I generally don't post MMA fights on the blog but felt like there should be exceptions particularly when it involves someone that has had a massive impact on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. If you don't know Andre Pederneiras (also known as "Dede") then you probably know some of the high level grapplers or MMA fighters he has had a hand in training.
Notable black belts and MMA fighters:
1. Robson Moura
2. BJ Penn
3. Renan Barao
4. Jose Aldo
5. Gustavo Dantas
6. Vitor Ribeiro
7. John Lewis
8. Marcus Aurelio
9. Renato Verissimo
10. Thales Leites
Andre Pederneiras was originally award his black belt by Carlson Gracie when he was 22 years old. After starting his own gym he became frustrated with his teams inability to be competitive for team points at tournaments. His team was almost always outnumbered by the likes of Gracie Barra and Carlson Gracie Team. Andre befriended Wendell Alexander, another black belt, in a similar situation. Together they formed Nova Uniao which means "new union." Andre began to focus on MMA and compiled a professional record of 1 win, 1 loss, & 2 draws. Eventually Andre turned his focus towards training MMA fighters leaving Wendell Alexander in charge of the Jiu-Jitsu side of Nova Uniao.
Here is a great fight between Andre Pederneiras and Rumina Sato at Vale Tudo Japan 1998 which was Andre's professional debut in MMA. Very good fight with a spectacular ending.
The Baseball Bat choke is a very power submission that can be pulled off from a variety of positions. I personally like to use it from a dominant position such as knee on belly, setting the choke, then moving to a north-south position to finish. Same goes for loop chokes...which really aren't all that different. They can be set up from a dominant position or one in that would be considered inferior and be just as effective. We are going to just focus on the Baseball Bat choke from the inferior position.
There are also other ways to apply this choke in a very sneaky manner. It can be used in such a way that you can trick your opponent into setting themselves deep into the choke. The baseball bat choke grips are rather simple. Imagine holding a baseball bat...this is the orientation that your hands would feed into the collar your opponent.
This can be done from closed guard, open guard, half guard...you get the idea. The choke can only be effective if you have managed to break the posture of your opponent. Once the grips have been set deeply into the collar, you can allow your opponent to pass your guard (essentially setting the choke even deeper). Giving up the pass can give a false impression that they are safe. It tends to work well on those that are very aggressive to pass guard and/or haven't been burned by this choke. Of course if you cannot finish the choke because the grips were not set up properly you will have just conceded a guard pass and gave up precious position. I like to think of this choke as a Hail Mary of chokes. If you were down on points and needed a quick submission to win a match then this choke could come in very handy.
As with many things in BJJ, high level competitors will have success with positions, sweeps, or submissions which tends to start popular trends in the grappling community. The Baseball Bat choke is definitely one that has come up due to Magid Hage's success at the Abu Dhabi Pro Trials in San Diego (2013).
This particular match happened between Zak Maxwell and Magid Hage.
Note that Zak's coach was yelling to watch for the choke well before he began to pass. He does attempt the armbar counter but the choke is far too deep to hang out and finish.
Who would have ever expected Magid Hage to pull this off twice in the same tournament?!!! Here he does it again with much more dramatic effect against Clark Gracie.
The other potential problems one can experience with applying such a choke is being armbarred. Committing your arms deep into the collar in this manner gives a huge opening for your opponent should the posture and choke not be set up properly, or maybe they are fully aware of what you are doing and counteract with good timing. Ironically it is Magid Hage again here attempting the same choke but it backfired. You can see at the 0:50 second mark he is already setting up his first grip from a semi-open guard position which is very unorthodox. He seemingly allows himself to be swept from the butterfly hooks and the choke is on. His opponent immediately rolls to his back and throws up an armbar and forces the tap after a short fight.
The first time I ever saw this choke was via this video which has some tournament footage and the breakdown of the technique. They simply call it a Gator Choke here.
Last but not least, Magid Hage just released a short video on the baseball bat choke set up. By this point we should all understand the basic hand positioning in the collar. What's worth noting here is the the manner in which he sets up the choke.
