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April 18, 2022

Meet Geoff Real BJJ blackbelt extraordinaire

Meet Geoff Real BJJ blackbelt extraordinaire
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Chingasos Combat Crew

In this episode we get the chance to sit and talk to head instructor of Alpine BJJ Geoff "Real Deal" Real. Fresh off ADCC west coast trials, we talk competition mindset, over coming adversity and jiu-jitsu

Transcript
WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:27.160 This is the motivation, everybody. Welcome to another episode of Jugit Deals Coast 2 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:30.440 to coast, the podcast that talks about what's important on and off the mats. 3 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:35.600 As you guys all know, West Coast ADCC try files, the largest 4 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:39.960 trials in the history of ADCC, just wrapped up not too long ago. 5 00:00:40.039 --> 00:00:44.520 ME AND COUSIN ATT were there. We saw Cuz how many amazing Jiujit deal 6 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:48.600 wizards did we see that working out there? Oh my God man, there 7 00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:53.520 was so many like the whole weekend. I was pumped, I was motivated. 8 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:59.280 I mean watching everyone out there just got me, man. I seen 9 00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:03.159 legends like just walking around like like nothing, just walking around, ging and 10 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:07.959 meet everybody, seeing different styles and watching that. You know what we talked 11 00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:11.719 about on the show all the time, that family dynamic in Jiu Jitsu that 12 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:14.200 you know, all of us, you know military and veterans, we all 13 00:01:14.239 --> 00:01:17.480 look for when we joined. You know Jiujitsu. We saw it there and 14 00:01:17.719 --> 00:01:23.120 I cannot tell you how amazing that that event was, because the vibe just 15 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:26.840 was amazing. You know what I mean. You talk about family, you 16 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:32.280 talk about teams traveling together supporting each other. I was talking with our guests 17 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:34.159 a little while ago and I said I feel like my game just let my 18 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:38.640 game level just by being in the a scene vicinity as these people. With 19 00:01:38.680 --> 00:01:44.480 that being said, I want to welcome our newest guests to the show, 20 00:01:44.599 --> 00:01:49.280 Mr Jeff, the real deal, Real Jeff, welcome to the Jiujitdail neighborhood 21 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:53.120 brother. How you doing? I'm doing awesome. Appreciate you having me on. 22 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:57.280 You know, this is is a very cool thing to be a part 23 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:02.640 of, so I'm very grateful. So thank you, guys, no problem, 24 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:07.959 they because how you doing this Sunday morning? Man, I'm great. 25 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:12.199 Man, I'm doing good. Had that giants game yesterday, but I'm really 26 00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:15.240 looking forward to talking to Jeff and and got some, you know, huge 27 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:19.159 questions. I want to talk to him. For All you listeners out there 28 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:23.400 who don't know, like we met Jeff this past weekend. It at ADCC 29 00:02:23.879 --> 00:02:28.800 trials, man, and this guy right here we ended up. I don't 30 00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:32.599 know how it just happened to click, but he was actually competing right at 31 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:36.639 the Mat, right in front of us. We didn't know him, but 32 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:42.120 after watching him compete and once you guys get to know him, wow, 33 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:46.560 man, blew my mind away. Made I mean we were talking about this 34 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:51.759 at the Matt. There is no way we can go to train, not 35 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:57.039 go to train when you know we got guys like this competiting at this level 36 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:00.800 and taking it to that. Yeah, man, Oh my God, man, 37 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:02.879 I'm super stoked. Man, I can't wait to get into this interview. 38 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:07.199 Yeah, for sure. Well, let's just jump into these questions real 39 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:09.280 quick because we just talked to Jeff. He's on his way to Legion Open 40 00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:15.360 Matt about to put it down. Jeff, we always start our first art 41 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:17.360 interview with this staple question here, just to kind of set the mood a 42 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:22.879 little bit. Jeff, do you have a favorite martial arts motivational movie that 43 00:03:22.919 --> 00:03:27.120 you watch to pump you up every now and then? We'd had a lot 44 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:31.000 of a lot of answers in the past. Blood Sport, we've had karate 45 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:36.599 kid, we've had just cream of the crop, all kinds of stuff all 46 00:03:36.599 --> 00:03:38.800 over the place. ANYTHING COME TO MINE? You know, it's funny. 47 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:44.479 You you know you had this question because this is actually, you know, 48 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:51.439 something that like I resonated very well with and my answers not your typical like 49 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:58.120 rocky blood sport or even rump on the Bronx it's it's Fike Club, one 50 00:03:58.199 --> 00:04:02.080 hundred problem a little while, but fight club. That'll just, you know, 51 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:06.400 get me back in the zone without that's what sub that brings bat that 52 00:04:06.520 --> 00:04:11.280 movie Brings Back Awesome, Awesome Memories. Member, because that first house we 53 00:04:11.319 --> 00:04:15.240 moved into kill Yeah, Oh, yeah, I remember that. Yeah, 54 00:04:15.279 --> 00:04:20.240 but we're not going to talk about Brad Pitt with the shirt off. I 55 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:26.199 don't know why you always try to go there. All right, but I 56 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:29.720 think the thing with Fike club that really, you know, stood out is 57 00:04:29.720 --> 00:04:33.040 just like that that you know, whatever or fuck it, mentality. You 58 00:04:33.079 --> 00:04:38.040 know where it's just, you know, no excuses, just get out there, 59 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:40.439 you know, you know life can be a little gritty, it can 60 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:44.000 be a little dark, but you know you're just gonna, you know, 61 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:46.160 be in the zone. And you know, there's a quote, you know, 62 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:50.519 that I actually had a dig up before I hopped on here. You 63 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:57.399 know, it's the ability to let which does not matter, truly slide. 64 00:04:57.439 --> 00:05:00.000 And and with me, you know, it's you know, I've had a 65 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:03.399 lot of things happen in my life and you know, I how to just 66 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:06.439 get through them and just ignore them or, you know, and just, 67 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:13.360 you know, make it. You know, just stay, I guess, 68 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:15.600 Make Myself Unaware of it, you know, even though it was like, 69 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:21.160 you know, very, I guess, prevalent in my head. You know. 70 00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:28.240 So that's what's up. Yeah, yeah, that's great answer, Jack. 71 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:31.120 That was deep, bro Ah, awesome. Thank you for answering that, 72 00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:34.839 of course. Course. Hey, so, Jeff, so, you 73 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:38.199 know. So for us, you know, we just got to know you're 74 00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:41.040 not too long ago. And all the listeners out there, how did you 75 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:44.639 get into Jiujitsu, like what got what made you get in bold, you 76 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:46.920 know, how did it start? Like what did it was? Where's your 77 