Worst shape of my life...

It's official. I am in the worst shape of my life.

For those of you who have been following this blog (wait, that's not you? You're not the guy? Oh well, I know he's out there somewhere...) you may be wonding where I have been. for those who have not see tnis blog of mine before (I expect that woud probably include you. Yeah, and you too.) you are probably wondering what this blog is and why I decided to post here now.

This blog was started when I began producing my first feature the film I now call "Redemption: find Out What You're Worth." It was a Rocky/Karate Kid - type sports-redemption story set in a world of submission grappling. After the film was completed I kept this blog alive chronicling my adventures in the grappling world, mostly training and competing (my competition record: 3 wins, 46 losses, 2 draws).

Since then, my martial arts and filmaking endeavors have migrated to full-contact medieval armored combat in armor with blunt steel weapons. I have been chronicling that in my regular "Captain Zorikh" blog at http://zorikh.blogspot.com/. But now I fel an urge to return to this blog.

The term "redemption," to my mind, means finding the value of yourself. If you find the value is too low, you have the opportunity to do something about it. Through work, effort, and dedication you can increase your worth, thus truly earning a worthwhile redemption.

In late september of 2013 I tore my right ACL at a tournament in Ontario fighting a Ukrainian-Canadian. You can see the action here:

Still I fought in the International Medieval Combat Federation world championships in Belmonte, Spain in the spring of 2014, leading tha All-on-All team in the "Kill the King" scenario. In late October of that year I had the surgery to repair the ACL. since then I have been recovering and therapizing my knee. But I have not been working out, fighting, or training. In short, I have been sitting and eating a lot (and writing and editing videos, but that's for my other blog).

Then I went to the Pennsic War this year (the largest medieval event in the Western Hemisphere). I used to fighti in battles like this...

By recommendation of the doctor and the therapist, I did not fight in the battles this year, but instead marshaled (that's those guys in the black tabbards with the crossed yellow swords. They are there to keep everyone safe and make sure folks are following the rules).

I wasn't ready. I couldn't handle the heat, and after marshaling a battle in the morning, I was exhausted and sleepy the rest of the day. This is not too surprising. I have not seen the underside of 200 lbs since the surgery, my waist is now over 35 inches, and I have not been outside an air-conditioned room for an extended period of time since last summer.

I knew I wasn;t at my best, but I took pictures of myself to post as "before" pictures. They are so disgusting that I am not even ging to post them until I have decent "during" and "after" pictures.

What really disgusts me is that I was doing "Insanity" workouts before the surgery, in addition to all the fighting and training that I had been doing, so I must have been in pretty good shape back then.

So I got myself a gym membership and I am going to sue it. Hopefully I will make enough money soon to re-join a martial arts school, get back on the grappling mats. And I know I will be putting armor on again in about a month.

So hold on tight, it's going to be a wild ride until I look like this 2011 picture again:

Captain Zorikh wins!

I finally got around to posting the video of the first grappling victory I got on camera!



I will be at the Acom Sports Prestige Grappling Tournament this Saturday in Fishkill, NY, competing and promoting "Hit the Mat" and "Redemption." http://www.acom-sports.net

And finally, I faced "Superman" in the Open Division

Here's my final match at the Acom Sports NY State Grappling Championships. I got paired up with a guy wearing a Superman shirt, so I decided to wear my Captain Marvel shirt. For all the good it did me...



In this video, I review my day's performance and say a few final words.

Thank you to all my sponsors for supporting me. Though my score total was lower than I had hoped, it was a learning experience and enabled me to make 5 videos.

The upshot of this is, however, that I have decided that this kind of casual, recreational training is not advancing my skills enough for the months that I have been doing this. If I ever want to be more than a genial goof, I have to get real training from a real academy. Fortunately, East Coast United Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has recruited me to make videos for them, and in exchange, will be training me. Watch this soace for the results!

Fundraiseing matches at Acom Sports NY State Grappling Championships #3

Here's the third match of the day in Captian Zorikh's "Redemption" fundraising challenge. This was in gi. Sponsors, watch closely...



So we got three points!

Stay tuned for the takedown and absolute matches!

Fundraising mates at Acom Sports NY State Grappling Championships #2

Here's the second match. Remember, every point scored would earn me $ towards finishing "Redemption."



