In a converted basement of a church, dozens of men and women tumble around on the floor, trying to choke each other out and break their arms. Onlookers sit around, drinking sodas and eating Hawaiian food as they enjoy the ambiance and wait for their friends to complete.
No one is paid. In fact, everyone paid to be here. This would be the first ju jitsu tournament I’ve ever seen live and quite frankly, I’m surprised at the size of the turn out and the number of women present. Especially spectating.
It made me think of the prevalence of combat sports in ancient Greco Roman culture. The intensely competitive nature and the bonds that would form from them. It was a culture permeated with with rigorous sport and games, not Neanderthalic hunching over computer screens and endless TV watching.
Dam I want to box again. There’s no feeling like getting punched hard by a guy larger than you and not being fazed or getting hit so hard, everything goes orange and you keep fighting because you want to see what you’re made of. And hitting a guy back, building the confidence that I’m at least this capable of protecting myself.
When’s the next SF boxing tournament?
If it quacks like a duck 