“Jiu Jitsu changed my life.”
What a cliché thing to say in the beautiful art of Jiu Jitsu. But in many cases, it is a very real and true statement. One way or another every person that has spent time on the mats has had their lives changed due to Jiu Jitsu. I believe that mentality comes from the sense of direction that practicing Jiu Jitsu gives most people. It certainly gave me the direction that my life so desperately needed.
My name is Curry Gaut, and yes, I fight my closest friends in a padded room. Sounds crazy huh? It's pretty awesome. Anyways, I became a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner in January of 2017 at Team Rivas Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I have recently earned the rank of purple belt under Professor Daniel Rivas. I already had a rough idea of what I was getting into when I joined the team. So, it wasn’t so scary for me to walk through the door as it is for some; many say that’s the hardest part. At 6 years old, my mother had me in school wrestling. I wrestled on and off until I graduated high-school, never really putting much energy and commitment into the sport though.
I was not a stranger to grappling so that took some of the anxiety and mystery away from joining a Jiu Jitsu school. Since I joined Team Rivas, unlike my days of school wrestling, I have put all my energy and commitment into training and bettering myself on and off the mats. I train usually 7 days a week unless Sunday becomes a much-needed rest day. I am also the Production Manager of LKQ Corp – South Texas.
“When I step on the mat, I know there is no other place I’d rather be” – Marcelo Garcia
I found my purpose on the mats, in the training gym and on the competition stage. For those of you that don’t know already, I am constantly competing. I have competed for most major Jiu Jitsu promotions and pretty much all offered tournaments. If there is a match needing a competitor, I am in. Win, lose, or draw, just say when.
Eric Garcia has given me many opportunities all of which I am very thankful for. From fighting in the cage for Fury FC and Cage Combat to competing on the Submission Hunter Pro stage. Now he has given me a new type of opportunity, a platform in which I can give back to the Jiu-Jitsu community.
In the articles following this, you can expect to see many different types of content. Such as, event recaps, product reviews, training tips, competition tips, and my personal favorite part is going to be the interviews. I have plans to interview some of the biggest names and legends of our sport, so stay tuned!
Until next time, train safe and train hard!