Nice vs Respect: The Constructive Spectacle

There is always room for improvement and growth. I would have liked to think that this life was just a personal adventure of mine trying to be 1 % better. Little did I know in the mist of  my configuring it would also become a viewing platform to be judged by people and vise versa.

Yes impression is everything because after all it places a distinct label that gives us an image to be recognized in a positive or negative light . An individual characterized as a nice person and person of respect are amongst these character features. Placed in the positive brackets although they have similarities, NICE & RESPECT are in two entirely different playing fields for presenting the unveiling of a person's true character.

Whenever we meet someone in life most of the time 99.9 % of  all initial interactions start off nice. A formal greeting, a smile, cool convo all of these actions spell out "Nice Person". However don't be to quick to place a label yet as it is just an introduction to a plot that is bound to unfold. When analyzing the "NICE PERSON" moniker I like to compare it to looking at the opening scene of a movie. Everything seems nice but as the story develops it takes you through twist and turns which gives you a full idea of what the story is all about. At its climatic conclusion it will leave an opinion in your mind after going through the film. Now how does a movie viewing relate to people being labeled NICE you ask ?

Being NICE does not necessarily mean Good. As a matter of fact NICE can turn into a variety of things which  in most case can turn bad centering on one's selfish ambitions and how a truly good hearted person can be manipulated in the crossfire. Bad love relationships, backstabbing, online predators, and ego driven competitors who deep down only care about themselves. The list goes on and on as  people's character becomes an exact replica of a "movie" that started off good but ended up bad to the public eye.

However don't want to make this blog entirely a negative bashing because to every bad side there is also good which can be shown through how being Nice transforms into Respect. When looking at a Person of Respect this type of individual has developed a wealth of knowledge based on the experiences he/she has gone through. This understanding  allows one to interpret things better to formulate actions which can make a strong impact on themselves and the people they interact with.

Actions certainly speak louder than words these days especially if someone is on the receiving end of it. Being nice is just small tip of the iceberg but as your character gets more exposed people will have a higher opinion on you which certainly requires a level of appreciation for something you partake in.

Instructors, Political Activist, Serviceman to the community, your parents, spouse and even world renounced athletes you may admire they all have worked hard on maturing themselves  to fitting their current roles which has simultaneously touched people's lives in a positive way.

I can name a number of people whose actions toward myself and others who fit the title of Respect. Although some of their personalities may be strong and sometimes not accommodating which is totally acceptable because at least you are being openly honest of who you are. These People of Respect are without fear, have with strong morals/values , and most importantly know how to use them to bring about some change  within the masses which inspires me to follow the same pattern.

When I look at myself in the mirror I would like to consider myself as neither in the nice or respect categories ( you can be the judge of that), if anything I can be placed in the Frustrated category -lol-. I'm frustrated with people, why sad events happen, and overall why bullshit exist. However don't misinterpret me as a baby in the corner crying and WHYinng over spilt milk. The cool thing about being frustrated is that I become a student of life which allows try make sense of things to help develop my own perception of whats right and whats wrong. All of this information I am collecting along my journey allows me to figure out ways to help myself improve so i can be a better son, better friend, better co-worker, and other life titles whose  constantly working to earn that self-respect for myself.

That frustrating task doesn't stop there for me because it wouldn't be fun if I keep all this information for myself. That is why I assert myself in my attempt to applying this learning toward helping others to make them understand we are not alone lets push together for change. So I guess I'm on the road to one day becoming a person of respect.

After reading this blog take a moment of your day to just reflect on events in your life which defined of who you were then, now, and who you want to be in the future. What makes those actions meaningful  in a way that contributes to something far greater than yourself ? These are the questions that are gradually getting explained though what you do and its interpretation on others.

As for you people stuck in the NICE phase continue you build yourself properly so people can have a better idea of who you are. Its always a good compliment when some address you as being nice but its even better when someone has enough background data based on your actions to tell the world why.

and for you Nice people that really arent..stop being fake with yourself and life cause it will come back to bit you.

Keep it real sorta speak :-)

1 % Better

monta

  

The BJJ World Champion Validation: Thoughts of an Apathetic Participant

Validation, Validation, Validation that certified stamp of approval to producing those desired results. The  thing that makes one tick, gives something worth fighting for, and through it all makes anyone 1 % better in that continual journey of reaching his/her goals. This concept goes hand in hand with any driven life aspiration especially when it comes to being an athlete hoping to claim one's share of the world championship status.

