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billiam

@billytb620

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🥋: @billiam.jjm
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Saturday, June 13th, I was promoted to Brown Belt. It still feels surreal & I feel like I’ll walk in one of day & it’ll get taken back. It’s tough bc I know I worked for this, but I can’t wrap my head around being here. With the cards dealt to me over the past 2 years, I’ve somewhat lost a sense of time, so I feel like I only just got my purple belt & I’m confused how I’m here already.

I appreciate everyone’s support getting me to where I am now. When I got my purple belt, all I could think about what’s training, competing, becoming the best practitioner I could be. But life had some other plans for me. I’ve never been a stranger to hard times, so I took it on the chin & made sure I was there when ‘duty called’. & despite the ups & downs, I’m proud of who I have become on & off the mat’s.

I’m thankful for all of my Jiu Jitsu family who made sure I was okay when the weight got heavy. To my friends Armani, Dylan, Sal, Shannon, Krista, Devin, Jose, Mikey & so many more; thank you for being there through some dark times. Without the support of you all, I surely would’ve crumbled. It hasn’t been easy & I still have my moments (typically after training) when reality hits & I look back & I get sad bc there’s been so much loss getting here. But I feel the support from you all & I know it’ll be okay.

To my family & my loving girlfriend, thank you for all of your support on this journey. A lot of missed phone calls, late dinners & the excuse “I can’t, I have to train”. But through it all I know I’m supported more than words can express. The days when I get tired & want to crash during training, I think about all of you & remember if they can fight, I better get my ass up too.

Lastly, to all my coaches, my training partners, everyone at Modern; thank you for being my home away from home. I trained the day I lost my uncle, the day I lost my grandmother, the day I lost my gecko (something that weighs less than a pound still leaves such a huge weight on my heart); & bc of all of you, I had a space where I felt safe & I could release & forget. Thank you all 🤎🤎

#fuckcancer by @billytb620

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4 months ago

There’s a lot that could be said about Katy, but to go through everything would take much more than an Instagram post, so I’ll try and keep this as short and sweet as I can. Even though I’ve only been on this earth for 23 short years, I’ve come to believe that you don’t truly die until your name, and legacy is spoken for the last time. Which is why I felt it was important to post this.

It was shocking for me when I first heard both her and my aunts diagnosis. I thought how could the universe plague such great people with such a terrible, unforgiving illness? They were supposed to go on to be nurses; to help people and save lives. Unfortunately, that’s not what the universe had in store for them, but they didn’t let that hold them down. Together, as well as individually, they went on to show nothing but love and affection to not only their own family, but to anyone around them. There’s countless amounts of BBQ’s and events where I was around her, and she truly was a gleaming ray of sunshine. I can still close my eyes, and envision 4th of July parties, where all the girls were at the table cackling of laughter.

And to be honest, of all the amazing things that she’s left behind, I think that’s pretty fucking incredible. Despite her prognosis, she lived every day to the fullest, and that’s what this world needs more of. Whether you’re healthy, or sick, or tired, or depressed, you just have to live. It was always inspiring to see her smiling not only around people, but even candidly when nobody else was watching, because that’s when I really start to take notice.

So although it’s hard to say goodbye to such a beautiful soul, I know deep down inside where she is now is a much better place. She’ll be missed, she’ll certainly be remembered. But it’s our job to make sure Katy Lynagh is never forgotten. Give your loved ones a tight hug and kiss, because fortunately or not, you don’t know when that might be the last.

#fuckcancer🎀 by @billytb620

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3 years ago

Nanny

Today we laid you to rest. Saying goodbye to you is not easy for anyone. But in all of our hearts we know & trust you are in such a beautiful place, surrounded by infinite love; more than this world is capable of.

I won’t lie, it was tough seeing you the way you were in the hospital Nanny. But I’m so thankful I was able to spend time with you before you had to leave. If I had to experience this 100 times, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m heartbroken, but I’m at peace knowing I was there with you as you stepped into the light.

I’m not sure if these promises are meant to be shared; but before you left I promised you that I’d do everything in my power to watch after all of her babies (even tho to her, I was & always will be “the baby”). I told her there won’t be a day in their life where they forget how loved they were by Grandma.

