My friend and former teammate Will Durkee introduced me to the sport in 2010. By 2011 I was attending classes in Chicago, sometimes as often as twice a day. I had missed on-the-mat lessons and the awkward comradery of a wrestling room (wrestlers are odd, but jiu-jitsu guys are next level). Like wrestling, the physical nature of the sport helped break up the day's writing, cleared my head for socializing at night, and gave me the workshop necessary to stay in touch with the physical side of the sports I covered at the time, wrestling and MMA.
Where jiu-jitsu diverged was that it didn't often reward brute strength over technique, superior timing or micro and macro problem solving. Yes, you could be a goon and slam some 40-year-old banker into the ground, but that only works a few times before you're the one being choked unconscious from a guillotine. The thinking in jiu-jitsu is that of chess, where checkmates aren't dreamed up one move prior to execution, but 5, 6, or even 10 moves in advance. Stringing together a catalog in real time, with errors facing severe and immediate consequence, helped me focus more on finding techniques and philosophies that were most beneficial.
That's not to say I was not, or am not, a goon. I'm just not as big of a goon as I was six years ago. I still find myself in wrestling positions more than scooting on my butt, but that's a style choice necessary for survival. A tiger is cunning, but it never plays dead.
I joined Marcelo's as a brown belt two and a half years ago and have made some important improvements, but every training is intense and almost every day some 220-pound Brazilian gorilla is ripping off my lower leg, or some never-tire 140-pound spider monkey spends six minutes on my back. The sport is humbling and has re-instilled in me a respect for executing anything you do with purpose, and focusing on education rather than being distracted by the odd submission, or sweep.
The more brittle my bones become the more I'm realizing that being in that room is as necessary for my wrestling work as watching YouTube videos of obscure Russian freestyle tournaments. Understanding the mentality of high level jiu-jitsu competitors has given me a new pathway into examining the motivation behind some of the world's top wrestlers and their approach to competition.
Take for example Kyle Snyder. He has a mentality resembling more jiu-jitsu than the traditional American wrestler outlooks of strength-on-strength and sprint-to-the-hallway in victory and defeat. While Snyder is an absolute savage and physical specimen winning matches in part because of his superior conditioning, the Olympic champion's edge really comes from a mentality that values his own ideas of perfection, more than it does wins and losses. Snyder has been beat, but each time he falters he only gets stronger. Nobody has beaten him twice. Keeping off tilt after a loss is difficult, doing that while also facing down a crowded field of Eastern Europeans is mind-bending. And yet despite the pressure Snyder has told me in interview after interview that he's unaffected by losing because that's not the best barometer of his gains. Losing a match but wrestling really well could mean more to him than winning but being off his timing.
Jiu-jitsu has lifelong practitioners enjoy a similar mindset. Losing is so commonplace that pride becomes nothing but a dead weight. I'm just a hobbyist, but in sharing space with some of the top names in the sport I have the unique opportunity to converse about these topics with both wrestlers and jiu-jitsu fighters. That, along with the mental exercise it takes to advance in the sport has made this journey to black belt one of the most fulfilling of my life.
If you've been thinking about joining a jiu-jitsu gym you really just need to do it. Find the gym that suits your needs (location, cost, coaching), research their culture, and then jump in. It's OK to get submitted, it's common to get swept, held down, and beat up a bit. You'll get in better shape, you'll learn more about yourself every day and if you're lucky you'll catch the bug and spend sleepless nights on YouTube researching new moves of watching highlight films of guys like Marcelo.
So, good luck to anyone who's just starting out and I hope that those guys already in the middle belts stick with the sport. Working towards a black belt has been fulfilling, but I'm excited to begin the next part of my journey on the mats and see what else I can learn about grappling techniques, my ability to stay involved on the mats, and what combat sports means to men and women around the world. Ossssss.
To your questions …
Austin DeSanto has a 12-3 record and is ranked No. 6 at 133 pounds (Photo/Juan Garcia)Q: Have you watched any of Austin DeSanto's matches this season? If so, thoughts? He hammered Stevan Micic of Michigan in Las Vegas. I could see him really helping to elevate the Drexel wrestling program. Props to Matt Azevedo and staff for landing him.
-- Mike C.
Foley: Coach Azevedo did a wonderful job recruiting Austin DeSanto. I met Austin at the BTS New York event earlier this year and found him well-composed, fiery and anxious to compete. The success he is having on the mat right now will only become more common and as he elevates the notoriety of the Drexel program they will attract even more local talent.
Q: With the recent news of the Russian Federation being banned from the 2018 Winter Olympics, what are the odds that Russian wrestlers will be banned in 2020?
-- Rocco L.
Foley: As far as I know there is no reason to think this scandal -- as it sits now -- affects the Russian wrestling team. More information may become available, which could change that approach, but their wrestlers are no longer being tested in Russian labs (none are certified) and they have a combination of in and out of competition testing to face this year and next.
Again, I don't know what is true and what isn't, but I can plainly see that it looks bad for Russia to have their NOC suspended from the Winter Olympics. The fallout could be anything. We'll just have to see what happens these next six months.
Q: Love reading your support for the U.S. national teams (freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling) but don't you think there should be more coverage on the Women's World Cup from U.S. wrestling sites like InterMat?
Also, if you're on Instagram and not following @vickivortex (your recommendation), you're missing out. Best USA Wrestling personality on Instagram, by far.
