Xpereince : Continuing On

"Every New Beginning Comes from Some Other Beginnings End"- Seneca

Well it seems like my awesome two year venture with  Xande Ribeiro and Gang has come to an end as I now find myself back where I started in 2011 with no BJJ home ( wow talk about full circle). I cant begin to explain how  blessed I am to be apart of such a great team and instructor and although it sucks that it has come to an end one thing life has taught  is to stay strong, never give up, and keep moving forward which I will continue to do.

A new purple belt in hand, instructor back in Brazil, and team disbanded I guess the question everyone has been wanting to know is "What Are You Going to Do Now Monta"? I asked myself that same question and if you would have asked me earlier this month I would have told you I Don't Know. Fortunately now I do have an answer so here goes.

After visiting some new gym options, thinking, and talking with some close friends I have reached a decision. Starting next year sadly I will no longer be under Xande Ribeiro Jiu-jitsu and I am now apart of  ... Team (click link).

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If you click the link all I gotta say is ....GOTCHA !!!! ;-)

The reason for this decision has nothing to do with loyalty to the Bossman but rather a sense of happiness and satisfaction with the association I am apart of. Coolest thing I have discovered about being apart of the Ribeiro team is whether you looking to become a world champion or just another dude training, fellow  people that are apart of the group (at least the ones I have meet outside my gym team)  will be willing to help you the best way they can whether it is picking you up for the train station, hang out afterwards, giving advice, or even giving you a place to stay as an out of towner.

There is certainly no shortage of charity with this faction even when being caught in the confusing situation I found myself in after Xande's departure back to Brazil.So I figured why go through the pains of joining another academy, starting over, trying to fit in, and other quarrels  if a situation can be resolved/fixed. ( especially since I just train and compete on occasion).

Thanks to two special individuals (whose choose to remain anonymous) the option of remaining Ribeiro is now possible as  I will now be cross training between 2 Ribeiro gyms on a weekly basis. This way I can continue to maintain a regular training routine, stay a purple belt under the same team, and   above all it eliminates the "burning bridges"/ offending anyone factor with my actions.
I guess you can call me a Ronin  Ribeiro Guy.

Many great BJJ practitioners such as Tom Barlow, Adamson Brothers, Darragh O Conaill, and lets not forget about a truck load of 10th planet practitioners have followed this road/format I am embarking on and excelled well without the 100 % dependency of their instructor...So hey as the peer pressure of drinking would suggest "Don't Diet It, Try It" ( ok that was a bad example)

In addition my training won't stop there as I will now be devoting some of my time on Thursday Nights at my old college Cal State Los Angeles at the BJJ Open Mat. The CSULA Martial Arts Program is where I got my start from and I can honestly say if it weren't for the people that helped me I wouldn't be the person I am today. On many occasions when I left the college I wanted to go back but wasn't ready. Now with a purple belt , 9 years of experience, and a little more mature I think its only fitting I go back and give back to my community that did so much for me being the uncontrollable, angry, opinionated character I was at the time.

Also FYI that also means all you other  Xande Ribeiro Ronins  now have a spot to train on Thursday nights !! :-)

As for the rest of my plan for next year the script remains the same.... training, writing, Grapplethon events, traveling, challenging myself in competitions (going for 3-4 tournaments next year), and cant forget about my good ol paper job...So only thing to do at this point is.... Continue On.

Typing this last blog of this year all I can do is reflect and prepare for what is to come next year.
2013 was a wild and crazy year filled with ultimate highs and super lows points which has helped in my growth as a person. I don't know what 2014 will bring but one thing is 4sure whatever challenges come my way...the goal will always remain the same.

 Becoming a better man than I .........(awww I'm tired of writing this year you know the rest !!!!) :-)

Peace Out

monta (pronounced like Monday with a "T" replacing the "D")

Xperience : Leading The Way

"Our Lives Aren't Just Measured in Years. The Measure of Our Lives Are The People We Touch Around Us"- Peeta Mellark (Hunger Games: Catching Fire ).

Everything in life happens for a reason including the people that enter into it. People don't come into our lives by accident and although  their presence  may  often be  temporarily the interaction provides as a great learning experience to help us in our growth whether the lesson is harsh or uplifting.

I have meet a lot of people along my life journey especially  in my many travels in the MMA/BJJ world. Sitting here writing this blog it still blows my mind of one particular individual and if anyone would have told me 7 years ago that he would be my instructor when I first became a fan  back  at the Pan Ams 2006 I would have called them a bold face liar. But hey nothing happens by accident RIGHT ?
I would like to define the 2 year tenure as not just your typical getting better at BJJ session but also a call of action by someone to force one to improve every aspect of our lives. The individual I am talking about is Alexandre "Xande" Ribiero.

For all you newbies in the game if you don't know who Xande Ribeiro is you need to look him up as he is regarded as one of the most accomplished BJJ fighters of all time. Since 2006 I have somewhat followed his career . While many BJJ greats had the skills and work ethic that made them champions on countless occasions the thing that stood out about Xande for me was his attitude which can be described as  a fearless warrior  ready to go through whatever obstacle  to achieve his goal.

Years passed on in my own journey as I was gradually  trying to find my own place in the bjj universe as a blue belt. But it wasn't until 2011 where I found myself in an unhappy training situation  which left me at a standstill of WHAT NOW ? Xande also seemed to be settling off on his own journey at the time as he moved from San Diego to Los Angeles.  I was stoked when I found back in May 2011that he was going start a school in MY city so why not give it one more shot and  train under a world champion I respected plus I figured being at the start of something for once would be great becuase  I would get the chance to see the academy built from the ground up.

Contrary to what people might have thought (at least IMO) me and Xande were never close from a  friendship standpoint (not to say we didn't get along because we got along great).99 % of our time together was spent on the mat. It's not to say I didn't want to be it just that when I came into the program I had instilled a mentality within myself to "play my position" above everything else which was to be the best student I can be and doing what Xande told me personally to do from day one which was staying committed to my training and my new BJJ family.