A art which has gone through many phases from  self-defense stages to tough man superiority  to the athletic realm we are in today becoming a BJJ World Champion is the ultimate prize every serious BJJ competitor aspires to become. Its capturing can bring wonders in a person's life ranging from fame, self-confidence boost, self worth, and future financial stability which are all extra rewards coming from that validation of achieving that ultimate goal.

A little over a year ago I wrote a blog that got mixed reviews concerning the 97 % er vs. the 3 % er . I am one to always admit my wrong and when I look back I think I was a total idiot for writing it because although I have a problem with people's personalities,when it comes to competing who am I to judge what's in a person's heart, just as who is anyone to judge what's in mine. So lets finally eliminate these bullshit percentage classes the media has segregated everyone with and open up about the real nature of this topic, and answer a question a lot of people have asked me "Why I Don't Have a Goal of Becoming World Champion "?

Before I reveal my answer I want to take a moment and talk briefly about why becoming world champion is important in this age of BJJ. As mentioned earlier this art or as we call it today sport has gone through major transitional phases since it groundbreaking introduction in 1994 by Royce Gracie. Somewhere along that trail new ideas sprung, the bar needed to be raised which reached a conclusion that BJJ needed to mature sorta speak in its vision of opening more opportunities for those partcipating in it thus producing the World Champion Title which has inspired many for the past 7 years (IBJJF Worlds came to the states in 2007). Hours in the gym perfecting skills, physical tear in the body, mental anguish, and that none hesitation of destroying another competitor's dreams, that self-preservation mentality comes with that validation of knowing you are the best at what you do not only answering the doubts in your mind but also for fellow peers to witness.

This driven motivation  is no different from my open dialogue of my Battle Within blog series  in regards to why I compete. So from a viewer standpoint these World Champion medal chasers are somewhat people we can relate to because it inspires  us to push forward to getting what we desire in life. Nevertheless some people prefer apples while some prefer oranges  which evidently creates a different mindset touching on each person's journey which brings me to Why I don't have the goal of becoming a World Champion in BJJ.

Although this was a fantasy that once lived in my head based on what I perceived as BEING GREAT, the stage that I am at in my life right now  becoming a world champion does not give me fulfillment whatsoever and if  it ever did happen it would be because I was just out there challenging myself. As most athlete medal chasers have their own journeys, I also have mine marked with many highs and lows which has personally affected me molding me to becoming the man I am today. Just the general aspect about meeting people both good impressions and bad, learning new things, and testing myself in competition are the main components which helps me to becoming a better individual. If anyone who knows me personally or just by what you read in the blogs I'm a pretty serious and  passionate guy focused on becoming better in life taking those lessons learned through my grappling pracitices to deal with life outside the gym and showing humility to help those around me. This is what makes me tick, this is what makes putting my gi worth fighting for as I search constantly for that validation I know for a fact I'm far from reaching of just being a better man.

In addition for those that reach the World Championship status there is a major bad habit of mine of taking shit personal ( I'm working on it btw -haha-) when I perceive certain things.Looking from a viewers perspective being world champion does come with it share of many problems. You acquire your collection of haters, news critics who want to boost their credibility through your shortcomings, fans who only like you when your on top, and even fake friends/acquaintances who want to take your spot. These are things I completely despise about what hard working people have to go through and is something I don't want to have to deal with being a non-athlete/personal guy. Seeing the type of stuff once loved/famous  indivudals have to go through I rather to remain in mediocrity striving toward my goal where only myself and those close to me will truly appreciate me and know my story.

Aside from another layer to understanding yours truly the biggest thing I want everyone to take away from this blog is simple concept of that journey searching for that validation. Remember it your journey and although others may criticize it, no one will understand it but you so keep pushing forward.But whatever that goal may be in your heart ...always remember whatever it is you are becoming better than you once were

1% better

-monta

The Unknown Gym Benifit: Hidden Treasures

Although we all align ourselves with a perspective team that helps us get better, I also believe outside of that small island we called our jiu-jitsu academy you will find a lot of great things out in the Martial Arts world in helping you to becoming better as practitioners and even in our personal growth in life outside the gym.

