Hi there - I entered my first submission grappling competition recently. I have been going ground work for about a year now and I find that I can pretty much dominate everyone in my club, with positioning and submissions - I thought that this was not an indication of how 'good' I was but more how unskilled my fellow students were. So, to put my self to the test I entered my self into a competition. I trained hard, putting in extra self-training hours on Saturday morning with some of the guys that were entering with me. I kept my weight to under 70Kg - a weight I was comfortable with - more so when I saw the under 75Kg competitors! I was nervous and watching the other guys in my weight division warm up made me more anxious - I thought ‘what am I doing here, I’ll be embarrassed – tapped out in seconds’ I was feeling the usual pre-fight uncertainties, the insecurities – my fight was the third one – I stepped on to the mat – thinking ‘well here it is – go for it’. I was slightly bigger than my opponent and so I knew I would have the strength advantage. As we were grappling I found my self move in slow motion – well that’s how he seemed to me – but looking back on the fight we were rolling about like two cats fighting!
After some arm-bar attempts, I eventually submitted my opponent by rear-naked choke. I was pleased; won my first fight by submission. I had two more fights to do - both of which I lost on points.
Overall I was pleased with my performance. And more importantly, I overcame any doubt I had as a fighter. I am not that experienced, but I am now looking forward to many more competitions (plus the nerves that accompany them)…

Here’s a link to my fight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWKc8UP8nkU

Nice one! Your scrambling in the video was very good. When you went for the RNC you should have got the hooks in earlier, a more experienced opponent would have turned you over from that position, since you were too high on his back. But good on you for competing!

BTW, where in the UK do you train?

Very nice. You kept pressure on him the whole time. Great job!

Nice.

thanks for the comments - Yeah, I should have stock those hooks in earlier, I was too engaged with his neck...Good to look back and see how I fight - good way to pick out errors and improve upon them.
I train in Southampton -