The months  passed on as a found myself making close friends with my teammates (some people I consider brothers) while also learning BJJ techniques from the best. However moves taught in BJJ can only apply in the field of combat ( competition and self-defense) because although I learned some great techniques  I learned something far greater which happens to be a challenge all of us go through daily  ...LIFE.

Life is challenge every time you walked out of the door filled with various issues  whether it is on your job, relationships, becoming the best at your craft, or some uncertainty within ourselves.  BJJ World Champions are also not prone from this attack  including Xande. (hopefully I don't get in trouble for saying this but here goes)...

On occasion (especially in Year 2) Xande would come  to class and you can tell something was bothering him. It was like the weight of the world was on this man's shoulders as he took each step trying to overcome whatever "battle within" he was going through. But after strapping on that white kimono something happen  which is something I never seen in all my 9 years of training. Whether it was verbal poetry or raw emotion  he would turn it into positive energy on the mats running intense classes while  spitting words I never heard come out of an instructors mouth something you couldn't find at your typical BJJ gym bound by the rules of train hard and pay your tuition.

"Every time you walk out of your house there is gonna be a challenge how are you gonna respond to it"

"You don't have to be a BJJ World Champion just a better person than you once were"

These were just small examples of  encouragement/motivation he instilled in us something no fan or seminar attendee could ever get. Xande was a man that truly understood what this game is all about.
 He was able to connect life trials with BJJ trials which gave us all a boost of confidence of whatever task or hurdle we were taking on to become better which is certainly made him worthy of the title Bossman..

On a personal note knowing Xande (especially a famous person of his caliber in the BJJ World) provided great influence and a sense of clarity that I wasn't alone. That I wasn't the only deep one , that I too was fighting every day to become better, reflecting, and through it all trying make my own positive contribution to society. It is those qualities that made me proud to be his student, wanting to learn more on how to be better, proud to take two metro trains and a bus 3 to 4 times a week at night to the academy, and most importantly  (n this thought never crossed my mind ever)..... someone I wanted a BJJ Black Belt from someday.

Unfortunately  life has a way of throwing wrenches in the equation as Xande's life (4 good reasons) was directing him into a new direction back to Brazil. Although I understood the reasons I did not take it very well (I have my reasons). Being that I lost so much this year (if you been following my timeline in 2013) this was something that I was angry and upset about asking the burning question why me ?. Not only my instructor but also all the friends (teammates I made in the process all gone. It hurt  me deeply even much so that for the first time I BROKE...I wanted to quit BJJ for good cause nothing seemed to work for me. Then all the reason for this sadness hit me.

At that moment I realized this guy is truly making an impact in my life and although I was to prideful to admit it to his face under my straight blank/clueless face demeanor I didn't want him to go, I still needed him in some way to continue helping me...a painful hurt I kept bottled up.

But even in dark sad times Xande always had a way to keep everything positive . Heading into the  Jiu-jitsu Jam/Seminar at Oceanside Jiu-jitsu on 12/3/13 all I truly wanted was just one more time to learn and train with him which I got. Little did I know I had something else waiting for me that night. Giving his speech he talked about the many special people he met during his time in LA. I don't remember much after that but I do remember him reaching in his Gi and pulling out a Purple Belt and saying my name.

The emotion I felt that day was overwhelming filled with shock, surprise, dumb founded for a minute and gratitude. It's was so overwhelming that after he put the purple belt around me I went into a  Daydream Seizure for 10 minutes because I didn't think any of it was real. Even looking back on that day it hard to explain how I felt but I can tell you one thing I was humbled and honored to become his Purple belt. Now if that isn't a way to end a great chapter I don't know what is.

If you want to know about how lives are measure by the people we meet this is what this experience  did for me and whether it is truly temporary (The END) or a mere set up to an upcoming sequel if definitely taught me a lot about myself.

and its not really much to say but ......................

thx Boss Man

1 % better or maybe even 2 % in this case

-monta (pronounced like Monday with a t replacing the d) :-)



to be continued next blog will talk about my training future.........................................

Quick-Stop Grapplethon

Hey everyone welcome to the first installment of Quick-Stop Grapplethon. In an effort to continue our campaign of community and charity the event will be held at the same location as Grapplethon 2.

Dan Lukehart's Brea Jiu-jitsu Academy
379 W. Central Avenue
Brea, California 92821

The Grapplethon events this year in my opinion has been one of the best ideas we came up with which has brought new life and opportunities for all of us here in the Southern California community. So being that the end of the year is coming to a close and competition bug cools off why not spend it one last time doing what we do best training and helping someone in need.

What is a Quick-Stop Grapplethon: Our past Grapplethon events have been organized in an event format filled with challenges, prizes, training and charity. A quick stop Grapplethon event is focused on the core of the purpose which centers of Charity and unity with the community.

What is the Cause? -

This Quick-Stop Grapplethon will focus on helping John Flite. Here is his story (told by John Himself)

John Flite : My name is John Flite. I am a Philadelphia Probation Officer but BJJ is my passion. I am 42 years old and married to my wife Amy. I am a father of two kids. Gabe is 11 and Rosie is 17. I have been training BJJ for a little over 5 years. In August I was promoted to the rank of purple belt by Jared Weiner. My son Gabe also trains under Jared also. This was suppose to be an exciting time for my family. My daughter is a senior in high school and will be off to collage next year. After I revived my purple belt I noticed my energy levels were off. I went to the Doctor and on October 7, 2013 I was diagnosed with Leukemia. I was told it was in 40% of my bone marrow and that I would have to be admitted to the hospital to receive chemo therapy. I was admitted on October 14, 2013 and as of this writing (12/11/13) I have been hospitalized since. I was given two rounds of intensive chemo therapy which seems to have crushed the cancer for now. My Doctor said I may be discharged within the next few days depending on the results of a couple more tests. I have done my best to stay positive the whole time. I keep telling myself that I refuse to be sick! I started writing about my situation on Facebook and was amazed by the outpouring of support I was getting from the BJJ community! Many people that I have never meet reached out offering support to me and my family. It touched me and has been one of the most humbling experiences of my life. I think Leukemia is going to make me a better person in the end! I am not sure what the future holds for me. I may need more chemo down the line and I may need a bone marrow transplant but my Doctor is optimistic about me being cured! I continue to fight this battle and refuse to stop until I win! I couldn't do it by myself. Without the support of my family and the BJJ community I'm not sure that I would be doing as well as I am.

