ball drill opening to class, medicine ball sprawls, jogging, bear crawls, medicine ball push ups, sit ups, squat jumps, medicine ball balancing drills, and then finished with 30-40 minutes of sparring.

Last night in grappling, we covered about a bajillion arm triangles. First, from mount, C block their arm across their chest, and with your other arm, reach inside that arm, and underneath their head, trapping their arm in place with your head and/or chest. Monkey grip your hands together, flick your foot opposite your grip across their belly to dismount, and tip toe your feet out wide, then lay your hips flat. After 5-10 seconds, lift your feet up so that your knees are on the mat, and shrug your shoulders to pull yourself over them, eliciting a tap.

Next we worked a howdy from north south. With your elbows on the mat, inside their arm pits, walk around to either side, keeping your elbow opposite the side you're walking towards, on the mat, so that it traps their arm on that side, forcing it over their chest and neck. As this happens, swim that same hand under their head into a rear naked choke grip on your opposite bicep, which will turn them up on their side a bit. From here, the goal is to flatten them out by pushing into them with your hips, and compressing their arm across their neck by shrugging and squeezing, for the tap.

Next we worked on the cobra, which reminded me a lot of the ezekiel choke with a gi on. From mount, grab a gift wrap by pushing their arm across their chest with a C block, grabbing it with your right hand and pinning it to the mat, and then reaching under their head with the first hand (in this case left) to hold it in place across their own chest. From here, swim your right hand across their throat, and almost get a rear naked choke grip, but instead of grabbing your bicep with your right hand, flare you hand out. Even out your elbows, and drive them straight to the mat for the tap. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the wind pipe, and is very painful.

The next one was kind of a plan B, if the cobra didn't work. Switch your grip from the arm across their neck, to grabbing their other hand with your left, in kind of a key lock position, then swim your right hand across like before, and pull with the left while you shove your forearm into their throat with the right until they tap. This is called the wizzle, and it freaking sucks.

We also worked a lot of positional transitions, grabbing arm triangles in the middle of scrambles, because let me tell you, they are everywhere!

In fighter training, after the medicine ball walk, we lined up with one of us having their back to the wall, and they had to defend us taking them down for three minutes. Each of us got a turn, and I learned the importance of head pressure, and wrist control. We finished off with several rounds of pancrase style sparring. Shin pads, no gloves, all kicks, punches to the body, but only open handed slaps to the head. At first I felt silly, like beating up on my little brother by smacking him in the head. After a few rounds though, I realized that taking this lightly, would be a bad idea. We did a couple rounds as a class, and then everyone sat down and watched individual pairs throw down. I got some good shots in, but took way too many kicks. I need to work on my movement, letting my hands go, and getting mean in the ring. When I let out the inner beast, I did much better. A very good class, and though sore, and likely not back until next week (this week is BUSY!!!) I was very, very happy leaving the gym last night.