2019


  • January: Promoted to nidan (second degree black belt) in Judo, announced by head of NC promotion board Woody Bostic at Travis Stevens seminar in NC (necessary time in grade reduced from 3 years to 1 year because of competition points)
  • June: Requested for seminar, private lessons, and guest teaching while visiting Northern Ireland
  • June: 1x gold at Northern Ireland Summer Open, 3-man division, went up a weight class to 82.3kg division to face opponents
  • July: 2x silver at London Open, including 5-man absolute division; loss was to world champ
  • October: 3x gold (including open weight) at Fall Brawl Judo comp in Waynesville, NC
  • October: Taught at 1st BJJ Globetrotters Arizona Camp ("Judo for Guard Pullers" & "Judo 80/20: Judo you can actually use"
  • November: 2x gold at NAGA in Charlotte, NC

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2019

2018


  • February: 2x gold (Gi open-weight brown belt, no-gi expert) at Submission FC BJJ comp in Austin, TX
  • May: Instructed at Globetrotters USA camp in Portland, ME
  • July: Moved to Asheville, NC, to teach for 5 weeks while gym owner travelled. They asked me to stay and start a Judo program and keep teaching advanced BJJ
  • September: 1x gold at Grappling on the Gridiron (no-gi open skill, open weight) BJJ comp in Asheville, NC
  • October: 2x silver in 73kg & open weight divisions at Fall Brawl Judo comp in Waynesville, NC
  • October: 1st place in Grapple for Good charity costume event
  • November: 2x gold (160 lb gi, no-gi) at NAGA in Charlotte, NC
  • December: 2x gold (73kg, 81kg) + undefeated in unfinished open-weight division in Winston-Salem, NC
  • Noticed by senior members of state promotion board, recommended for fast-tracked promotion to Judo nidan


2018

2017


  • January: Promoted to shodan (first degree black belt) in Judo
  • July: Taught and studied in Northern Ireland
  • August: Trained throughout Portugal in BJJ and Judo
  • August: Attended first BJJ Globetrotters camp in Heidelberg, Germany
  • September: Continued training and teaching in Germany
  • October: Attended first BJJ Globetrotters Zen camp in Poland and surprise promoted to brown belt in BJJ there
  • October: 1x Gold (81kg) in round-robin double-elimination 3 man division included sandan former OTC member Zach Goldbold
  • December: Taught and studied again in Northern Ireland


2017

2016


  • September: 2x gold (81kg, newaza) at Becerra Challenge in Garland, TX
  • October: 2x silver (81kg Brown, 81kg Senior Elite) at Go Shibata in College Station, TX (loss in senior elite to Arthur Wright)
  • November: 1x gold, 1x silver (90kg, up to weight classes [$150 prize), Open Weight[missed $500 prize]) at Houston Open in Houston, TX
  • November: Tied for 5th at Dallas Invitational (D level National Tournament; 17 man bracket) as sankyu (loss to Jack Hatton)


2016

2015


  • April: 1x gold (Lightweight) Eastside Austin Elite Sambo Competition (run by Richard Crenwelge) in Austin, TX
  • Summer: Taught private newaza lessons weekly to Judo black belt


2015

2014


  • February: Gold (no-gi beginner) at Matshark in San Antonio, TX
  • Spring: Began teaching several times a week at Austin Jiu Jitsu in Austin, TX
  • July: 3x gold (blue belt gi, no-gi beginner & intermediate) at Machado Naturally Fit Games in Austin, TX
  • July: Promoted to purple belt in BJJ by Dave Thomas following competition performance
  • August: 2x gold (expert no-gi, purple belt gi) at NAGA in Austin, TX
  • September: 1x gold (Judo Novice 73kg) at Alamo Classic in San Antonio, TX
  • October: 1x gold (no-gi expert) at Fight 2 Win in Austin, TX
  • November: 1x gold (Judo Novice 73kg) at Dallas Invitationl (one of most difficult novice divisions in the country) in Dallas, TX
  • December: Promoted to Judo sankyu (brown belt) after 1yr, 10mo study