Total points = 0

My fundraising matches at Acom Sports NY State Grapplng Championships #1

As promised, here are the matches I fougt in at the Acom Sports NY State GRappling championships.

#1


0 points

Captain Zorikh Eats a Cheeseburger

After all the training and cutting weight and then the competition, I felt I deserved a little comfort food:

Sponsor "Redemption" at the NY State Grappling Championships

Hey folks, I got an idea that I hope will make sponsoring this movie fun and exciting!

As you should know by now, "Redemption" is being screened at the NY State Grappling Championships this Saturday, July 17th in Fishkill, NY. Well, I've been inspired by walk-a-thons to set up a plan that will encourage me to fight harder than ever before!

All you have to do is decide on an amount of money you would like to pledge for every point I score in the tournament. Then, when the event is over, I will post the video of the matches, and you can see all the points I score. Then you can go to Indiegogo.com and donate your pledge. You will notice that each pledge there comes with a collection of "perks" commensurate with your level of contribution.

Now I have a 2-32-2 record in competition and I don't think I have scored even as many as a dozen points in my entire career, but I have been working out, training, and improving, as you can see by this video...



...so you are taking a gamble by pledging here. Can you handle it?

The minimum pledge is 25 cents a point. And just to put as little more competition in, the person who pledges the most will receive a copy of the preview DVD screener, a copy of the finished movie, and a copy of the all-original soundtrack CD once it is all done!

Here's the way scoring will work at the tournament, according to the rules posted at the Acom Sports website:

Scoring Points: To gain points for any move or position, the competitor (aggressor) must show clear control for a 3 second
count by the referee – this is the key in point scoring for ACOM-SPORTS – TOTAL CONTROL FOR 3 COUNT TO EARN POINTS

1. Takedown or Throw: Land on Top in Guard or Half Guard= 2 points Land on Top in Side Mount or Full Mount= 3 Points
Note: Points will be awarded separately for Full Mount after an additional 3 count of control.

2. Sweep with Legs (from Half Guard or Full Guard) or Arm Drag from Open Guard to Turtle: 2 points (must hold for 3 count to
be awarded). NOTE: Inversions (Power Rolls from Side, Full or North/South are NOT considered Sweeps & will not awarded any
points or advantages

3. Passing the Guard (open or closed) - 3 points (must hold for 3 count to be awarded points) – MUST CLEAR ARMS & LEGS

4. Mounted position (both knees on the ground): 4 points (must hold for 3 count to be awarded)

5. Back Mount with Leg Hooks (or Knees on the Ground with Opponent Flat on his Stomach): 4 points (must hold for 3 count to
be awarded)

In addition, for the purpose of this pledge drive, if I win by points, that's worth 5 points plus points scored in the match.
Should I get so lucky as to win by submission, that will count as 10 points, plus points scored in the match.

Thanks in advance, those of you who will be contributing. I look forward to doing my best and living up to the confidence you have put in me!

Captain Zorikh competes at Renegade GRappling Tournament this weekend!

Hey friends, if you have been following my Facebook announcements (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=598551661&ref=profile) and YouTube channels (http://www.youtube.com/captainzorikh, http://www.youtube.com/czredemption) you know what’s going on this weekend. For the rest of you, here’s the news.

I have recovered enough from the injury I suffered aat that grappling tournament where I won my first match to consider myself ready to re-enter the ring. I’ll be doing so on Sunday, April 25 (tomorrow) at the Renegade Grappling League even!

This went will take place at John’s boxing gym at 436 Westchester Ave in the Bronx. It’s just one block from the 3rd Ave-149th St. stop on the 2/5 train.

It will be a round-robin, open-skill level tournament (anyone at any skill level may compete with anyone else) divided into 6 weight divisions, with an open weight tournament also.

If you want to compete, it’s only $35 (the cheapest tournament fee around). Spectators are free, just walk right in.

There is an event announcement on Facebook with more details (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=598551661&ref=profile#!/event.php?eid=116921918318186) and I posted an event announcement on Going.com as well (http://newyork.going.com/event-747845;Renegade_Grappling_League)


I hope to see you there, and if you can’t make it, wish me luck and safety!

Captain Z
Zorikh@juno.com
917-865-1214
http://www.captainzorkh.com

Captain Zorikh GETS HURT!

Here is the true story behind the injury I suffered at the tournament at which I won my first victory..