As most of you know I travel quite a bit. In my travels I have come in contact with some of the greatest friends in BJJ at various unknown gyms. When I post pictures or tag site locations I get a lot of questions of "Huh What's at the gym" ? "Why are you training at that Place?" "Who are those cats? When people use to ask me these questions I really didn't have a legit answer but my simple response of "just training". However when I reflect on my grappling journey thus far it finally came to me . So allow me to finally reveal why I find myself training at these unknown gyms.

Starting my gi and no-gi with pretty unknown guys ( from a grappling success standpoint) I honestly feel looking back I was embedded with this mentality of no matter how big or small someone's name is never be closed minded to learn because everyone has something to offer. Being in Southern California we are surrounded by the most accomplished BJJ personas on the planet giving us what many called "world class instruction". Visiting unknown gyms out of state allows me to see how others train that don't have the..."celebrity luxuries" we have and in some way it is a tribute to the way I was brought up by my original instructors.

My experience however was more than I expected which has been a great positive for me. When walking into such gyms like Mid City Martial Arts in New Orleans, Mat Chess MMA in Seattle, Nemesis BJJ in Portland, and other academies in between out of state although I was meet with curious impressions I was never meet with hostile impressions as in let F this guy up. Going into any small gym I learned there is a 50/50 impression that has to be established quickly from the way you greet yourself to even the way you roll with the students kind of like that old saying treat people the way you want to be treated. Leaving my ego at the door, doing the techniques the way the instructor shows them, having an open mind and other courtesy's are just some of the ways to show respect which in my case has paid off allowing me to acquire lifelong friendship (including the instructor) and learn some great stuff that is a solid part of my grappling game. 

A lot of these people are truly humble and passionate individuals on and off the mat . Some work full times jobs. Some are family men/women. Some are certified Gym/Mat Rats. While some are committed to other life priorities. Whatever their focused category is one thing is similar they all love to train and dedicated about getting better because after all it apart of growing. And speaking from experience although IBJFF medals may miss them in terms of accolades they got the skills to go against any color belt from any top gym out here in Southern California. This viewing has given me somewhat a group of people I can relate because of the way I started off.

Now on the reverse side coming up I have also visited well established gyms. Picture yourself going to train for a day at your BJJ idol's academy the individual you looked up to that inspired your game. When you walk inside the academy ..you are greeted at the front desk with a huge mat fee (which is reasonable). When you step on the mat some of the students are very uptight, sometimes ignore you, and destroy you in rolls to "represent". To put the icing on the cake the guy you looked up to doesn't even bother the help you with the moves or even acknowledge you respectfully which sometimes leaves a sour taste in your mouth walking out the gym and a different impression on the person you looked up too. Yeah this has happened to me on some occasions in the past. 

 

Although it was great to learn some things for a day with a top level athlete and train with his prized off springs (students) in my opinion although these visit have been appreciative these visits was not a greater experience for me than those from the small academies I visited out of state.

Well I hope this answered everyone curiosity as to why I visit small unknown gyms. I would like to encourage everyone if you make travels to do the same. Step outside of the box, meet people from all walks of this BJJ life, and discover the unknown out there because you never know the great things waiting for you when you walk inside that gym.

 

1 % better with an open mind

monta

Monta Grapplethon Closing Remarks

Words still can’t express how I feel right now after Grapplethon: Team Dana Moore. I’m not gonna lie there has been a lot  of things in BJJ that have been pissing me off as of late that made me want to leave for good but its moments like yesterday  that make me blessed I welcomed this art into my life. This Grapplethon for Dana was by far the most emotional and personal for me just because of his story which made it so rewarding to see so many people come out to support him.

In my closing statement its only fitting I thank a couple of people for making this event possible.

The Participants- thanks again for bringing your positive energy to the event. Without your willingness to take a stand and step onto the mats with the right attitude things like this could never be possible which is why we all as a team are so good at creating such an awesome atmosphere every time we get together. Also from a personal standpoint it was great seeing old friends and making new ones.

Professor Grant Collins- Thank you for being a gracious host making your home our home and trusting us ( brett weekly & myself) for putting on a fun, safe, and memorable event.

Sponsors/Raffle Gifts contributors- Thank you for stepping up and bringing more life to the events with your generous offerings to the participants and Grapplethon benefactors.

The Moore Family- I know it may have been mighty out of the blue having some random stranger wanting to host a charity event for your son and it is because of your openness which I am grateful for. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your lives and I can honestly say through knowing your family it builds great strength, positivity, and faith within myself of ones abilities of going through that storm while on that life sail.

