I was asked to spar as part of a BB test.

[GeoGiant]

I'm a brown belt and I train in an mma class that my dojo offers. During the mma class we full contact spar at times so my instructor knows that I like contact and I enjoy heavy sparring... he also knows that I don't lose my cool during contact.

Well out of nowhere I was asked to spar with someone going for their BB. I'm 40 years old and this potential BB is 50. This guy known for man-handling others and a lack of control... he's old school gruff but he's not a bad guy. I'm assuming that I was asked to spar him because all the BBs sit on the panel to judge.

Needless to say, this guy lost his cool and went after me. I had no problem taking his full aggression while still working him pretty good. At one point he grabbed my leg and tried to drive me to the floor... well mma kicked in and I dropped to the floor, pulled him on top of me, wrapped him up with my legs and I went for a choke. This guy doesn't take mma so he did everything he wasn't supposed to... we went down, he posted up and I easily slip under his arm and had him in solid choke. I looked at my instructor unsure what to do. I didn't want to let go for fear of getting hit so I started to apply the choke. After 15 seconds he started to go a little limp and the BB's separated us.

I never lost my cool and all the BBs said I did what I had to do but looking back at the situation l'm left with an odd feeling and I'm not sure why. After a few minutes I walked over and gave the guy a hug and said he did a good job but he was clearly irritated.

I guess I feel odd knowing someone came after with the intent to do.... not sure. I've seen people lose their cool but not like this. Not sure why I'm posting this but I thought others here would understand.

[MasterPain]

Sounds like he needed his ego checked.

Unfortunately, that really needs to be done as a young person. At 50, he's unlikely to change his attitude.

[JusticeZero]

Dare we ask if the guy passed his test after that?

[DWx]

Well people do go a little crazy sometimes during sparring We have a guy, one of the best fighters I've ever seen and the nicest guy ever, but in the ring he goes a bit mental, sort of a back to basic instincts. Not an ego thing, just something else takes over and he comes full pelt at you. Best thing to do with guys like this is to keep your cool and try to out-think them.

Needless to say, this guy lost his cool and went after me. I had no problem taking his full aggression while still working him pretty good. At one point he grabbed my leg and tried to drive me to the floor... well mma kicked in and I dropped to the floor, pulled him on top of me, wrapped him up with my legs and I went for a choke. This guy doesn't take mma so he did everything he wasn't supposed to... we went down, he posted up and I easily slip under his arm and had him in solid choke. I looked at my instructor unsure what to do. I didn't want to let go for fear of getting hit so I started to apply the choke. After 15 seconds he started to go a little limp and the BB's separated us.

Maybe it's just me but if he was going a bit mental shouldn't one of the BBelts stepped in and told you to separate? Nevermind that you could handle it, if it had looked to me as if he'd totally lost it, I'd have been worrying about which one of you was going to get injured first.

[Liver Punch]

Nothing makes me angrier than when someone really loses when training. Personally, I feel like once someone is trying to hurt me instead of sparring with me, it's no longer a sparring session. If you lose your mind and try to knock my head off, I'm at that point in a fight where it's acceptable to defend myself.

Choking him out was perfectly reasonable, responsible, and acceptable in my opinion. I wouldn't have been quite as nice...

[GeoGiant]

The guy did pass. He's been working off and on toward a BB for the last 20 years so he's been training for some time. Again, he's not a bad guy, he's just a little rough around the edges.

After I had him wrapped up on the ground one of the BBs did step in and break it up but it was clear that he was being dominated. Part of me thinks that is what my instructor wanted to happen. I don't have a problem with the way it went down I was just a little freaked to see someone I train with lose it like that on someone else in our dojo (regardless if it was me or not).

[Groinstrike]

Tallgeese can tell you some good stories about people that needed knocked out at their bb test. But ill let him do that.

[GeoGiant]

Tallgeese can tell you some good stories about people that needed knocked out at their bb test. But ill let him do that.

Wow, so its not uncommon for someone to act a fool at their BB test.

[tallgeese]

Well, in fairness, I've set on a testing board or two over the years and I can't think of too many from the circles I've ran in. So at least I'd say that yes, it is uncommon. But, unfortunately, not unheard of. Generally, I think everyone knows ahead of time who is or isn't going to fall victim to this sort of behavior, but I guess it could surprise someone.

[Zaine]

Part of me thinks that is what my instructor wanted to happen.

Exactly right. It happens at a lot of BB test and many others. An instructor will throw in someone that they know will stumble the student. This is to test how they handle something new, to push them in an area that they're weak in or a combination of both. I was the first BB in my school and there was this particular student who didn't like me and I felt the same about him. I was made to fight him to test on whether or not I was humble enough to put my personal feelings aside and not go crazy.

This stuff is thrown at us all the time and sometimes it's not just to test the one being tested.