I came to Lloyd Irvin Martial arts academy to stay in shape for wrestling during the off seasons; I started jiu-jitsu to learn and try something new. Master Lloyd invited me to the advanced BJJ training seasons to help some of the guys train for a no-gi tournament they had coming up, and the experience was nothing like I have ever experienced before. I immediately fell in love with it and never looked back, because I was learning something new and exciting each and every day.
2. You mentioned that you started BJJ as a way to stay in shape during Wrestling off season. How did you make the switch from just training Wrestling to just BJJ?
The switch was not difficult for me. I loved bjj from my very first classed and I was obssessed with training and getting as good as I possibly could in the art. And Master Lloyd is a genius with helping people progress their bjj and mma games so it was very easy for me to transition even with the differences in the sports.
3. You are know for your takedowns and top game. How much do you work on your guard?
I work my guard alot I study bjj with Master Lloyd to find what best fits and suits me for bjj and mma. So right now its alot of half guard and leg entanglement that I work tranisitioning to sweeps for there. But as much as I love my guard the goal is still to sweep, get on top pass and submit!
4. How do you handle defeat?
I handle defeat by getting back to the gym as fast as possible! I train harder to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I watch my film with Master Lloyd to see my mistakes, I drill to make sure I don’t make the same mistakes and I train extremely hard to make sure that I am as prepared as possible for each and every fight.
5. What can we expect from you in the future?
A black belt world title! That is all that matters and I will not be satisfied until I am a black belt world champion. After that, I’m joining my teammates Mike Easton, Brandon Vera, Dominick Cruz, and Phil Davis.
6. Who are the top guys in your division and in the absolute?
Well, worlds just endend but it would have had to been Renato Cardoso and beneil Daruish both matches were very intense and Renato won double gold at the pan ams. But I always embrace the war when I fight and I love tough grinding matches that really test what your made of.
4.. Tell us more about your diet and supplements that you take (if you take some)
Just the basic daily vitamins my dietitianhas laid out for me. We have the best of everything on team Lloyd Irvin and George Lockhart does the best diets!
6. What does Master Lloyd represent to you as a person and coach?
He is my Mentor and my guiding light. I dont know where I would be in life without him but meeting him, training under him and learning from him has opened up more doors and more possibilities that I would have never imagined possible 4 years ago
7. Please tell us about your training camp for the Worlds and the competitions that you had as a build up.
My training for worlds is pretty intense we train three times a day and it varies what we do in all of them. But because of my mma training I haven’t done alot of the major tourneys leading up to worlds I did the abu dhabi pro trails where I fought Lucas leite and lost a refs decision I also fought Rafeal rosendo and defeated him in that tournament but not many other tournaments leading up to worlds. But I have the best team in the world and as long as JT Torres, Jimmy Harbinson, Jordan Schults Keenan Cornelious, Andris Brunovskis, Chris Ulbricht, Nick Shcults, and Mike Perez are pushing me with Master Lloyd watching over us We will always be ready for anything!
8. Dj, all the best OSSS!
Thanks!
