JIU JITSU SAVAGE - My Bloody, Broken, Unfiltered Hunt for Submission Gold

Warning: This ain't your typical martial arts fairytale. This is a war story from the white belt trenches.

David Levine Bramante isn't a BJJ world champion. He's a husband, father of five, and a forty-something white belt with a messy 2-6 competition record (plus one infamous disqualification for that incident), a collection of gnarly injuries, and an ego that's been repeatedly curb-stomped on the mats of Southern California. So why read his story? Because Jiu Jitsu Savage is the brutally honest, darkly funny, and surprisingly moving account of one man's unfiltered hunt for the only thing that truly matters: gold by submission.

Forget tales of prodigies and effortless victories. This is a raw dive into the meat grinder of amateur BJJ competition - the fevers before fights, the chaotic arrivals that sabotage best-laid plans, the strategic blunders that make you cringe, the soul-crushing losses, and the agony of a knee shredded by a stubborn refusal to concede. It's about being objectively "bad" at something, facing repeated failure, and still dragging yourself back to the fire, day after day, driven by a perhaps certifiable obsession with that one perfect, undeniable win.

Follow Bramante's journey from the schoolyard scraps that forged his fighting spirit, through ill-fated Kenpo tournaments and a life-altering street fight that exposed his vulnerabilities, to the humbling, ego-shattering reality of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Experience his battles at legendary SoCal academies like Jean Jacques Machado's and Gracie Barra Agoura, the public shame of an unprecedented disqualification and the 500-sprawl penance that followed, and the relentless pursuit of improvement against a backdrop of family life and the constant ticking of the clock.

Jiu Jitsu Savage is for anyone who's ever felt like an imposter on the mats, tasted the bitter sting of defeat, or questioned their sanity in pursuit of a brutal passion. It's a testament to the savage beauty of the struggle, the courage to be imperfect, and the unbreakable will to chase that elusive tap, no matter the cost. If you're looking for the unvarnished truth about what it really takes to keep showing up, to keep fighting when you're outgunned and outclassed, this is your book.

Get ready for a bloody, broken, and inspiring ride.