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:55.399 career or your Jiujitsu paths start? Well, I started wrestling and middle school 78 00:05:55.399 --> 00:06:00.759 and and also high school, and my senior year I had a friend was 79 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:08.439 he was like an anti wrestler guy and and he started training Jiu Jitsu and 80 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:13.360 asked if I was interested in joining him. And and I was a little 81 00:06:13.399 --> 00:06:17.680 bit more hip to the UFC, especially because it was two thousand and six 82 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:23.639 and that was during like the era where you know, Stephen Bonner and forest 83 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:28.759 Griffin fod and you know, and Hoyst Graci's returned back to the cage and 84 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:32.360 all that. So, you know, it definitely was was something I was 85 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:35.680 interested in. So, you know, I was I was wrestling at the 86 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:41.680 time when I first rolled Jiu Jitsu with my friend before actually going to the 87 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:46.800 gym, and shortly after wrestling season I ended up just joining the the official 88 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:55.399 Jiujitsu Academy over in my old hometown, you might a Z and yeah, 89 00:06:55.519 --> 00:06:59.560 from there just I just knew it just was, you know, that was 90 00:06:59.639 --> 00:07:03.879 it. That was something I was really you know, I was naturally able 91 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:10.319 to do, especially from my wrestling background. So yeah, really, you 92 00:07:10.360 --> 00:07:14.360 know, just felt natural, felt right and that's cool. So I was 93 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:17.240 almost like a love at first sight kind of deal. Absolutely, yeah, 94 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:21.720 I mean he, my friend, showed me a couple moves and we rolled 95 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:27.120 and, you know, and he caught me, I caught him, and 96 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:30.040 I'm like, okay, I think, I think I like this. You 97 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:32.720 know, it's very, very relative to what I was what I was already 98 00:07:32.759 --> 00:07:39.279 doing and you know, and my even in wrestling it wasn't so much my 99 00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:43.360 takedowns but like the actual like round mat work, you know, being in 100 00:07:43.399 --> 00:07:47.639 the referee position, starting their top or bottom. That's where I was definitely 101 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:54.560 a little bit more successful. So going too Jiu Jitsu was just like such 102 00:07:54.600 --> 00:07:59.639 a great transition. Now, did you have a did you have any issues 103 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:03.759 like like would in your regards like wrestling? You know, you talked to 104 00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:07.319 some wrestlers and they say like's they're used to be in the same position. 105 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:09.720 It, you know, is like on giving their back, but being on 106 00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:13.480 the you know, their stomach, this is like they're safe place, you 107 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:16.600 know, and wrestling versus like Jiu Jitsu, you don't want to give up 108 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:18.279 your back. Did you have any of that, those issues, or, 109 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:26.040 you know, anytime I would venture into a different combat sport, I really, 110 00:08:26.199 --> 00:08:31.600 I really did my best to to stay specific or focused on that, 111 00:08:31.800 --> 00:08:35.559 you know, whatever it was. You know, I even did judo for 112 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:39.399 a little bit and you know, and there are certain things you could not 113 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:41.840 do in judo that you would do in Jiu Jitsu. So so when I 114 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:46.399 went from wrestling to Jiu Jitsu, it's like, okay, I can fight 115 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:50.600 off my back. All right, I'm not. I don't automatically lose. 116 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:54.440 I got more time to fight. So because, you know, in wrestling 117 00:08:54.440 --> 00:08:58.080 you get pinned, it's like that's it. It's just like, well, 118 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:01.600 that was only twenty, thirty seconds. You give another shocker, you know. 119 00:09:03.480 --> 00:09:05.919 You know what Jiu Jitsu. It really opened up more time on the 120 00:09:05.960 --> 00:09:11.039 Mat, more opportunity to be on the mat compete as much as I wanted. 121 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:15.399 So, you know, transitioning, especially with the techniques and not giving 122 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:20.679 up my back. I mean I would still have terrible habits as a wrestler 123 00:09:20.679 --> 00:09:26.679 going into Jiu Jitsu, but eventually I was able to break them all and 124 00:09:26.679 --> 00:09:30.399 and you know, eventually become more of a Jiu Jitsu guy than I was 125 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:33.679 a wrestler guy, to be honest. All Right, well, Jeff, 126 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:37.879 what uh? Speaking of early Jiujitsu, what do you remember about those early 127 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:41.639 days? Was it? Was it a lot of rough lessons? Was it 128 00:09:41.720 --> 00:09:46.000 a lot of being the he being the nail, as you some people would 129 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:50.679 say? What stood out to you the most? You know, it was 130 00:09:52.279 --> 00:10:01.480 the the type of Jim Culture I was more introduced to was was very, 131 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:07.720 you know, it is a very hobbyist Jim the first gym I was at, 132 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:13.000 and even been when I moved to San Diego and I started training over 133 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:18.080 at Fabio Santo's. You know, there was a lot of like you kind 134 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:22.159 of had to figure things out on your own and, you know, Blue 135 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:26.200 Belt White through purple. You know, I played a lot of trial and 136 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:31.039 air what I had to figure out to get to the next level. And 137 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:37.639 and I did have mentors from time to time try to help me out give 138 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:43.200 me their time. But but as far as competing in sport, I had 139 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:48.279 to I had to cross train, I had to hit up open Matt's, 140 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:54.080 I had to hit up all these different tournaments. I would ask my friends 141 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:56.200 that were also competing, but we're also on you know, they were on 142 00:10:56.279 --> 00:11:03.159 other teams. So I would just pick everyone's brain on what to do, 143 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:07.799 what not to do. What are all the world champions doing? You know, 144 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:11.080 I even thought, you know, if maybe I should take a break 145 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:18.039 from competing and just focus training at the gym to evolve my game so that 146 00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:20.679 when I go back and compete I'll do a little better. And then someone 147 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:24.559 revealed to me as like Nah, Dude, you want to compete all the 148 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:28.840 time, as much as possible. That's how those top competitors get better. 