There are no Olympics for me! This has been a sad reality for me to accept but I have to come to terms with it. Ever since a boy I have watched the Olympics and thought what an awesome event. The first Olympics I can really remember are the 1984 summer Olympics. I remember running in from play G.I. Joe outside to check out the amazing competition. I have watched commercials with Olympic athletes in them. If these athletes win Olympic gold they could become a house hold name. Not only do you get the great honor and glory or representing your country but you could look to profit greatly with the right performance. In fact, I'm sure the athletes are already profiting from being in commercials and endorsement deals.
Now at the age of 28 years old, I couldn't even start training with the hopes of representing my country in Olympic competition. It just isn't a possible cause with what I'd be competing against. At the age of nine, I started off in a traditional karate class and have trained in Martial Arts in one form or another since then. The only time I really stopped training was the two years I was in the US Army as a Ranger. At least I was able to represent my country in one form if not my preferred way of the Olympics. When you think about it, it was kind of stupid for me to commit so much time to something that isn't even in the Olympics if I ever wanted to compete in it. Yes, Judo and Tae Kwon-do are Olympic sports but I have no Tae Kwon-do training and didn't even start Judo until I was in my twenties. I guess you have to deal with things like this in life and this just the process of reality kicking in.
Soon as I got out of the Army I became competitive in MMA. Having an up and down success in MMA, I decide to try my luck at Sanda kickboxing. I felt Sanda kickboxing could really help me get better at MMA. However, on my second tournament in Sanda something happened. As I went into the finals at the Arnold Classic in 2002, I was faced against an opponent from Norway. I won the match and felt great as my opponent gave me a flag of his country. We joked around about the match and got some personal information about each other. To me it was like being at the Olympics. Wow, what a great experience and I became hooked on Sanda and it became my focus. Later on I would fight an even tougher world competitor from Russia. This was at the World Sanda tournament and I was able to win a close decision to achieve world gold. I felt great considering that all of my training is with a guy I taught myself and another guy that has never even done the sport. There is no big club or team to help support me. In fact the majority of my training is done in my basement. The next week after winning a world gold medal I went back to work at the local country park picking up trash. Luckily for me, I have improved my work situation but that was my situation at the time.
Now being the USKBA US and World belt holder, I'm looking to defend my world belt against the Brazilian national champion. There will be no commercials, sponsorship, endorsement deals, parades, TV time, or much if any recognition if I win. When I tell people what I do they usually go into some rant about a Kung Fu movie or a Toughman show they once seen. In fact I actually probably have more to lose. I could lose my world title that I worked so far for. I will surely lose money I've investing in training and the travel expense. Another thing lost for sure will be all the time I've spent training instead of doing other things. So, people ask me why do you do it? I do this because there are No actual Olympics for me and for me this is my Olympics!
You are the man Brad! Don't knock yourself about the Olympics. It sucks to not realize a dream but, you have done very much! Like you said, almost all on your own. BTW, most Olympians don'tt profit greatly and are back working their day jobs after it is all over. Like you, they do it for the love of the sport.
Why not try to get on the US San Shou team and compete overseas at the worlds? That seems a natural next step up for you from the USKBA San Da worlds which has a smaller fighter pool to offer you. Not to take away from your accomplishments - I saw that firght with the Russian, damn what a battle!! Move on to the San Shou Worlds for a "unification" of titles so to speak You are a great competitor and your match with Brazil will be awsome I'm sure. Another notch in your San Da belt!
tedfornes: I think you just missed my point.
SamboSteve: Thanks, but I don't have any interest in San Shou anymore after fighting under the Sanda rules. I'm just worrying about my up coming opponent and then after that I'll reevaluate and figure what I will do next.
Some of the difference is that International San Shou compared to Sanda is that it doesn't allow knees, uses two minute top time for rounds, you fight on a platform instead of a ring, you where a chestguard(not sure if this is still valid), and the scoring is different.
No knees, fight on a lei tai (a raised platform with no ropes), and wear a light chest protector. Different scoring system than US san da, but those are the main practical differences.
I know you love San Da Brad, but it would be a great experience to fight overseas with the US team against a good variety of international teams. It would also be good marketing for you if you could win a medal at the larger worlds. The rules are not that different and it would be very cool to go to Vietnam or wherever they will be held in 2006. I like the Lei Tai myself :o) The idea of throwing somone off is so cool! The chest cover sucks - but at least it is not so heavy and thick like the TKD chest covers.
worlds were in Vietnam, last year... by all accounts, an even bigger cluster you-know-what then ever before, Max Chen was in the gym the other night telling us about it....
Even so, I am sure Inside Kung Fu won't mention the cluster f**k when they post pics of Max, his sister, Sarah with their medals...LOL.
What weres ome of the details he shared? What was messed up about the event?
I have heard similar complaints about the Combat Sambo worlds but, that does not stop it from being the biggest thing out there for combat sambo or keeping folks from going if they can.
Brad,
After competing in the IFMA Muay Thai Worlds my self I would highly recomend that you give the San Shou Worlds a try. Nothing is perfect but nothing compares to representing your country, hearing your national anthem played, and competing in an event that has over 70 other countries. Part of the fun is giving another format a try and seeing if you can do well. We had to ware a chest protecter, fight with elbows/knees to the head, and fight four rounds after being told we would fight 3. None of this was I used to. As you probably know most muay thai in the U.S. doesnt allow elbows and never knees to the face in the ams. Not to mention problems with transportation, scheduling and being told totaly different weight classes and then finding out the real classes two days before the tourny. Now that was some team meeting fallowing that little bit of information let me tell you. But ya know what it was STILL one of the best experiences of my life bar none. Well worth any of the bull that went on. I made some great friends from other countries and made some even better friends from this country. I also shared an experience that only a select few will ever really have the oppertunity to share in. This has really turned into a long post on my part and I didnt start out with that intention. My point is that I really think you should give it a chance. I hate to see a competiter like yourself not get a chance to feel the same way i did. Trust me the positive will out weigh the negative.
My guess would be, IFMA is probably still 100% better run than an IWUF event....
We're working on something along those lines though, without China....
Thanks for the input everyone, it is always nice to get posts on a thread. However, I think you guys are missing my point. I'm not really the best writer after all but I like to try here and there. I'm not down on myself about not going to the Olympics it is just one of though things that the cards didn't fall right. I have tried San Shou rules and I prefer Sanda over them any day of the week. I'm only worried about my upcoming fight and doing my best in Sanda. As I quote myself, "I do this because there are No actual Olympics for me and for me this is my Olympics!" Being the best I can be at Sanda is my goal right now and the Olympics are not.
Totally get your point Brad, no doubt. I do think Primo has a solid post though. Nobody says you can't do both or fight for multiple orgs. It is all about the experience.
Now get back to focusing on Brazil!
I hear you Brad. Right now my school is very small with just a few hard core guys (ironically all family men) who beat the snot out of each other 4x a week in the attempt to win a few fights on upcoming events and then go back to our day jobs and familes.
It's internal. I don't care if I make a dime or am ever recognized. I have to fight.
I'd never trade my life for the average joe.
you should have been a figure skater.
Yes, and you could have been my partner then! You would have to shave your legs because you put on one of the dresses though.
Just watch those fingers mister!
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