A good week...

Blue Belt...
Yup to start off with the first big news; I just got my blue belt on Monday.

Gordo gave it to me in front of the class and obviously I was quite happy. It was the end of the evening class and he was giving the customary closing speech, in Portugues of course, so naturally I was tuned out but heard “faixa… blah blah… he doesn’t speak much portugues… Pacquiao (what everyone's been calling me here)”

The best part though was at the end of the class when we did the customary “shake everybody's hand” and I got to shake the hands with many of the people that have helped me along the way to achieve my blue belt. Even if I had only rolled with them once or they just gave me a few pointers on a certain technique, it was a real honour for me to get to look them in the eye and say "Obrigado."

After an afternoon session with Dennis


Me with Rommel, Dennis and Gordo



Private and guest appearance...
On Thursday I had a private in the afternoon with Gordo and I didn't know exactly what I wanted to cover but I mentioned "top game" and he seemed to go over some spots that I'd been having some trouble with. It was almost like he knew all the exact positions I wanted to cover. Private went good and once again I was shown more than enough things for me to work on let alone remember.

One funny thing was that a black dog randomly came into the gym and was jumping around happily all over the mats and even came up to us jumping all over trying to lick everybody. One happy dog that was. Eventually the owner came in and managed to get him off the mats and settled down.

After the private I was planning to just rest, but of course I wanted to try out some of the things I'd just been shown. So of course I stayed behind, and was glad that I did. Because while we were being shown the technique for the day, none other than Kyra Gracie rocked up to train. Needless to say I was pretty stoked/starstruck but did my best to look normal. I think I was just as starstruck seeing her than Vitor Belfort or Mario Sperry, but to be fair I wasn't 100% sure if it was Vitor or just a guy that looked like Vitor lol.

Unfortunately I didn't get to roll with her (and no... not in that way!). Which would of been cool because we're about the same size and weight I think, or to see her roll because I was busy rolling too (which was probably a good thing because I ate beans for lunch and had gas lol). But I did manage to get a really nice group photo after the class. I wanted to ask for an individual one but didn't want to be one of those "annoying fanboys" interrupting a conversation with friends asking for a pic, hopefully she shows up again so I can get one.

After the 6:30pm evening class



While it was cool to meet Kyra Gracie and more than awesome to finally receive my blue, I realise how much further I got to go in this game especially after rolling with high coloured belts and getting smashed as per usual. Like on Thursday morning when I got to roll with Antonio Braga Neto and the only way I could describe it was like “getting my ass kicked in slow motion” lol. He went REAL slow and light on me and I tried my best to remain relaxed and not spaz out (giving him my arms etc.) but he was still all over me like a wet blanket. Pretty much he was just waiting for me to make a mistake. Which I knew, he knew and I was trying my best not to, but to no avail.

When I look back and think of all the work that I've put in to get here, it makes me realise that there's a LOOOONG road ahead. But like they say "it's the journey and not the destination," and what a journey it has been so far!