How to Avoid being choked:
1. Do NOT allow your opponent to get the collar grips
2. If they get the grips DO NOT pass...break the grips
3. If you allow #1 & 2 to happen POSTURE POSTURE POSTURE.
4. Look to counter with an armbar
No matter what you call this choke it has its place in BJJ, particularly in a tournament setting...ESPECIALLY if you are down on points and need a sub to win. Even if you don't use them in your arsenal of submissions it's good to be familiar enough with them to recognize the trap and know how to respond to the situation. Don't be that guy or girl that sees the "easy pass" and is waking up confused on the mat.
So if you haven't seen it by now this video is floating around a lot of social media websites in the Jiu-Jitsu world. Many people might wonder how the heck this can happen? Well it does both in tournament settings and in any gym. I know when I started training as a white belt I thought that reaching black belt level was truly the pinnacle of awesome. Of course no one is invincible but even at the age of 30, I thought that once you reach that level you were pretty much untouchable by most if not all "junior belts." Well if you think this way seeing evidence like this should help change your opinion about the issue. I consider myself an aging grappler now pushing 37 and can tell you that there are a lot of factors that can effect a result like the one above.
1. Age: This is a no-brainer. With age comes slowed athleticism. Reflexes aren't what they once were.
2. Cardio: This can make or break you. Running up against a more athletic opponent that is in better physical shape, that can push the pace, etc. can be very problematic for a more experienced grappler.
3. Pressure: A blue belt versus a black belt in a public setting...this can be a psychological killer. All the pressure is on the black belt to go out there and win the match. The blue belt had nothing to lose here and everything to gain.
4. Unknown Variables: I'm going to go out on a limb here (not really)...sometimes you run into someone that is on another level. The black belt could very well be an average black belt. That is not meant as disrespect. The blue belt on the other hand could be an elite competitor that does nothing but train & compete. The other guy may have an incredible wrestling background prior to any BJJ experience. You simply do not know unless you know.
5. No one is invincible: On any given day, we are all susceptible to being caught in a bad spot by anyone.
I can speak first-hand about being an average BJJ practitioner that loves the sport and has had plenty of friendly rolls with people on that next level. There is nothing wrong with that but one must have realistic expectations. I've had the opportunity to roll with guys like Horlando Monteiro (Nova Uniao), Sean Roberts (Ralph Gracie), & Caio Terra fairly recently and can tell you that these guys are on a level that I cannot compete. Horlando for example was a blue while I was purple. He had just come back from winning the European Championships Absolute division. He was about two weigh classes bigger than me and even at blue belt was much better than me. That was the first time I realized that these guys training for a living are on a much higher level. They are professionals compared to the average BJJ competitor that is more of a hobbyist. This isn't meant to derail any one's hopes of being the best that they can be but to better understand that no matter what: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE your opponents. It's up to you to keep your ego in check and maintain your skill levels and conditioning.
All of that said I was very impressed with how the black belt handled his loss in the video. He was very gracious in defeat.
So I'm a little late on this blog post but figured better late than never. At least I'll be able to go back and appreciate the fact that I documented it in some way. I started training in February 2008 at the age of 30 under JD Shelley (North Dallas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) which at the time was still Alliance affiliated. We are currently Novia Uniao affiliated with Robson Moura. JD was the second American black belt under Romer "Jacare" Cavalcanti and in our area was one of the few great instructors for quite some time. Of course the sport has grown a lot but he still remains as one of the top BJJ instructors in my opinion. I have stayed with him since then, received my blue belt in the early fall of 2009. From there I became an assistant instructor helping with kids and adult beginner classes. I feel that teaching has helped to keep me sharp and honest. I'm constantly looking for ways to better my Jiu-Jitsu not only for myself in competition inside and outside the gym but to be a better instructor.
