I don't think they have posted the results yet. www.utahchampion.com
I entered two divisions this time thinking that I'll get some more mat time and also gives me a chance to see what the big guys feel like.Just to fill you in on how it works: No time limits, No points, If you tap or give up you lose. Can't punch or kick just twist the other person until they cry uncle.
This time around Brandon L., Nate, and John Bate went with me. We had to leave pretty early to get down to Orem. We had to what for them to get all set up before I could weigh in for my second division, didn't need to worry about it for the first one because it's called Absolute meaning that there is no weight class just open weight. Kind of like the undesputed title, if you take this your the best one there. I weighed in at 171 lbs. and thought that would be just right because me the second division I was doing broke down from below 155, 155-171, 172-200, and 200 and up.
First Round: I had Cody Undy ranked 18th last year in the State, pretty good because there are a lot of grapplers. I took him down and was able to mount pretty easily. I had been watching Youtube all day before and had seen a neck crank that is almost a backwards rearnaked choke that your push down on the forehead and squeeze the back of the neck. It worked and I got him to tap. I was pretty nervous because he's a really good grappler.
Second Round:Steven "The Razor" Sharp was who I had to go against (he's in the picture with the belt). Good luck for me he had a hard match the round before. I totally understand what GSP was talking about when he said how intimidating it was to fight Matt Hughes. I've watched Sharp for years on T.V. and about 1/2 a dozen people who I've seen fight in W.E.C. and on the Ultimate Fight and Sharp has kicked their Butts. So I was very careful not to get triangled. I took him down and landed in side guard he pulled half guard. he locked down hard on my leg and I knew it wasn't going to be easy to get out of his half guard. We fought for position and I ended up going back to our feet. My take downs proved to be on game this day and I they felt very good. I took him down again and he rolled away from me so I isolated and arm and stepped over for an armbar he locked up his hands, I switched t a bicep cutter and then made sure he didn't stack me. I kept him on his back and pulled back hard and got him to tap from the arm bar. I was very excited in side but kept it to my self because I knew I was in the Finals and that I had just caught one of the best Grappler's in the state(5th last year). I wanted to jump up and down because I really thought there was noway I'd get him, but I was afraid he'd beat me up If I did that.
Finals: Ben Garner is a stud and you could tell he's a nice guy you would never want to piss off. Kind of like Mel Gibson in the "Patriot" or that guy in "Taken". I could tell from our first hook up that he was stronger than the others I had gone against, I knew I was in deep water. I took him down and gained side guard. I isolated an arm and was going to go for a key lock and I think he put me into full guard. I need to watch the video again, but I remember we got back on our feet and I took him down again. I think at one point I mounted him just for about a second, he passed. I also remember trying to secure a guillotine choke and couldn't secure guard on him. I had to fight off a mean heel hook, and then I think he took my back in a scramble and locked on a body triangle. I tried to spin out of it but man they are tight when they get locked on. He sunk in a rear naked choke and I tapped. I'll review the tapes and fill you in on the other division.
Second Division was shaping up to be good competition. My first round the tournament guys must of felt bad for me and gave me a bye. Second round I had to wait for a while because he was a ref on the other mat. He was a little small for the class, but he actually felt pretty strong. I took him down and when I shot in I almost went right past him. I kind of just had to hold on because he started rolling all over the place, during this he left his neck out and I locked in a guillotine choke. I thought he was going to tap sooner but he hung in there. I could hear him gasping and could see one side of his neck where he was still getting blood to the brain, so I made a fist and pushed my knuckles into his neck. That did the trick.
I was back in the finals and had my work cut out for me we waited forever! The Kid I had next had legs that could go anywhere. Every time I thought I had a move locked on he could pull half guard and take the pressure off. I had his leg behind his head and reached around with my left hand to lock it in, he didn't even blink. He put me in 5-6 ankle hooks and I has able to get out of them. I really wish I knew more ankle locks because his where exposed but I didn't know what to do. I tried an a straight ankle lock and thought his shin was going to break, but he never tapped. He finally caught me in a knee bar about 20 min's into the match. I wasn't going to fight that move to much, because one of my buddies popped his hamstring just a few weeks before with that same move. It was a fun day I had the first match of the tournament and also the last.
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