I won my first fight by decision at Featherweight. I fought in Pennsylvania, which was a good place to start since amateur rules are much more strict there. I fought three, 3 minute rounds, and there was no ground and pound to the head involved. I won using my ground game, and I should have finished via armbar twice in the fight, but I bailed on the submission early.
My striking was (is) very basic, but in the cage I basically abandoned all offense, except for one right hand I landed. I just used head movement to get inside and clinch. I'm currently training at a boxing gym this summer, so I hope to increase my confidence in my hands before I take my next fight, which will likely be in Ohio. I'm hoping to take baby steps, but implementing ground and pound and my revamped striking game should hopefully land me a second win.
As for the tournament, you were allowed to stand back up. Some pure BJJ guys there were complaining a lot, about how the rules were skewed towards wrestlers and stuff, but it's all grappling. There's no use in training the ground game if you don't know how to get it (or keep it) on the ground. And besides that fact, pulling guard didn't award any points in either direction. I actually went into every match the same way. I pulled guard as fast as I could and worked off my back. I'd much rather work on the ground then dance on my feet for 3 minutes, I did enough of that back in my wrestling days.
As for going for offense in BJJ, it takes time. I myself am no offensive wizard by any means, but I'm starting to learn how to set up submissions with submissions, if that makes sense. It's rarely my first move that gets the tap, it's the second or third move that my previous attacks set up. It honestly just takes time, and remember that once your submission awareness and defense gets better, you will naturally start improving your offense.
As for the situation you were in, I never attack wrists from mount. I actually dislike having the mount position, since you're pretty limited in what you can do. My (and my teachers) go to move though, is an armbar. I set it up exactly the same way I do on my back, only now you reversed since you're on top. I don't train at 10th Planet (hopefully someday though!) but
this is exactly how I was taught to do it.
I know this post is really long, but your submission offense is going to be the last thing that you develop. Positional control, defense and awareness are all things that you need before your offense comes into play, but once they do, you will notice your offensive attempts starting to flow a bit more smoothly. If you notice yourself controlling someone well, and not in any immediate danger, consciously think about what pass you want to use to improve your position, or what submission attempts are available to you at that time. That's what is really helping me develop my offensive game at the moment.