 

Date: December 21st 2013

Price: $15 {nothing more nothing less}

Raffle Prizes: not that it will be a major focus but there will be 5 raffle prizes given away for the event. {Raffle ticket will be free with your $15 entry}

For more information, updates, or to sign up visit
Quick Stop Grapplethon



Or free to contact me at monta_193@yahoo.com

The Memory of Frank Edge- A Continuted Legacy

Writing these blogs are by no means an easy task to complete. They are deep written reflections of the emotions which is covered through the knowledge I have gained from  life experiences and people I have come in contact with. Life journey without a doubt teaches us valuable lessons and although some are filled with a harsh/painful format in most cases the end always justifies the means which can open our minds to a concept we were once blinded by.

Friday Morning found myself at a very familiar and dark moment in my life to be awaken with the sad news that my friend Frank Egde had passed away after a long hard fought battle with cancer. With scars still fresh from a friend's death earlier this year this death without question made my heart drop when I heard the news finding myself in a deja vu position I wished would never happen so soon.

Although I knew Frank for a short period of time (4 months to be exact) through my conversations with him, following his story, and my process  of creating his Grapplethon event I am caught in a limbo of emotions one filled with pain/bitterness and another of humbleness/being well-healed.

In the pain sector I am in a space of being sad that once again I lost a friend I cared a great deal about. Finding myself in my own frustrating examination period in which  the main question that arise is Why ?
- why did Frank have to go through this - Why must a wife carry that heavy burden of losing her other half and why must two sons carry on life without their dad. It's scenarios like these that make the game of life seem unfair to cope and deal with  which unfortunately leaves a bigger set of unanswered questions and anger toward our creator at times. (a small bit of pain which I will carry with me day by day)

On the other side of the coin through knowing Frank the humbleness/being well-healed keeps me moving forward and being down in the dumps. It truly amazing and was a honor to learn so much from this man's life. The power he had to reunite old friends, brining strangers together form new alliances, and also revealing our own compassion for our fellow man.

At this time I would like to share a personal letter I wrote frank along with the donation.. It pretty much reveals the impact he made not only on myself but also the grappling community here in southern California
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Dear Frank Edge

Before I go deep into this letter I want to start off by saying YOU ARE THE MAN! It’s people like you who inspire me every day to never give up on things that get me down in life and judging from the  turnout  of Grapplethon 2 a lot of people must have felt the same way.

The event was a great turnout which featured over 60 people in attendance which was far bigger than Grapplethon 1 which had 27 people. I’m not sure if you are  into grappling scene news but due to the major world champions/ well established schools here in southern California there are a lot of politics and a little ego when it comes to training at other academies other than your home gym.

However this event showed a glimpse of what can happen when all that is put aside. Everyone had a great time showcasing great unity /brotherhood while also showing our support for you at the same time.

In other words I know you don’t like taking credit for a lot of stuff but it was YOU that brought the California community together in a major way.

Anyway not to be too long with you here enclosed is the money we made from the donation received at the event. It’s not much but hopefully it helps. You also should be receiving another mail from Jason Lee.

I cant express enough what a true honor it was knowing and learning from you Frank and although we haven’t meet yet  just know you have a lot of great friends on the west coast that is in your corner.

KEEP FIGHTING FRANK !!!!!!

-monta

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When I look at this letter I come to realize that this mans life was with great purpose which can teach us all about the true meaning of selflessness, kindness, valuing those close to us and most  being a certified bad ass in tough times (tackling pain through adversity).

this blog is a mixed feelings of emotions so I want to end this by giving my prayers for Wendy and the children and most importantly once again thanking Frank for letting me be apart of his life.

luv u brother

-monta

Grapplethon 2 - The Aftermath (Part 2)

An unforgettable event filled with great training, camaraderie, and supporting Frank Edge

I'm sure everyone who was apart of it can agree Grapplethon 2 was a successful event. As all of the participants may have left with some great memories and increase in skill aside from being in a lot of physical pain afterwards and  mixing my cell-phone with my VCR remote the past two weeks have been hard for me to grasp which has lead me to a current conclusion that just maybe the primary component that has helped me to become a "better man than I once was" was right in front of me the entire time.

Throughout the week of maintaining a full time paper job and commitment to helping a fellow teammate  with his "Battle Within" in preparation for the IBJJF Nationals the constant thought of how Frank Edge is doing and my willingness to put my body on the line in an 180 minute challenge for someone I barely know still plays in my mind on a daily basis in regards to what is truly important to me  being apart of this great fight community.

Two questions have popped up from time to time from various people. One was why did you go 180 minutes to help  a guy you didn't know ? and  The other is why do you constantly write articles on many MMA fighters ( some who are unknown) for no pay ?

The answer is simple to understand Pain . Not to sound like  a wacko but when I speak of Pain I am referring to the struggles we all undergo  in our daily lives. A good friend Tyler Maples made a great point which he referred to a fighter's journey as dark and lonely. Whether it is Frank Edge's fight with Cancer, an ambitious MMA fighter chasing  UFC dreams, or a solider putting their life on the line defending his country.. pain is simply unavoidable . Nevertheless there are also ways to cope with it.

The greatest lesson I've FINALLY come to realize through my writing and this charity Grapplethon event is that everyone  has the ability to inspire, learn, and help  each other through the pains we are dealing with due to the similarities in struggles or our noble initiative to at least acknowledge it and pick someone up when they are down.

The work of helping someone through these events must be done for the work and work alone which primary goal centers on bringing some light to dark circumstances.(which should never center on expecting something in return)

Examples: giving a friend some advice for a problem he is having or even giving spar change to someone homeless on the streets

If anyone has read my blog on "The Influence of Writing" you  probably would understand the value and importance of the friendships I have made in writing articles which has made a positive impact on my life in many areas. A give and receive theory sorta speak.