Renegade Grappling League promo

Promo video for a tournament I am competing in this weekend

Here are two promos I did fro the Long Is;land Grappling Challenge I, which I competed in last week:





I'll have video of my performance in the competition soon!

NYC Submission Shootout 9/20/09, part 2

Here's the rest of the NYC Submission Shootout for me, oncew again, my presence was sponsored by the Big Apple Comic-Con.

NYC Submission Shootout Sept. 2009 part 1

Well, I went back to the NYC Submission shootout and competed again. I did about the same as last time, although I fought four matches instead of three. Here's the first one...



The rest of the day will be coming soon!

My participation in this event was sponsored by the Big Apple Comic-Con which explains the graphic at the beginning and end of the video, and the large green t-shirt that I am wearing.

Sammy Wins!

Sammy Vergara, trainer of the cast of "The Redemption of Captain Zorikh," along with a half-dozen of his crew that are also in the cast of the movie, competed in a mixed martial arts tournament yesterday.

Harol Coronado lost his match by a guillotine choke in the first round. Doug Ahammer and Jonathan Rodriguez fought each other, with Jonathan coming out the winner in a decision. Robert Rampersand lost his match by ground & pound. Edwin Echevarria and Stephen Plummer fought for three rounds to a draw. They were allowed one more round, which Stephen dominated for the win. Willi Cruz Jr. was forced to submit in the second round of his match.

But the highlight of the day was Sammy Vergara's match, the main event. In it he demolished his opponent, who stood a good head and shoulders above him and outweighed him by several dozen pounds, in less than 45 seconds of the first round. He knocked him out with a kick to the head, a difficult feat with the headgear all the fighters were wearing. It was easily the fastest, most exciting, and most emotional match of the day.

NYC Submission Shootout - Matches #2 and #3

Here are the second and third matches that I fought at the NYC Submission Shootout. Though I did not win either one of them, I had fun adding music to the video...and competing as well ;)

NYC Submission Shootout Report

SO I got there good and early with my friend StapleDuck to hold the camera. Unfortunately, no one else from the Redemption project was able to make it to compete, although Kat had expressed an interest (but finances prevented it). She did cheer me on, however, as did GA, Sandra, and Vincent.

This was a submission-or-nothing, round-robin tournament, in which each competitor got to face three different fighters. If there was no submission, the match was ruled a draw.

In my first bout, I managed to hold my own, denying a couple of submission attempts, sweeping out of mount a couple of times and gaining mount myself once, to achieve the draw. Although if we were scoring points I would have lost, I consider the draw a victory considering my record and recent limited training.

My next two bouts were not so successful. The first one was a pretty efficient takedown and progression to submission (although I did make sure he had to progress through several steps to get the submission).

My final bout was an interesting one in which I found myself denying a leg submission by having my left ankle crossed over my right thigh. This effectively prevented him from either straightening my leg or bending it further, due to the entanglements our legs were in. However, I literally found myself scratching my head wondering what to do because I could not reach him with my arms to do anything. He finally submitted me with a knee bar after the entanglement came free.

After watching the footage, and other bouts in the tournament I have come to a few conclusions:

1. I like the fact that at my weight, I tower over almost everyone else.
2. I need to learn a few more techniques, and how to properly execute a few techniques that I already know about.
I really, really need to improve my stand-up and takedown game.
3. Increasing my strength and stamina would be a good thing, especially my back.
4. I simply like to talk during matches. It's how I roll.

The Purpose of This Project

Greetings, and welcome to the production blog of "The Redemption of Captain Zorikh." The picture of that handsome fellow you see is yours truly (about a year, 10 pounds, and two haircuts ago), Captain Zorikh. I am the writer/director/producer/lead actor/subject of "The Redemption of Captain Zorikh. Is this a vanity project? Heck yes, I won't deny it. But I would not feel right if that's all it was.

This movie is about athletic competition and the meaning of redemption.

Athletic training and competition is about working hard, having fun, and being the best there is at what you do. Redemption is about taking everything you are, have been, have done, have thought, have experienced, cashing it in, and finding out what you are worth.

We (the cast and crew of this motion picture) are in the entertainment business. We have the opportunity, nay the responsibility, to move and inspire people. It is the stated intention of this project to move and inspire people to work hard, have fun, and be the best they can be at what they do.