Gold Medal Win for New College of Florida Professor at the 2010 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi World Championship

(November 15, 2010) — New College of Florida Mathematics Professor Pat McDonald won a gold medal at the 2010 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi World Championship in Long Beach, Calif., on November 7. McDonald finishes his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) career at the top of his game having bested the reigning senior world champion, Scott Dewitt of California, in the black belt senior 2 featherweight class.

McDonald trained intensively to prepare for the tournament held at California State University. He trained 3-4 hours each day, 6-7 days a week for two months with the Wolfpack BJJ team in Sarasota under head instructor Charles dos Anjos. With this win, he is set to retire from the sport citing the strain on his family.

“I have finally exhausted the nearly infinite patience of my lovely wife,” said McDonald. “And the serious training it takes to prepare for this kind of fighting has been too hard on my kids.”

McDonald earned his black belt earlier this year only one week prior to competing in the 2010 Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship where he placed second behind a competitor with 20 years as a black belt. He placed first at the 2009 Pan Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship, competing above his weight class in the senior 3 brown belt middleweight and absolute categories.

McDonald discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu eight years ago at New College while lifting weights in the fitness center. He saw a few people in their Jiu-Jitsu outfits and nearly dismissed them before someone invited him in to fight.

“The guy on the mat was roughly my size,” he said. “I asked him what the rules were, and he said there are no rules, just make him say ‘uncle.’ I thought I had the guy and asked him if he was okay, but before I knew it my face was in the mat, and my arm was really hurt. I thought it was a fluke and demanded a rematch, but then it happened again.”

Now the world champion plans to teach a course in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at New College in addition to his usual courses in mathematical analysis, probability and geometry. McDonald holds a Ph.D. from MIT and has published work on mathematics, statistics, mathematical physics and mathematical biology. He is also a past recipient of the Florida college-level math teacher of the year award.

“I’m really happy to be done with the tournament scene,” McDonald added. “I really love fighting, but you have to be in incredible shape to fight, and my body no longer recovers so well. Neither does my family.”

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a ground fighting system that evolved out of traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. BJJ developed under the guidance of the Gracie family. Royce Gracie’s victories in the early Ultimate Fighting Championships led to an increase in its popularity. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is governed by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF).

Photo Caption: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete and New College of Florida Professor Pat McDonald ends tournament run with a black belt and a gold medal at the 2010 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi World Championship in Long Beach, Calif.