Brett Weekley- Due to a small incident that happen at the first grapplethon and the beginning stages of grapplethon 2 I told myself I would never allow or trust anyone to help me in the future.  However I guess you gotta make some exceptions. Knowing you for close to two years now you are without a doubt that one of a kind person one rarely runs across in the BJJ World and because of that  I'm proud to have you as a friend/brother. It takes a caring person to think about your friend Dana the way you did, which really shows the type of person you are selfless to the core. I know you don’t like taking a lot of credit but you should take some at least. Thanks again for all you help with the creation of this event and taking a load of stress off my back (especially when I was competing 3x in one month), introducing me to Dana , and your wonderful family (mom, dad, and April) for being an added support through the event.

Take a bow brother and btw it far from over in terms of u being a grapplethon host !!!

&

The Champ Dana Moore- thanks again for the inspiration you honestly don’t know what an honor it was to finally meet you (which probably explained all those nerves I had) meant a lot to me. Keep fighting brother and I will see you soon.

1 % better

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

 

Sailing Through a Storm

" For I Am Not Afraid of Storms, For I Am Learning to Sail My Ship"? -Louisa May Alcott

Metaphorically speaking  we are all ships and life is a endless sea of adventure. Sometimes the life sail may be smooth encountering our share of  fun times while on the flipside on that same sail it can get rocky which sends us through horrible shit storms. These storms can cause damage to our ship causing it to possibly sink leaving us with that questionable doubt of Can We Move Forward ?

Storms can undoubtedly be dangerous especially when it arise in our lives however learning how to deal with these unexpected occurrences is how we mature which gives us a  broader understanding of that vast sea we called life

As the captain of my  ship sailing through life has been a crazy voyage which isn't even close to reaching its destination. Five days in counting marks another storm that is a brewing in the form of another charity Grapplethon for a BJJ brother name Dana  Moore. Going into this event I can honestly say I have never been so nervous (this probably even rivals my tournament nerves)   because of  my curiosity of the event results but also  I will be meeting the "benefactor"  for the first time which I never done in the past two grapplethons events because they lived out of state( mind you I am  a underground  guy I rarely like to be seen or notice for anything). In addition as the days get closer something has been really bothering me especially after listening to Dana's  story of strength through the storm he is going through being a 24 year old blue belt bind to a wheelchair due to a construction accident. This reflection of his story hit close to home which has been deeply thinking about my friend Rustle Laidman who died almost a year ago.

February 22 2013 marked a cold storm in my life after a tournament in Denver, Colorado as I got news of his death. For those that read the Ruslte Laidman Eulogy  you would know how much he meant to me as he is  one of the most influential people I meet not only  in martial arts but also in life. Normally when I encounter such storms I'm am able to deal with close one's deaths but for over a year the sting is painful especially when his name is mentioned casuing my heart to sink which gets me really sad asking that three letter word WHY. Although I wont get into details ( you can make your own conclusion or feel free to ask me privately) When a close friend dies in the manner that my friend Rustle did it is something you cant get over. It is something that leaves  you hurt, angry, and clueless wondering wish you could have helped or what if he was still here especially in my case with so many great things going on  in my life these days.

Nevertheless through every storm  you come out of you learn more about the climate which allows you to have a different outlook on the sail as you find new ways to navigate through future scenarios. What Rustle's death taught me was the idea of  an individual's pain. Many people are sailing through life as I write this blog and are forced to go through troublesome storms . Storms are no freaking joke as they can cause mass devastation to a person financially, emotionally, health wise, or stoppage to one's desired goals. Furthermore no matter how one tries to mask or hide this emotional pain  whether it be through drinking or weed smoke that give them a brief escape, sport activities ,  religion preference (no offense), or self motivating quotes it still can be hard going through the storm alone.  However the greatest part about sailing on the sea of life is we run into other ships that don't mind lending  a helping hand. In all people going through struggles  just need to be made aware that someone cares about what they are going through.

Just wish I would have done this before my friend passed away but hey I'm learning how to sail my ship :-?

The reason for the continual push of Grapplethons does just this in an effort to show people we care while also learning some things in the process. I cant begin to imagine the things I have learned about my friend's death, the Boss Frank Edge,  Bad Ass John Flite, or the Champ Dana Moore which has helped me to be stronger and better in my life. Its taught me how to handle situations better, treat people better, be fearless in dangerous situations, and so many others aspects which allows this ship Monta Wiley to keep his voyage pushing.