What I am about to say is very hard for me to say because I don't want people to think I am a PUSSY because those who know me (especially my track record from back in the HEY DAY) I'm far from it. It's a choice based on what's truly important to me and what has really helped me to become who I am today. Unbeknownst to the after effects the Frank Edge Grapplethon experience has given me I have come to the conclusion that although returning to competition  has been great for me which has allowed me to overcome fears and collect a little "Bling" in the process it fails in comparison to the feeling of helping someone, receiving a thank you,  being called a brother or any aspect which centers on the camaraderie I built these past 3 years.

The feeling that I had of being able to  put a smile on a man’s face dying from cancer is indescribable and even a bit emotional/overwheeliming for me to talk about as a write this blog,a feeling far greater than winning a tournament match. It keeps me going it lets me know I have some sort of worth in the world or in people's lives to say the least. (Especially since I’ve experienced some depression back in the days when I was coming up in bjj/mma).

This statement is not to say that Im done with competing. Like I said I never expected grapplethon to have this profound effect on me  so for now I'm going to take it day by day, and if I want to compete I will, but I'm not going to be heavly searching to do it" .

For almost nine years as a student of this art I always tried to be notice whether it is showing how mean I can be on the mat or chasing being the BEST (back in the old days) ..always thinking about my arrogant self. Nevertheless sometimes becoming a better man than you once were is  exhibited by what you do for your fellow man which will define your true character." #SELFLESS


Thanks to all my friends and most importantly  Frank Edge for finally making me realize this.

1 % Better Everyday

-monta(y)

Grapplethon 2 - The Selfless Cause (Part 1)

It's funny how quotes mentioned to me in the past evidently forecast the tale of what I may be experiencing today. On an afternoon drive after graduating from college I had a small conversation with long-time mentor JPK. We talked about a lot of things in regards to my entry into  the "Real World". The conversation was very deep however one statement  stuck out to me ..when he spoke to me these words.




"Monta(y) there is going come a time in  life where it wont always be about you anymore & it will be what you do for your fellow man which will define your true character."

Naïve, still growing, and developing some form of low self-esteem during that post graduation period  I came to the conclusion that what he said was complete bullshit because blinded by my own selfishness/ego I honestly felt had nothing to offer to help anyone let alone help myself.  Flash-forward  to today the last 2 weeks have been a very reflective and crossroad moment for me as  I soon realized that  JPK statement's  intent was to prepare me for something over the horizon  later in my life .

Aside from the articles people have grown to love which may exaplin the reason why I have been blessed with so many friends and opportunities , the recent Grapplethon 2 event really opened my eyes to a lot of things which clearly became a life altering lesson of the ultimate commitment of what it means to be selfless . Technically speaking Grapplethon 2 was not  suppose to happen for a variety of different reasons (which I refuse to bitch about on this blog). Nevertheless once those roadblocks were out of the way there was no doubt in my mind that it was going to happen which this time featured me helping a complete stranger by the name of Frank Edge.

 Frank Edge is by all means the definition of a true fighter. Reading his story  and frequent wall post on Facebook without question will bring tears to your eyes as he takes you on a daily chronological journey through his battle with testicular cancer. Although stricken with this horrible fate which could led to his death, what I highly respected about Frank was his will to #keepfighting even with things  not currently going in his favor. At that moment I knew I had to show my support to let Frank  and his family know someone out there cares about their struggle.

 Since I been involved in the fight community helping out strangers was always natural to me because of the multiple times I did it with my writing, as long as I was compel/driven to do it  (Look up some of the people's names and their fight status  if you don't believe me). So organizing an event to aid Frank  was not an issue for me.

Although creating Grapplethon 2 was my idea however it would have never came to life without the major assistance of the raffle gift sponsors, promoters, Jason Lee, the people who came to the event, and Dan Lukehart for letting me use his academy when he didn't have too. #collective effort
(wanted to point that out before I continue with this blog)

Unlike Grapplethon 1 upon hoping off the plane after a great time in Austin, Texas I wasn't nervous at all as to what was going to happen. This time around I heavily focused  because I knew I had a job to do  in making a great event for Frank and also for everyone attending. Strangely enough days leading up to the event a lot of questions start popping up in my head  which I couldn't explain, as if this event was going to change me in someway  which I kind of ignored at the time. Another burning question that was on everyone's mind ( including myself) was would I be able to complete an insane challenge to  get more money ($1,000 from what I was told) to add to the charity in the form of the 1914 Kimonos 180 minute challenge.

For those that don't know what that is it  basically means I have to roll 180 minutes straight with no break in between the rounds. Speaking for experience especially since I refused to drink water during the challenge unless you fall under the categories of doing it for charity, training for a world class title that hold great importance to you, or border-line crazy I would advise you not do this because the after effects will take a toll on you physically and mentally.

Being pushed by countless grapplers during the 3 hour period was by far one of the toughest things I ever had to do as a grappler. There were many times that I wanted to give up however the rapid thought of  "I Gotta Do This For Frank" keep me moving to reach the finish line even if it meant destroying myself in the process ( and boyy did I do that -haha-). It was the hurt and pain I felt reading his story which got me through it all with the help of everyone I trained with that day.

The event itself far exceed my expectations. With the $1,000 (later found out it was $2,000) accumulated from the grueling 180 challenge we also collected an additional $745 ( in event entry fees) from all those who attended.

The event also gave me the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and even meet /train with some people I did articles on which was great for me. It was  a beautiful sight seeing so many practitioners from various BJJ schools coming together training and enjoying each others company which really showcased unity our community has.

With the blue mats soon deserted only leaving behind  pools of sweat from the 67 people Grapplethon came to a successful close , however as I reflected on the events that occurred at the event on a train ride home I was soon hit with the answers to those unexplained questions I had in my mind.

(which will be covered in the part 2)........

