I’m doing research right now on the governing body of the UFC. It’s crazy because there is very limited information on this topic. Zuffa and Dana White are very closed to their business practices and information. This leads me to a situation, which occurred last night at the NCGA in Waukesha. Two young and hungry teams gathered at Waukesha MMA to come face-to-face in the first round of team competition. Gracie Barra Wisconsin and Red Schafer MMA.
I had a huge vested interest in this match up. Gracie Barra Wisconsin is where I received ALL of promotions in Gracie Jiu Jitsu except the one, which gave me a Blue Belt (I received an offer to accept a Blue Belt, but I didn’t accept it). I met Dave Rosenmarkle and his amazing wife, Kelly, right as they were preparing to open their first Jiu Jitsu academy in Wisconsin. Originally, I’m from Arkansas. I was researching Jiu Jitsu academies in Arkansas and ran across, Professor Brian Davis. Prof. Davis is a Black Belt under Master Carlos Gracie. Wow!!! Can you believe it? In Arkansas!!! I emailed Prof. Davis who told me about a Jiu Jitsu academy in Kenosha being opened by one of his Brown Belts and close friends. Dude, Kenosha is 40-minutes south of me. “I’m on it!!!”
After emailing then calling one another several times, Dave and I connected. I drove down to Kenosha, somewhere I’ve NEVER been before to meet this Gracie Barra Brown Belt. When I met Dave, he and Kelly were in the basement of a downtown building full of boards, plaster, boxes, etc. We talked for about five minutes before I joined them cleaning up the area, which would soon become the home to Gracie Barra Kenosha (later Wisconsin). I trained with Dave and the GB Combat Team for nearly one year. It was great. Dave is a real friend. He and Kelly truly invited my family into their world and accepted us as their own.
Feeling the blast from the economic crunch and several life altering things occurring at once, I could not make it to Kenosha as regular and then not at all. One year pasted and I returned to GB Wisconsin (now) for a visit. Dave accepted me with open arms in front of the entire academy. Dave, knowing my financial burden and still believing in me, requested I return to the academy and just train. I tried it for a few weeks, but my transportation broke down on me and that was the end to that. I saw him at Combat Corner Vol.6 and attempted to speak to him, but I guess he was too busy. I don’t get the team text messages anymore or the invites to UFC Events, but it’s cool.
Today, I train at Red Schafer MMA with a group of super-cool guys and gals. Red was my first Jiu Jitsu coach when we were at Henry Matamoros Brazilian Jiu Jitsu School in Bay View. Red’s school is, literally, less than five minutes from my house. The school is growing and very promising. So when the two teams met this weekend, I felt compelled to go and represent my loyalties to both. I decided not to go. The end result was Red Schafer MMA dominating Gracie Barra winning all, but one match up.
The dynamic and amazing part of the night was Gracie Barra’s Rob Carbal. This guy is super-cool. Rob is a big boy, but moves well and has pretty good submissions. Rob was recently awarded his Blue Belt and even trained 8-weeks with the Fight Team to become a member of the GB Fight Team. Rob represented GB at the NCGA in the 265 Division. Rob drew a bad match up. He was matched up with Red Schafer himself. Red, a 205er, BJJ Black Belt (under Henry Matamoros and Pedro Sauer), and professional MMA fighter, caught Rob in a Triangle to win the divisional match up. The dynamic part is that Rob knew about Red and knew who he was facing and still showed up for the competition. He was nervous and may have been scared, but he showed up and he and faced the BJJ Black Belt.
I’ll always be part of the GB Family here in Wisconsin and I hope one day we can put what other people say on the table. “GB Wisconsin, watch who you confide in and befriend. And remember not to delete them from social network Friends Lists or you will be on their bad side as well.”
No comments:
Post a Comment