2014

2013


  • February: Began studying Judo at Kokoro Judo in Austin, TX
  • July: Began studying BJJ again at Austin Jiu Jitsu under Dave Thomas in Austin, TX
  • August: Promoted to blue belt in BJJ at Austin Jiu Jitsu under Dave Thomas in Austin, TX
  • October: 1x silver (Novice 73kg) at first Judo competition, Go Shibata, in College Station, TX
  • November: 1x gold (Novice 73kg, $100 prize) at Houston Open in Houston, TX


2013

2010



2010

2008


  • August: Moved to Israel to teach English in the West Bank as an 18-year-old. Lived there for three years, studying for two years in university.

2010

2006


  • Spring: Began studying BJJ at Vandry's BJJ in Austin, TX

2006

2005


  • Fall: On high school wrestling team in Cedar Park, TX

2005

High School Wrestling


  • Trained at Cedar Park High School

Fall 2005

Began studying BJJ


  • Vandry’s BJJ
  • Studied for 6 months, then a 6 month break, then 1 more month, then
  • Participated in adult class as a scrawny 16 year old with obnoxiously flexible shoulders, mostly got smashed a lot

Spring 2006

Moved to Israel to teach English


  • Lived on donations
  • Taught English in the Palestinian West Bank
  • Never found any BJJ while I was there, nor could I afford it :(
  • Taught private lessons of my white belt BJJ to kids in exchange for French lessons

Summer 2008

Trained at AKBAN


  • A martial arts school that took pity on me and let me pay $5~ per class
  • Threw my first seoi-nage, was a beautiful moment
  • Trained at AKBAN in Jerusalem, Israel; got my first exposure to Judo throws, they also cross-trained in BJJ-- they'd had Renzo Gracie in for a seminar way back in 2004.

October 2010

Began studying Judo


  • Trained at Kokoro Judo
  • Instructors included Glenn, Dario, Che, Louie, Nick, and many others who graciously threw me repeatedly
  • We had visiting instructors from around the world drop in, including national team members from Germany, Israel, Iran, et al

February 2013

Restarted BJJ Study


  • Was invited to train at Austin Jiu Jitsu under Dave Thomas

July 2013

Promoted to Blue Belt in BJJ


  • Promoted by Dave Thomas


August 2013

Go Shibata Judo


  • Silver in Novice 73kg
  • First Grappling Competition (other than HS Wrestling)


October 2013

Houston Open Judo


  • Gold in Novice 73kg ($100 cash prize)


November 2013)

Matshark BJJ


  • Gold in no-gi Beginner division

February 2014

Eastside Austin Elite Sambo Comp


  • Gold in Lightweight category


February 2014

Began Teaching BJJ Classes


  • @ Austin Jiu Jitsu
  • Taught for 6 months

Spring 2014

Naturally Fit Games BJJ


  • Gold in blue belt division (all wins by submission, including kneebar)
  • Gold in no-gi beginner division (all wins by submission)
  • Gold in no-gi intermediate division (all wins by submission, including kneebar)


July 2014

Promoted to Purple Belt in BJJ


  • Promoted by Dave Thomas


July 2014

NAGA BJJ


  • Gold in purple belt division (all wins by submission)
  • Gold in no-gi Expert division (faced TX state wrestling champ and BJJ black belt) (wins by submission & by 12-0 point lead)

August 2014

Alamo Classic Judo


  • Gold in Novice 73kg
  • Best of 3 against a fellow Judo green belt + BJJ purple belt, all very close matches
  • Competed in spite of having had a motorcycle wreck at 3am that morning and barely sleeping after working all night


September 2014

Fight 2 Win BJJ


  • Gold in no-gi Expert category (all wins by submission)


October 2014

Bought some Globetrotter Merch!


  • I legit still have this keychain.


