It was a busy week at Team Third Law, with competitors traveling to a local tournament, the team’s first monthly BJJ & MMA Beginner’s Boot Camp and a promotion to blue belt for one of Third Law’s most dedicated students.
Check out this post about Robert Sadaty’s promotion to blue belt and the BJJ Beginners’ Boot Camp seminar. Don’t forget that next month we’ll be holding the MMA Beginners’ Boot Camp Seminar.
Now, for the Copa America tournament round-up.
Third Law sent six competitors to Copa America in Lakeland, Florida on Saturday, July 16 and brought home 13 medals: 3 gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze.
![Third Law BJJ & MMA sent 6 competitors to Copa America's grappling tournament in Lakeland, FL on Jly 16, 2011 and brought home 13 medals Third Law BJJ & MMA sent 6 competitors to Copa America's grappling tournament in Lakeland, FL on Jly 16, 2011 and brought home 13 medals](https://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt227/teamthirdlaw/ThirdLawBJJofNaplesFLsends6competitorstoCopaAmerica.jpg)
Third Law BJJ & MMA sent 6 competitors to Copa America's grappling tournament in Lakeland, FL on Jly 16, 2011 and brought home 13 medals
First up to fight for the day were the male blue belts in their gi fights: Coaches Joey Ruggiero and Joe Formica and Orlando Castillo.
Orlando Castillo won gold in the gi, winning his first match by points, his second by armbar and his third by bow and arrow choke.
![Third Law / Lloyd Irvin blue belt Orlando Castillo choked one of his opponents with the bow and arrow on his way to gold in his gi division Third Law / Lloyd Irvin blue belt Orlando Castillo choked one of his opponents with the bow and arrow on his way to gold in his gi division](https://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt227/teamthirdlaw/ThirdLawBJJofNaplesFLsends6competitorstoCopaAmerica3.jpg)
Third Law / Lloyd Irvin blue belt Orlando Castillo choked one of his opponents with the bow and arrow on his way to gold in his gi division
Coaches Joey and Joe split their division, with Joey taking home the gold and Joe the silver. Coach Joe won his first match by wrist lock, his second referee decision. Coach Joey won both of his matches on points.
![Coach Joe Formica used the ommaplata guard in a couple of his matches. Here, he sets up the ommaplata lock and used it to sweep his opponent and come up on top Coach Joe Formica tapped one of his opponents with an ommaplata, and in this match he used the ommaplata to sweep his opponent and come up on top](https://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt227/teamthirdlaw/ThirdLawBJJofNaplesFLsends6competitorstoCopaAmerica1.jpg)
Coach Joe Formica used the ommaplata guard in a couple of his matches. Here, he sets up the ommaplata lock and used it to sweep his opponent and come up on top
Coach Joey went on to win silver in his no gi division, submitting his first opponent by triangle and winning his second match on points.
Next up were blue belt Katy Torralbas and white belts Crystal Bradley and Mikhail Dye, who was fighting in his second competition.
Crystal took gold in her white belt division, fighting the same opponent twice and submitting her by armbar from the closed guard both times. In the no gi, Crystal won her first match in the beginner division on points, lost a tough second match to a blue belt and then won her third by armbar to take silver.
![Crystal Bradley, one of the Third Law / Lloyd Irvin competitors, passes her opponent's guard with an over under pass Crystal Bradley, one of the Third Law / Lloyd Irvin competitors, passes her opponent's guard with an over under pass](https://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt227/teamthirdlaw/ThirdLawBJJofNaplesFLsends6competitorstoCopaAmerica2.jpg)
Crystal Bradley, one of the Third Law / Lloyd Irvin competitors, passes her opponent's guard with an over under pass
Mikhail Dye, competing in his second competition, took home bronze in the gi and the no gi.
At the end of the day, the blue belts competed in the blue belt absolute, with Coaches Joey and Joe taking silver and bronze respectively. Coach Joe won his first absolute match by armbar inside the triangle lock, his second by armbar from closed guard. Coach Joey won his absolute match on points.