I have a family, a full-time job, etc. I do my best to maintain a good level of training and teaching on a weekly basis while keeping my family life in order. I probably average about four training days per week plus whatever teaching that comes up. I have been very consistent with training never taking more than 30 days off the mats with injuries. I wouldn't call myself a tournament rat but I have done my fair share. I compete when I can but probably average 2-3 competitions per year since I received my purple belt in December 2011. I did far more comps as a white and blue belt. I'm not a superstar...I'm just a regular guy that never quit and does the best that I can to seek new information to take my BJJ to the next level. I've had my fair share of victories in comps and plenty of embarrassing moments to go along with it.
Fast forward to November 2013 and the day came. We had a very large (planned) promotion ceremony at our gym. No one really knew who was due for what so there was some element of surprise. When I got called up to the front for my promotion I honestly didn't have any real expectations. I had been a purple for just shy of two years and only had a couple stripes on my belt. Well, when JD pulled out a brown belt I was pretty elated. Very exciting moment that doesn't come without some burden of pressure. If you make it to blue belt then you know what I'm talking about. Junior belts are always looking for an opportunity to kick your ass and show they are ready for that next level. They say to take ego out of the equation when rolling or training but who wants to get embarrassed by a junior belt really? This attitude is what keeps us on our toes and constantly trying to take our skills to the next level.
I've been very blessed to have some consistent training partners (my level through black belt) that started around the same time as me and are still here to this day constantly striving to be better. I also am very fortunate to have a loving wife that is super supportive. She's always been willing to travel with me to tournaments and let me train late at night to make sure I get a good level of training on a regular basis. Without her this would have been much more difficult.
Cole, Lindsey, & Me
Me & Martin (my best training partner was promoted to purple)
So the Mendes brothers were in Tokyo last weekend presumably doing some seminars. They also competed at the Rickson Cup 2013 and both went on to take gold in their respective weight classes and closed out the open weight division. The below video is pretty brutal if you were Gui's opponent. Clearly Gui used this match to get some extra work in as he repeatedly passed the guard and allowed his opponent to recover. It's a great match to watch if you are interested in studying Gui's passing style. Enjoy.
So this one happened just a week ago but I couldn't wait to share it once I ran across it. The match took place at the 2013 Jiu-Jitsu Expo which is becoming a very popular annual event. Keenan has not disappointed so far at the black belt level so let's see how he fares against the likes of Lucas Leite of Chekmat.
Link for mobile users having issues viewing embedded video:
I am waaay overdue for an update to the blog. Life has really gotten in the way but I hope to have a little bit more time to devote to bringing some new content. For those that follow along...I plan to have matches from the BJJ Expo up as soon as the event is over each day so stay tuned if you don't plan on ordering in a week!
Budovideos was kind enough to share this video from 2008 and I couldn't help but pass it along. This event was the 2008 World Championships and depicts both Rader & Mendes as brown belts. It's evident early on that Gui's style has not changed a lot over the years.
*Skip down to the bottom if you don't want the match spoiled*
Match Commentary:
Early on Gui looks to pull open guard. He manages a seated single leg guard and transitions into De La Riva. Gui's super deep DLR hook helps him work towards the back similar to a Babybolo. Rader defends well but Gui turns it into a single leg take down to score 2 points and begin to work his crushing top game.
Gui threatens the back and Rader flees out of bounds at the 2:26 mark. At the restart, Gui pulls guard carefully as to not give up any points to Rader. Gui works a half-guard butterfly and maintains an over hook on Rader's arm. From this position Gui hits a beautiful sweep for another 2 points. Rader manages to catch quarter guard but tries to get to his knees giving Gui the timing to move into mount.
Gui still maintaining the over hook attempts to attack for an armbar/omoplata. He settles for the shoulder lock but Rader escapes and moves out of bounds in typical Rader fashion.
On the restart Gui works to guard and quickly throws up a triangle. He manages to trip a standing Rader. Rader works out of the triangle choke and attacks a straight ankle lock. Gui defends well and manages to pass the guard again landing in side mount. This was the beginning of the end at the 5:30 mark.