Grapplethon 2

Hey Everyone back by popular demand is Grapplethon 2. In an effort to reconnect with friends as well as make new ones this event will be held at a new location

Dan Lukehart's Brea Jiu-jitsu Academy
379 W. Central Avenue
Brea, California 92821

The last Grapplethon far exceeded my expectations which was a great event that was not only for a good cause but also brought the community together showcasing major unity no matter what patch we have on our backs. Since that time many people have been asking me when will the next event be ? So after months of being busy and finding a great cause to support its time to get back to work.

So here is the rundown of Grapplethon 2 !!! 

What is a Grapplethon :At Grapplethon it is set up like an open man 180 minute rolling session. The rolls will be 6 minutes each so at the end of the day you will get 30 rolls of great training while also hopefully meeting new friends in the process while supporting a great cause.

What is the Cause : this event we will be supporting a man living in his last days with cancer by the name of Frank Edge

For more information on his story and status visit his facebook page

Date : August 24 2013

Time: 1pm-4pm ( we may go longer)

Price : this time around the cost to attend will be $ 10 flat nothing more nothing less. With your $10 entry you will get a free raffle ticket. However if you choose to donate more than 10 you will get another raffle tickets ( still can only win one prize like the last event). I want to keep the raffle tickets count at a minimum so we wont make a mess of Dan's academy with color post-its everywhere. Plus it will make the drawing go smoother.

180 Minute Challenge : Last time I rolled 120 minutes straight and was able to obtain $1000 extra bucks toward the charity. This time around I will have to roll 180 minutes straight for Frank Edge to raise more $$$ courtesy of 1914 kimmonos. So going need you guys help to push me through the 3 hours of rolling !!

Raffle Prizes : Raffle prizes will be raffled after every 12 minutes ( 2 rolls) so everyone will get to get there prize during the event !!!
(Sponsors and gifts will be announced on the event page in the coming days leading up to the event)

Monta Grand Prizes: Aside from the raffle gifts this event festivities will feature the newly established two grand prizes from yours truly .............

Grand Prize # 1 (180 minute Challenge)- Besides myself let's see if anyone else can do 180 minutes of rolling !! The individual who can also stay in for 180 minutes straight will receive a $180 gift certificate for budovideos.com. In the event of a tie the $180 will be divided amongst the individuals.

So for Example: If five people make it through the 180 minutes each person will receive $36.

IN THE EVENT THAT THE ROLLS REQUIRE ROTATION..THE GRAND PRIZE WILL BE CHANGED TO A RAFFLE PRIZE of  $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO budovideos.com.

Grand Prize # 2 (Monta Tapout Challenge)- many people made a statement that I did not roll "hard" enough to earn the big 1914 donation. Well lets make me work a little harder this time around. I will be doing 30 rolls that day (with hopefully 30 different people). Whoever can submit me the most within the 6 minute duration roll....will get a $ 100 OTM gift card ( same format applies in the event of a tie) but don't beat me up too bad remember beating up a man of charity is like hitting a person with glasses and you wouldn't do that ..would you ??? :-)

Note: This challenge only applies when rolling with ME not others you roll with...this is not a place for ego or competition.. let keep it fun and memorable !!

Grand Prizes will be distributed electronically with a confirmation code two days after the event.

For more updates or to sign up visit the  Grapplethon 2 Event Page


or feel free to hit me up at monta_193@yahoo.com

Respect Your Opponent: Exercise of Life (Part 2)

So in Part 1 I gave everyone an anlysis from what I've seen in the community on how the opponent is  and should be viewed. Reading part 1 you might be asking yourself a question maybe this is true monta and if so...in your experience how do you (yourself) walk into a situation with competing against the opposition ?

My Opinion of an Opponent (through my experience)

The Purpose of competition no matter how you look at it is to build individuals. Whether it is chasing to become a world champion, showing how “tough” you are, or personal development no matter category you fall under striving to become the best should always the main objective. Stuck in my own little world based on my purpose/reasons for competing I tend to view my opponent these days as an exercise in bettering various aspects of my life (technical growth as a grappler but mostly my life outside of martial arts). As mentioned at the beginning of my blog life has presented me with good and bad times along the course. Same exercise can be said when facing an opponent because during the collision you never know what to expect. Nevertheless you realistically have no choice but to go through the brunt to see the outcome which hopefully tips in your favor.

Aside from the typical nerves that come over me the night before I fight never in my mind do I have negative thoughts or intentions on what I’m going to do to an opponent for my own personal enjoyment/benefit. If anything  above all I pray for protection to GOD for both of our well-beings as we go out there and fight for our own goals/purpose. Eliminating these negative thoughts I go in with  a more positive aspect for fighting and overcoming the fears that sit inside of me as I anxiously anticipate the knowledge I will gain by going through the opponent.

Going into the actual “battle” I always carry a high notion that my opponent is better than me in every aspect. It kind of the total opposite from what is required to win a match but it what makes me that more determine to see what the outcome is by giving it everything I have in challenging myself while also hopefully helping him in the process. Living in each crucial moment in my actions in combat, during  the fight it practically  a blur to me which is a feeling I still can’t explain whether I’m going through pain or dishing it out. What I can say is when time expires on the clock and the bout is over I certainly feel like a different man 1 % better than I felt stepping on the mat prior.

Fight Outcome Emotion

In victory I am grateful that I was able to come out on top against an equally matched contender (no matter how dominant I am).  I embrace my opponent by thanking for his assistance in giving me a great fight and small boast in self-worth of the strength I displayed under pressure. And if I happen to end up on the medal podium it even a greater feeling of the storm I went through to get that particular gratifying moment. I may also do a big Ric Flair woooooooo at the end to (just to get some happy emotions out of my system) once my opponent steps off the mat. 

Losing is something we never go out to do but unfortunately it something that comes with the game.In the past (based on a particular event some of you are aware of) I would take losing very personal cause it felt like someone was taking something away from me (still cant recall what it was) leaving me physically and emotionally beaten . Flash forward to today's time line losing today is more of a numb feeling than a painful one. If I am faced with this unfortunate result of the match (hopefully someone I went against  or seen me can verify this) I never take it to heart or get  angry in the slightest.

