Gracie Worlds Prep Week

[Jacob Allen]

Good luck to all 10 P competitors. Can't wait to see you guys perform.

[Liquidrob]

Good luck everyone!

[Brandon Mccaghren]

I had an amazing time at the Gracie Worlds today. By far the greatest competition I have ever been a part of, in any sport.

For those of you expecting a World Championship from me, I'm sorry to disappoint; I lost my first match after 13.5 minutes. I feel proud of my performance, though. I have nothing to be ashamed of.

Thank you to my opponent for the hard match. He was a warrior and it was an honor to compete against him. I had 4 submissions locked in and I was all over him. He survived until he found an opening and he finished me. I was tired and I made a critical error that cost me the match. Lesson learned. My weaknesses will soon be my strengths.

Thank you to my wife and my children for their amazing support of my passion. Thank you to my coaches and mentors for pushing me and believing in me. Thank you to my training partners for making me work hard in practice. Thank you to Jorge Solorzano. Without his support and belief in me I could not have made this trip.

Aside from my family and my faith, jiu jitsu has been the greatest blessing I've ever known. It exists in every breath I draw. Jiu jitsu has motivated me to get in the best shape of my life. It has strengthened my character and my spiritual walk. I am grateful to be a martial artist and I encourage any one that reads this to get involved in jiu jitsu right away. It will bless your life in innumerable ways.

I am not coming home with a title, no. But I bring with me resolve and a renewed spirit, and perhaps that is what I came here to get in the first place.

I'll post my match as soon as I can. May have to wait till I get home.

[Brad Davis]

Awesome story and been and it has been blast reading about your trip bro. Great job and we are proud of you back home. Can't wait to see you back on the mats this week to share your gained knowledge. Safe trip home man!

[Kyle Spalla]

I had an amazing time at the Gracie Worlds today. By far the greatest competition I have ever been a part of, in any sport.

For those of you expecting a World Championship from me, I'm sorry to disappoint; I lost my first match after 13.5 minutes. I feel proud of my performance, though. I have nothing to be ashamed of.

Thank you to my opponent for the hard match. He was a warrior and it was an honor to compete against him. I had 4 submissions locked in and I was all over him. He survived until he found an opening and he finished me. I was tired and I made a critical error that cost me the match. Lesson learned. My weaknesses will soon be my strengths.

Thank you to my wife and my children for their amazing support of my passion. Thank you to my coaches and mentors for pushing me and believing in me. Thank you to my training partners for making me work hard in practice. Thank you to Jorge Solorzano. Without his support and belief in me I could not have made this trip.

Aside from my family and my faith, jiu jitsu has been the greatest blessing I've ever known. It exists in every breath I draw. Jiu jitsu has motivated me to get in the best shape of my life. It has strengthened my character and my spiritual walk. I am grateful to be a martial artist and I encourage any one that reads this to get involved in jiu jitsu right away. It will bless your life in innumerable ways.

I am not coming home with a title, no. But I bring with me resolve and a renewed spirit, and perhaps that is what I came here to get in the first place.

I'll post my match as soon as I can. May have to wait till I get home.

Amazing thread, amazing story! You will come back stronger than ever next time thank you for keeping us all updated on your progress, it's been a huge inspiration to me and hopefully everyone else reading.

[Brandon Mccaghren]

Thanks for the support guys. I love being a part of this team. It was awesome to watch us swarm that tournament today. Everywhere you looked was 10th Planet.

If somebody wants to get these submission only titles, they're gonna have to come take them by force. 10th Planet is the premiere submission only team on the planet.

[Chris Herzog]

I had an amazing time at the Gracie Worlds today. By far the greatest competition I have ever been a part of, in any sport.

For those of you expecting a World Championship from me, I'm sorry to disappoint; I lost my first match after 13.5 minutes. I feel proud of my performance, though. I have nothing to be ashamed of.

Thank you to my opponent for the hard match. He was a warrior and it was an honor to compete against him. I had 4 submissions locked in and I was all over him. He survived until he found an opening and he finished me. I was tired and I made a critical error that cost me the match. Lesson learned. My weaknesses will soon be my strengths.

Thank you to my wife and my children for their amazing support of my passion. Thank you to my coaches and mentors for pushing me and believing in me. Thank you to my training partners for making me work hard in practice. Thank you to Jorge Solorzano. Without his support and belief in me I could not have made this trip.

Aside from my family and my faith, jiu jitsu has been the greatest blessing I've ever known. It exists in every breath I draw. Jiu jitsu has motivated me to get in the best shape of my life. It has strengthened my character and my spiritual walk. I am grateful to be a martial artist and I encourage any one that reads this to get involved in jiu jitsu right away. It will bless your life in innumerable ways.

I am not coming home with a title, no. But I bring with me resolve and a renewed spirit, and perhaps that is what I came here to get in the first place.

I'll post my match as soon as I can. May have to wait till I get home.

Brandon you're a warrior, a mentor and example to your students on and off the mat of how Jiu Jitsu can shape ones life. There is no shame in loosing, especially if the experience can enrich your development. I'm proud to be your brother in arms!

[Brandon Mccaghren]

Brandon you're a warrior, a mentor and example to your students on and off the mat of how Jiu Jitsu can shape ones life. There is no shame in loosing, especially if the experience can enrich your development. I'm proud to be your brother in arms!

Coming from you, Herzog, that means a lot. It was really the talk you gave me during the Leg Lock Camp several months back that planted the seed for me to want to do this in the first place.

[Brandon Woolsey]

B Mc you are an amazing warrior and friend!! Just knowing you makes me want to be a better person on and off the mats!! I have truely enjoyed following your journey! Thank you brotha!!

[Brandon Mccaghren]

Rise and shine! Time to pack up and leave for LAX and then Sweet Home Alabama. I hate that song when I'm home, but it's amazing after a week on the road.

The trip home from San Jose was long. Slick Rick and Sean rode in the backseat and me and Brian "The Barncat" Debes rode up front. Lots of talk about woulda, coulda, and shoulda. But then they slept and I drove in silence. That's the hardest part, but the most educational. The quietness after a loss or a hard training session is essential to my growth. Those moments alone with my mind where I can not make any excuses; only the truth exists in those moments. Jamie Webster told me once that "while men walk, angels speak to them." I guess that could be said of driving, too.

When I was in college I went to a church every Sunday morning with about 250 black folks; me and my best friend were the only 2 white people in the building every week. These are some of my fondest memories from college. There was an old Southern black man, distinguished and proud, that would hobble to the front every week and pray with all the wisdom and experience that only a man in his 90's could pray with.

"Lord, thank you for the sunshine, and thank you for the storms that help us to appreciate the sunshine."

Despite what he had grown up seeing in the South, and what he had learned the hard way that humanity was capable of, he believed that our struggles bring out the best in us; that without tribulation we will never rise to the top and become all that we are capable of being. That old man had a powerful spirit, and he is dead and gone now. But his legacy is fully alive this morning.

"Lord, thank you for the sunshine, and thank you for the storms that help us to appreciate the sunshine."