Gui uses Rader's lapel to control the cross face and threaten with a baseball bat choke that he's now famous for. Rader defends well but cannot escape Gui's nasty top side game. The match ends with a pretty lopsided score in favor of Gui.
For Mobile Users: http://www.youtube.com/v/QUAUVNp02f8?version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&autohide=1&attribution_tag=09Jd6spzxjKWwM0PrmBr7w&showinfo=1&autoplay=1
Upcoming blog posts: 1. BJJ Expo Matches 2. Review of Shoyoroll Winter 13 Shorts 3. Review of Shoyoroll Original Logo LS Rashguard 4. Next SYR gi drop?
This match took place at the 2013 IBJJF Vegas Open recently. If you are a JT Torres fan then you will probably enjoy this match as he shows some excellent technique. I won't do my regular commentary as there is just a lot of beautiful Jiu-Jitsu going on this match but rather highlight some of my favorite moments.
JT initiates a closed guard pull (yes take that closed guard pulling haters...even top level guys do it!). Action is moved and restarted in the middle of the ring. JT moves into a deep DLR / X-guard position, pops up into a technical stand-up and finishes a nice single leg take down.
At 4:11 JT is attempting to Berimbolo, his opponent rolls away, JT inverts to roll with coming up into the leg drag position. Text book leg drag to pass here.
At 5:28 Rodriguez manages to turtle but JT is maintaining an inside hook with his far arm to control the hips. This allows JT to pull him into a slick back mount. JT sets up a bow and arrow choke to force the tap at 5:37.
Feeling a little down? Able to pass your buddies De La Riva guard but getting stuck in Reverse De La Riva? Bruno Frazatto shows an excellent way to pass the frustrating position by maintaining a low base, using lots of pressure, and finishing with a leg drag.
1. Maintain a low and heavy base. Do NOT post your free leg too far forward or you risk getting swept by Kiss of the Dragon or in X-Guard.
2. Remove collar grip.
3. Lace the legs by controlling the bottom leg pant sleeve.
4. HEAVY shoulder on top leg.
5. Free hand controls collar.
6. Tripod up and move back a little to remove the RDLR hook.
7. Leg drag--->Consolidate the upper body and pass.
You've probably seen the Most Ridiculously Photogenic Jiu-Jitsu guy memes. Clark Gracie has only recently become more of house hold name due to him winning his first world title at the 2013 Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championships. Clark Gracie won in epic fashion against Marcelo Mafra that saw him come from behind and choke him out in the final seconds to claim his first gold at the highest level in his career. Clark Gracie's "meme fame" came about as a result and the very match this photo was lifted actually took place at the IBJJF New York Open in 2012 (before the Pan match).
Commentary (Skip to the bottom for the video):
This match would start in typical fashion. Ken Primola with his wrestling background obliges Clark Gracie's open guard pull. Both fighters waste no time establishing grips. Ken tries to pass low on the knees but Clark is able to keep his grips and invert preventing the pass.
Clark manages to set up his spider guard with leg lasso. At the 1:00 mark Clark removes his right hook that was used to prevent Ken from passing, then inverts underneath him for the omoplata. Because Ken is standing it is imperative that Clark sucks his arm in and shoot his hips high to secure the omoplata shoulder lock position on his standing opponent.
Ken steps over to the far side but his shoulder is still trapped. Ken attempts to drive his near side knee into Clark to help him posture but it's no use. Clark manages to secure his left arm over Ken's back.
Ken stands and Clark maintains a grip in the collar and one on the leg to disturb his base. Clark alternates his grips in an attempt to make him come back to the ground. It's worth noting that once he brings Ken lower, Clark lets go of the collar and focuses more on the legs. When Ken begins to posture back up Clark attacks at the collar again to disturb his posture.
At 2:20 Ken finally has to set him back down out of frustration. Clark does an excellent job to move his hips away from Ken to keep him broken down. At 2:26 Clark uses his far hand to attack the collar and begin setting up his choke. Clark begins sitting up and Ken chooses to roll which is exactly what Clark wanted.
