Last fight, AKA the one I lost. Senpai Gene and Vlad in the foreground at the beginning. This guy made it through his first round on a technicality (his opponent clipped his chin with punches twice, which is an official warning against him) but did pretty well throughout, though he got some lucky matches. He opened wide when he kicked so I meant to get in and get him but… well, after that head kick, I felt myself do the stanky leg and knew I was rocked enough to where I would be injured if I kept going. Altogether, great fights and great tournament experience!
Fight two. This guy’s kicks were insane in his first fight so my motto was ‘get close and stick to him so he can’t throw high’. I was handsomely rewarded by not getting kicked in the head. Senpai Gene and Senpai Rob both told me to do a switch step then kick high and I sure did… but he could hear em too and expected it. Nevertheless, one of em landed in that last instant there, earning me a half-point (waza ari), just enough to clinch the match for me. He went on to win third place.
First fight. Holy shit, this guy had 25 pounds on me and was a bulldozer. My strategy was to use sabaki movement, get to the side and drive knees. Boy howdy did I do exactly one of those things. When the extension was called, I straight up thought I was gonna pass out, but when we got back into it, it turned out he was more gassed out than me. Thanks to Senpai Rob in my corner for the instructions and for warning me that it would be going the extra minute
crowley, i wish i could talk to you again. just to know what happened and get closer. just to vent about how i was in love with you and you never loved me back, despite everything you said and the couple of times you held me. just to apologize for bothering you by coming by where you work even though i tried to avoid you when i was there. just to commiserate about how we both loved mal and both lost them. just to hold your hand and be just friends again, like freshman year, way before i caught feelings