-- Dylan M.
Foley: Coverage of the Women's Wrestling World Cup is important, and I'm sure that everyone will take your note into consideration. I was live for the event and it was really difficult to follow if only because of the time difference. Sometimes just waking up is the most brutal part of international wrestling!
Totally correct about Victoria Anthony and her Instagram! I asked her to take over the UWW account during Beat the Streets LA and people thought she was hysterical and informative.
Yianni Diakomihalis won the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational at 141 pounds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Q: Who wins: Yianni Diakomihalis as a true freshman or Kyle Dake as a true freshman?
-- Mike C.
Foley: Yikes! Yianni reminds me so much of Dake that it would be shadow boxing. My gut tells me that Dake is just too savvy on the mats and does a phenomenal job shutting down his opposition's attacks. However, some of that was picked up later in his career. It's possible that Yianni's elevated scrambling could help him finish at least one attack against Dake.
Still, Dake has always just seemed so strong. Man, I really don't have a confident prediction, but I'm going with Dake 4-2, which includes a riding time point.
MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME
Quick highlight film on Marcelo Garcia and his approach to the sport. Fantastic. (Also if you look closely you can catch me wearing a Brazilian backpack)
One more. Grappling Jesus.
We talk a lot about the 97-kilogram finals from 2017, but who remembers this … OMG
Q: Michigan seems to be underperforming a bit this season. Is the ceiling a third-place trophy? Or could they contend with Ohio State and Penn State for the title in March?
-- Mike C.
Foley: I'm not sure they are underperforming as much as they had a subpar performance at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Injuries and some early season performance inconsistencies have them on their heels, but this is a season spanning two calendar years. The wrestlers you see today will be wholly different come March in Cleveland.
That said, I don't see them as a legitimate NCAA title contender. Ohio State and Penn State are too powerful through the lineup and also far too likely to add a heap of bonus points.
Michigan is certainly in the running for a team trophy, but there are plenty of schools who are ready to compete for hardware: Lehigh, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Missouri and Arizona State.
Q: Good morning, Mr. Foley. My friend and I have been going to the NCAAs almost continually for the last 15 years (we did miss Madison Square Garden). This is the first year that we have not been able to purchase tickets as they sold out very quickly. We tried about a month or so after St. Louis this year, and found out that they were already sold out. We are beside ourselves, as we think this has the potential to be a great team race this year. I've reached out to my Ohio friends, and they say they are dealing with the same dilemma.
Do you have any recommendations or ideas about how to procure tickets to this year's NCAAs? We have made all the arrangements, and have hotel, rental car etc., but no tickets. Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated.
-- Dave D.
Foley: Commenters: NCAA tickets to Cleveland. GO!
Q: Presbyterian College just announced its adding a Division I wrestling program. With Mark Cody leading the program, how quickly do you think he can make them a top SoCon team? And do you think he can do what he did at American?
-- Mike C.
Foley: As I think I read on Twitter just now: Where can I buy a T-shirt?
This is the absolute best man for the job! I don't know what his approach will be, but I know that Coach Cody's discipline tends to find results. While the Oklahoma tenure was less successful, that was a big-time program inherited from a big-time coach. I think that given the opportunity to construct a program exactly as he sees fit will ultimately equate to success. How much success is unclear, but don't be surprised if there are a few junior college transfers to help that lineup get started in 2019.
Top SoCon team is tougher than ever with Campbell sprinting towards relevancy and Chattanooga always a force. Will be interesting to see what type of success the conference will have in 2020 and beyond.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
By Russ T.
The Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational got some people writing!
1. Too much tolerance of passivity. I watched many (10-12) tight matches where one wrestler was the clear aggressor and dominated shots and takedown attempts. Despite clear stalling and counter-wrestling by the passive opponent, the officials allowed the passive wrestlers to continue without even a warning until late in the match, typically not until late in the third period. The passive wrestler was allowed to back up, stay on edge of mat, and not take shots. For the good of our sport, we need more assertive officials who will not tolerate passivity. Passive wrestlers need to be warned early and points awarded if the passivity continues.
2. Coaches abuse and overuse of challenges (notably ASU). A challenge was especially egregious in the Zahid Valencia vs. Bo Jordan finals match. Let me state up front that I admire Valencia's skill and drive. He has also represented the U.S. well in international competition. I also understand why Coach Jones took advantage of the challenge to benefit his wrestlers. Despite all that, this challenge was an embarrassment to fair competition. Valencia led until Jordan began a comeback. At one point as they went off the mat, Valencia literally laid on the mat and did not rise. Jordan was the clear aggressor and Valencia seemed to be gassed. Jordan seemed to have him on the ropes until Jones challenged while Valencia still laid on the mat. I could see absolutely no basis for the challenge. The challenge allowed Valencia a much-needed breather and after a long break he held on for the win.
Ironically, in the Tanner Hall-Adam Coon finals match, the reverse outcome was repeated for ASU and Hall was harmed by the challenge. Coon led and Hall was staging a strong comeback after taking Coon down. Jones again challenged meaningless action and this time, the break ironically hurt Hall who looked strong and fresh and allowed a gassed Coon to recover. Coon ended up countering a Hall shot to take him down and seal the win.
Perhaps we need a rule that limits the number of challenges to discourage this kind of misuse and theatrics?
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now