Ships and Storms how are your pushing through it to continue your voyage and be better than you once were.

With that said nevrous but really looking forward to Saturday.. Cant wait to see what happens on this sail.

1 % Better As Usual or Try'n to Be at Least....

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

KO Finisher Experience: A Man's Man Event

"Experience is the teacher of all things"- Julius Caesar

Experiences in life have taught me many things that have revealed the strengths and weakness in my character to build me to become the man I want to be. It's been nine months since I done my oh so famous "Battle Within" tournament recap blog and to be honest although both past Grappling X tournaments offered me great experience which included my first purple belt medal  I didn't get enough standout memories  to give a great story for everyone to grasp and feel..... until now.

Stepping out of the box  I found myself going into a tournament called the KO Finisher. A event I like to call a man's man competition it wasn't your typical point style format games as the objective to secure victory was pretty simple. Submit Your Opponent with the sure possibility of  going against multiple competitors in one day. Knowing the rules I got the impression that this was going to be a grueling and maybe dangerous tournament I was entering. Days leading up to the event especially when I was on my way to Anaheim to compete, my anxiety/stress level was at an all time HIGH  which reason could only be.. wanting to  live up to my expectations in terms of my performance but also just concern for safety for  me and my opponents. Nevertheless finally understanding how my nerves work after all these years that only meant I truly cared about being there so I could only go in with the hopes that all my wishes come true.

The tournament started on time which I can say was rare compared to other events I been to although I had to wake up 7am in the morning to make it to weigh ins on time. Nevertheless once I was at mat side nothing felt better  knowing I was about to go through a tough yet great challenge to make myself better. The day started off with my division which include me, Phil from the BJJ Club, and Mike from Ralph Gracie Chino Hills. Oddly enough before I could even step on the mat to compete something happened. For the first time ever (which is something I never do) me and my opponents had friendly conversation amongst ourselves before we competed. I must say it was mighty strange doing that shit knowing when the time comes to compete they wouldn't  hesitate to take my fuck'n limbs off or put me to sleep. But hey I guess maybe I had grown up a bit since my " the opponent is my enemy" mind frame I had back in 2005, a mutual respect amongst men for what we are about to do, or  both theories combined so I just took it for what is was worth (being in the moment sorta speak).

The fights were great and was a collection of some of the toughest opponents I ever fought . If you saw the fights you can tell we all wanted to be there because the first round robin rounds ended in a 3 way draw between me and my two gamed opponents. The next round robin threw an interesting twist (something I didn't know about originally) which found me and Phil fighting to go to the finals against Mike. The fight went the full distance with me winning the match by ref decision for being the most aggressive fighter. Man did I feel great about going to the finals but more so I was just grateful to have a great opponent in Phil making me work hard for the win.

Here I am Mr. Monta Wiley my first time in the finals as a purple belt in a Submission only event with all spectator eyes watching wondering what the epic conclusion would be in the 150 below Purple belt final match. To say I was in the moment was an understatement as a matter of fact I was the MOMENT (if that makes any since) because it truly defined me taking everything in as if life situations on the outside didn't exist.

The match started off well with me setting up bottom game leg locks submissions and Darce chokes . Unfortunately Mike was on point defending everything which eventually lead me to me getting submitted 3 minutes into the round crowning him the KO Finisher Champion. Losing in the finals was by no means a devastating feeling for me because like anything in life things don't always go the way we want. In all honesty when it comes to losing a match I prefer to have lost the way I did because it shows even at my "BEST" I'm not perfect, i'm willing to face shortcomings, learn, and grow from it. Also to the credit of the champ it showed my opponent gave me everything he had to beat me which I have the upmost respect for.

The great thing about this fight was even in victory Mike was a class act as he gave me great words of respect on the mat right after his hand was raised something I never really got from any of my past opponents which really meant a lot to me.

Walking off the mat in the finals was an incredible feeling for me as it seemed like I gained a lot more than I expected which gave me a sense of peace and strength in my heart for various reasons.

So this is where I normally end the blog however my day wasn't done...............

