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A Note From Down Under
No, not Australia.
I'm in Mexico, remember.
Well the battle for L.A. is over. It's the next day. My search is on - I'm looking for any Boxing or Martial Arts Schools or anyone with any fighting skills. I saw a few fights out here already but all street fights.
You know how that goes.
They just swing wildly and hope something lands before they get knockout. A short distance from where I was staying was a spot called La Plasita. It's the center of the town and everyone gathers there. Like a small mall.
So there I go.
As soon as I got there I start asking people if there was any Boxing or MMA Schools around. Some people pointed me in the direction of a School but many people kept on mentioning this name - ''Americo."
What a name. Almost like the guy who the America's were named for.- Amerigo Vespucci.
First, I figured I'd try finding the school.
I did.
It was a TAE KWON DO School (Just like old times). I waited and waited during the hours it said it would be open but alas it never opened. I asked people that were walking around if they knew if the school was still in business. I really wanted to get a workout in. But most of them told me that they hadn't seen anyone workout in a long time.
There went my hopes.
But my search wasn't over yet. I had one more lead - ''Americo."
I went back to where we were staying (my uncles house) and asked him if he knew Americo. He answers - he's my nephew - and lives a block away. Sometimes things are right under your nose and you don't even know it. I pulled him out of his chair and told him - introduce me to him.
So off we went.
Finally, I meet this Americo. We hit it off pretty good. He told me that he has taught in New York and has participated in many demonstrations and tournaments around Mexico (Guadalajara and many of the surrounding cities here in Michoacan).
He had a school here in the city at one time but there wasn't enough interested to keep it going. I asked him about working out later. He agrees. A few minutes later I go and put on some shorts to work out in. He takes me to a soccer field about 10 minutes away. As we get there we notice that the front gate is closed. That didn't stop us - we jump the gate. We weren't braking and entering - he actually has permission from the owners to go in and check the place.
We start stretching. I notice that he has great flexibility. And I am bad in that department. I ask him to show me a couple of techniques to improve my flexibility - he does.
We start going through a lot of moves - mostly stand-up. Good moves to warm up you legs with a partner. I show him some Jiu-Jitsu - the mount and a single leg take down. He asks me if I thought that I could take him down before he hits me and knocks me out. I answer - if you make contact, it will be minimal and I will still achieve the take down.
He kind of smiles.
I tell him - lets try it. Sure enough, he moved forward - I shot in for a single leg, took him down and eliminated his movement from the side mount. Then he asks - what if I would have landed on top?
I pull him on top - in my guard and tell him to do whatever he can - punch, kick, etc... I pulled him down - eliminating the space between he and I - he was unable to do anything. Then he tells me - but you can't do anything either. So I shoot both of my legs over his head and double arm bar him.
We both get up - we BS'd about MMA for a bit - we show each other a few more moves and techniques and we leave.
After seeing him in action, I can see how he won many tournaments. He is a very good.
I was impressed with his stand-up and control - he just needs to adopt a NO RULES approach and a ground game. Hopefully, before I leave, I will get an interview with him. Maybe I can train with him again and record it.
This time I
will do more stand-up. Reporting from
Mexico,
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