Jan: Michael, I underestimated you.

Michael: Yeah, well, maybe next time, you will estimate me.

On no-gi days, I sometimes still wear a gi and belt. And some students wear no-gi and no belt. (At Gracie University, students are supposed to wear their belt to no-gi classes.)

One day, I happened to roll with a new-to-me guy, who was in no-gi attire and no belt. He submitted me with a foot lock.

That same day, I had scheduled a private with my instructor. As usual, we start with some chit-chat. A guy walked by outside our private room’s window. I pointed at him.

I said, “Oh, you know him? That blue belt Howard¹ got me earlier with a foot lock. I didn’t want to tap early, and when I did the peel-jump defense, I just expected him to give up. But he just went for it again. I should’ve stood up and defended better, but I didn’t think he’d go back to the same attack. Then he got me, and I had to tap.”

“Wait, Howard? He’s not a blue belt. He’s a black belt.”

“Oh, no way. OK, now I feel a little better.”