No one can say John Danaher is one of the world’s greatest grapplers, a title typically bestowed on the likes of Rubens Charles Maciel, Marcelo Garcia or Roger Gracie. And rightfully so.
Because Mr. Danaher does not compete. In 2015, he had major hip surgery. Soon, he’ll also need to replace a knee. Walking is painful, nevermind grappling.
I am not as tough as I think I am.
The realization hit me while laid out flat, the side of my face crushed against the mat. On top of me was a blue belt named Nestor. He pinned me down with his legs, and using his arms he started working on my grip.
The first musical I remember listening to was Miss Saigon. My mother played the cassette on weekends, and we listened to it dozens of times. As a boy, I tried assembling the story by the songs alone: Why did Chris leave Kim so suddenly? Why did he marry Ellen? For years, for some reason, I thought she was stuck in a Vietnamese jail with her son Tam, not hiding in a village.
A couple weeks ago, I saw the musical for the first time, and songs like Why God Why? and I Still Believe transported me back to those weekends, that cassette, those moments wondering what transpired between Chris and Kim.
It’s hard to believe Conor McGregor’s physical transformation.