October 2014

Dallas Invitational Judo


  • D Level Competition, faced competitors from across the country
  • Gold in Novice 73kg


November 2014

Promoted to Judo Brown Belt / Sankyu


  • Fast promotion (1 yr 10 mo) in part due to exceptional competition performance; gold in every novice division entered except for 1st comp (where I got a silver, losing to an experienced samboist)


December 2014

Eastside Austin Elite Sambo Comp (again)


  • Gold in Lightweight category (all wins by Total Victory from 12 - 0 lead)
  • Reigning Champ 2 years in a row

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#Sambo comp. #bjj #purple, #judo #sankyu, #haraigoshi

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April 2015

Gave Paid Private Lessons in BJJ to Judo Yudansha


  • Personalized newaza lessons


Summer 2015

Becerra Challenge Judo


  • Gold in 81kg Senior Elite (all wins by ippon throws)
  • Gold in 81kg ‘newaza’ division (all wins by kansetsu-waza ippon)
  • All wins in less than 1 minute in both divisions


September 2016

Go Shibata Judo


  • Silver in 81kg Brown Belt category (7 man bracket) (loss by wazari point in last minute in final)
  • Silver in 81kg Senior Elite category (6 man bracket) (loss in 81kg Senior Elite was to Arthur “Kyle” Wright, ”B” rank international competitor)
  • All wins by ippon


October 2016

Houston Open Judo


  • Gold in 90kg Senior Elite (weighed about 78kg) ($150 cash prize)
  • Silver in Open Weight category (winner--not me--received $500 cash prize)
  • Only two losses in open weight were to same single competitor who weighed 100~ lbs more with international european competition experience
  • All wins in both categories by ippon, including victory against previous year’s open weight champion


November 2016

Dallas Invitational Judo


  • D level National tournament
  • Tied for 5th in 81kg Senior Elite (17 man bracket)
  • Lost only to two athletes who placed 1st and 2nd (First match was with Jack Hatton, “A” rank international competitor)
  • Same losses as 3rd place finisher
  • 4 ippon victories


November 2016

Promoted to shodan in Judo


  • Performed all 5 section of nage-no-kata
  • First student to go from nanakyu (white) to shodan (black) at my club
  • After exceptional competition season and club teaching, promoted directly to shodan after 2 years at sankyu, a few days before the fourth anniversary of the day I began Judo.


January 2017

Trained in Europe


  • Trained Judo and BJJ in multiple clubs in Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Poland
  • Regularly invited to teach


Summer-Winter 2017

Promoted to Brown Belt in BJJ


  • Surprise promotion
  • Promoted by “Council of Traveling Black Belts”
  • Push for my promotion was made by Oliver Geddes


Read more October 2017

Featured BJJ Globetrotter of the Month


  • Interviewed for the BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter. Neat.


Read more September 2017

Go Shibata Judo (3rd time)


  • Gold in 81kg Senior Elite (all wins by ippon)
  • Two ippon wins against Zach Godbold, sandan, former member of Olympic Training Center
  • Win in exhibition match against -90kg yudansha by ippon


October 2017

Watched Craig Jones Nearly Armbar Gordon Ryan at finals of EBI 14


  • Watched history in the making
  • Got to take pics with some cool people
  • Sat right behind big Gord, who awkwardly commentated the whole thing during quiet moments


December 4, 2017

Taught and trained in Northern Ireland again


  • Love this little gym
  • Also trained Judo at a few places


January 2018

Submission FC BJJ


  • Gold in Gi; faced 270+ lb opponent; won by submission
  • Gold in expert no-gi; all wins by submission


February 2018

Invited to teach at various places around Austin


  • Taught at Kokoro Judo, John's Gym ATX
  • Invited to run own satellite Judo program with Kokoro Judo
  • Invited to teach at Veteran's Jiu Jitsu (by Joey Zente)
  • Invited to co-run gym with Concept BJJ in Taylor, TX
  • Taught at Insight BJJ in Bastrop, TX


