Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

Fighting 101
Never underestimate your opponent, whether they men or women, young or old, big or small. Never underestimate your opponent, that’s fighting 101. I wish I knew that back then, it would save me a few bruises, and scrapes; but I was overconfident and cocky. I thought with all my experience and training no one would be able to beat me. I was young, and foolish. If I had known this I'd probably come out of the incident with far less injuries. But I guess like some people, I had to learn the hard way.
Back in high school, I believe the middle of the school year, my brother Josh along with my cousin Nate, and I had joined a mixed martial arts tournament. The tournament was for years seventeen to twenty-five. So basically, the tournament consisted of high school students and under-grad college students. It didn't matter whether they were male or female; if you were in that age bracket you were able to join in. The tournament had a prize of two thousand dollars, for first place, and a thousand for the runner up. Josh, Nate and I had been training with our friends for the tournament two months prior to the event, so we were confident in our abilities. Josh and Nate were excellent fighters. Josh being an adept user of Tae Kwon Do, Wrestling, as well as a street brawler; was quick on his feet, and enjoyed surprising people with immense upper body strength that rivaled that of my own, despite his short height. Nate on the other hand was almost as fast as Josh, specializing Wrestling, Chinese Kenpo, and Kick Boxing. Nate was a weird one, being as tall as I was he was capable getting low that even a midget couldn't kick him (a story for another time). The guy was pure muscle with out an ounce of fat on him. Though they were my family, I knew both Josh and Nate would be my fierce competition, and they felt the same way about me. We all prayed we didn't have to face each other in the early rounds.
When we entered where the tournament was to be held, a place called "Oriental Gardens", a small area with in wooded gated area. Accessible to the public, and usually used to host events or used as tourist attraction in Chicago. It was across a few streets from our High School, and on a man made island. We spent a lot of time there, in our youth so we knew the area well. The garden had its own pond, where fish swam; at the mouth of the pond was a water fall. At the top of the water fall, at the height of the gardens was a small dojo, the size this class room. It was open, so there were no walls, only six pillars holding up the roof. The floor of the dojo was concrete blocks. There were about eight of them if memory serves. Around the concrete floor was cherry oak wood, used as waiting area or where the referee would stand. Beneath that were steps to enter the dojo, on the North and South ends. It was truly beautiful sight, and one of the main reasons we came to the Oriental Gardens after school.
As we entered the Oriental Garden, we surveyed the competition. There were people we didn't know, and a few we did. The main person, I noticed was Randall, you see Randall and I had a history of violence. Every chance he had, he's tried to put me in the hospital in some way or form, and each attempt I've overwhelmed and defeated him. So seeing him here, gave me another opportunity to fight him. Josh noticed him too, and started to laugh when he saw the look on my face, knowing what I was thinking. See Josh knew me better than anyone that I know, even my own mother. He's been my longest friend, and I'm proud to call him my brother. He's had my back in my worse of times, cheered me up when I was at lowest, and was there when I was at my happiest; so when I found out about this tournament I had to ask him to come along with me, Nate wanted to come just to have something to do as always.
