Caio Terra Academy Irving

Martial Arts Irving

IBJJF

Last weekend, CTA-Irving sent three students to compete in the 2022 IBJJF No-Gi Pan American Championships and they all had impressive performances!

Blue Belts Manny Dominguez and Paul Balensiefen both competed on Saturday and fell short in their opening matches. Although they didn’t reach the podium, these two guys made great personal improvements during their preparation and looked very technical in their matches.

On Sunday it was time for the Purple Belts, as Rico Payne got the chance to shine!  He won his opening match on points to advance to the semi-finals, where he would lose to the eventual division champion and walk away with a Bronze Medal!

Next Monday, October 10th we’ll have Mason Fowler in our Academy for a No-Gi Seminar!  Mason has won EVERY major title in the Gi (Worlds, Pans, Europeans & Brazilian Nationals) and has been crushing the competition without it, winning ADCC Trials and defending his Submission Underground title multiple times – racking up wins over some of the top names in our sport the past couple of years.

In addition to being an incredible competitor, Mason has a great personality that really shines through when teaching.  His last event here in 2019 was so much fun and every attendant walked away with new techniques, friends and memories that will still talk about to this day.

To attend, please contact us ASAP – Mason will kick things off Monday, Oct 10th @ 7:00pm and for only $60!

Prior to their Gold Medal performances at the 2019 Dallas Open, our CTA teammates Mason Fowler and Renato Tagliari taught an awesome Half Guard seminar for us in Irving!

In addition to being awesome teammates and friends, these guys are world class competitors as well. They shared some of the techniques that have helped them win various championships and all of our students loved the details. Regardless of rank, each participant walked away with a giant smile on their face and excited to try out their new moves.

Thank you to both Mason and Renato for your time and techniques! Best of luck to both of you in the future – One Team! One Family!

This past weekend, CTA-Irving students Ross Freeman, Troy Mercer and Brett Webster all stepped up and put their skills to the test at the 2018 Dallas Spring Open!  These three men have worked incredibly hard and it was an honor to be in their corners.

Ross returned to competition after a bit of a layoff and despite an early exit, he took with him the attitude that creates champions.  He left motivated and determined.  I can’t wait to see him return to the gym, set new goals and hunt them down – this summer will be full of great things for him no doubt.

Troy had a tough opponent in the first round as well, facing a competitor that had bested him once before.  Using that as both motivation and a learning experience, he was able to win a hard-fought match with both patience and experience.  He followed that with a quick submission victory in the Semi-Finals before getting stopped short of his Gold Medal goal in the Final, but he is already looking forward to the next opportunity to reach the top of the podium.

On Sunday, Brett Webster jumped into a HUGE division and made it to the third round.  It was without a doubt the best I’ve ever seen him “compete” – no risky movements, calculated decisions, and strategic jiu-jitsu from beginning to end.  After two decisive victories via points, he had another tough match that went the distance before falling via points himself.  Our most consistent student, Brett took the loss as a lesson and is ready to regroup, refocus and keep pushing onto the next one!

Although these three were the only ones who set foot on the mats this weekend, they fought with our entire team’s heart and soul.  Today’s lessons are tomorrow’s victories – we are CTA!

Over the past month, our students have been making us proud and representing us in amazing fashion – from Florida to California!

Josh Caperton went to Tampa, FL and walked away with a Silver Medal in his Gi division and then followed it up with a Gold Medal in No-Gi.  Although he hasn’t been with us long, he has made incredible progress – and it shows!  Way to go Josh!

Ron Garcia also brought home a Gold Medal locally in the Evolve Tournament.  His hard work in class is certainly evident in his hardware and we couldn’t be prouder of his result!  Awesome job, Ron!

Troy Mercer and Hanna Ray followed that up in their own amazing fashion, as they just got back from two weeks in San Jose at CTA Headquarters!  In addition to attending the annual Association Camp, they stayed an additional week, both competing at the largest tournament in the world – IBJJF Pans!

Troy’s first two matches were decisive victories via points, as he dominated position and controlled the pace from beginning to end.  In the third round, he lost to AOJ standout Mateus Souza – who would eventually win both the weight class and absolute divisions.  Troy exhibited a ton of heart throughout the tournament – and in preparation for it.

The two weeks prior to Pans, Troy and Hanna both had the opportunity to train among the best athletes that our sport has to offer…World Champions, Pans Champions, ADCC Champions, ACB Champions, F2W Champions, the list goes on and on.  They formed relationships that transcend the mat – they became friends with people from all over the world that share their passion of jiu-jitsu.

Hanna participated through the camp with a broken toe, taping it and pushing through the pain – even jumping into her first IBJJF tournament – PANS!  She was eliminated in the first round, but still brought home a Bronze Medal and a really cool story to tell for years to come.

I’m so proud of all our students when they step up into the competitive spotlight – I can’t wait to see where these three go from here!  OSS!!

 

 

CTA IRVING FREE 2 Day Trial (972) 674-9770
At CTA Irving, we believe in the one team philosophy! Regardless if you are a world champion or taking your first class, our instructors are there to help you along your way. Everyone is welcome, regardless of affiliation, fitness, or skill level. When we say welcome to the family, we really mean it!
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