Rigan's Seminar 04/22/2006
How often do you get to train with a 7th degree black belt who is also a 6X world champion? Unless you're one of the lucky few, the answer is close to never.
Rigan Machado made the trip out to Utah with Pan American Champion and 2nd degree black belt Ricardo "Ica" Medina to help us kick off the BJJ program at the Ultimate Combat Training center.
We drew support from Provo, Orem, Ogden, Salt Lake, and a couple of guys even made the five hour drive from St. George in Southern Utah.
Locally, we had fighters and BJJ competitors representing Pedro Sauer, Mushin Selfdefense, and Absolute MMA. Thank you for your support.
Rigan's teaching style is flat-out dynamic. He wove a series of techniques that, at first, seemed to have no connection. Then, at the end, he brought it all together and showed how every technique he gave us could be connected together in one unending chain that moves from technique to technique as your opponent attempts to counter your game plan, always placing him one step behind your attack.
Rigan had a blast at the seminar and at the fights later that night. In fact, while we were eating at Betos, after the show, Rigan told me that he really believes that our program has a ton of potential and that he plans on coming out regularly to help us keep everything on track and make the BJJ program at the Ultimate Combat Training Center the world class experience that Utah deserves. So get ready for Rigan's next trip, I'll try to give you plenty of notice; however, Rigan mad this trip as a favor to Jeff and he had to massage his schedule to make it here. He might find an opening in his schedule and show up a few days later . . . so be prepared!
I didn't get too many pictures, sorry but I was trying out a new camera and I was busy enjoying the seminar.
I also want to give a HUGE thank you to Mike Stidham and Phil Henderson for all of their help in getting the program off and running and for all of the fantastic hospitality that they showed Rigan and Ica during the seminar and at the fights. You two guys work extremely hard, although Mike couldn't do anything without AJ, and your efforts are greatly appreciated.