149 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:33.279 Is and it's so from that I was like, all right, I got 150 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:39.080 to compete at every tournament I possibly can get get into that's close by, 151 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:43.600 you know, not too out of the way. So so and so that's 152 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:48.240 cound the most success where your gain just exploded kind of like, you know, 153 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:54.919 it's I I always had these these epiphany moments where, you know, 154 00:11:54.399 --> 00:12:00.399 I would I would go compete or I would go to a you know, 155 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:05.360 a seminar or maybe a training camp and and, like I said, I 156 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:11.639 had to do a lot of my own seeking and searching for for extra work, 157 00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:13.519 you know, especially, you know, and I would do paenams or 158 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:18.440 worlds. I wouldn't make it a point to go to another like high level 159 00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:22.399 gym to train. You know, like I said, some of the gym's 160 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:26.799 I was at was very recreational hobbyists, which, you know, it's totally 161 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:31.559 fine. You know, you definitely need, you know, the the hobbyists 162 00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:35.559 and the recreationalist at the gym. You know that the competitors, they don't 163 00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:41.480 they don't pay memberships. You know, the recreationalist do. But as a 164 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:46.399 competitor, you know you have to be around other competitors in order to, 165 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:52.799 you know, have success. So once I started opening the door more towards 166 00:12:54.000 --> 00:13:01.000 you know, cross training and meeting other guys that were also younger and competing 167 00:13:01.080 --> 00:13:05.600 on a regular basis, I would just constantly pick their brains on what I 168 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:09.759 needed to do. And and some of those friends I'm still friends with eventually 169 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:15.919 became teammates with at autos and, you know, I have a friend that 170 00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:18.399 was when I was a brown belt. He was a blue belt, but 171 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:24.399 he was just a very active competitor and, you know, and even now 172 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:28.559 I still use moosy taught me when he was, you know, a lower 173 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:33.000 rank than me, you know, but just the level of training which where 174 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:37.519 I was at versus where he was and used to you know, was, 175 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:41.919 you know, much different. So once I got around like these types of 176 00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:48.960 individuals, I kind of stuck to them and and try to try to learn 177 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:52.720 as much as I could. You know, that's really what it came down 178 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:58.639 to for me was, you know, meeting other young competitors that have done 179 00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:01.320 well and what are they doing? What do I need to do? So 180 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:09.879 that's pretty much like the majority of my journey from white to to black. 181 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:15.440 All right, so just keep an open mind and being being open to learning 182 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:18.080 from anybody and everyone. That's yes, yeah, that's what I did. 183 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:22.240 You just mind for sure. Thanks, Jeff. So my question is, 184 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:26.080 will you, and this kind of like a two parter question. Yeah, 185 00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:30.279 you mentioned, like you know, the recreational Jiujit Deo, and then you 186 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:33.879 also talked about the competitor. What makes someone, and I this is a 187 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:39.120 question for me, like going watching you guys at atfee feed like I would 188 00:14:39.159 --> 00:14:41.879 consider myself like that, recreational, you know. I you know, I 189 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:46.320 go to work and then I trained, stuff like that, but always interested 190 00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:48.159 in that next level. And they watching you guys, you know at ATC 191 00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:52.759 see it's like okay, yes, I I want to be a part of 192 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:56.559 that life. I want I want to do that. What would you tell, 193 00:14:56.600 --> 00:14:58.720 you know, our listeners who are in the same boat? They want 194 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:05.720 to who get to that competter? What makes someone a competitor or, you 195 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:07.919 know, get to that level? How would you describe it? I think 196 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:13.159 to, you know, be in the category of an active competitor, you 197 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:18.440 know, someone that's, you know, putting in as much training sessions as 198 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:22.879 possible, obviously every day, you know, six days a week, and 199 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:26.519 then also a strength and conditioning and, you know, maybe other sessions. 200 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:31.039 If there's you know, if this person has like a job or career, 201 00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:35.559 which there are guys that are out there that, you know, we've seen 202 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:39.720 as a high level level competitors. They have regular jobs. You know, 203 00:15:39.799 --> 00:15:43.399 I forget who it was at the trials, that one, but he's a 204 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:48.799 lawyer, you know, and I guess he won the trials previously, and 205 00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:54.039 so that tells me that guy is probably, you know, training before and 206 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:58.399 after work or maybe doing some lifting before work and then training after work. 207 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:03.759 But I mean no one, no one gets to win the trials, you 208 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:08.840 know, just simply training, you know, three, four times a week. 209 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:11.759 You know, I think it's a like a six days, six day 210 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:19.720 a week, couple times a day, you know, just seven focus, 211 00:16:21.480 --> 00:16:23.559 you know. But you know, like I said, there there's levels, 212 00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:30.519 there's there there are some guys who are just completely not doing anything. They 213 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:37.039 don't have jobs but have all this free time. Do Compete on a regular 214 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:41.840 basis, but what I put them in the category of being as focused as 215 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:47.600 the guy that's really having a just grind it out even with the job, 216 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:53.519 you know. So those guys who do well as competitors that have other careers 217 00:16:53.639 --> 00:17:00.320 or jobbed as priorities, you know, they they're definitely a competitor. You 218 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:04.279 know, in fact, I commend those guys that have to work a nine 219 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:10.160 hundred and twenty five and and still win. You know, it's that's nuts. 220 00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:12.359 To me. You know, where I see a lot of Jiu Jitsu 221 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:17.160 guys who are all they have to do is go to the gym and train, 222 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:22.119 but their focus isn't as as strong, which which is kind of sad 223 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:26.920 because, you know, it's like you can't waste super if you have all 224 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:30.640 these yes, way, way, definitely, wow, man, Dang. 225 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:36.079 Yeah, that's fucking that's awesome and that awesome. So I is that, 226 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:38.079 like, is that how you got out to California, because I know you 227 00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:41.880 mentioned that you were out in Arizona before you started off. They're like, 228 00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:45.920 how did that happen? How did you transition from Arizona to California? So 229 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:52.240 I was actually very lucky being able to move from Arizona to San Diego. 