IBJJF Dallas (Part 1): The Decision

By Dominic BeastMode Brisbin
No building lasts without a strong foundation. The same thing goes for people, even those living a BEAST MODE way of life. Training gets crazy, practices run late, and there's always the injuries. The foundation is a key component to pushing through all of that shit. My parents drafted the blueprint, my friends lay the brick, and my girl does all of the quality checks. These people all play important roles in keeping me on track. One person who has become an integral part of this support structure is my sister, Sheila. Sheila is probably the one person I know who will get me through all of the B.S., deal with my fucked up attitude, and still somehow manage to call me her brother. From cooking the meals for my diet, to helping me get over all of my injuries, or just being there to kick it during my down time: Sheila holds it down. So when I told her I was needing something to do to take my mind off of all of the  B.S. goin' on in my life lately, her response was simple: "Do what you do and go compete. Keep doing all of the things everyone knows you for because that's what makes you happy and that's why we love you!"

So the search began! Deciding on if I wanted to compete in  MMA or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, my training schedule, and how long I wanted to give myself to train were all things I had to figure out. And then it appeared: the advertisement for the DALLAS INTERNATIONAL IBJJF CHAMPIONSHIP, almost like it was a sign from God himself (More New Testament sign than Old Testament....But a burning bush or a plague would have been badass too). 'MAY 8TH' read as the day of the event. Only a little over a month to train and prepare my body for another war. Between now and then, it's time for me to sharpen the technique and let BEAST MODE take over. The only way to win is to abandon all of the other worries, all of the other wants, and cares. Because, brothers and sisters,  at the end of it all the only option is victory. Anything less is unacceptable!

So now I have the date, the venue, and the training schedule set. All there is left to do is take the victory along with the souls of my vanquished foes. Even as I'm writing this my mind is already on the mat, visualizing each match, each raise of my hand in victory, and the weight of the gold medal once again around my neck. The journey has begun, so put your fuckin' seat belts on!!!