Day 1 of the IBJJF Houston Open is now in the books. We took down two competitors and after a long day of effort and hardship (as well as a car crash just outside of the venue), we walked away triumphant in victory and hungry for the next challenge.
Check out the individual results after the jump ->
Vidush ‘Juice’ Rana, one of our stalwart soldiers, overlooked a serious injury to his knee and competed in the Blue Belt Pena / Featherweight category. Looking to use this tournament as preparation for the Pan-Ams in late March, Vidush won his first couple matches with solid technique and a sharp game-plan.
Anyone who’s been on the mat with Vidush over the last few months can attest to the hours he has put in, training hard and working on his game. His last two matches were great examples of how far his guard game has come – Vidush put on a clinic, sweeping his opponents with slick de la Riva and berimbolo guard work.
Vidush made it to the quarter finals before succumbing to his knee injury about halfway through the match. He’ll take the next few weeks recovering and preparing for a championship run at the Pan-Ams.
In the Lightweight White Belt category, Ian Johnson carried our flag into battle. A monster on the mats at home, Ian put his division on notice by absolutely dominating the competition and winning the GOLD.
Ian won all four of his matches without having a SINGLE point scored on him. Flawless in his efforts, he submitted his first 3 opponents in a COMBINED 2 min, 50 sec.
His first match ended in 50 seconds, after Ian landed a perfect flying triangle – a technique that’s becoming Ian’s signature.
Ian’s second didn’t last much longer, as he tapped his opponent with a choke from the guard, in a mere 45 seconds. Ian was on fire during this match, racking up the score with a sweep and a back take early in the match.
87 seconds into the third match, Ian set up his opponent beautifully, finishing with a picture-perfect armbar from the guard.
The finals match was the only contest that saw Ian go to the bell. After blasting his opponent with an explosive double-leg at the start of the match, Ian passed guard, took mount and took the back before time elapsed.
We’re proud of both of our soldiers. They’re some of our OGs and true representatives of the philosophy here at our academy – train hard, be sharp, look for the finish.
Look for more success from both of these competitors in the future. They’ve been racking up the tournament wins and are quickly establishing themselves as some of the best young competitors in Texas, and certainly helping us build a reputation as being one of the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies in Austin.