In fact I am humbled as I accept the hard learned facts given to me that day as I congratulate and show respect to my opponent for the feat he accomplished during that moment. After all there are more things to be upset about in life on the outside than not getting my hand raised.

Overall Message

This blog’s intent is not geared toward making a person have a different competitive mindset but rather establish some form of comprehension as to the importance of what having an opponent does for you. It’s no question it is an opposing challenge standing in front of you yet it that individual helps benefit us in many ways. It makes me super sick when I see people how they act so arrogantly toward an individual afterwards who carries the same nervous and bravery they have stepping into a fight. How a person parade around with their medal talking about how they fuck him up with no clear idea of what it’s truly about. Not only does it show you have no respect for the experience life has given you but also show insecurities you need to work on.

Note: there are certain things that are totally ok to do afterwards feel free to ask me my opinion.


I can’t stress enough what life on the outside has shown me this past year and it is these roller coaster experiences I’ve encountered which have allowed me to come to a realization of the reality of competing that no matter how much I want something nothing is guaranteed but it doesn’t hurt to go through it to try and obtain it. This is what my opponents have  shown me ( aka Exercise of Life).

Thx Opponents !!!!

1% better everyday

-monta’ ( like Monday with a “t” replacing the d)

Respect Your Opponent: Exercise of Life (Part 1)

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned these past couple of months is the importance of always valuing and respecting the gift of LIFE. One minute I found myself grieving over a friend’s death. Next I was back in Seattle having the time of my life with great friends. Then out of nowhere I lost all hearing in my left ear and other strange health issues when I returned to Los Angeles (I’m ok now btw). It’s rollercoaster occurrences like these that has allowed me to have a respect for life in order to work through highs and lows to find some form of clarity for learning and growing in the process.

Being a writer in the BJJ/MMA community and a participant  myself I tend to always have a sense of appreciation for everything around me. From the people I have meet to the experiences I’ve undergone it has definitely given me a level up in fearless, strength, humility and other attributes in my personal building to becoming better.

Even in an uncomfortable and hostile territory of competing rewards like these can be gained as one goes head to head against an individual commonly referred to as an OPPONENT.

In the world of combat sports where emotions run high and physical beatings are administrated depending upon an individual’s background, outlook , and personality various descriptions can be made as to what an OPPONENT truly is.  Even as I type this blog it’s somewhat a challenge even for me to fully describe a person I don’t know or had prior quarrels with whose job is to beat my ass for his own motives and based on that permission consent when I signed that damn health waiver so I can’t sue his ass afterwards. –haha-

So allow me to take a crack as I paint my own interpretation on what this person is.

As contenders or person of life in general we are bound by the sole commitment toward having goals and perfecting ourselves to reach a level of contentment (check out the contentment blog btw). Unfortunately during this process things aren’t always peaches and cream as we are guarantee to encounter some roadblocks which may lead to dangerous altercations causing damage to us through our progression.

 In the competitive environment that we participate in the opponent is THAT roadblock. This roadblock can poses a great threat to us in reaching the top of the medal podium or implanting emotional discouragement within ourselves as he slaps his teammates high five in approval and smile graciously in his moment of prosperity while we wallow away in misery. In the moment of the threats I previously mentioned and physical damage accumulated on the battle mat an opponent can quickly be perceived as the ENEMY.

By definition an ENEMY is someone you have hatred for based on a series of events which leads to a serious conclusion where the results showcases one’s complete demises  which are bound by no rules or fair play during the dispute. 

I see a lot of quotes from people as they prepare to fight that enemy. I’m gonna kick his ass, time to break some limbs, and even (no offense) bible verses to support ones reasoning for violence it apparent self-centered values toward ones goals is needed  to amp one mental state in preparation for the enemy. However unlike battles between US/Foreign Countries, Crip/Bloods, or Rap Beefs which have ended thousands of lives and changed generations for the worse gratefully the only thing we have to worry about in this “war” is a temporary bruised ego and maybe some sore body parts.

Now by definition an OPPONENT is merely an individual on the opposite side of the game we are playing. In the confines of rules and regulations it simply a contest between two people in the same field of interest.

In a world where martial arts give us the opportunity to test ourselves and evolve on many fronts that individual we so cold-heartedly call the enemy is actually a person on the same path goal you are on. This meeting of interest leads in aiding each other under extreme conditions in that aspiring pursuit that teaches us pros and cons about ourselves in preparation for the tough road ahead.

In other words without an opponent one will never unlock their full potential to reaching their perceived dream of contentment... which it why is essential to Respect your Opponent.

Let these ideas sink into your brain for now....In part 2 I will talk about my experience in dealing with an opponent !!! stay tuned !!

 

Living the Moment

When writing a blog I tend to get caught up in my thoughts as I attempt to paint a vivid picture for my readers to understand the concepts and events pertaining to my life. Caught in a constant space in time I believe that is what most people called “living in the moment”. Yes living moments is something we all do in life. Some occurrences challenge us, some cripple us, some strengthen you nevertheless each moment creates a sculpture of itself to present a clear perspective of who we are and what we hope to become.

Take me for example. Sit back as I as I drift away and take you all on a trip down memory lane in my life from a moment that occurred 8 years ago at my first no-gi tournament. Dislocated arm, walking up (from being passed out), tasting my own blood, and a couple of other crazy shit that happen to others that day to other people, in that moment I was introduce to the dark side of the martial arts community which left a permanent dent in my mental capacity for a long time. It was a moment that had me broken and scared for a long time which affected both my journey in grappling and even in aspect of my regular life outside the mat.

Flash forward to 2012 another moment occurred with my return to competition after  3 years of feeling sorry for myself which took me to winning a GOLD medal back in September .Realizing my motivation traits a new goal was embedded in my mind as I sought to challenge myself to becoming a …… well you know the rest ;-) 4 tournaments and a little knowledge later who would have ever though that the journey would take me back to the place where my problems began at CSU Dominguez Hills.

