Remember to remain calm,” Sensei Chen said. “And breathe. Do that and you’ll keep a clear head.”
Sensei Chen spoke to Eric Davis and Greg Wall. They were “rolling” in the middle of Chen MMA Center. Rolling was a sparring session when two people practiced their mixed martial arts moves. There were kicks, punches, blocks, and chokeholds. None of the moves were at full force. Many of Sensei’s students watched the session.
The MMA center was always busy. Sensei’s students worked on heavy bags. Others jumped rope. Some rolled on the mats. Everyone worked hard to be good.
Eric worked harder than most. He was a 16-year-old sophomore at Starling High School. It was in the sleepy town of Deermont, California.
When Eric wasn’t rolling, he lifted weights. He also jogged for cardio. Eating well was part of the plan too.
Eric wasn’t the most popular at school. He was known for being into MMA. His main focus was jujitsu. The school’s wrestling coach wanted him on the team. So did the wrestlers. Eric wasn’t interested in wrestling. MMA allowed him to do more. He could fight standing up or on the ground.
Eric loved rolling. He enjoyed combat—using his body as a weapon. It took skill. The tougher the match the better.
There were a few ways to win. But submitting an opponent quickly felt great. Getting them to tap three times—no matter when it came—was the best part. To tap out meant an end to the match.
Eric loved to win. And he almost always did. There were many trophies at home to prove it. The MMA center also displayed tournament trophies. Eric had played a big part in winning them.
“Honesty. Integrity. Intensity,” Sensei Chen said. He addressed the students watching. It was Sensei’s MMA creed. The three words were on every wall of the center. “Bring those traits to a match—always. You can never lose if you do.”
Eric and Greg were both black belts in jujitsu. Eric was a bantamweight. He weighed 135 pounds. Greg weighed a little more.
Their matches were exciting. They moved fast. Eric was on top of Greg. Greg was in a chokehold. But he somehow rolled out of it.
Greg turned. Suddenly Eric was on his back.
The students watching cheered. Many thought Greg was as good as Eric. Some even thought he was better. But whenever they rolled, Eric always won.
Greg pressed his weight on top of Eric. He was trying to impose his will. It would’ve worked on anyone else.
Eric stayed calm. Breathe, he told himself. He slowly wrapped his legs around Greg’s. It was a leg lock. Greg tried to fight. His legs were strong. Eric didn’t care. He knew his were stronger.
Then Greg made a big mistake. He tried to adjust himself. That’s when Eric pushed himself off the mat. With all of his strength, he turned Greg over. Now Greg was on his back.
The students cheered for Eric now.
Before Greg knew it, he was in a chokehold again. Eric’s arm was around his throat. It was getting tighter.
Eric could feel the energy in Greg’s body. There was confidence before. Now he was tense. He couldn’t breathe. Eric wouldn’t let him.
“Match!” Sensei Chen said.
Eric and Greg immediately let go of each other. They both got to their feet.
The students clapped. What a great match!
Rolling wasn’t about winning or losing. It was about practicing what you’d learned. Getting better was the goal.
The students at Chen MMA knew one thing. In a real match, Eric would’ve won. He always won on the mat.