All aspects of my life seemed to spiral around and around focus point: May 6th. In the wonderful world of Berlitz, two of our teachers took a holiday at the same time, so I was given many extra lessons. Of course, I got paid bonus hours, but it also took my usual feelings of exhaustion to a whole new level. I watched my clock hands touch 1 o'clock many nights in a row before shutting off the lights, and I fell behind on my answering e-mail, Myspace account messages, and writing. That's like comparing me, an internet junkie, to a chain smoker, saying she can't find the time to smoke.

Dio Shohei Uesugi, myself, Gen Isono- a coach from Keishukai.

I accepted a fight- a rematch- actually, against Megumi Yabushita, who I had battled in the Smack Girl World Remix Tournament 2004, in Shizuoka, Japan. I lost by a close decision then they never did answer my questions about the points and wouldn't show me the score card, but whatever- and swore to myself it would be different this time. I trained especially for Megumi, grabbing my Keishukai teammates who had Judo experience, to relearn how to avoid being tossed about.

During my high school years when it wasn't soccer season, I studied Judo for three solid years at the Dalton Judo Club in Pittsfield, MA, and also for one year at Jason Morris' in NY. Sensei Harry Chandler of Pittsfield sent me packing to college after awarding me a brown belt.
Unfortunately, I hurt my back and had to completely switch to Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, and MMA, where I didn't have to fall so much, thus ending my Judo career. I hadn't practiced since high school, so my Judo needed a refresher for my upcomming fight.
My preparation continued with boxing training with Dio, and my Keishukai friend Mizuho Satou (Smack Girl record 1-1). I needed to get good by May 6th. May 6th. The date echoed in my mind with every other waking thought as the date crept closer. Then, there was April 28th, the date my mother, Catherine Danyla, was scheduled to arrive in Japan. This daughter proudly used her hard-earned money to sponsor her ticket and other various expenses while visiting, in the spirit of all she provided for me when I was a child. Even now, I find her advice and love invaluable no matter how far away she lives.
It was a bit of bad luck, though, that although we made our plans months ahead of time, I was offered a fight the very week before her visit, guaranteeing that I'd be a little stressed out. It worked out, however, and I even brought her to watch me train with the guys at Keishukai. Out of all my family, she's the one who accepts my decision to fight the best. Besides knowing my heart as only a mother can, she's the one who drove me to Judo class twice a week for three years, Tae Kwon Do and Kempo before that. There, she watched her teenager change from being tossed around, to the one doing the tossing, pinning, and choking. Now, she could watch her adult offspring duking it out with another Keishukai girl Hashi, sporting headgear and 14 oz gloves.

Roxanne and Catherine Danyla in front of some shrines in Asakusa.

My mother wouldn't get to see me fight Megumi in G-Shooto, though, since her plane left Japan May 5th. Ironically, it just so happened that Smack Girl was holding an event May 3rd, and my teammate Mizuho was competing. Smack Girl graciously gave us complimentary tickets and she got to watch the ladies battle it out. I'd shown her tapes of my previous fights, but this was her first live event. I was half surprised when she left the event enthusiastic, instead of horrified.
"It was exciting!" she exclaimed, and continued, "At first I was scared to think about watching you in the ring in person, but now I think I want to watch!"

In addition to going to Smack Girl, we visited the major sites of Tokyo, such as Ueno Park, Asakusa Shrine, and Meiji Jingu Shrine. She stayed for a week and can't wait to visit again.
On the day of my fight, a string of national holidays which came to be called "Golden Week" had just ended for us teachers, which meant that business people were coming back from vacation and wanted English lessons. I had to work from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. It would have been longer, but my wonderful colleague David graciously canceled plans to take my afternoon shifts on my behalf. I sped to Tokyo and was even able to meet up with a college friend Rachel, who took an overnight bus all the way from Toyama in Northern Japan just to see my fight.
My match was last on the short six fight card. I remember all of my fights in flashes, making it nearly impossible for me to recall a play by play account. I recall landing strikes, and then trying to avoid her clinching with me by pushing her away. There was one moment where I was trying to throw a knee from a half-clinch, and then I was on my back. My body automatically moved to the back-mount. It took me a moment to realize that the Judo expert had just thrown me head-over-heels with a beautiful seoi-nage. I managed to take her back and stay there, trying to choke her.

Her turtle position and defense was extremely tight, and I couldn't fit my big shooto glove in. I had to content myself with throwing punches to the side of her head from the rear. In hind site, I would have liked to try and slip off to the side for a possible arm-bar submission attempt near the end, but I was fully confident that as soon as I let up, she'd pull me right off and pound me. I decided to continue to try to loosen her up, and try to make some other opportunity. She didn't move.

Even though I couldn't get the choke, winning felt great, especially after two hard losses (Larosa and D'Auguste).
I tried to relax a little bit in the weeks following my fight, but that word doesn't enter into my life often enough. I did, however, get to enjoy a little social time in the form of a welcoming party for two of my new co-workers: Ryo and Neveen. We went to a YakiNiku restaurant, had a few rounds of arm-wrestling outside the restaurant, and sang in a karaoke room afterwards. My next goal is to catch up on some sleep. That and another match in the United States would be nice. I miss my country, its food, and its people.

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