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I've had three in my training.

Winico.

He was a brown belt when I began my training. He was my age and in my class at school. He was a wiry guy, shroter than me. I didn't even have a gi when we first sparred. We didn't use gloves and pads then. The only time he brought his hands up was to block or strike me. He schooled me hard and left me in corner crying when it was over. That was the last time I cried. I trained my a** off to be as good as him. He moved right after I made green belt. I never beat him. 19 years later, I still regret that.

Kaies.

Pronounced "K S". Korean national I ran into in college. I was a 2nd degree black belt. I though I had a clue. He was a TKD/wing chun/thai boxing stylist. He was another little guy. He pounded my legs with kicks. He threw me at will. To this day I still sleep on my right side because for months in college my left leg was sore, red and raw from the leg kicks. I learned a lot. I learned I can take a knee to the gut and keep going. I learned that my reach is my best weapon. I learned that can body slam someone if push comes to shove. I graduated and last I new he transfered to a school in Boston to study drama.

Mike.

I actually went to high school with him but didn't know hime until later. He was the top student of my father's instructor. My dad went without a sensei for many years and taught as a 3rd degree black belt, with me helping when I could. Shihan Jordan studied the same style and our school came under his. Mike was Shihan's best. I was dad's best. His form and fighting skills were some of the best I have ever seen. We were good friends and rivals for years. I had an edge in applications and teaching ability. It came to a head at the Kyoshinkan Challenge, an "in house" tournament. Mike won in the end, but I was the one who made him sweat for it. He doesn't train anymore and is currently a police officer. I hope he comes back to it one day.

For me it would have to be a guy called Howard, he only joined our club last year so is only a lower colour belt but he'd done three years karate before that, loves doing and practising wrestling. He is ******** massive and a bit of a nutjob to go with it, when you hit him I swear he enjoys it. I really enjoy sparring him, he stretches my ability like nobody in the class does or ever has done. I'm really good mates with him and actually live in the same house as him so sparring is usually quite friendly but that doesn't curb his sheer furiosity. When I spar as I've posted before I like to hang back, move in and out and pick and place kick and punch combinations, Howard gives me no time for that, for a big guy he has blistering hand speed and loves getting right into the thick of it and start layin the beats down. Its done wonders for my sparring technique, really making me get used to having my head and face treated like a speedball and having people come crashing in through my prefered range (kicking range). Since sparring him I've now learned how to stop a twenty stone guy with a side kick where before my side kicks were a bit light and flicky I can now dig them in and stop just about anybody. All in all I really like sparring people who can beat my arse, you learn so much more, as an assistant instructor I spend too much of my time sparring taking it easy and coaching people so its really refreshing to be able to go all out with somebody who's also enjoying going all out on me xd

well i represent Hung Voung Institute and our ALL time rival is Tang Phong... my friend is from there and we spar all the kreaken time xd

^^;
Ah, my dearest rivals are my dearest friends.
Rachid, Chris, Chris, Wilson, Lucian, Stefan, Micha, Xander, Tetsuro, Marije, Fieke.
Good friends indeed.
These people are the ones I chose to compete with.
Some of them are my level, some higher, some lower.
What matters is that they keep me fired up.
Wether for noble, vain, childish or even non-existant reasons. ^^

I really don't have on here in Florida, but there was one back in Texas.

His name is Justin, and I went to school with him. I was a few months older than him and were always about the same rank. We had a "love/hate" relationship, because we were like best friends during school and before class, but during sparring we were the worse with each other. We got so angry we went full out with each other that our instructor told us to stop sparring each other. I even developed a crush on him, but he never seen me the same way. I didn't get to see him the day before I moved, since he took his annual trip to Illinois.... I miss him.

I love you, hon! xd

The only rival I ever had left our dojo. I think he didn't like the way I fought, and he got fed up and left.

my only rivals was this group of ppl. in my taekwon do class these 2 bros hated me for some reason(i guess it was because when i started taekwondo i already knew how to kick and the students were really inpress) anyways one of there friends was really tall and his kick was really strong. i would fall back alot. i just wouldn't give in the fact that he beat me cuz he was tall and strong, so i started weighting lifting alot and trying to make up more stroger moves that would of push him back when i fight.i soon got use to pain, so when he would of kick me i really didnt' care then i started to win him alot,soon i deafeated all the balck belts in the class. just be like a rock and fight different from the other opponents that will catch them off guard.