With a second place finish already under my notch I thought to myself why not make the best of my experience and enter the absolute division.. after all I've had nothing to lose ( for the record my buddy Richard Semides encouraged me to do it also and he had a bag full of reasons including the keys to the car so I was strongly encouraged -haha-) . Going into the open division  as 133 pounder one would ask what was I thinking going against guys 50 to 70 pounds on me ? and to be honest I wasn't thinking at all which was a good thing but reflecting back on it the answer could only have been deep down I was just curious of the knowledge I was going to get afterwards :-)

Going through the process of fighting  Jimmy Fredrich who fought in ADCC ( I got submitted in that match) , surviving an onslaught war against Ahmadi from Ralph Gracie SF (draw match), and  closing the day in my last match (doing something I was scared to do) fight a friend in the form of Zachary Earle which turned out to be a blast (that match went to a draw) there were so many emotions carried with me into each fight which I can say I used to my advantage to perform at my best offensively  and defensively .I can honestly say looking back I'm glad I did the open weight division and would probably be crazy enough to do it again (submission only style).

In all competing at the  KO Finisher  I felt so ALIVE on the mat  giving it everything I had against liked minded competitors  which probably explained the friendships and respect amongst everyone (especially the purple belt division) I saw  after most of the matches. Lastly for the first time ever I finally understood what it meant to have FUN which is something I always wanted to feel for a very long time but couldn't cause of  things I carried with me into competition in the past...

I cant wait for the next one ( I don't care where it takes place I will be there) !!!

Until then all I can do is keeping training, work hard toward my goal ( u all know what that is) and enjoy the journey.


1 % better

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

Grapplethon : Team Dana Moore

SoCal Jiu-Jitsu Community Unite! again. Yeah you guessed it it’s that time again for another Grapplethon event. Since last year the Grapplethons here in Southern California seemed to be getting bigger and bigger which makes this upcoming charity event one that myself and everyone is looking forward too.In an effort to reconnect with friends as well as make new ones this event will be held at a new location which will be held at.

Optimus BJJ
31151 Niguel Rd.
Laguna Niguel, California 92677

Date: March 22 2014

Time: 1:30 pm- until everyone leaves


What is a Grapplethon : At Grapplethon it is set up like an open mat 180 minute ( 3 Hour)  rolling session. The rolls will be 6 minutes each (timer style) 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 one of our very own from the southern California JJ community. A BJJ Blue Name Dana Moore here is a summary of his story.

DanaMoore is a blue belt under Professor Grant Collins (Optimus Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy) in Laguna Niguel. Dana began his journey in BJJ a couple of years ago and instantly fell in love with the sport. He started teaching kids classes at Optimus and dedicated most of his time to training and teaching others. He was in a construction related accident approximately 2 months ago after taking a new job down in San Diego. After being at his job for only a couple of weeks he was struck in the back by a drill pipe fracturing both the T6 & T7   vertebrae and spinal cord trauma. Currently he is paralyzed from the rib-cage down. He was recently approved to attend a VIP Neuro- rehabilitation center, an intensive rehab center dedicated to improving the brain to muscle synapse/connection


Dana is a very active young guy who is determined to improve his condition everyday through hard work and perseverance. He has a girlfriend, two sisters, mother and Father (Dana 1^st and Lynne Moore)

Price: The cost to attend will be $ 10 flat nothing more nothing less. With your $10 entry you will get a free raffle your first and last name will be used as the “raffle ticket” so luckily you don’t have to look at your number while training ticket. However if you choose to donate more that is totally fine.

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.

FYI: Color Post Its with your first and last name will be used as the “raffle ticket” so luckily you don’t have to look at your number while training.

In-Door Entry Gift: So what if you don't win a raffle gift ? Don't worry we have the covered ! We have 5 great in-door entry gifts for everyone that attends. 1 is an electronic gift everyone will love and the second is for the first 60 people that show up. (those in-door gifts will be announced on the event page)

El Atnom Big 300 Challenge: As most of you remember from past Grapplethon events I completed two 1914 Kimonos to earn extra money for the two charities those events focused on. Stepping away this time around I want others to experience what its like to roll hard to help someone and lets just say this will take more than one person to complete the challenge. More details on this challenge in the coming weeks.


For more information and updates on this great charity event please visit the Grapplethon: Team Dana Moore Facebook Event page.

or

If you have any questions contact Monta Wiley or Brett Weekley at facebook.
  
vertebrae and suffering spinal