Spring 2018

Created the Open Mat ATX list




Spring 2018

BJJ Globetrotters Camp Instructor


  • Taught 'Famous Fight Analysis - Kron Gracie vs Marcelo Garcia, ADCC 2009'

May 2018

Invited to be Instructor in Residence @ Open Source BJJ


  • Open Source Jiu Jitsu is a super cool place
  • Trusted to manage gym for two weeks while head instructor was out of town, teach all classes
  • Invited to teach 5 part 'Judo for BJJ' course


July 2018

Grappling on the Gridiron BJJ


  • Gold in no-gi open weight, open skill division. (Featured 4 brown belts, was lightest in division.)


September 2018

Invited to stay at Open Source


  • Asked to stay for a minimum of three months (later extended)
  • Founded Open Source Judo program
  • Designed BJJ kids curriculum and lead kids program
  • Continued teaching theory, advanced, and fundamentals classes on rotating basis


September 2018

Fall Brawl NC State Championships Judo


  • Silver 73kg Senior Elite/Mixed (10 man bracket, double elimination, loss in final to nidan in 10.5 minute golden score match)
  • Silver in Open Weight category, (4 wins, including 2 wins against yudansha -- 1 by ippon, 1 by wazari throw in Golden Score against same nidan victor from 73kg division; 16 man division; loss in final was to 240 lb opponent, who I scored wazari against before he scored ippon)
  • One Open Source Judo student who attended received bronze in large 81kg senior division


October 2018

Grapple For Good BJJ


  • 1st place, open weight/open skill division (final vs. 215lb purple belt)
  • For charity, “light” event (one division, competitors wore costumes)


October 2018

NAGA BJJ


  • Gold in 160 lb brown belt division
  • Gold in 160 lb no-gi Expert division

November 2018

Nito Grappling Cup Judo


  • Gold 73kg Senior Elite/Mixed (13 man bracket; $100 prize) (Won all matches by ippon)
  • Gold 81kg Senior Elite/Mixed (13 man bracket; $100 prize) (Won all matches by ippon, including against nidan opponent)
  • Undefeated in Open Weight (made to semifinals; due to record attendance, however, the venue closed before we could finish the division, and we were unable to finish the bracket)
  • Won all 10 matches by ippon (threw ko-soto-gari, uchi-mata, & tomoe-nage for ippon; also received ippon from various collar chokes and arm attacks)
  • Only one opponent scored a wazari
  • Noticed by senior members of state promotion board, recommended for fast-tracked promotion to Judo Nidan


December 2018

Promoted to Nidan


  • Promotion based on recommendation of head of state board (Ron Hansen, hachidan) after viewing local competition performances
  • Promoted in less than two years because of point accumulation (without competition points, minimum time-in-grade is 3 years at shodan)


January 2019

Invited Instructor in Northern Ireland


  • Invited to teach as often as willing during month-long stay
  • Requested for seminar, private lessons
  • Was given a free hat :)

June 2019

Northern Ireland Summer Open


  • Gold!
  • Competed up in weight at 82.3kg (180~lb, 10 lb up)
  • 3-man division, featuring a jacked, crazy good polish competitor


June 2019

Grappling Industries London


  • Silver in Absolute brown belt
  • Silver in 170lb brown
  • Absolute was a 5-man division
  • Loss in final in absolute was to world champion Taylor Pearman


July 2019

Waynesville Fall Brawl


  • Gold in 81kg Elite
  • Gold in 90kg kosen
  • Gold in Absolute
  • Win in Absolute Final was to ~200lb jacked competitor who won -90kg division; win was by ippon throw for kata-guruma
  • Was not scored on in whole competition


October 2019

NAGA BJJ


  • Gold in 170lb no-gi Expert
  • Gold in 170lb gi combined black/brown belt division
  • All wins by submission in first two minutes of match
  • Not scored on once

November 2019