Scene at NY Open / Photo: Gildson Gomes
Burgeoning talent from the Bronx, New York, Jonathan “JT” Torres (Lloyd Irvin) is one of the big names in the hunt for gold in Abu Dhabi at the World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Cup, a tournament sponsored by the government of the United Arab Emirates that ends this Saturday.
To make it to his goal, though, the lightweight will have to overcome a number of obstacles and achievements right near home.
Torres was the last winner of the absolute division at the IBJJF New York Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship, in 2010. The tournament that gave him the biggest thrill was the one where he bit into his gold metal fifteen minutes from his father’s house.
“It was like fighting in my own backyard,” remember JT by email from a computer in Abu Dhabi. “We’re always traveling the world and competing. This time all I had to do was go down the street, since the gymnasium is a fifteen-minute walk from my dad’s house. It was really exciting and meant a lot to me, plus I got to show that my Jiu-Jitsu was good enough to beat all the big guys. It was overjoying,” he added.
The NY Open 2011 hit the 700-competitor mark and closed sign-ups. But you can still experience the thrill of competing and winning at home. Be a part of the big events coming up this April and May in Phoenix and California.
Click on the tournament and sign up today.