I should have learned from Arona vs Jackson...

[Sudoraba]

Yes I fought a week after Oklahoma. Not the wisest but I'm still relatively early in my amateur career so I think any experience is good.

I've started getting known as a good striker so I worked on getting my handspeed in because if nothing else few people at this level are going to strike back with me yet... so here's how the fight went...

Coming out PUMPED!!!
http://adrenalineextremecombat.com/photo.419.jpg

I was happy about my strikes, I was in there and I was explosive with my hands and he didn't want to punch with me!
http://adrenalineextremecombat.com/photo.421.jpg

He went for a takedown and my sprawl was too late...
http://adrenalineextremecombat.com/photo.423.jpg
http://adrenalineextremecombat.com/photo.425.jpg

[Sudoraba]

As a striker I thought my game would be off on the ground. But my grappling instincts were there too. I was able to secure a guard and work from there. Though I took some punches I probably didn't need to. (must work on tying up!)
http://adrenalineextremecombat.com/photo.431.jpg

And I was able to secure a triangle. Those are two points I'm most happy with about the fight. I was not a second gun shy with my hands and I was aggressive standing up the way I wanted to be. And on the ground I was comfortable and able to secure the triangle.
http://adrenalineextremecombat.com/photo.435.jpg

The triangle from my point of view though was tight! I had is arm in and everything and my legs were locked. I've done triangles that I know weren't going to work and some that do and I swear this one was in. But then...
http://adrenalineextremecombat.com/photo.433.jpg

I couldn't believe i was that far off the ground! The slam took some wind out of me.
http://adrenalineextremecombat.com/photo.427.jpg

He used the confusion and secured the RNC.
http://adrenalineextremecombat.com/photo.437.jpg

The morals...

1. I shouldn't have fought six days after the Oklahoma muay thai fight. Athletic suspension is not meant to be violated for a reason!
2. I need to work on my ground more because people know I'm a striker.
3. I need to work with more wrestlers because I'm not used to taking slams.

What I'm happy about...

1. My standup and handspeed was good, though he didn't want a part of that game.
2. Though I didn't plan to get on the ground I was able to get the triangle and work that methodically.

What I need advice on...

1. Should I have let got the triangle and tried to standup?
2. And seriously how do you take slams like that I couldn't believe the guy was that physically strong! My entire weight was on his neck and shoulders.
3. Countering the slam, should I have let go or grabbed a leg? More experienced grappler's comment? Arona got knocked out. But Royler Gracie held on. What was the difference in there from your opinions?

Going to take a break from competition for a few weeks. I've fought three times this month. The experience showed me I have a lot to learn and that if more than anything I have the heart to want it bad. So I know I can take the licks and keep on fighting especially now that I'm more confident in my chin than ever. I've learned to be less passive and gunshy which where my problems beginning. And I'm having a blast because I'm still early enough that I can modify the way I fight pretty easily.

I'm having fun documenting my progress on the forums and hopefully I'll continually get support from you guys! Thanks!

[Sudoraba]

I personally think I was good until that horrible slam...

Now 1-1 MMA. I still want to probably concentrate on Muay Thai more...

[Toffa]

Im not much of a grappler, but Sakuraba and Bustamante countered Rampage's slams very well, Sak was good at letting go in time and Busta I think grabbed the leg.

Best of luck in the future.

[Tommy_Arashikage]

At least you probably trained before your first fight, I learned the hard way that college and a fight schedule don't mix.

Oh well, there's always the summer.

[FieldingMellish]

Not a fighter myself but a few thoughts have occurred to me, hope they’re useful (though most of them probably aren’t):

You SHOULDN’T have fought less than a week after the previous fight. That’s really not enough time to recover, particularly since your Muay Thai fight was a pretty hard one. That was the one where you got up like 6 times wasn’t it? I really wouldn’t advise you do that again.

Agree you need to work more on your ground game and work with some wrestlers. The best way to learn how to take slams like that is simply through practice. Get used to it, and also by working on wrestling you can improve your defence so you aren’t as likely to get in the position to take slams like that very often. That wouldn’t have helped much in this particular situation bt you know what I mean. I know you’re more of a striker and if that’s your strength then you should definitely stick to it. Just need to be able to defend well enough so opponents can’t exploit the aspects you’re not as good at.

From the pics it looks like you didn’t land flat on your back and you didn’t keep the triangle on at all tightly as you went down. Arona did, and so did Carlos Newton in his first fight with Matt Hughes and both of them got KO’ed so who knows, it may not be the way to go anyway. Like Toffa said, Sakuraba dealt with Jackson’s slams by letting go in time. But getting the timing right on that’s probably something that comes with experience, oh and being an amazing fighter like Sakuraba too. But from that first pic it really looked like you had him with the triangle. Tough break for you in getting an opponent with the ability to do that effectively but like you said you’re an amateur and you’re learning.