230 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:56.559 My Dad, he is in the Marine Corps for thirty years and in two 231 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:02.279 thousand and seven have the opportunity to transfer over to San Diego and asked if 232 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:07.680 I wanted to go with and of course I I was more than stoked for 233 00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:11.799 it. You know, I loved California. You know, I've been visiting 234 00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:15.119 California since I was in since I was a baby, but when I was 235 00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:22.440 older and had come up with friends, either to train or hang out. 236 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:27.319 I just like it was just my vibe. So when he, when my 237 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:30.720 dad asked, I was like yes, let's do it. So that's how 238 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:37.640 eventually I got out here. But there was a little are where my dad 239 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:42.400 actually transferred out to Florida and I kind of stayed behind just to stick it 240 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:48.839 out, and then eventually I followed him over to Florida and and trained out 241 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:55.160 there for a year. Wow, okay, so is that? And so 242 00:18:55.400 --> 00:19:00.839 how did you end up back in Sandigo? So He, my dad, 243 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:06.319 actually got transferred back to Arizona, back to the back to my hometown and 244 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:12.759 and so I went back to to Yuma and I had just gotten promoted as 245 00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:18.720 a black belt in two thousand and twelve and and was back at my my 246 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:22.640 original gym. You know that I started off as a white belt and and 247 00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:30.559 my goal going back was to help out the gym train compete as a black 248 00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:38.119 belt. And this was a very small school that only had, I think, 249 00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:45.119 three classes at the time. So I up the schedule so like thirteen 250 00:19:45.160 --> 00:19:52.279 classes a week and so I can get some extra training in teach, you 251 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:57.240 know, give back to my old gym. And during this era when I 252 00:19:57.279 --> 00:20:00.680 was in Yuma, I thought, and so for me at the time of 253 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:03.839 this was huge. You know, my first, I think my first tournament 254 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:07.119 as a black belt was against tanner ice and he was a brown belt world 255 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:15.039 champ. Oh My yes, and and then second tournament was was ver Yoshita, 256 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:21.640 and third ways man. Now, Tara, Dude, you jump right 257 00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:26.359 into the deep ind buddy. Yes, and then both Mendes Bros and then 258 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:33.240 Ben Henderson and, you know, Sameer, Shan Tree, Jackson Suza. 259 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:37.599 You know, it was it was just nuts, it was. And I 260 00:20:37.640 --> 00:20:41.240 was just training in a small town at a smallness, very small gym, 261 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:45.799 just trying to grind it out as much as I could, do as much 262 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:48.920 as I, you know, possibly could based on the information I was getting 263 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:52.400 from, you know whoever, all those other competitors that I was still in 264 00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:59.359 touch with, and eventually it just got to the point where I had to 265 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:04.160 move back to in Diego and and so I, you know, I left 266 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:08.960 my hometown. I ended up rooming with a bunch of Friends of mine that 267 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:15.079 were training at autos and and this kind of like started this, you know, 268 00:21:15.160 --> 00:21:19.440 this interaction with with autos, where I would go in every once in 269 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:22.720 a while the cross chain, but you know, at the time I just 270 00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:26.240 couldn't, I couldn't, you know, I couldn't make ends meet to be 271 00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:32.400 able to, you know, be a member. So I was over at 272 00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:38.559 victory, victory MMA for for a few years, and I trained with Jeff 273 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:45.119 Glover, Dean Lister and Chris Leeban was also my mma coach, you know, 274 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:51.799 at the time. So moving back to San Diego, I was you 275 00:21:51.799 --> 00:21:55.000 know, it was a it was a great opportunity for me to really expand 276 00:21:55.039 --> 00:22:00.599 my Jiujitsu. So, yeah, I just after after a year in Arizona, 277 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:04.279 you know, I just I just couldn't handle it anymore. The heat 278 00:22:04.359 --> 00:22:11.279 is unbearable and and and it's and more more, you know, specifically, 279 00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:15.839 you know, the training wasn't what I needed it to be. So I 280 00:22:15.880 --> 00:22:18.160 just, you know, I had to make the decision. I'm like, 281 00:22:18.200 --> 00:22:22.160 you know, it breaks my heart to have to leave my hometown and and 282 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:26.759 this this cool little gym that, you know, was I was a part 283 00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:30.599 of. But you know, I just gotta, you know, do what's 284 00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:33.400 best for me and and, you know, make that move. And so 285 00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:38.680 I did. And and not honestly, it worked out because training and you 286 00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:41.759 know, training at victory MMA, I never been in a gym where you 287 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:47.799 could train noogie twice a day. You know, the the gym's I was 288 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:52.119 at, from white to black. Prior to that, you know, was 289 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:56.799 a most majority gie focus school and and it's and it's kind of weird because 290 00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:03.480 I was always better in Noogie, even, as you know, coming up 291 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:07.960 as a white, blue, purple Brown. But majority of the events I 292 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:11.160 did we're all gee. But when I finally went to victory, I was 293 00:23:11.400 --> 00:23:15.359 able to train noogie, you know, as much as I wanted and I 294 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:18.480 was just like wow, this is awesome, you know, like these guys 295 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:22.319 don't care if I if I'm never in the yee, you know, which 296 00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:26.519 was a which was kind of like a you know, a weird moment because 297 00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:30.359 I was just so used to training, you know, gie every day, 298 00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:33.839 twice a day. Yeah, that's just kind of the norm, I guess. 299 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:37.640 But as the game evolves, you know, I'm an older Jiugit deal, 300 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:41.599 Jeff, and the more I spend time doing Jiujutsu, the more I 301 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:45.400 start to appreciate Noogie a little bit more. And then, I mean and 302 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:51.359 then just looking at we what we saw on the trials, I never in 303 00:23:51.400 --> 00:23:55.839 my life have ever seen a pace like that weekend. Every match was just 304 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:59.039 go, go, go, get up. There's no rest. He's just 305 00:23:59.119 --> 00:24:03.880 constant. It's an action man. It was awesome and I loved it. 306 00:24:04.119 --> 00:24:07.720 One thing that I that I noticed about you, though, Jeff, like, 307 00:24:07.799 --> 00:24:11.279 from the moment even before your match started, from the moment you you 308 00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:15.480 were in the match, you were completely zoned in, like it I was 309 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:18.880 almost like we weren't even there. And then once the match was over, 310 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:22.720 then you would like acknowledged everybody that was out in the crowd. How did 311 00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:26.279 you keep so mellow, so cool, so reserved when you're waiting for your 312 00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:33.400 match to begin? You know, it's it's definitely taken a lot of a 313 00:24:33.400 --> 00:24:37.119 lot of you know, good