In recent times, a singular hashish sub-culture has grown out of the observe of Jiu Jitsu thanks partly to the assist of the podcaster Joe Rogan, who’s a world-famous advocate of weed and a two-time BJJ black belt holder. “You are feeling higher at Jiu Jitsu whenever you’re excessive,” he mentioned in one podcast, saying that hashish has an “ego-dissolving” impact that makes grapplers extra conscious of the “risk of error.”
For Joseph Resendez each hashish and Jiu Jitsu are a lot extra, creating the chance to beat a life threatening incapacity and construct a singular profession. Impressed by the Las Vegas High Rollerz occasions, Resendez, a purple belt, has created his personal occasion in Florida, Elevated Grapplers. The inaugural occasion befell in September 2022 and was an enormous success. Resendez is a kind of hashish characters that reveal the heights folks can obtain when the chances are stacked towards them. On this interview, he talks about Elevated Grapplers, the advantages of blending hashish and Jiu Jitsu, and the way forward for this rising sub-culture.
QUESTION: How did you get into hashish and Jiu Jitsu?
I received into hashish after I was about 14 however I grew up round it. I grew up in a metropolis in Michigan, and lots of members of the family have been customers, some have been growers. It was at all times round. I began smoking hashish between the ages of 14 and 16. I discovered Jiu Jitsu after I was about 22. On the time, I used to be working for an area information station and a colleague coated an occasion at an area gymnasium referred to as Wolf Pack. The primary time I went I received beat up by a 14-year-old in about two minutes. That sparked my curiosity. I’ve been coaching ever since.
QUESTION: Had been you conscious of hyperlinks between hashish and Jiu Jitsu whenever you began coaching, and the way would you describe the good thing about hashish whereas training Jiu Jitsu?
No. Once I began coaching, I continued smoking, as I had been for years however didn’t discover folks utilizing hashish particularly to profit their coaching till a couple of 12 months or so later. I used to dread smoking earlier than coaching however as soon as I came upon that folks used it as a option to loosen up their physique and thoughts, then I began to take discover, and be extra acutely aware of my very own use. I discovered that after I practice excessive my physique is extra receptive to what the opposite particular person is doing. Hashish allows you to take a step again and take into account what’s occurring somewhat than simply going into kill mode.
As a substitute of that, you’re extra consciously considering of the subsequent transfer, and you’ll even anticipate it. For me, it places me within the zone. I’m fascinated with the strikes however I’m not in any rush to do a transfer till I do know it’s the suitable one. Anybody who smokes know that you just get into your individual head, and that’s why folks say it will get their artistic juices flowing. The identical is true of Jiu Jitsu. You actually get into the movement of it, and that’s why we discuss flow-rolling, the place you’re transitioning from one transfer to the subsequent transfer. I describe it as a dance. Once I’m educating, I inform folks, we’re about to perform a little dance, after which I level out a collection of positions. And whenever you watch folks do it, it appears like a dance.
QUESTION: Inform me about your occasion, Elevated Grapplers? What impressed you, and what was your purpose?
It’s one of many first authorized cannabis-friendly Jiu Jitsu tournaments in Florida. It befell in September 10th 2022, on the Hemp Mansion, which is an area hemp farm. We had a headline combat, John Combs versus Sebastian Rodriguez, each excessive stage athletes recognized within the Jiu Jitus neighborhood. We had 8 athletes competing within the event, and we gave a $1,000 first prize, $500 second prize, $250 third place, and likewise gave a Puffco Peak to the winner of Submission of the Evening, and all of our athletes received Boveda packs. Plus, we had numerous distributors on the occasion offering meals, drinks and deserts.
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On the day, we drew a crowd of about 200 folks, and everybody had a extremely nice time. The winner on the day was Steve Koslow, and he additionally gained Submission of the Evening. Slightly than have a panel of judges adjudicating, we received the viewers concerned, and received them to vote on and select the Submission winner. It was actually necessary to me to contain the viewers within the occasion, and ensure that they had entry to good meals. I additionally wished folks to observe Jiu Jitsu and see the good thing about natural medication. I received the inspiration from the Las Vegas occasion Excessive Rollerz, the organizers Lonnie and Kevin are mates of mine. They’ve created a high-profile occasion that occurs each different month, and I am going on the market typically.
QUESTION: What was the response prefer to Elevated Grapplers?
Effectively, for a second I believed it was a no go, and nobody was going to point out up. I used to be even frightened that I’d don’t have any fighters. Not one of the fighters signed up till the final day. I had all these distributors organized, venue booked, all the things paid for, and never the entire fighters confirmed or any spectators till actually the final day, the day earlier than the occasion. It was tremendous nerve-racking however then 200 folks confirmed up and it turned out to be a blast. And I couldn’t have performed it with out the assist of the distributors, we had assist from Verano, Curaleaf, Boveda, Puffco, Excessive Rollerz, Kushy Pies, Smokey Jones and Willard Hometeam Actual Property.
I additionally had organizational assist from the Hemp Olympics, and on the day, dinner was equipped by Mad Hatters – it was actually good meals. It was humorous as a result of earlier than the occasion lots of people have been telling me it will by no means occur, and I used to be questioning if I used to be doing the suitable factor. And afterwards, it was prefer it was at all times meant to be, folks have been simply so pleased with the outcomes.
QUESTION: Do you suppose athletes just like the Diaz brothers and Jake Shields being open about their hashish use is necessary to push this sub-culture ahead?
Sure, it’s. They play an important function in bridging the 2 industries collectively. As a result of they’re open about it, it goes a protracted option to breaking down obstacles, they usually show all of the naysayers fallacious. There are lots of naysayers. Hashish wasn’t accepted by the UFC till final 12 months, which makes such an enormous distinction to rivals. I skilled below 8x World Champion Robson Moura and he had the toughest time accepting it. But when I smoke on a regular basis anyway, it has a special impact on me.
Plus, it makes my coaching so significantly better to the purpose that he doesn’t thoughts it now as a result of he doesn’t see it as having a detrimental affect on me. They name me Falamasa as a result of after I broke my finger on the mats, I simply popped it again into place, and continued to coach. These occasions are additionally actually necessary as a result of they offer each the fighters and the manufacturers extra alternatives to return collectively. That’s what Excessive Rollerz is doing with their occasions, and what I hope to do with mine.
QUESTION: What’s the attraction of Jiu Jitsu?
There’s no higher feeling on the earth than choking somebody out, or having somebody attempt to choke you and also you handle to grapple your means out of it. It’s such a rush. In case you fought it off, and also you survived, it’s the most effective emotions. That’s why folks get hooked on it. Plus I’ve a respiration incapacity referred to as Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome. Just one thousand folks on the earth have it, and it mainly means my mind doesn’t inform my physique to breathe. But I smoke, practice, run my enterprise, run these occasions. My perspective may be very a lot to make the most of each alternative, and no excuses. I can thank Jiu Jitsu for that perspective.
QUESTION: You’re already planning the subsequent occasion, sure?
Sure, I’m planning to host it in January or February, and proper now, I’m searching for the suitable location. Individuals are already trying ahead to it.
This interview was condensed and edited.
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