I know you heard me, bc you raised your arm so fast & high. If there was any sort of mental peace I could offer in that moment, I hope this helped grant it.

I don’t want you to be gone, but I know you’re not far. I know whenever I look at myself, I may not see you but you’re behind the mirror right there with me. I love you infinitely, Nanny. I hope you’re having all the Marlboro Reds & downing some Schaffer’s up above. It wasn’t easy for us down here, but you fought like hell & deserve every bit of it.

Thank you for inspiring a family of fighters. Your legacy will not be forgotten, nor gone in vein. It’s crazy that such a small, sassy, red-haired lady with penciled-in eyebrow’s is going to leave such a tremendous hole in my heart. But then again, you were the boss after all. I’ll let myself feel what I need to feel, but I won’t mope over your departure, but rather be inspired by your mark on this earth.

On the days where the weight gets heavy, I’ll remember watching you fly back in Lolly’s first car, after 6 y/o me played with that mysterious black lever on the back of the seat; as your Diet Coke went flying everywhere. Or watching you run away from the faucet screaming after dad & I scotch taped the hose. There’s so many memories I will cherish deeply.

Rest easy, Nanny. I love you forever🙏❤️🕊️ by @billytb620

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5 months ago

Rare footage of me…

1) Wearing the Gi

2) Having short hair

——

Bunch of unfortunate events to start the summer off & things aren’t quite going smoothly yet, but I’m back to doing what I love & having fun doing it.

📸: @brettscher_ @crtfd.distribution by @billytb620

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a year ago

My winning moment from Saturday

The last few weeks I’ve been feeling the highs & lows of competing, but the lows seemed never ending. The losses in competition certainly sting, but I was letting the result determine my perception of my progress; & after dropping 2 consecutive matches I started to lose confidence. In my head I thought if I can’t win, then my Jiu Jitsu is bad & I’m wasting my time. So I had to overcome that mental hurdle & change my mindset to not dwell on the outcome that hasn’t been determined yet; rather to focus entirely on putting on a good performance which I’ve always strived for. Regardless of the outcome I’m not defined by the result. What defines me is the ability to push myself, improve where needed, & the ability to keep stepping back on those mats.

& when the bell tolled, I didn’t have a choice other than to live by that code. I knew in my heart that I wanted to compete despite the devastation that hit our family. Then I found out Friday night that my nephew Austin had the choice to stay home, but wanted to play soccer Saturday morning despite the tragedy. When I heard that, it reassured me this was the right decision, & the cherry on top was watching him smile on that field. I knew that if he could do it then I could as well. I left knowing that being there in such a fragile time was the most difficult thing I would do that day. After that, I got to have fun & do Jiu Jitsu with no added pressure. I felt free of that anxiety & was able to do what I love. I smiled the entire way through, all the way until the end of the event. Despite not winning finals, I kept my head high & enjoyed the atmosphere.

I fully embraced both sides of the coin; that I could win or lose. But I was calmer than ever no matter what the outcome would be. I managed to go 1-1 on the day, catching this ankle lock finish & then getting subbed via triangle in finals. Happy that I went out there despite everything & showed my nephews that no matter what life throws your way, that you can always fight on.

Thank you to all my friends, family, coaches & teammates who continue to support me through my journey. I wouldn’t be here without you all❤️ by @billytb620

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a year ago

Still trying to let the reality settle in but the past day and a half has felt light a nightmare that won’t end. I hugged you 12 hours before you were gone. You’d just gotten out of the hospital, and I was so happy to see you. One of the last things you said to me was, “I’m a bit tired, just gonna take a shower & go to bed.” If I had known you wouldn’t wake up, I would’ve squeezed tighter, & told you how much I truly love & appreciate you; for making Aunt Lolly smile, for supporting Aunt Nikki (we got our ribbon tattoos the same night) for giving us Austin & Antonio (you loved being a father & were always so happy being with your boys) and for having my back when I needed help.

