02/28/2026
From 6:00 a.m. boot camps to private lessons, additional training at HFXBJJ, and three weekly sessions at Manimal Athletics, the dedication and consistency shown by our athletes continues to pay off.
A special congratulations to Matt and Todd for stepping onto the mats at Submission Series.
Competing in his third tournament, Matt delivered an outstanding performance, earning gold.
In his first match, he secured victory with a well-timed triangle armbar, patiently maintaining control and capitalizing when his opponent’s focus shifted.
In his second match, he demonstrated technical precision once again, finishing with a clean “other side” triangle to seal the win.
Todd earned bronze on the podium, but his achievement goes far beyond placement.
As a former two-tour active war zone veteran, this event represented a personal mental challenge:
committing to training, cutting weight, and showing up to compete.
In doing so, he had already accomplished his primary goal.
His composure, resilience, and positive attitude throughout the day were inspiring, capped off by the biggest smile after his matches.
While Manimal Athletics operates as a non-competitive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program, many of our students are seasoned, long-time martial artists who continually seek to challenge themselves and grow through disciplined training.
As always, sincere thanks to Ryan Staples and the entire Manimal Athletics team for your continued support.
