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GracieMag: Is Galvão your greatest rival these days?

Marcelo Garcia: No, I don’t feel feelings of rivalry in relation to anyone that has already lost to me six times.

*

Another Gracie Barra Seattle Invitational. Another embarrassing loss to Sauleh.

It is little salve to say that I saw this coming the moment Rodrigo said, "You know, Sauleh's submitting everybody these days. But he hasn't submitted you so far." He meant it in the most encouraging way, I'm sure. And it appears to have served its purpose: I came, I saw, I competed. But "competed" is putting it kindly. I never had an advantage for a moment, never had momentum, was never really in the match. It was easily my worst performance against Sauleh ever.

What is most overwhelming is the fact that he's getting better at a far faster rate than I am. The first time we fought, he won 4-2. The second time several months later I lost 10-0 or worse. And today he caught me in a armlock off a triangle attack in maybe 90 seconds.

There are a number of thoughts spinning through my head right now - most of them counterproductive. I will say that it would be nice to see Sauleh kick somebody's ass other than mine at these events. As Marcelo might say of his non-rivalry with Andre Galvao, I'm finding it harder and harder to see the point of fighting Sauleh, especially given the trend. I might feel differently if we trained together more often and I had some experience, some memory of success or accomplishment to draw on. Instead, all I'm left with is the memory of the last defeat, and the gnawing sense of inevitability every time we step on the mat to face each other.

Of course, if I'm going to play this out then my goal is to be Galvao. Whatever struggles Galvao had against Marcelo (I've still got three more losses to Sauleh to go!), there is no one who slights Galvao's skills on the mat. No one. And if I have to play Galvao to Sauleh's Garcia, then I'll be the first to admit that there are far, far worse fates than that.

A predictably underwhelming end to a really rotten week. Fortunately, it looks like there are some glimmers of hope in response to the truly ill news of the past few days. With any luck (and I do mean "any"), those glimmers will shine a little light on my jiu jitsu life as well.