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Friends and Competitors
25 May 2009 5:24PM
I've entered myself to compete again in the Grappler's Showdown this year. I competed last year confident that I'd be the biggest girl there and though I'm against competing against smaller weight classes I figured that my lack of training and preparation would make up for my weight advantage. Of course when I got there I was surprised to see that the other two women entrants were similar in size. After taking home the bronze last year I vowed to myself that if I were to compete again I would actually read the rules and train for it.
And so here I am on a train to Gravesend with my BJJ coach. I was originally going to train with my good friend Kath but her coaches said it was out of the question since we're both competing. Which is fair enough. It's always a mildly dreadful scenario competing against your mates. Where I train MMA and compete at 66 kg - 73 kg and Kath trains grappling, wrestling, bjj and competes at under 58 kg it seemed fairly unlikely we would ever be competitors.
It's a bit awkward since we're really good mates but she was absolutely fine when I asked if she had any objections to my competing (where its not my scene, it seemed only fair to check that I wasn't encroaching on her territory). I find tournaments tricky since the rules are so different but since it's in London and my BJJ coach is insistent, I thought why not.
The waiting is nearly over for both my fight footage and the opening of my gym. They apparently posted the footage on DVD this weekend so as soon as t arrives I'll have to post it online. My gym opening is less straightforward.
Pancrase London is on hiatus while Jess Liaudin focuses on his fight career. PL's head instructor Paul Hines is now at the MMA Clinic in Angel. They're holding opening day event on Sunday 31st May 2-7 so anyone interested in checking it out or having a roll or spar with me are welcome to drop by.
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