Life wasn't easy for James Pesek. His coach just passed away. His girlfriend just left him. He doesn't have much to show for himself other than his natural ability and his skills in combat sports. James had some gold medals in submission fighting competition. He had coached champions in MMA fighting. He didn't have much to show for himself though in that regard. He recently had to move away from everything he knew. Going through a break up, and losing a long time coach was hard.. almost too hard to take. So moving to a new city was the only thing he could do. Recently, James had started at the local MMA gym. He hasn't joined the team. It almost felt like that would be betraying his old team, although he knew that was a silly thought. All he had been doing so far has been working out with the heavy bag, and also doing his bodyweight routine. He had the itch to wrestle again though. James walked up to the gym door and pushed it open. Light blazed in from the outside and cut through the dimly lit gym. It smelled like sweat. The mats had a few people practicing grappling. Whether it was Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Wrestling, or Sambo.. James did not know. However he might ask to train with them later.

James walked into the changing area. It wasn't luxurious enough to be considered a locker room. It was just an area big enough to be closed off so you could change your clothes. James pulled out his Vale Tudo shorts. They were small and tight fitting. A lot of people didn't understand why someone would want to wear small tight fight trunks. He had received ridicule in the past when running the town in them. However, fighters knew that they were the most comfortable thing to train in so they never say much about that. James eventually got his training gear put on, along with his cup, mouthpiece, and his heavybag gloves. He set a timer on his phone. 5 minute rounds with 1 minute rest. *beep beep beep* James bit down on his mouthpiece, and began his workout. Combos of punches and kicks never ending. Along slight pauses in between to move around and mimic the pacing of a fight. He finally starts to break a sweat. Most people would think that you have to be angry to be able to exert so much aggression onto an inanimate object, and James is no stranger to having anger issues. The opposite is true however. While the flurry of strikes fly through the air, along with the sweat and echoes of thwaps on the bag, he is able to find peace. In those few precious moments of combat, he is able to not think at all, and just forget about the world. Nothing else matters in that moment. The only thing in his mind is achieving his objective... and that happens to be working himself into an exhaustion right now.. so he can fall asleep tonight.

James was sitting in the rest area. He just spent a half hour doing a heavy bag routine. He was catching his breath. Clearing his mind. Enjoying the post workout buzz. A natural high that it was almost taboo to talk about. Society looks down on mind altering substances. If you ever get in a fight, you can't help but have an unique experience in your body. James was wiping the sweat from his face while watching people grapple each other. It must have been open mat time. No one was teaching anything. After catching his breath he went and sat on the mats looking to join in the training. "Anybody want to roll?" James asked. Everyone seemed very surprised and eager to grapple with him. "Sure I'll grapple with you." A guy said. He was probably 170 and around 5'10. James and his opponent squared up and slapped hands to signify that the match had started....

James had the clear size advantage, but any grappler worth anything should know how to handle an extra 30 lbs. The match started off simple enough, lots of hand fighting and mind games. After a few exchanges, James reached out and clubbed down a hard collar tie to the back of his opponents head. The club was so stiff that it caused his opponent to lose his footing, and apparently also his confidence. The opponent quickly sat underneath if James, hoping to get some advantage. It uh s called pulling guard in the grappling world. It is popular with jiu jitsu style grappling. Nothing that he hasn't seen before. He starts by trying to slice his knee through and get an underhook on the far side of the body.. This attempt is shut down. This battle goes on for a few exchanges. His opponent is trying to work a De la riva type of guard on him. James rips his leg free from the guard and spins away. His opponent butt scoots toward him. James pushes his opponents head back and grabs his ankles pulling them up. At this point, James could attempt to knee slice pass again and engage in the previous battle he was just in. Instead, he opts to wrap up his ankle and lay back for the ankle lock. The opponent tries to sit up on James to capitalize on the movement, but he found his path to be blocked by James' foot in between them. James switches to a heel hook. The opponent tries to spin out, but he was blocked again from escape. The pain in his knee starting to build from the twisting leg lock that James was applying.. The opponent succumbs and has to tap out. The opponent clearly upset from his loss looks over.. "What's your background in?"