I’m a product of the 80’s and during that time everyone was Kung Fu Fighting; I was no exception. Only what most people called it back then was practicing karate. Johnny Lawrence had nothin on me. I practiced karate through high school and well into my twenties. Although, I figured out early on that the belts meant nothing as far as actually knowing how to fight goes; so what I learned is more of what is described now as Mixed Martial Arts. 

Which was great for me when people started calling it that; ’cause prior to that when people asked me what belt I was I always gave them that awkward look and then fumbled with explaining how I could hurt them physically but didn’t hold a belt color to associate it with. Thankfully, I had instructors that felt the same way and taught according to what was going to take someone down and end it. Things came somewhat naturally to me in that regard. I was a quick study. Being able to interpret body language, body movements, the art of gentleness with non-resistance came somewhat easy. My skill level increased rapidly; I was doing multiples in no time and became an assistant instructor. We had our regular classes for the Karate Kid wannabes; the ones going for the belts, and then we had our real class. Where it was myself, the instructor, and a handful of guys that wanted real training. The moment the last student would walk out that door, the belts came off, and shit got real.

I was pretty good; did I mention that? Anyway, my instructor had a friend who was also an instructor of a Dojo located in Las Vegas. He invited his friend to come and train with us; he was a Black Belt in Judo. Now at that time, I had sparred with Black Belts before, but none that were trained in Judo. Judo was like learning a foreign language. Virtually no strikes in Judo, it’s more of a defensive Art; and we weren’t allowed to use any strikes, so this guy was schooling us pretty good. Throwing us all over the mat. Which, for guys accustomed to actually being able to hold their own, it kinda pissed us off. So Ima like, fuck this guy; and my instructor overheard me. He asked me what I said and I told him that learning that stuff was fine, but if this guy is really any good, let him do what he does and let me do what I do and we’ll see who’s on top. (Yup, I was that cocky and stupid back then)

After a brief mumbling amongst each other, this bLaCk bElt in jUdo guy agreed to a one on one with me.

We square up, then engage, and I bloody his nose. I caught him square as he was coming in for a take down. This guy was frickin hemorrhaging blood all over his shirt. I hear the guys behind me under their breath, Oooooh! Jakes got’im! It. Was. Beautiful. Here’s this bLaCk bElT prick with his nose all jacked up; and inside, I’m laughin. Gotta say, seeing that blood, I felt pretty confident at that point. So this guy gets tossed a towel and he’s standing there blotting his nose, looking at me out of the corner of his eye; and Ima like, that’s right bitch, your ass is mine, playtime is over. And it was: for me.

This guy steps back up and squares off with me…and I never touched that man again. He abused me. It was brutal. I thought he was throwing us hard before? Ooooh no. No no. This guy put me down so hard I could feel my bones scream. And this bullshit about Judo not having strikes, is just that: Bullshit. He saw me that bloody nose and raised me a black eye, cut lip, and pain I don’t care to remember. All the while it’s happening I’m scoobied as to how he’s treating me like a rag doll. I threw everything I knew at him. None of it mattered. He was seemingly always one step ahead. It finally ended with me on the ground, exhausted, being choked out with an arm bar. The rules were we could tap out; but I never would, so I passed out. I woke up with three guys standing over me, laughing, and saying, “That was awesome!”.

It didn’t feel awesome at the time. Truthfully, I was pretty sore for a solid week. But there wasn’t a day that went by in that week that I didn’t think about that fight; and I’m often still reminded of it. That fight was one of the most valuable I’ve ever been in. And ya…it was a fight. It went there. 

Prior to that I dominated the gym. I was lean, solid muscle, strong, and quick. I felt…pretty damn confident. That brought me back to reality. The reality that: you can lose. Doesn’t matter how hard you train or what you know, anything can happen during a fight, and things happen fast. Things can end badly.

Before the guy left he said, “You got spirit, kid”…kid…that incredibly good Black Belt in Judo called me a kid; and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. So I just smiled and said thanks.

Sometimes in life it’s not the winning that teaches you the most. Sometimes it’s the losing that has more impact and gives you more value. So don’t be afraid to get your nose bloodied.

I kept going back to the gym; kept training. Incorporated some Judo into what I was doing…ya know, just in case he decided to come back…ta teach him a lesson. But my attitude of it changed a bit, how I fought changed a bit. I became a lot more focused and got more gooder at reading my opponent. Not quite as cocky. 

…Well…you know. 

Copyright©2021 Jacob C. Larson All Rights Reserved

*I don’t discuss this stuff much; so I’m not exactly keen on swapping battle stories.                           

**No, I don’t think Ima badass. You are much more badass than me. I’m sure of it.

***No, I won’t show you some moves or teach you something.

****Yes, Kata is for pussies…and sweep the leg.