losses, bad losses. You know, the 314 00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:45.240 accumulation of competition experience, you know, has allowed me to, you know, 315 00:24:45.400 --> 00:24:48.960 not get two worked up, you know, in the sense and like, 316 00:24:48.039 --> 00:24:55.960 you know, where overthinking things. But I also know what I need, 317 00:24:56.319 --> 00:25:00.480 you know, and and I know some people like to meditate or, 318 00:25:00.519 --> 00:25:04.319 you know, chill out or be quiet or still, but for me it's, 319 00:25:04.759 --> 00:25:08.880 you know, I kind of have to keep myself above a certain heart 320 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:15.400 rate or or, I guess, mental flow where, you know, I'm 321 00:25:15.640 --> 00:25:21.000 I'm about to engage in a very physical activity, you know, or where 322 00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:25.400 someone is, you know, trying to beat me up, essentially. So 323 00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:32.200 yeah, you know it's as far as combat goes. You I've fought MMA, 324 00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:37.920 amateur and pro. I've also boxed. You know, I've done Ebi 325 00:25:37.079 --> 00:25:42.319 shows, Combat Jiu Jitsu shows. You know, it's and I've definitely fight 326 00:25:42.359 --> 00:25:48.079 to win as well, and I've definitely felt nervous in all of it. 327 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:53.279 But you know, this trials, I you know it was it was kind 328 00:25:53.319 --> 00:25:56.920 of like a point where I just told myself, like, you know what 329 00:25:57.079 --> 00:26:00.400 I put in, all the work, I have, all this experience. 330 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:06.440 I warmed up, I drilled the way I needed to. I you know, 331 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:11.279 I cut my weight the way it should have been cut. Just everything 332 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:15.119 lined up perfectly, you know, and and and it's not always that way. 333 00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:18.000 You know, it's you know a lot of people have trial and error 334 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:21.519 where they, you know, mess up on like one or two things or 335 00:26:21.559 --> 00:26:26.720 maybe everything, you know, and but you know, after all this experience, 336 00:26:26.759 --> 00:26:30.240 all these you know, all these moments, you know, it just 337 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:34.799 lined up perfect. We're like, I knew what my game plan was. 338 00:26:34.920 --> 00:26:41.440 I know what to expect. You know, two weeks before trials, I 339 00:26:41.480 --> 00:26:47.480 did the LA open and I got smoked by this young kid. So that 340 00:26:47.519 --> 00:26:51.960 really woke me up. I'm like, okay, this kids in the trials 341 00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:56.359 too, so I gotta, I gotta just, you know, be ready. 342 00:26:56.400 --> 00:26:59.480 You know, it's like no excuses, you know, like I don't 343 00:26:59.480 --> 00:27:03.440 care if I feel tired or or if I feel like I didn't drink enough 344 00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:07.319 water or like, when it's on, it's on. You know, and 345 00:27:07.640 --> 00:27:11.920 do whatever you need to do afterwards, but you know, as far as 346 00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:15.319 right before the mat or the match, getting to the Mat, you know, 347 00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:21.359 and it's just I know everything is lined up the way I needed it 348 00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:26.920 too. So like every match at trials, even my last one, I'm 349 00:27:26.920 --> 00:27:29.680 like, okay, this is it, this is where I send it, 350 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:33.240 this is where I really make it happen, where I put it all together. 351 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:37.559 And you know, and with the amount of like the amount of experience 352 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:41.240 I have them, I'm truly confident and what I have to bring to the 353 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:44.720 table. You're at a level where you trust your Jiu Jitsu. You know, 354 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:47.880 you're fine. Yes, one hundred percent. You know, it's like 355 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:51.799 I know what I'm capable of, I know what I'm not able to do, 356 00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:55.200 you know, as far as like what's in my game what's not in 357 00:27:55.240 --> 00:27:59.720 my game. So it's like once if I just stick to the game plan, 358 00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:03.759 you know, I'm I know I'm going to do more than well, 359 00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:10.680 wow, man, that's definitely on and off the mad. This is definitely 360 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:12.960 like motivational right. You know, listening to this, you know, I 361 00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:15.359 know I listeners are probably going to be, you know, saying the same 362 00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:21.960 thing. You know, but you know, thout your your you know, 363 00:28:22.119 --> 00:28:26.480 career and you know you be doing Jiujitsu, like what would what things have 364 00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:30.839 you had to overcome? You know they you know, do out your route. 365 00:28:30.599 --> 00:28:36.279 Well, you know, obviously you know I was born with with one 366 00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:41.640 hand, but I never felt like that, you know, hindered me. 367 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:45.079 You know, other people always see it as like, as a disadvantage. 368 00:28:45.160 --> 00:28:48.240 You know, for me it's less like this is natural for me, you 369 00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:53.240 know, and I've a beaten so many, you know, people in different 370 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:59.440 combat sports, from wrestling to Jiu Jitsu to him and made a boxing, 371 00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:03.160 you know, even judo. You know, it's never I've never seen it 372 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:07.759 as like, you know what I'm just you know, I'm probably going to 373 00:29:07.799 --> 00:29:11.519 lose this. No, in my head. In my head I'm like winning 374 00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:15.440 every match. I'm like even knocking people out, even though I'm not a 375 00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:22.400 striker, but like that's like my mentality of I'm I'm going to bring the 376 00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:27.400 fight in whatever fight it is. But you know, as far as things 377 00:29:27.400 --> 00:29:33.680 I've had to overcome, you know, I've I've had to modify my Jiujitsu 378 00:29:33.799 --> 00:29:37.759 game for, you know, having one hand, and you know, and 379 00:29:37.799 --> 00:29:44.200 I have a very, you know, somewhat of a Jean Jacques approach with 380 00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:49.559 the Overhook Underhook System. Of course everyone since day one mentioned him. But 381 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:53.920 you know, as far as having one hand, it's been a walk in 382 00:29:53.960 --> 00:29:59.880 the park from me, you know, lifewise compared to you know, I've 383 00:30:00.039 --> 00:30:03.680 had some health issues. You know, the when I moved back from Arizona 384 00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:10.839 back to San Diego in two thousand and thirteen, you know, I I 385 00:30:10.920 --> 00:30:15.640 finally meddled at at the at noogie world's. My first title ever at the 386 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:19.839 world's was that black belt. And then, you know, shortly after this, 387 00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:26.599 you know, I was diagnosed with cancer and hear that and so that 388 00:30:26.599 --> 00:30:30.400 that, you know, definitely took me out of the game for a few 389 00:30:30.440 --> 00:30:36.240 months. You know, I've had these health issues you know where I had 390 00:30:36.279 --> 00:30:40.440 a check up on since high school. You know, cancer happened when I 391 00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:42.799 was twenty six and I've had other things happen, you know, prior to 392 00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:48.039 that, when I was like sixteen, Fifteen. So the these, you 393 00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:55.519 know, medical concerns have have definitely, you know, been somewhat of an 394 00:30:55.519 --> 00:31:00.240 obstacle, but you know, I've always recovered. I've always, you know, 395 00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:06.880 had the proper treatment, you know, did what I needed to to, 396 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:10.559 you know, be healthy again. And you know, and even though 397 00:31:10.599 --> 00:31:15.839 I had, you know, gesticular cancer and I had it removed surgically. 