I promise to fill those shoes the best I can. I promise I’ll always give the boys the same unconditional love you did, I’ll be there for Lauren when the weight gets too heavy & she needs someone to lean on, and we’ll all make sure your boys never forget their daddy. I promise I’ll be the role model they deserve. You inspire me to keep chasing my passions—I almost didn’t compete today, but I knew how excited you & the babies get to ‘watch Uncle Billy fight’. Same with Austin; he played soccer too; he could’ve stayed home but didn’t. He is the definition of Perseverance, & I know you were with us both when we needed. I felt as calm as could be walking out today, & even after you’re no longer on this side, you’re still looking for ways to help me, bc you genuinely wanted to help & see me succeed.

No amount of “I miss you” or “I love you” feels enough. There’s a hole in me I never expected, and I’d trade anything & everything to have you back. You were an amazing father to your boys, brother to Nikki, uncle for AJ & I, & were about to make an amazing husband. The word robbed doesn’t do it justice on the love we all missed out on for years to come. But I promise that your family will never feel alone. by @billytb620

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a year ago

5/18 I’m competing for @lijjnetwork -188lb Championship Bracket. Grateful for the opportunity & putting in the work to take that belt home. For those who want to come down, it will be at Great South Bat Brewery, otherwise catch the stream on Flo Grappling. by @billytb620

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a year ago

Friday night I competed and luckily got my hand raised @sogitournament. I was able to secure an inside heel hook roughly 3 minutes into the match. What’s an even sweeter feeling for me is to be able to have my family & friends come watch me compete. Winning is awesome, losing sucks, but what makes it all worth while is seeing everyone’s support & excitement around watching me do what I love.

After a string of leg lock losses, it’s nice to see my defense holding up better. I have to give a huge thanks to @josefacevedo for getting me correct in that department. I also wanna thank @cowboyarmani for coming out to coach/corner me & all my coaches & training partners @jiu_jitsu_modern as well for getting me prepared

Competed Friday, Worked Saturday, Enjoyed Easter Sunday & now it’s back nose to the grindstone. I want to keep getting better & better for IBJJF in August. These next few weeks I’ll be trying to rewire my brain for fishing heel hooks 😅 by @billytb620

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a year ago

1 week out, come check our SoGi in person or watch the stream on YouTube 😎🫡 by @billytb620

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a year ago

🔥2 Triangle Entries from Shoulder Crunch🔥

Both of these setups are highly effective, but my personal favorite is getting those butt taps from the side triangle. 😅 That said, play around with both options and see which one works best for you!

All jokes aside, these two setups are quickly becoming staples in my arsenal. By utilizing the shoulder crunch, you can maximize control and leverage, making it significantly easier to attack with triangles. The key is gaining initial control over the trapped arm and then using angles and leg positioning to transition smoothly into one of these two triangles.

Option 1: Side Triangle

This is my go-to when I’m playing the shoulder crunch. I love this option because it’s more energy-efficient; as you only need to fall to your hip on the trapped side, rather than worry about lifting your hips to pummel the leg over. While this strangle isn’t always as effective for a quick tap (I usually need to readjust), it sets up beautifully for Choi bar and Kimura finishes.

Option 2: Front Triangle

If you’re already comfortable with traditional triangles, this one’s for you! A key detail I focus on here is maintaining constant pressure with my forearm against their jaw or neck, and even reinforcing that with a knee-to-elbow connection. With the side triangle, your thigh is blocking their head, so shoulder control is less critical. However, for the front triangle, it’s vital to control the upper body by using my lower body (specifically the knee-elbow connection). This helps prevent the chest-to-chest connection that would allow my opponent to solidify a pass. From here, I can slow them down, control their upper body, and eventually pummel my legs into the triangle.

#BJJ #BrazilianJiuJitsu #TriangleChoke #ShoulderCrunch #SideTriangle #FrontTriangle #BJJTechnique #Grappling #JiuJitsuFlow #SubmissionGrappling #BJJDrills #BJJLife #BJJTraining #JiuJitsuCommunity #sogi #trianglechoke #jiujitsu by @billytb620

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2 years ago

“𝑾𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒖𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔”

Big things coming inside & out of the gym this year. Looking forward to what’s to come, but also eager to enjoy the process & all the highs and lows that follow along with it. by @billytb620

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2 years ago

Tap Photos

Not a bad day in the office to end the year off. Enjoying some R&R at the moment but also eager to compete again soon.

📸: @lonniepishe by @billytb620

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2

2 years ago