As most people who followed my facebook post I was a mental wreck and even in fear going back to that place. Various people helped motivate me to get through it all. However it was a small convo with my friend Bellator MMA fighter Nik Fekete and (the best writer in the world) Thomas Craig that allowed me to eliminate those venomous illusions poisoning my mind which not only strengthen my reasons for fighting strong that day but also staying in the present (living the moment).

Besides some minor distraction before my fight at the event sitting there in the venue it honestly felt unreal I was back there again (note I did compete there on two other occasion 06 and 08 which didn’t go well for me). But for some crazy reason as nervous and fearful of that place I was I somewhat embraced it like a moth to a flame because at that moment I knew it was coming to an end that day.

So after 3 hours of waiting it was my time to step  on the mat . Besides my last match I won’t get too detailed with my matches but here is a brief synopsis.

First match I fought a tough blue belt from the Lotus BJJ club with  back in forth match ending in my favor 4-2

Second match I fought (the eventual winner of the tournament) a guy from San Diego BJJ which I ended up me losing the fight 22-0. It was a blow out to say the least and although losing wasn’t what I went out there to do I walked off the mat with some satisfaction knowing I gave it everything I had and accepting the better man won at that MOMENT).

My third match found me in a position for getting the bronze medal. This particular fight stuck out in my mind because it saw two mentally and physically beat up competitors who came close to making it to the finals but didn't. Now they had to summon up what they had left for one last fight to make it to the podium.

Right off the top I had the utmost respect for my opponent because as tired as he seemed he made a comment straight to my face when the mat coordinator asked if we needed more time to rest. His response promptly was "I'm Ready Let's Do This". Now if that was the OLD me I would have taken that comment extremely personal (thinking he is the enemy) however not knowing his purpose for competing a sudden fuel of excitement and anxiousness raced through me because I knew win/lose not only was it going to be a great fight but also I was going out of CSU DH with a BANG.

As much as I despised CSU DH for years walking out on the mat for my final match I found myself a little bit sad and emotional because unlike a 8 years ago this day was different which was filled with respectful opponents, hard fights, and learning a great deal about myself toward my building. A day I honestly didn't want to end. But hey the present can instantly become the past in a matter of milo-seconds so I made it my sole intent to live in the moment as I shook my opponent's hand to start my final fight at the Los Angeles Open BJJ tournament.

Fortunately for me it got me somewhere as the bout concluded with me earning a submission victory thus giving me a bronze medal. From the time I walked in the building to my last fight I gained a major sense of peace and strength in overcoming my fears of fighting at CSU DH (talk about leaving it on the mat -haha-). Much respect to all my opponents for helping me through it all it was greatly appreciated.

Living in the Moment- that pinnacle point where you have a choice in creating something you are satisfied with. Trials and error come in the process but in working toward a goal it is to be expected to ultimately gets us to where we want to be or at least have a fulfilled journey with no regrets.  Through the good, bad, and ugly go through every sector with ambition to make it through to see the results. In other words have respect for your life. I know I will continue to

cant wait to see what my next adventure and challenge is.

 

1% better each Day

 

-monta' ( like Monday with a "t" replacing the "d") :-)

Dream Tournament Expereince- ( The Gain of Knowledge and Growth)

Everyone comes out a winner that is what they say when it comes to competition. For most individuals tournaments are used as a vehicle to challenge themselves, while some use it as a vehicle toward an aspired athletic goal the sport has to offer them. How ever you want to look at it Experience, knowledge, and memories are the everlasting gain from each event you encounter on the mat and even in Life.

Since the majority of you already know why I compete and what my goal is it’s no need to go through the same story...So let get straight to it. (if u dont know feel free to ask)

This past Saturday launched my return to competition at the Round Robin style "Dream Jiu-jitsu" tournament. After all the up and downs that has happen since February off the mat  being back in action I felt nervous but eager to say the least.

The goal of "Being a Better Man Than I Once Was" was already embedded going in so it was no serious mental prep I need to go over...it was just mostly visualizing the game I was going to play to see me through the battle.

I had 4 other game competitor in my division ( 5 grand total) so during that day I had 4 really good fights. This really helped with the goal.

Match 1- went against a kid from new breed. I Was every active throughout the whole fight with my guard passing until  30 seconds left of the clock I got swept and lost the fight 2-0..I was a little frustrated with myself that I made a dumb mistake that cost me the fight...but hey guess it was a case of trial & error that befalled on me during the moment.

As I sat there on the sidelines DOUBT began to slip into my mind about my ability to at least do better in my other 3 matches. Then with a little help from Sensei Dartian (xande's friend) and old teammate Steve Cardenas ( Rocky the Red Ranger - had to mention that-) I was able to get a little back into the game. The deal breaker was when I thought about a blog I read from my friend Thomas Craig where he spoke about not focusing on the past and live in the present. At that moment my head got back on straight and I began focusing on my next match which I had plans on doing much better.

Match 2- I was more focused than ever. Putting the past lost behind me within less than a minute I was able to establish the mount and cross choke him for the victory. ( xande sure would have been proud of that ). Helped my opponent up.. thanked him for the fight and began to focus on the next encounter.

 

Match 3- Sometimes I ask myself why do things happen to me and in match 3 I had me feeling that same state. Due to an unfortunate injury of one of the competitors in my division (really hope he is back on the mats training). Thinking I was left with no opponent a fresh alternate competitor put his gi on the finish his teammates’ last fight. There was a part of me like dang that not fair (just cuz I already fought twice and he was fresh)…however a major part of me was ready for the challenge and even respected the guy for stepping up for his fallen teammate which is a trait I highly admire from anyone.

 

The match was by far my favorite that day just because how energetic it was. With my active use to the guard/open and him going for nice double legs. The end result was 5-0.

 

Match 4- In this match I had the motive of finishing off the day strong and boy did I ever finishing my last fight in less than a minute by Darce choke.

With me finishing my matches the day was done for me and the rest of my opponents in the division. However there was a slight problem.

