The big news of the day was the promotion by Professor Rafael Lovato Jr. of two of Lovato's fine instructors Coach Harper & Coach Travis to the rank of Black Belt and the title of Professor in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu!  Achieving the rank of Black Belt in BJJ easily takes 10 years or longer of dedicated training and is considered an award of lifetime achievement.  Both Travis Serna and Robert Harper have dedicated a decade of their lives to studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and both have accomplished amazing things along the way.  Travis Serna won 2 silver medals at the 2011 Pan-American Championships and he has also earned a Black Belt in Judo, while at the same time working for the OKCPD and starting a family. Robert Harper is a National Champion Blue Belt and National Runner-Up at Purple and Brown Belt.  Harper earned a bronze medal in the Brown Belt Absolute division at the 2011 Pan-American Championships and a bronze medal at the 2011 Nationals Brown Belt Absolute division despite being just a lightweight.  Harper's finest performance may have been at the 2011 Grapplers Quest Texas tournament where he won his advanced No-Gi division and Brown Belt division and also was the runner up in the Advanced No-Gi Absolute and Brown Belt Absolute divisions, on that weekend Harper had one of the finest submission displays ever put on by a member of Team Lovato.  Both Professor Harper and Professor Travis are excellent instructors and most of all great people who help make those around them better people.  Congratulations guys!

This means that Lovato's BJJ is now home to 5 BJJ Black Belts!!!  What an accomplishment for our special school!  From the days of not even having mats or any BJJ Black Belt within a thousand miles to learn from to now having 5 World Class Black Belts teaching and training on our mats, what an incredible journey!  This journey was all started by Professor Rafael Lovato Sr. and his dream of owning a martial arts school.  Professor Rafael Lovato Sr. is a true martial artist who has studied multiple arts over the span of 40+ years of training.  His dedication to not only becoming the best martial artist he could be, but also creating the best martial artist possible was the starting point of all of the special accomplishments that Lovato's School of BJJ & MMA has achieved.  At the end of the promotions, Professor Rafael Lovato Sr. was recognized by his son Professor Rafael Lovato Jr. for all of his years of hard work and for earning his 3rd degree on his BJJ Black Belt for completing 9 years as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt.  This was a very special moment as Professor Rafael Lovato Jr. got to put the stripe onto his father's belt and embrace him after all of the special promotions that had happened that day.

Also on this very special day there were many students who tested and received new belts (pictured above) including 4 new BJJ Blue Belts awarded to Austin Adkins, Gonzalo Bruckman, Cole Osbourne, and Josh Hatley!  These students did an amazing job on their tests and displayed very sharp technique.  Great work everyone!

Lastly, many other students were awarded stripes on their belts to recognize their progress and many are getting very close to receiving their next belt.  All of the students pictured below received strips on their belts including several Blue Belts, and the higher ranks of Purple and Brown Belt.  We look forward to watching their progress throughout the rest of the year!