@James Driskill I had the opportunity of a life time when I went to sign up at Kron's academy, but Rickson was teaching due to Kron being out training for his up coming fight. After training that day, sitting on the mat exhausted, cause I kept picking on this brown belt lol, Im considered a blue belt by the way, so he kept tapping me, and I kept coming back around for more... lol. Rickson walks over and asks where Im from, and where I started, me being new to class, and having a Rickson Gracie Gi on from 2002 ripped and stained with old blood. I told him I got my blue belt from his brother Royce, and shared with him my past experience. I was beside my self, my mind was racing, I have Rickson Gracie sitting here the man, the myth, the Legend!! What do I say, what should I ask him, everybody always ask about jiujitsu, or certain moves, or about his past fights... Then CHOKE the documentary came to mind and then a calm came over me, and I said almost uncontrollably "Rickson I want to learn how to breathe, I get anxiety, and especially when getting smashed, I want to learn how you breathe. He smiled, and seemed excited to show me. He sits down in front of me, back towards me takes his Gi top off, un wraps his back brace, and starts to show me how his back and sides flare out, and was explaining the breath in detail, talking about tennis players, and that its good for everything, then says lay on your back, put one hand on your chest, one on your stomach, and just move the one on your belly, expand and contract, and keep practicing this.. This is already a long post so I dont want to go into too much more detail, but it was amazing!!! Here I am with my Idol, Master Rickson and hes freely giving me probably one of the most important aspects of training, and life.. Breath Work! So much more happened during this time, I will absolutely share my experience and what I witnessed in other posts.

I started at the Gracie Academy Torrance in like 94-95 received my blue from Royce. Then moved around a lot, Philly Diamond Dogs (Joe Diamond (Rickson affiliate) Then, back in Cali at Kron's where I had the absolute pleasure of Training under Rickson, while Kron was out training in Japan, I think, for his fight. Now reside in Indiana with Vortex, and Small Axe half under Caique, half Atos affiliation.

@James Driskill Thank you for starting this community! I was scrolling through all the jiujitsu pages, and saw Master Rickson and knew i didnt have to look any further! 🤙🏽