and all the ones that led up to this one because this is by far not the end of your story…it’s merely the beginning. there’s a fierceness required to step onto a mat, time and time again after eighteen years of dawning. it requires grit, guts, and a confidence level dare i say that i don’t come across very frequently. lordy knows how many reasons to not put yourself out there alone on that mat to face your goliath. there’s a whole lot of vulnerability and far more humbleness many can’t endure. there’s the flurry of nerves that could put even the bravest among us into a tailspin and there’s a level of pain that would halt most of us in our own tracks…this champion plowed through them all without even a wince. resilient and determined as your name sake, alexander the great you are and forever you’ll be to me.