My 1st BJJ competition experience. Part 1.

BJJ Borneo & CORE Fitness hosted the 1st BJJ tournament in Malaysia on the 26th November at the Suria Sabah, T2 area. The event was coined: "Headhunters Challenge: BJJ & Submission Grappling Tournament".

When the news 1st came out, my friend Ryan Yong asked if I was interested to join. I have not rolled or grappled for about a year; but the idea of being at the 1st BJJ tournament in the whole Malaysia was definitely enticing.

At that time, the date of the event happen to clash with my fiancee's sister (Sarah) wedding reception at Kampung Papar (an hour drive from town), besides that I was going to get married 2 months later, so the idea of getting injuries sure didnt seem like a good idea... so I turned down the idea of joining the event.

Then a day right before the competition, I got a call from Neil (one of the organising member of the event) and he asked if I would like to join. As fate would have it, Sarah's reception got pushed to a much later hour. Neil explained that my weight category only had 3 competitors, and that I should join for fun and experience. Originally I still did not plan to compete and I think I turned him down a 2nd time, but I did promised him I would find him some one.

After a few phone calls, I only manage to get 1 friend "considering" about it. At that point I was thinking to myself... "You know... this is the 1st BJJ tourney held in Malaysia & hosted in K.K. ... ... ... you wont get a 2nd chance as most tourneys are hosted in Manila, Singapore & Bangkok... heck you might not get to compete after you get married."

I think that just dawned on me to join the competition. So the next call I made was to my fiancee and she agreed to let me join! Love you baby.

I SMSed Neil my weight & my name. Was pretty scary considering the lowest weight category I could join to compete was a "under 65kg category"; I was only 60kg.

The night before the event I suddenly started to think of all sorts of negative stuff:

1. I haven't grapple for a year now & the only proper BJJ lesson I ever had was only about 9 months of basics.   
2. I'm under weight, my opponents would most likely kill me.
3. What if I really get injured in the competition? I think my fiancee and soon-to-be in-laws arent gonna be please.
4. What are you goin to do if you get caught in a kimura / RNC / traingle / mount / omaplata / gogoplata / etc...
5. I had no idea how the BJJ points system works.

I had to shut my mind from all that, so I put on some happy DVD to keep my mind off things...

The next day morning I got to Suria Sabah early, the orgnisers already placed a mat ready and an organiser's table...

While waiting for things to start, was watching some escape moves in my Iphone. When the time came to call for weight in, I lined up like everyone else. Hopped on the scale... it was a digital scale and didnt compute for about 3 times when I got on it... finally my weight was on the display: 58.5kg ... ... ... My heart sank... I should be allowed to compete in the girl's category...

Regardless the competition was about to start and I wasn't going to chicken out now. So I waited like everyone else till the rules briefing...

(Tune in for Part 2 of: My 1st BJJ competition experience).