Enjoy your break – you earned it – and I hope you come back with some more fights and detail them on here. I’m enjoying your progress too, and I don’t have to train or take all the punishment either!

[El Presidente]

Whats your weight? You look like a super-middle.

But hey - win or lose you are out there FIGHTING. Thats more than a lot of forum-warriors can say about themselves.

[Sudoraba]

155 MAX but I usually cut from 160. More than anything this last month was a great learning experience! I am definitely taking April off of active competition though. I was planning originally on fighting in Oklahoma on the 16th of April but I can't make that anyway (technically still on athletic suspension) that plus I have the MCATs that day.

[Eric Persson]

Well, your amateurfights are meant to give you the experience needed to go pro, don't take the losses TOO hard.

[Fozzy]

just from the pics, im assuming when you had the triangle in you were trying to hunch him in, instead of extending your hips out? (edit - i see your doing exactly what I suggested in one of the pics.. musta missed that initially... hmm he must of just used pure strength to pick u up, i suggest full on "nuthugging" that leg with ur arm next time, see if that helps trying to hold onto it for dead life)

The trick to not getting slammed when you sink the triangle is to extend your hips out, the same way you would if you were going for an armbar from guard. by extending the hiops out, you can grab his arm and go for a triangle/armbar combo, but also you can lock off one of his side legs with one of your arms, because he will try and slam you, so you grab the bottom of one of his legs.

If this didnt make enough sense, tell me and i'll post pics detailing my explanation.

otherwise you looked good, but yeah maybe shouldnt have fought 5 days after ur last fight bro..

good luck,

~Foz

[Superman]

Just curious Sudoraba, are there a lot of amateur mma fighters out there,like do you have trouble finding fights? And whats your training schedule like?

[Grant Ellis]

I got used to taking slams when I was in stuntman training as well as pursuing a career as a pro skater.

Ummm... I think I just got accustomed to them.

See, Arona's head hit the canvas, then hit Jackson's head. That Ko'd him.

I know in stunt man class we would scream or shout during our falls before we would crash down, try to get the air out of us or something.

[Razor Bump]

Nice triangle you put on him though. I hate when I don't get to finish the submission.

[slash]

My 2 cents...

You should have grabbed the leg, and tryied to stop him.

When he picked you up, i think you should brake the hold, and try to stand-up.
In stand-up, i think you should step in with 1-2 punch combination, and then back out.
When he is shotting for takedown, try to sprawl, and get both underhooks in, or at least one.
I hope i gave some usefull advice.

[Striker & Grappler]

cool pics. good fight

[AKA]

Congrats for the heart u did show bro :)
Nice pics!
U are very humble and its a good thing imo :D

[Mr. Nahasapeenapetalan]

Nic pics sudorbaba

Btw how much did you know about your opponent before the fight?

[HolyRamenEmpire]

>1. Should I have let got the triangle and tried to standup?

Not necessarily. If you felt the triangle was tight, you should probably keep it. If you feel that the triangle is not perfect, you may want to think of going for an armbar or leg lock or simply free your legs to push him back into a full mount or a take down. Your choice depends on (1) tightness of your triangle, (2) your confidence in regaining stand-up position, and (3) his pressure level.

>2. And seriously how do you take slams like that I couldn't believe the
>guy was that physically strong! My entire weight was on his neck and
>shoulders.

Perhaps work more on your stomach and back muscle... do more hardcore sprints... keep stretching... And work more with wrestler type fighters...

>3. Countering the slam, should I have let go or grabbed a leg? More
>experienced grappler's comment? Arona got knocked out. But Royler
>Gracie held on. What was the difference in there from your opinions?

You should have perhaps gone side ways (your body line parallel to his shoulder line), instead of keeping a square triangle. Then grab on his arm with underhook... Then you can easily go for an armbar too...

The difference between Arona and Royler's case is... that Royler is flexible and didn't get knocked hard on his head... It's harder to slam a flexible person on the ground... Easier to slam a hardcover book than a flexible sheet of paper... Arona would have been fine too, if he hadn't collided his head with Quiton's head. You may want to work on your ukemi, judo style... so you can learn how Fedor survived Randelman's slam...

My modest little opinion...

[stroker]

nice to see another vietnamese guy into mma =)

[migo]

Im not much of a grappler, but Sakuraba and Bustamante countered Rampage's slams very well, Sak was good at letting go in time and Busta I think grabbed the leg.

Best of luck in the future.

Busta was actually doing a guillotine choke with one leg over the arm like a triangle setup, not an actuall triangle. It's dangerous to slam someone when they've got you in a guillotine which isn't the case with a triangle. That's why Busta didn't get slammed. Best example of holding on as long as possible with hooking the leg and letting go at just the right minute was Yoon Dong Sik against Rampage with the armbar.