Waiting for about thirty minutes for the announcer to show up, wearing an all black suit, with a white button up shirt and black tie. The guy was white, with black hair, slicked back with gel, and smoothly shaven face. He had a scar on his chin, the kind you get from brawling, and from the looks of it, he most likely got it when he was younger. "You guys ready to Brawl?!" The announcer called out from his microphone, a smirk on his face as we all cheered 'Yeah!’ It wasn't a true shocker, we were all dressed for combat, and wanted that prize money. "That's good, we have a big group, and that's good. The more the bloodier I always say. Okay so the rules are simple, no eye gouging, biting, hits below the belt. No killing blows, no neck breaking but other bones is fine. Any and all injuries will be saw to by are on hand medical team, and remember we are not responsible for any all injuries while you are participating in this competition." He looked his left and pointed to a group of men in white jumpsuits, with red crosses on the back. "These are medical teams." He looked his right, and pointed to a man in a white and black vertical striped jacket, with black pants, and black shoes. "This is your referee. John why don't you fill them in on how matches are won." John would nod, and make his way onto the dojo. Taking the microphone from the announcer, he cleared his voice. "Good afternoon. The matches are three, five minute rounds. In order to complete the match you must either win by knock out, technical knock out which is when I deem the loosing fighter incapable of completing the fight, and submission. You can also be disqualified if you continue to break the rules for more three warnings. Also the announcer failed to mention, there will be no weapons of no kind, though MMA styled, boxing, bare knuckle boxing, and studded gloves are allowed. If you are wearing rings please give them to me before the match, even if they are wedding bands you are not permitted to wear them into fights. Please remove all necklaces, chains and any other pieces of jewelry that can be used to accidently strangle you or your opponent. We want a clean and honorable fight." John ended what he had to say with a "Thank you" and returned the microphone to the announcer. "Well you heard the man, now that you know the rules memorize them. Your fights will be selected at random for fairness, to prevent you from fighting twice in the row; once you win you are placed in a new bin for next round to be selected. There are twenty of you so there will be five rounds, the last two with semi-final and final rounds. The looser goes home; the winner goes to the next round until there's only one. Understand?" Once again we all replied "yeah", and waited for the names to be called.
It was a while before my name was called, three fights had gone on already, and Josh and Nate were waiting just as eager as I was. Then the announcer called my name. "Maurice Gatewood! Versus! Randall Hermendaz!" A smirk came to my face, as I looked over at Randall who hadn't realized I was here until my name was called. I quickly jumped into the ring, my heart racing with excitement. This wasn't my first time fighting in front of the crowd or against my opponent so I wasn't nervous or intimidated. I had an idea of how my opponent operated in fight, and unless Randall went under some kind of special training, I still had the advantage. The only downside was that Randall knew how I fought as well. Being versed in Muay Thai, Wrestling, Boxing, as well brawling; I've used my wrestling and brawling skills against Randall never seeing him as worthy of my other styles, but I've come to realize in the times we fought, he was slowly, but surely, adapting to my style. So I figured I'd throw in boxing this time. "How you been Panda?" I asked Randall calling him by the nickname some common friends we shared gave him. I could see that Randall wasn't too pleased by it either, because as soon as he stepped into the dojo, he snarled at me. I in return brushed it off with a smirk. The announcer quickly caught wind of the rivalry between the two of us and took it into his advantage. "Look at the sparks fly between the two combatants, and from looks of things they seem to be rivals! What a show this will turn out to be!" He said getting the crowd going. I could hear Josh and Nate cheering for me to knock him out in the first round. The referee standing out on the wooden platforms on the outer rim of the dojo, the announcer got between us, and began the match with, "Are you read? Fight!" He quickly jumped out of the way and almost instantaneously we both got into our stances. Randall's wasn't off a specific fighting style more so something primal, like a wild man who based his fighting from experience instead of technique. It was good for keeping your opponent guessing on where you would attack with or from but it also left you wide open for abuse. I on the other hand brought both my fist up to about chin level, my left hand closer to my chest since it was my dominant hand while my right was further out; I'd use it primarily for countering and parrying (stopping attacks by either hitting the limb used to attack or slapping the limb out of the way). My hands were bawled into a fist but not tightly clenched, this way I could clench them tightening my knuckles right before the blow was dealt; increasing the impact of the blow. My shoulders slightly raised, I hunched forward a little, my right leg was forward, and my left was back a bit with my right being slightly bent. Randall on the other hand was fully hunched forward, so that his arms dangled, and his legs were slightly bent. He looked like a bear standing up right, and given his size it wasn't an exaggeration.