3 out of the 5 opponents had three wins and 1 loss under their record at the event. There was a lot of commotion amongst the coaches and owner at the event. As for me I wasn’t going to argue over no medal (especially if u saw what the medal looked like) Overall I was happy with my performance and the great knowledge I got for myself that day, the medal to me was secondary which was just an extra constellation for what I achieved that day.

With no proper solution to the problem, the owner had no choice but to award 3 competitors as the first place. (no 2^nd or 3^rd place winners).. aka  A lot of us came out a Winner :-)  I think thats a first in BJJ history also -haha-

Anyway folks to end this blog no matter what you do in life never challenge yourself in being better than you were yesterday.

-monta

The Influence From Writing

When I look at elements of things created in the world it's very interesting how it can be connected in some way. Putting the pieces of a puzzle, traveling by plane to a great vacation spot, or developing you BJJ strategy every sector is formed to create something great. 2010 marked a prominent year in my life as I discovered I had the ability to write. Took a little encouragement and mastering but to say the least been gradually building to become better.

Like a puzzle or anything that has a beginning everything starts from scratch. Then step by step it transforms itself into a grand work of art, in my case as a writer its pretty much vandalizing a clean sheet of paper with written words aimed to send a message. Revealing enough when the smoke clears the written artwork has centered on a discussion of various hard working individuals in the MMA community.

When I first started writing it was really use as a way to kill time and for fun purposes. As time progressed it has always been about just helping people. There are many hardwork and great people who train out there n due to their popularity status or less achieved accolades they dont get the attention they truley deserve. Although it was unclear to me at the time ( still to this day) I never understood why people either liked my articles or people who I did articles on appreciated my help. Overall I was just honor to have helped them however way I did.

As my adventure as a writer continued (this also included people I may have mentioned in the montblog) things started to take an interesting twist. I truly cant speak on the help/gratitude my writing has done for some people but it seemed that through the process it backfired on me through reading their stories and analyzing their personas. There were some periods in my life where I would go through sad moments about particular stuff whether it be competing or just areas I wish were better. Through reading countless stories and watching people fight I saw traits buried within myself that I wanted to make better. Being a strong competitor, humlity, and most importantly staying strong in this crazy world these individuals have helped me out BIG TIME.

A mirror reflection of what I saw myself It fueled my ambitions and motivation toward making great articles on people to make sure they were presented for the great people they are for the world to see.

This year alone through meeting some at tournaments recently, I also took it upon myself to travel to see the world and meet/train with some of these individuals. Being on the road as of late has been an experience of a life time as I got the opportunity to do just that and it has been a major special moment for me.

Rolling with many BJJ worlds champs has been a great experience for me, a privileged not granted too often. However although I was appreciative of the experience. It doesn't compared to the people I got the chance to meet and train with (that I did articles on). Sure they may have ( or haven't yet) are small amateur fighters, local BJJ guys, Muay Thai, -etc-. Nevertheless they are hardworking people I can relate and that have inspired me which in it has been the greatest opportunity to able to train, talk, and get my butt kicked on the mats more than you ever know.


So to end this blog I will say 4 those that I ever did an article on especially the ones I'm super cool with {u know who you are}...thank you for allowing me to try and help you cuz in term you have helped me.

-monta'

Finding Contentment

Not too long ago during my trip to Phoenix, Arizona I remember climbing the Infamous Camelback Mountain. I honestly didn’t know why I exactly wanted to climb it to be honest. Whether it was making the best of the trip or just to try something new yet it was something deep inside as a looked up high at the top that made me want to tackle it.

At first the walk up seemed very easy. Then as I got higher the elevation, fear of highest, darn bees, and temp of 95 degrees began to take its toll on me. Getting high on the mountain I looked down and that is when I realized…how long and how tough the climb was to get there. At that moment as I looked down on the entire city I toured I felt Content with myself of being able to do something I never thought I was able to do.

Content- satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.


When I think about being Content it is something that is really personal. A life time of growing from childhood to those confusion stages as a teen to adult years all accumulates through the process of figuring out who and  what we want in life. Twist and turns of course come with the territory along the journey however I believe it is the intriguing mystery of what lies at the finish line that allows us to go through the brunt in order to get where we want to be.

So why is all of this even important?  SIMPLE, Deep down everyone wants something in life whether it is athletic aspirations, financial stability, relationships (love, family, friends), or personal building with ourselves. No question we all strive for something that is meaningful to us.

 Questions that comes to mind during this process have to be............

• what exactly is it you want
• where are you at now in your situation
• what are you doing or going do to make it to your goal
• why is it so important for you to go through the storm along the quest

Once one evaluate in answering these questions it becomes a moral compass in hopes of getting you to where you want to be.

Aside from my own personal story which some of you are aware of this year’s BJJ Worlds gave me a glimpse of an athlete putting it all on the line to move one step closer to feeling content from all the years of dedication being involved in the discipline.{aka becoming a world champion}. Hundreds showed up, 97 % hit another road block, 3 % gained something meaningful that day {sorry had to poke fun of the percentages concept-haha-}.

In the end whether you are on the winning or losing stick it’s all about opening ones understanding to unknown theories about themselves, embracing the scars sorta speak of what you’re going through, and most importantly never giving up on something that you hold dear to your heart.

Like the climb up the mountain I shared earlier...it super hard but when you reach the top you can look down below and appreciate ride as you stand tall satisfied with the place you are currently and where you came from. I can speak from certain experiences in my life the surging feelings relief, redemption, gratification, and success are some of the greatest emotions you will ever feel when you accomplish something  you work for to becoming CONTENT.

So if any of the information is sinking in any just do yourself a favor if you want something in life. Have faith, have a Purpose, Have personal Goals, and of course work hard on reaching contentment in whatever you desire to improve.

Also with that being said this month I will be back in action competing hoping to acquire more knowledge and becoming a better/stronger man. Still is a long road in the making but hey all a part of the process

Keep Up the Good Fight Folks !!!!

-Monta