Brian Germain is a 63-year-old lifelong martial artist who underwent major surgery (radical prostatectomy) in April of 2021, only to become a double BJJ champion by winning gold in his division and the absolute at the 2021 World Masters BJJ Championships only 6 months later.
Meet Brian Germain
Brian The T1000″ Germain is a Judo and BJJ Black belt, currently aged 63, a world BJJ champion and a USA Judo Olympic Alternate.
Busy training as much as he could since he was 13, mostly Judo in his 20s and early 30s, and later on, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu through his 40s and 50s. He was using grappling to stay in shape and felt and looked really healthy.
(Un)luckily for him, COVID happened and forced Germain into a hospital, where he discovered an elevated PSA, which is a substance that indicates the presence of prostate cancer.
“Through all my years of training, I had neglected my checkups. I mean, I didn’t know about PSA screenings and how simple they were, but that’s no excuse.” the BJJ champion said. “I take full responsibility for being a dumba** in that regard. I should have known. If I had simply gone to a doc to get checked up I would have known.”
With all the COVID shutdowns, though, it took a year before the Lakeland, FL got to Brian. Just shy of his 62nd birthday, Germain got surgery called radical prostatectomy, which means he removed his entire prostate.
This was April 12, 2021.
From Surgery To Double Gold BJJ Champion In 7 months
Germain, being the lifelong martial artist he is, trained right up until his surgery date:
“I trained for my surgery like I would have trained for a tournament. It helped me handle the stress and it got me in really good shape. I figured I’d be ready for anything that came my way.
I even held out the carrot of a comeback to the mat at some point. I was determined not to let this procedure ultimately define me.”
And that comeback happened in style. Seven months to the date, on November 12, 2021, Brian Germain competed at the IBJJF World Masters BJJ Championships in Las Vegas.
“Training for a world event, at a black belt level, while recuperating from the aftermath of a prostatectomy wasn’t easy, but it made my double gold even more satisfying” – said the double BJJ champion, with an eye on repeating the performance in 2022.
Brian’s fight with his cancer is still not over, as there is still a risk it may come back:
“I must always be ready because, statistically, at least in my head, my cancer has a good chance of reoccurring. So, training for competitions helps me stay ready for any fight. I guess it’s the price I have to pay for being a dumba** and not getting checked out sooner.
That’s why I tell all the guys on the mat to know your PSA. Get it checked regularly starting as early as 40 but definitely by 50.”
The BJJ Champion currently lives in North Carolina with his wife and is not thinking about slowing down his training, or his competition preparation.