In fighting, who ever got the first punch could shift the momentum, but the first to make the move necessarily didn't always get the first punch. So I waited patiently observing Randall's movements, letting him tire himself out from circling me. I knew I could taunt Randall into making the first move, and have him so angry that he wouldn't be able to respond to a counter attack. I began laughing at him, which instantly caught his attention. "What's so funny!?" He barked at me, his anger and confusion both evident on his face. "Oh nothing, it's just here we are again, about to fight, and yet again your going to loose. I'm going to win, and you’re going to end up being dragged out of this ring." I said an overconfident smirk on my face, as Randall took the bait, he began growling and clenching his fist so tightly you could hear his knuckles popping. "Awe, did I strike a nerve, did the realization that you going to loose drop on your head like a brick? Well here's your chance you can leave, while you still able to walk out." Then it came, he lunged at me with both arms out as if trying to hug me. I took a step back, stiffening my body and shifting my weight onto my right leg, while bending my left leg which was now my front one. I would thrust my left arm forward while pulling my right arm back in like a pulley motion, delivering a strong punch into Randall's sternum. My fist sucking into his upper abdomen, and he slumped over my arm. To explain what had happen I basically used his momentum against him. Picture a car ramming into a metal support beam, that's at a thirty degree angle. The car is moving at top speed, and collide face first into the beam, now since the beam is sturdily plowed into the ground it can resist the force of the car's momentum being rammed into it, resulting in the car taking the full damage instead. By stepping back, and shifting my weight into my back leg and thrusting my arm forward, I did just that. I retracted my arm, and Randall fell to his side clutched his stomach. Assuming that was the match, I turned my back from him but it was a foolish mistake. Randall got an adrenaline boost, and leaped up from the ground wrapping his arms around my neck, and proceeded to strangle me. "Now's whose gonna loose, huh wimp?" Randall whispers in my ear taunting me. Cursing myself for underestimating him, I put myself in a vulnerable position and was now paying for it. Feeling the strength leave my body, I frantically gasp for air, but the harder I fight, the more air I loose. Then it hit me, if I panic then the match is his, but if I use all my abilities, I could turn the tide of the match.
Randall was big, at least two hundred and seventy pounds. So he easily out weighs me at the time, but I could use that to my advantage. Being so heavy still put strain on his bones no matter what, so adding force to the joints would make him fall. Raising my left leg so my knee pressed against my chest, I slammed it back down so my foot shot right into his knee. The crowd could hear his knee pop out of place as I kicked it inward, forcing him to fall down. Now that I was back on my feet, I lean my head forward and slam the back of my head into the bridge of his nose, breaking that as well. He grip on my throat faltered, and I grab his right arm, turn it so that it was palm up, and pull it over my collar bone, so that his elbow bends inward from the force; breaking his right arm at the elbow. Now crippled at the arm and leg, I quickly finish the match by elbowing him in the forehead, knocking him out. The referee quickly flew into the ring, dropping down next to Randall to check and see if he was conscious, before jumping up to his feet and declaring a knock out. "It's the first K.O. of the day!" The announcer called out with glee, and the crowd began cheering for my win. I fell to my knee still winded from being strangled; Josh and Nate both helped me out the ring, cheering me on.
I came out of the fight that day with more than just another victory on Randall but in fact, I came out a better fighter. I learned to never underestimate your opponent, at least to show them that much respect. I looked down on Randall, I felt superior to him so I never took fighting him serious but after this fight with him, I know better now. I’ve learned to never underestimate people, you never know what could push them over the edge and surprise you while your guard is down. A lesson for the ring and a lesson for life, though at the time I didn’t care that I did put Randall in the hospital, but now thinking on it, I did kind of over did it. Oh and if your wondering, if we won the tournament, well after my fight with Randall, the only people who was willing to fight me was Josh and Nate, so I made it to the finals where Josh and I fought after, Nate lost in the Semi-finals to Josh. We had a good match but it ended in a draw so we split the prize money.