398 00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:19.720 You know, six, seven months after that, I had my first amateur 399 00:31:19.880 --> 00:31:29.200 MMA fight and one and one within like a mini mid a minute thirty. 400 00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:37.079 RNC, you are a monster. Yeah, Daddy, how did you what 401 00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:41.640 did that feel? Man? How did you feel after that? You know, 402 00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:45.640 it felt a lot like that after that win at trials. You know 403 00:31:47.799 --> 00:31:52.079 where I was just my head exploded, you know, it's it was just 404 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:53.920 like I did it. You know, I knew I could do it. 405 00:31:53.960 --> 00:31:57.079 I put my mind to it, you know, and a lot of people 406 00:31:57.119 --> 00:32:01.480 would have probably, you know, taken a break from Jiujitsu or and the 407 00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:07.640 May. I just I was just looking for my my fastest route back to 408 00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:10.759 it and and then just come back with a vengeance, you know, and 409 00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:16.079 prove to you know, myself and everyone around me, because, you know, 410 00:32:16.119 --> 00:32:20.759 I know, I know people doubt me and and it's funny because they 411 00:32:20.759 --> 00:32:27.440 don't. They doubt me till I do something really epic and then they're like, 412 00:32:27.480 --> 00:32:31.559 I knew you could do it, and and so it's just kind of 413 00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:36.319 funny to see people's like attitudes change, you know, when I when I 414 00:32:36.519 --> 00:32:38.640 when I have these like really cool moments, you know, just like the 415 00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:43.200 one at trials, you know, like that that felt a lot like my 416 00:32:43.240 --> 00:32:46.680 first amateur van may fight, you know, getting that real naked choke and 417 00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:51.359 now was, you know, super pumped, and you know I was. 418 00:32:52.000 --> 00:32:57.799 You know, I I can't. It's hard to describe such an awesome feeling, 419 00:32:57.880 --> 00:33:00.880 but just knowing that you like set a goal for yourself and put in 420 00:33:00.920 --> 00:33:05.839 all the work and and totally crushed it. I mean that there's nothing better 421 00:33:05.839 --> 00:33:08.319 than that. That's awesome. Man. You grab this on that. Yeah, 422 00:33:08.359 --> 00:33:12.640 definitely. Do you. Do you ever find like? Do you do 423 00:33:12.680 --> 00:33:17.559 you ever find like people like underestimate you because of that all the time? 424 00:33:19.160 --> 00:33:23.880 All that since day one. You know, I I remember and high school 425 00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:28.680 wrestling, this this other wrestler that I was about to face off with. 426 00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:34.559 He was talking smack to his teammates and and obviously he was talking about me 427 00:33:34.599 --> 00:33:39.160 having one hand and I'm like, Oh hell no, yeah, so, 428 00:33:39.400 --> 00:33:44.119 you know, I remember I picked I like one of my fastest pins ever 429 00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:46.839 in restling, you know, what was against this kid, and I remember 430 00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:53.119 how upset he was afterwards, like he was talking all that smack and then, 431 00:33:53.240 --> 00:33:59.039 you know, totally got owned and, you know, just punched, 432 00:33:59.319 --> 00:34:04.039 hit the Mat, started cursing, you know, and it's and that's not 433 00:34:04.079 --> 00:34:07.960 the only time. You know, I've had other people react the same way 434 00:34:08.039 --> 00:34:15.039 in other situations, you know, pencration and May Jiujitsu. You know, 435 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:20.320 it's it's I don't know, I mean I don't take it personally. I 436 00:34:20.360 --> 00:34:22.719 just find it more funny than anything. Well, man, I can definitely 437 00:34:22.760 --> 00:34:29.599 say watching you on the mats like there's there's no difference, like you definitely 438 00:34:29.599 --> 00:34:32.639 show out on the mads like it. You would. I mean for all 439 00:34:32.679 --> 00:34:36.360 my our veteran listeners, and you know we've listened, you know, have 440 00:34:36.519 --> 00:34:38.920 listened like on our Vecho's episodes or talk about it and they talked about like 441 00:34:38.960 --> 00:34:43.880 missing limbs and stuff like that and, you know, going out there and 442 00:34:43.880 --> 00:34:46.800 competing and, you know, binding Jiujitsu as their way. Like this guy 443 00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:52.400 right here, this is the guy you want to go watch, because it's 444 00:34:52.559 --> 00:34:54.719 like it's not I don't even know what the words are, man, and 445 00:34:55.039 --> 00:34:59.920 watching you out there, it was like what you didn't have. Yeah, 446 00:35:00.360 --> 00:35:04.119 it's rational, man. It was freaking awesome, you know. And if 447 00:35:04.119 --> 00:35:08.000 anybody thinks that, you know, he's you know, to overlooking around. 448 00:35:08.039 --> 00:35:12.960 And Yeah, yeah, leas, it was rick sat yeah, a lea 449 00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:17.079 mistaken, because that that shit was quick that you were on him like it 450 00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:22.679 was like like butter on bread. Man. That was freaking awesome, you 451 00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:25.960 know. And you know, to add, you know, to to this 452 00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:31.199 experience at trials, you know, after the East Coast trials, you know, 453 00:35:31.360 --> 00:35:37.800 I was I was training extremely hard, like it was like a nonstop 454 00:35:37.800 --> 00:35:44.000 camp from what it seemed like July to October. You know, we had 455 00:35:44.039 --> 00:35:50.199 the WHO's number one camp for the rutolo twins, you know, Halfayolla and 456 00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:54.480 kind of, and so we were doing like fifteen minute rounds in that camp 457 00:35:55.559 --> 00:36:00.000 and and it was just so gnarly. And then you know my girl and 458 00:36:00.039 --> 00:36:05.719 I we we did fight twin San Diego, September, October, we didn't 459 00:36:05.719 --> 00:36:10.360 know you worlds. November we did east coast trials. So it was non 460 00:36:10.679 --> 00:36:19.119 stop. But you know, I started to ignore some some some injuries. 461 00:36:19.199 --> 00:36:22.440 You know that we're kind of bothering me, but I was kind of like 462 00:36:22.519 --> 00:36:27.199 just trying to train through it. And and I go to MMA practice and 463 00:36:27.400 --> 00:36:31.519 and we're just doing like simple stuff and I roll and snap my ankle like 464 00:36:31.800 --> 00:36:37.880 really low and this is like a week or two after east coast trials, 465 00:36:37.960 --> 00:36:44.440 so this is back in November. I could not walk correctly or without assistance 466 00:36:44.480 --> 00:36:46.800 for a month or two, I think. I would say like for a 467 00:36:46.840 --> 00:36:52.519 couple months. I needed like crutches, a cane, you knows, limping. 468 00:36:52.679 --> 00:36:55.559 I could not even roll. I would like try to roll with like 469 00:36:55.599 --> 00:37:00.760 my my kids, students, you know, but I'm like that's that's still 470 00:37:00.840 --> 00:37:06.960 a little, you know, uncomfortable. So pay yeah, yeah, a 471 00:37:07.000 --> 00:37:09.400 lot of pain, you know. And so I you know, I did 472 00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:15.280 my rehab. I started to lift, I started to roll, very limited, 473 00:37:15.679 --> 00:37:17.840 you know, there was not so much too much I could do. 474 00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:21.559 You know, if someone was on my leg, I had a tap ride 475 00:37:21.559 --> 00:37:24.679 away, or there was like a weird past they were doing where they were 476 00:37:24.679 --> 00:37:28.519 grabbing my leg. I would just let them pass. You know, its 477 00:37:28.519 --> 00:37:31.360 just like yeah, you got it, you know, and I'm I'm just 478 00:37:31.360 --> 00:37:37.480 getting wrecked and submitted over and over again. So, like, my training 479 00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:42.000 was very, very challenging. You know. It was like man, how 480 00:37:42.000 --> 00:37:44.519 am I going to do at trials? You know, and I still signed 481 00:37:44.599 --> 00:37:47.800 up in January, as soon as they drop the announcement, I got my 482 00:37:50.159 --> 00:37:52.920 I've got my registration, paid for, plane tickets. You know, I 483 00:37:52.960 --> 00:37:58.559 was in, even with my ankle being as messed up as it was. 484 00:37:58.599 --> 00:38:04.679 But you know, to go from that to, you know, doing having 485 00:38:04.719 --> 00:38:08.880 a really good run at trials where I hit moves that I'd been drilling nonstop, 486 00:38:09.079 --> 00:38:13.320 or it's like if I ever going to hit this, you know, 487 00:38:14.039 --> 00:38:17.639 and sure enough, like at that second match, you guys were watching like 488 00:38:17.920 --> 00:38:21.719 that's one of the moves, that one of the back transitions I've been really 489 00:38:21.719 --> 00:38:27.320 working on and Oh man. So it was just awesome for everything to come 490 00:38:27.400 --> 00:38:31.440 together and, you know, and despite the ankle and you know and everything 491 00:38:31.480 --> 00:38:36.079 else, is just like here we are, you know, or there's no 492 00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:40.559 turning back, like we're just who knows, you're always nothing. All in 493 00:38:40.800 --> 00:38:46.119 whot be expect nothing and be pleasantly surprised. You know. Yeah, Jeff 494 00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:49.320 Um, all the listeners out there and all of us, you know, 495 00:38:49.440 --> 00:38:52.280 we all know that you Jutsu's given us so much. You know, some 496 00:38:52.360 --> 00:38:55.239 of us it's delivered us from some God places, help us make friends, 497 00:38:55.280 --> 00:39:00.920 helped us keep friends, showed us to be humble and better people on and 498 00:39:00.119 --> 00:39:04.199 off the mets. What do you feel is the most important thing Jiu Jitsu 499 00:39:04.239 --> 00:39:10.239 has given you? Jiujitsu has given me strong identity, you know, strong 500 00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:15.440 self esteem, confidence. You know I was. I was a very, 501 00:39:15.480 --> 00:39:22.440 you know, shy, timid, you know, easily embarrassed growing up. 502 00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:27.360 You know, I just you know what Jiu Jitsu and, you know, 503 00:39:27.480 --> 00:39:30.079 combat sports in general, it really give. You gave me, you know, 504 00:39:30.280 --> 00:39:35.480 a sense of self, pride and you know, and just knowing, 505 00:39:35.559 --> 00:39:38.199 I could accomplish things that, you know, to a lot of people, 506 00:39:38.280 --> 00:39:45.000 seem damn near impossible for someone in my you know, quote unquote, situation, 507 00:39:45.159 --> 00:39:50.880 you know, or special circumstances. But you know, with with everything 508 00:39:50.920 --> 00:39:53.920 that has happened, you know all the good, all the awesome moments and 509 00:39:53.920 --> 00:39:58.519 and even the low moments help me put things in perspective, you know, 510 00:39:58.760 --> 00:40:04.760 but you it's Jiujitsu has just given me such a strong, healthy lifestyle and, 511 00:40:04.760 --> 00:40:07.360 you know, and confidence I don't think I would have been able to 512 00:40:07.360 --> 00:40:13.480 achieve through anything else. Right on, great answer. Thank you, Jeff. 513 00:40:13.719 --> 00:40:16.760 So, Jeff, I mean. Yeah, head coach in a beautiful 514 00:40:16.800 --> 00:40:21.880 city, Black Belloty, Jiu Jitsu. Some some would say that is already 515 00:40:21.920 --> 00:40:25.960 a lifetime of accomplishments, and they would be correct, obviously. You know, 516 00:40:27.199 --> 00:40:29.480 along with everything else, you know, you mentioned, you know, 517 00:40:29.519 --> 00:40:34.880 combat sports and over you know, coming adversity and everything. What what drives 518 00:40:34.960 --> 00:40:38.440 you and what else would you like to accomplish in the sport? Like, 519 00:40:38.440 --> 00:40:42.719 what's your next level? Where you going from here? You know, my 520 00:40:42.800 --> 00:40:51.400 goal ultimately is to be noogie world champ, noogie Panam Champ, American national 521 00:40:51.519 --> 00:40:59.000 noogie champ. Those are my those are definitely like the titles that I'm chasing, 522 00:40:59.880 --> 00:41:04.639 you know, and what drives me is just knowing that the more I 523 00:41:04.880 --> 00:41:08.159 up my level in Jiu Jitsu, the more I'm I'm able to up my 524 00:41:08.159 --> 00:41:15.000 my programs level, you know, at my my gym and Alpine, the 525 00:41:15.079 --> 00:41:20.480 more I get out there and become, you know, or continue to become, 526 00:41:20.519 --> 00:41:27.000 a strong example to my students and members of what it is to not 527 00:41:28.079 --> 00:41:31.039 give any excuses and just to do your best. You know, and and 528 00:41:31.079 --> 00:41:36.320 I've lost. You know, I've lost a lot of first round, you 529 00:41:36.360 --> 00:41:40.400 know, tournaments. You know, lost for fround matches and you know, 530 00:41:40.960 --> 00:41:45.320 I know and for a lot of people that they shut down mentally or get 531 00:41:45.320 --> 00:41:50.239 discourage and you know that I don't think competings for me, you know, 532 00:41:50.320 --> 00:41:52.159 and if I had, if I had that mentality, I would have quit 533 00:41:52.239 --> 00:41:57.119 I don't know how many times. You know, because because I've because as 534 00:41:57.199 --> 00:42:00.760 much as I've won, I've definitely lost, you know, and I've had 535 00:42:00.800 --> 00:42:05.480 a lot of losses and you know, and I just keep coming back and 536 00:42:05.840 --> 00:42:07.039 you know, because I know I can do well and I know I'm going 537 00:42:07.079 --> 00:42:10.760 to have, you know, a tournament where it's just going to all line 538 00:42:10.840 --> 00:42:16.679 up perfectly for me, especially if I'm consistent with the hard work and you 539 00:42:16.719 --> 00:42:20.880 know, and it continuing to grow and learn. You know, I know 540 00:42:20.960 --> 00:42:25.480 it's just gonna it's bound to happen. You know, probability. You know, 541 00:42:25.639 --> 00:42:30.679 with the amount that you put in, you know it's something's going to 542 00:42:30.679 --> 00:42:34.719 come out, you know. So that's why it's I always follow the the 543 00:42:34.800 --> 00:42:38.400 quote. You know, you miss all the opportunities you don't like take. 544 00:42:38.760 --> 00:42:42.960 So right, yeah, that's that's kind of that's where I'm at. You 545 00:42:42.960 --> 00:42:45.480 know, I've just as long as I if I up my level, everyone 546 00:42:45.559 --> 00:42:49.039 around me levels up, and so do. I mean do you. How 547 00:42:49.039 --> 00:42:52.239 do you balance that, man? I mean how do you balance where you 548 00:42:52.280 --> 00:42:57.519 want to get all that you're doing in this sport and like your personal I've 549 00:42:57.599 --> 00:43:00.519 like you. We were met, talking about how you're on your way to 550 00:43:00.519 --> 00:43:04.599 open Maut with your girlpen and everything. How do you balance all that? 551 00:43:05.079 --> 00:43:09.000 You know, I just make sure to rest when it's time to rest. 552 00:43:10.039 --> 00:43:16.719 You know, I I'll make time to hang out with friends when it when 553 00:43:16.760 --> 00:43:22.320 it works out for everybody. You know, I'm definitely more of a homebody 554 00:43:22.320 --> 00:43:28.039 than I have been in the past. You know, I love San Diego 555 00:43:28.159 --> 00:43:31.400 for so many reasons and and there's been times in my life where I love 556 00:43:31.559 --> 00:43:37.079 the the fun part of San Diego a little too much. You know so. 557 00:43:37.679 --> 00:43:40.760 And and you know I used to be a security guard, bouncer, 558 00:43:40.880 --> 00:43:49.119 security manager over in downtown gas lamp area and a couple different spots and some 559 00:43:49.280 --> 00:43:53.239 stories. Oh, I definitely do, you know, but it was it 560 00:43:53.320 --> 00:43:59.480 was mostly, you know, a job that I needed to help pave the 561 00:43:59.519 --> 00:44:06.360 way or help me continue to chase my Jiujitsu goals and dreams. And I 562 00:44:06.480 --> 00:44:12.000 also have a May at the time. So but now that I'm, you 563 00:44:12.039 --> 00:44:15.360 know, away from all that and I have a school and I train full 564 00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:22.800 time, I I definitely have to, you know, allow myself to rest 565 00:44:22.800 --> 00:44:29.199 correctly and and get in as much of my own down time as possible. 566 00:44:30.679 --> 00:44:35.519 You know, the past few weeks, you know, I was traveling every 567 00:44:35.599 --> 00:44:39.039 weekend. I think four weeks in a row I went to, you know, 568 00:44:39.159 --> 00:44:42.880 somewhere else. You know, I was, you know, went down 569 00:44:42.920 --> 00:44:49.000 to Arizona to to train and teach a couple privates. Following weekend I went 570 00:44:49.039 --> 00:44:55.119 to Ventora to have a super fight with ajagas arm. Following weekend I was 571 00:44:55.159 --> 00:45:00.960 at the La Open, and then the weekend after that I was coaching all 572 00:45:00.960 --> 00:45:07.599 my students and members at World League in del Mar and then last weekend was 573 00:45:07.679 --> 00:45:14.599 Vegas. So this so, needless to say, this week I've been, 574 00:45:14.599 --> 00:45:19.000 you know, I've been resting as much as I can and in let my 575 00:45:19.320 --> 00:45:22.559 body heal and, you know, and now it's like, okay, you 576 00:45:22.599 --> 00:45:28.360 know, I didn't train Friday or or Thursday. So, you know, 577 00:45:28.400 --> 00:45:30.760 I did some Yoga and now I'm going to hit up open Matt on Sundays 578 00:45:30.800 --> 00:45:36.599 and Sundays I usually chill or drill or both. You know, I'll do 579 00:45:36.840 --> 00:45:42.280 we'll do some very light drilling, but, you know, Sundays I usually 580 00:45:42.320 --> 00:45:45.360 don't train, you know. So, you know, I figure let's mix 581 00:45:45.400 --> 00:45:49.599 it up, you know, have that balance. You know, I've rested 582 00:45:49.639 --> 00:45:53.239 a little bit and I've been wanting to come to, you know, Open 583 00:45:53.320 --> 00:45:58.599 Matt at Legion for a while, you know. You know all my friends 584 00:45:58.639 --> 00:46:02.239 have gone. I just haven't gone because Sundays are more, you know, 585 00:46:02.440 --> 00:46:07.679 for me. You know. So, yeah, the rest is very important, 586 00:46:07.679 --> 00:46:10.159 you know, it's that's how I'm that's the only way I'm able to, 587 00:46:10.360 --> 00:46:14.800 you know, keep going, you