My Invicta 23 experience!
I flew to Kansas City Wednesday night, and Thursday was a little crazy. One of my coaches had to catch a later flight, and the other coach’s flight got delayed like 7 hours because of snow in Denver. My friend Jessica suddenly couldn’t come because of travel arragement issues, and I rearranged our sleeping arragements last minute. But it worked out. John arrived in time to do the photo shoot….thanks, photo team, for waiting a little longer for us!
I got to chat with Mike and Kristy Crilly, fans who became sponsors, and then friends!
It was epic.
Then I cut weight a bit with mitts and jump rope in a sauna suit.
Friday I woke up early and finished my water cut in the bathtub, weighed in, and went out for burritos with my team, new friends, and Tonya Evinger! 🙂
I ordered “Big as yo face burrito!” haha it was!
Then weigh-ins were fun. For me. Sarah apparently hated them. 😡 As she got in my face on the stage I remember thinking, “Her hair is so cool. WHOA here she comes!….okay we’re doing a close-range one. Where should my eyes focus now?”
Friday was fight day. I woke up and immediately felt my guts clench. I get a nervous stomach and diahhrea before fights, usually starting after breakfast, not before. :/ It’s an interesting phenomenon because my mind and emotions are perfectly calm, but my body KNOWS what’s going on. I couldn’t eat as big a breakfast as I had intended!
After my coaches woke up and ate, we decided to go to a small aquarium downtown so I could distract myself. Last time, we went to a small Zoo in Montana and it made my nervous guts go away all day. 🙂 So that was fun and perfect!
I think I managed a small nap around 2 PM. Then Fight time! We went to the venue, I took my Imodium AD, (thank GOODNESS for drugs), waited around, John wrapped my hands, I warmed up, and did my thing.
I was definitely in trouble in the first round. The first punch rocked me. I remember getting hit, things went dark for a second, and then I circled out and tried to be active while brain was recovering. Later, people told me I fell down and popped back up. I must have had a Rock Lee moment there. (He got back to his feet while still unconscious)
Her punches were SO hard. Coach John was reminding me that she would come out the strongest in the first round, and I should do feints and pulls and make her miss and then come in. That’s what I did, and ended up clipping her on a forward charge and knocked her down. In my haste to hit her, I went right into her guard, which isn’t really good. But from there, I proceeded to play my ground game. She has really great submission defense. She hit me another time that made me feel a little wobbly, but I think I did a good job of not letting it show.
(image from Sherdog)
(sherdog)
In the second round? When I tried for the armbar, man, I thought I could get it! When she started picking me up, I thought “OH FUDGE, I’m in the air! nooooooooo not another slam” and tucked my head.
Then I managed to hook her leg and hold on for dear life. FOR DEAR LIFE. lol (I’ve lost two big fights by KO from being slammed on my head)
I got a few knock downs!
(invicta photographer)
In the third round, I managed to avoid her strikes and get a single-leg and did some ground and pound. 
She was blocking and trying to buck me off, and I was a little surprised when the ref stopped the fight, but then she didn’t get up….. :/ and then the cutman came over and said, “Let me wipe the blood off you.” I was like, “Blood?” and my arm was covered with blood. I tried not to look at it. Ironically, I think I drew the most blood in the card and I’m the fighter who least wants to. It was a really weird feeling. My adrenaline was crazy, I was a little worried for her at the same time being thrilled…. I didn’t really see that I had cut her because her hands were in the way. I saw a little blood, but I didn’t realize it was so much because I had gotten off her by then. I was so excited I had won, but I knelt down out of respect until she got up. I’m kind of irritated the staff wouldn’t let my coaches in the cage immediately. :/
This was a huge victory, not just winning the fight, but winning it against Sarah since she’s so good. I also managed to knock someone down, something I haven’t done much of in the past. Coach John said my strikes were stronger, and he was right. I’m so happy I could do the techniques he taught me. Also, my jiujitsu is better. Capitao has been making a big effort to teach me things, in class, and also pulling me asside after class. He always has time for my questions and enthusiastically supports me, emotionally, as well.
I won my previous fight by armbar, but I felt that my ground and pound wasn ‘t that strong, so the very next week I asked John to give me a ground and pound private session. He taught me so many little details and I used them ALL in this fight! Like, how to punch from sitting on the stomach vs grapevined and putting pressure, or how to make your opponent turn their face to the side underneath you and aim punches, how to elbow from a high position knees under the armpits, or from pinching my knees together while they’re on their side, or from a position sitting on their hips. Etcetera! (please ignore the fact this is a run-on-sentence)
My dad said on the phone yesterday that learning from your wins is just as important as learning from your losses, and it’s a sign of a successful person. He chuckled that like three different websites called me “vicious.”
I went and read the forums, like mixedmartialarts.com, reddit, and sherdog, and not a single person had any critisism about my striking or technique. NOT A SINGLE ONE. Even the sherdog guys, who are usually the meanest, were impressed! YAY I IMPRESSED SHERDOG. hahaha
My coaches were so happy with me, and I’m ecstatic that I could make them proud and show the world that I used their coaching to win and be successful.
I also couldn’t have done it without my great training partners at Team Syndicate. I never want to train anywhere else. Also, my sponsors help me pay my bills! Thank you for your love, support, products, and financial aid!
And I have the best fans who would support me if I won or lost. I love you! And my friends Katie and Candy, also Luz who traveled a distance to watch me fight, and Eric H also! I have more pictures and more things to say but I’m in a hurry because I have to leave for the Ultimate Fighter tryouts now. lol thank goodness I’m not injured. Wish me luck..
Great fight, Sarah. I hope you heal up fast.…