Like many of my classmates at Texas Tech University in 2009 I would love to go out to a Buffalo Wild Wings or other type of sports bar/restaurant to watch UFC events and cheer on our favorite fighters. To that point in my life I had only trained in striking martial arts such as karate or boxing. But it was always the submissions and cage control of Jiu-Jitsu that would keep my attention locked onto the screen
Around this time, one of my roommates started taking Jiu-Jitsu classes offered through the university as a physical education credit. As it turned out, at the time, there was one Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Lubbock (Pittman's Academy) and the owner taught the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu basic curriculum in the mentioned university physical education class. He then offered students of the class a discount to come sign up at his academy.
Needless to say, after my roommate started there a few weeks, I decided to give it a try. My time there was short-lived, as I graduated from Texas Tech in the Spring of 2009.
It would be roughly two years before I trained Jiu-Jitsu again, as money and time were both issues as a new college grad, with little discipline in finances and overextending myself.
It would not be until 2011, after my job relocated me to Killeen (Fort Hood), Texas that I would finally start my true Jiu-Jitsu journey.
Even though I do not recall the exact date, I can still remember the first conversation with Hector Ruiz at Twin Wolves Martial Arts. At the time when I started it was very small / pieced together academy, with an instructor who was a purple belt at the time. Very far from the established beautiful academy Hector and the Ruiz family have built today. It was here, as an eager white belt, I would talk to Hector about how one day I was going to become a World Champion and travel the world competing in Jiu-Jitsu. Always supportive he would chuckle and tell me to go for it.
In the middle of 2012, I took advantage of an work opportunity and volunteered for a 12 month deployment to Afghanistan. I was truly fortunate, in that while on deployment, I was able to find like minded people who also trained Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and Judo. We would get together 6 nights a week to train and watch matches. There was no true instructor who led formal classes, but it gave each one of us an nightly stress release and kept the limited Jiu-Jitsu we knew fresh in our minds.
I recall watching the first Metamoris while there as well. Seeing Lovato pressure passing, Glover vs Terra playful match and Galvao utter match dominance.
Upon returning stateside, I relocated back to San Antonio. Eager to continue training, I began to look for places to train. One of my first stops was at the newly established Gracie Barra San Antonio. This is where I met Professor Fabiana Borges and begin to learn under a true set curriculum.
I would slowly attempt to compete in local tournaments, mainly Houston or Dallas, with little to no success. Though as IBJJF Worlds approached in 2014, I took a leap of faith in myself and decided to sign up. I was a blue belt at the time, and wanted to feel the energy that I had witnessed in the countless videos I had watched while in Afghanistan.
It was here that I got the first taste of being on the "big stage" and finding that I feeling of belonging. I would go on to only win a few match, losing in the quarterfinals. I left not winning any medal, but instead with newly found confidence and desire to travel and compete everywhere I could.
After a year at Gracie Barra, I decided to make a change and begin training at Pinnacle Martial Arts. I credit my instructor here, Matt Fox, as the main reason I was able to have the success between October 2015 - October 2016; winning multiple IBJJF Open Double Golds, 2016 Europeans Gold, 2016 Pans Open Class Gold, and 2016 Masters World Open Class Silver medalist. Even today on the limited times I return to San Antonio, I always make sure to stop by and train with my former teammates and friends that help catapult me in my Jiu-Jitsu path.
In late 2016, I received a promotional opportunity to move back to the DFW area. Before ever making the move, I already knew where I wanted to begin training once settled there. Alvarez Jiu-Jitsu, owned and operated by Professor Danny Alvarez was it. I had known of Professor Alvarez for sometime before moving to DFW was ever a thought. I knew going into his academy that he would hold me accountable and push me to reach the goals I discussed with him personally. His style of coaching and teaching helped me focus much more on the details of each movement and string moves together with an intent purpose. It is here I finally reached my goal of winning my weight division at Pans, something I had fallen short on in the previous two years.
One of my proudest moments in Jiu-Jitsu was the night I was awarded my Brown belt from Professor Alvarez; this is the only belt promotion I can truly tell people the actual date. I have no doubt had I never moved to Philadelphia, I would be a world champion under Professor Alvarez.
For personal reasons, I made the move from DFW to the Philadelphia PA. Once settled into Philly, I began to train Jiu-Jitsu at BJJ-United under Jared Weiner. I would train here for roughly a year before sustaining an injury in training that would sideline me from Jiu-Jitsu for the next 7 months.
It was at the time I began to feel comfortable to return to training (mainly drilling and technique) that I was introduced through my girlfriend to Professor Buiu, of Carlson Gracie Miami / Ghost Squad Jiu-Jitsu. After only a few conversations and interactions during visits to Miami, I knew that Professor Buiu was a genuine individual who cares for his students and all that Jiu-Jitsu can bring to ones life. His classes and students show a variety of unique styles that push me each and every time I walk through the doors. I feel blessed to now represent Ghost Squad BJJ.