know. And and last year I 588 00:46:14.840 --> 00:46:17.800 was I was hustling so hard in the in the Jiu jitsu grind, that 589 00:46:17.880 --> 00:46:25.119 I was definitely feeling burnt out, you know. or I would come home 590 00:46:25.159 --> 00:46:30.679 on a Saturday after being at the gym for like six hours teaching, you 591 00:46:30.719 --> 00:46:35.360 know, teaching, drilling, you know, whatever it was, and I 592 00:46:35.440 --> 00:46:39.920 was so tired, I couldn't eat, too tired to like shower, too 593 00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:45.119 tired to I want to do anything, you know. So you know, 594 00:46:45.480 --> 00:46:50.280 this year I'm making it a priority to really we truly have that balance, 595 00:46:50.360 --> 00:46:54.000 you know, and not and not stress so much. You know, if 596 00:46:54.239 --> 00:46:59.079 if I don't need to stress about something, I'm not going to. You 597 00:46:59.119 --> 00:47:04.719 know, it's it's definitely, you know, stressful kill you before anything else 598 00:47:04.760 --> 00:47:09.840 will right. Most definitely don't sweat the small stuff. So that's a perfect 599 00:47:09.840 --> 00:47:15.519 segment to this to this next question. What is there anything that you found 600 00:47:15.519 --> 00:47:19.519 outside of Jiu Jitsu that you think might even help your Jiujitsu or your mental 601 00:47:19.559 --> 00:47:22.559 health? You know, me and my buddy during the pain and Theem you 602 00:47:22.559 --> 00:47:25.840 know, we couldn't train. I wanted to get a mountain bike because I 603 00:47:25.840 --> 00:47:30.039 moved up into the foothills, but I couldn't find one and I ended up 604 00:47:30.079 --> 00:47:35.800 finding a skateboard. Me and my buddy just started skating because we're in the 605 00:47:35.840 --> 00:47:37.079 central valley, we don't have the beach, but when we do get to 606 00:47:37.119 --> 00:47:40.119 the beach we do also like to try to surf, even though we suck 607 00:47:40.199 --> 00:47:45.519 at it, but it's an often distraction, you know, when we're doing 608 00:47:45.559 --> 00:47:50.840 those types of activities, I feel like I'm just I'm in the zone and 609 00:47:50.920 --> 00:47:54.239 nothing else exists. Do you have anything like that? You know, my 610 00:47:54.280 --> 00:47:58.960 girlfriend and I, we like to hike, you know. You know, 611 00:47:59.119 --> 00:48:02.360 a couple times a year, you know. You know, past year or 612 00:48:02.440 --> 00:48:09.480 so we've been going up to big bear and that's it's so awesome to get 613 00:48:09.519 --> 00:48:15.400 away and be in the outdoors and get some fresh air and, you know, 614 00:48:15.599 --> 00:48:21.719 venture out into the into nature and, you know, and and just, 615 00:48:22.000 --> 00:48:27.599 you know, just find some nice relaxing views. But hiking is definitely 616 00:48:27.639 --> 00:48:32.840 something we enjoy. You know, I have surfed in the past, you 617 00:48:32.840 --> 00:48:37.800 know, and and I always you know, my friends, my teammates and 618 00:48:37.800 --> 00:48:39.840 friends, are always like, Ahff, we got to go surfing, you 619 00:48:39.920 --> 00:48:45.559 know, but we haven't. We haven't really made it happy yet. But 620 00:48:45.559 --> 00:48:49.320 that's because everyone's schedules are so busy, you know. It's like, you 621 00:48:49.360 --> 00:48:52.199 know, I have some you know, the some teammates who routolo's. They'll 622 00:48:52.320 --> 00:48:57.519 like always mentioned surfing, but they're always traveling, you know, and I'm 623 00:48:57.559 --> 00:49:01.719 always teaching at my gym and Alpine, so it's kind of hard to find 624 00:49:01.800 --> 00:49:07.280 these you know, these these rendezvous you know, to surf. But yeah, 625 00:49:07.719 --> 00:49:10.800 we're outside of that though, you know. You know, I definitely 626 00:49:12.000 --> 00:49:16.960 enjoy you know, jogging, running at the beach with my girlfriend, hiking. 627 00:49:17.679 --> 00:49:22.280 You know, we'll go check out some parks will, you know, 628 00:49:22.440 --> 00:49:29.039 will definitely treat ourselves to, you know, eating out when we would deserve 629 00:49:29.119 --> 00:49:34.760 it. So yeah, that's kind of like my my goat too. You 630 00:49:34.800 --> 00:49:39.679 know, we recently just did yoga at the studio that, you know, 631 00:49:39.760 --> 00:49:45.320 that I went to a while ago when I first was a you know, 632 00:49:45.360 --> 00:49:47.360 and I was a training as a purple belt. But yeah, you know, 633 00:49:47.440 --> 00:49:51.840 it's these are these are the kind of things I like to do outside 634 00:49:51.880 --> 00:49:53.800 of Jiu Jitsu. That's awesome, man. Well, if you're ever in 635 00:49:53.840 --> 00:49:58.920 the area, we're like forty five minutes from the door of you seventy national 636 00:49:58.920 --> 00:50:01.280 park. There's some nice views out there too. Nice. Yeah, that's 637 00:50:01.280 --> 00:50:06.559 definitely something we're always planning, like her and I are like trying to plan 638 00:50:06.760 --> 00:50:09.760 some, you know, National Park visits or, you know, the red 639 00:50:09.800 --> 00:50:15.199 woods or you know just anything that's, you know, breathtaking. We recently 640 00:50:15.199 --> 00:50:20.320 were in Colorado, you know, we went up there for our birthday and 641 00:50:20.360 --> 00:50:25.400 it was I mean we denver is not the best repertation representation of Ardo. 642 00:50:27.079 --> 00:50:30.760 Yeah, once we got outside of Denver, you know, we went to 643 00:50:30.760 --> 00:50:34.519 a red rock amphitheater. It was yellow. NOPE, amazing. Yeah, 644 00:50:34.800 --> 00:50:37.400 I used to live live out there, so, yeah, I could definitely 645 00:50:37.480 --> 00:50:39.280 test for that, man. It's awesome. Well, Jeff, that was 646 00:50:39.280 --> 00:50:43.199 my last question, because do you have any more questions for Jeff? No, 647 00:50:43.440 --> 00:50:45.360 man, no, sure don't. Well, Jeff, thank you so 648 00:50:45.440 --> 00:50:49.079 much, man. We're going to let you get going to your open man 649 00:50:49.159 --> 00:50:52.039 over there. It has been an honor, my brother. Thank you so 650 00:50:52.159 --> 00:50:54.519 much for taking time out of your day answer all our questions. Like I 651 00:50:54.599 --> 00:50:59.239 mentioned before, you really are true inspiration. Jeff. Thank you so much, 652 00:50:59.280 --> 00:51:01.079 man. I feel, and I mentioned this again, I feel like 653 00:51:01.119 --> 00:51:05.639 our Jutsu just leveled up and hopefully all, I'm sure I know all the 654 00:51:05.639 --> 00:51:09.280 listeners out there feel the same way. Thank you so much again. And 655 00:51:09.559 --> 00:51:13.599 is there anyone you'd like to mention or think before we wrap this up? 656 00:51:14.559 --> 00:51:21.159 Yes, definitely like to thank all my sponsors, my lucky gie, the 657 00:51:21.159 --> 00:51:27.360 the Jiujitaro. Obviously I'm wearing Jiujitaro, sure, right now. Yeah, 658 00:51:27.400 --> 00:51:34.480 I'll also electron performance auto's HQ. I'll Pine Jiu Jitsu, which is my 659 00:51:34.519 --> 00:51:37.920 home gym that I teach at. You know, like to thank my girlfriend, 660 00:51:37.960 --> 00:51:44.079 who's also a Badass purple belt. You know, she competes at every 661 00:51:44.159 --> 00:51:47.920 tournament that I'm at as well. You know, she's a huge, huge 662 00:51:47.960 --> 00:51:52.880 part of why my life is what it is now, you know, and 663 00:51:53.119 --> 00:51:58.960 recent years, my my Jiu Jitsu and my health has leveled up so much 664 00:51:59.039 --> 00:52:04.880 because of her, her her positive influence on me and, of course, 665 00:52:04.920 --> 00:52:08.920 all my friends and teammates. You know, that shows love and support and 666 00:52:08.920 --> 00:52:14.760 and especially all the new people out there that showed love after the trials. 667 00:52:14.960 --> 00:52:20.480 Appreciate everyone that was you know, you know, became a fan. Hey, 668 00:52:20.639 --> 00:52:23.599 yeah, man, make you so much. Yeah, thank you so 669 00:52:23.679 --> 00:52:29.039 much. After on that, I really we really appreciate you coming on the 670 00:52:29.079 --> 00:52:30.800 show, man, I and I reached out to you. I I said, 671 00:52:30.840 --> 00:52:36.320 man, super motivational. Watched your match and was like blown away. 672 00:52:36.360 --> 00:52:38.880 I mean, everyone out there is competing, you know, I mean the 673 00:52:38.880 --> 00:52:43.599 whole weekend was was amazing. But yeah, watching you out there getting it 674 00:52:43.639 --> 00:52:47.559 done, doing it that by that you had before during your match afterwards. 675 00:52:47.679 --> 00:52:52.159 Yeah, loved it, man, you know, and you know, definitely 676 00:52:52.159 --> 00:52:53.840 going to you know, be looking for you again out there on the mats 677 00:52:53.840 --> 00:52:58.199 watching, you know, watching your next one, your next win here and 678 00:52:58.239 --> 00:53:00.880 there and man, thank you so much for coming on the show. Of 679 00:53:00.880 --> 00:53:05.559 course. No. Thank you guys again for having on true honor man. 680 00:53:05.599 --> 00:53:07.679 Thank you so much, Jeff. That's a wrap, jiujit deals. We 681 00:53:07.760 --> 00:53:12.360 hope you enjoyed that interview. Hopefully it inspired you guys as much as it 682 00:53:12.440 --> 00:53:15.880 inspired us. Jeff, keep doing your thing, brother. We would love 683 00:53:15.960 --> 00:53:19.480 to have you come back on here when you got some extra time. Take 684 00:53:19.559 --> 00:53:22.800 care. Until next time, Jug deals, keep rolling and training and we 685 00:53:22.840 --> 00:53:25.639 hope to hear from you soon. Peace. This is the motivation.