Back in 2016, I fought at the Masters Worlds in Las Vegas on only ten days notice. I also decided to make this the first competition in 8 years where I’d fight at light featherweight.
Despite my giving my all, I lost in my second fight by 2 pts. I could make all kinds of excuses, but the reality is the guy who beat me was better than me on that day.
He imposed his game and won the match. He also hit a beautiful sweep I couldn’t help but admire as my head bounced off the mat.
Am I disappointed? Of course I am. I thought I could win the competition, but the lack of preparation really showed in my timing.
The other question you may be wondering is, do I regret the decision to compete?
Not in the slightest. I accomplished two goals (competing at Master Worlds and making light-feather) and it felt good being back on the mats after a six months.
I learned a long time ago, the only things you regret are opportunities you don’t take.
Anyway, one of my friends recorded my first match so I thought I’d do a breakdown of the techniques and tactics I used to get the victory and what I was thinking during the fight.
Check out the breakdown below:
There are a couple of really interesting points in the video including:
- why I switch from the Brabo grip to a collar grip
- when I first recognise the arm bar option
- how I set the arm bar up
And a whole bunch more.
Enjoy the video and leave a comment to let me know what you think.