Clark lands in a crucifix and the lapel choke is on. The omoplata still trapping the far arm and the near arm is under hooked making it nearly impossible to defend the choke. Clark forces the tap at the 2:33 mark.
For more awesome references to omoplata setups, take some time and watch this episode of Budovideos Rolled Up with Shawn Williams. Shawn is a big fan of the omoplata and goes in depth with the position. Around the 4:18 mark Shawn does cover the omoplata choke and details to finish it. Give it a look.
Caio Terra is easily one of the most visible and vocal competitors in recent years. His gym, Institute of Martial Arts is based in San Jose, California. He has not only built a gym with excellent competitors and instructors but he has been spending a great deal of his time traveling the globe giving seminars. In addition to this he has established over a dozen affiliates throughout the country.
I have been following Caio Terra for the last 4 years both in competitions and his instructional DVD's. Being a small grappler myself, I can relate to a lot of the techniques that Caio teaches and uses with a a lot of success. His dominance in major tournaments speaks volumes about his abilities and I have found his teaching methodology to be fairly easy to follow.
When I heard a local gym would be bringing him in for a two day seminar I jumped at the opportunity. Caio has never visited Texas for seminars and considered myself lucky that he would be in my own backyard.
Day 1 (Gi portion)
Caio gave our group about seven topics of things we could focus on for the gi portion of the seminar. The majority vote would decide on the focus for the techniques he would show. We chose to work the De La Riva/Berimbolo stuff. Caio made a comment about this before starting. He said, "most of the time everyone wants to work really hard techniques because they think they are better...the reality is they are just harder." That seemed funny at the time but was a great point. I think sometimes we tend to over-complicate Jiu-Jitsu and lose sight of the importance of executing clean, basic techniques that are high percentage...or at a minimum easier to achieve a higher level of understanding.
Caio began by showing how to initiate and maintain the DLR guard. He also pointed out that dragging your opponent to the ground for Berimbolo can be very laborious (which I totally agree with) and that it is vital to break down your opponent in order to get it. One might not necessarily go straight for it by pulling/yanking on them and trying to force but first to hide your intentions with lapel and/or sleeve grips. His methods for initiating the sweep were a bit different than what I have previously studied. I have spent a great deal of time utilizing the Mendes brothers stuff so it was good to see a different perspective. In some ways it was a challenge to execute his technique as I tended to get confused on occasion due to my muscle memory. So over the course of day one we covered the following from DLR guard:
1. Back take (Babybolo)
2. Leg drag from Berimbolo (probably my favorite)
3. Back take from Berimbolo
4. Mount from Berimbolo
This may not sound like a lot of techniques but it really was. The amount of detail Caio shows could be overwhelming for a white belt but necessary. We ended the day with Q&A over anything we wanted, even techniques which were not covered during the seminar. This was excellent as he showed us how he sets up and finishes his secret ankle lock attack from DLR guard. Video below shows him hitting this same ankle lock in a recent IBJJF tournament. He has used this same submission against Fabio Passos (Cobrinha black belt) in competition a little about a year ago.
Caio Terra vs Fabio Passos
Caio rolled with pretty much everyone that was interested after pictures were taken. It was apparent pretty quickly he intended to triangle choke every single victim opponent. When it was my turn we exchanged some pleasantries. I attempted a sitting guard-->single leg technical stand-up which he quickly shut down. I joked about it and he actually allowed me to attempt it again which I managed to get and sweep he let me. As I was attempting to pass towards the back he started to invert a bit and forced me into 50/50 guard (see exhibit A):
Exhibit A
That week I had been working on some 50/50 guard stuff from his half-guard DVD (specifically the ankle lock) and was pretty nervous in this position with him as he's known to be a killer with leg locks. As I was battling for grips he stood up and began removing the 50/50 guard and moved quickly into side mount. As I was preventing the cross-face he slid into mount, trapped an arm, and threw up a triangle rolling to his back. This happened so quickly I really didn't see any of it coming. I defended pretty well but he transitioned into an armbar to finish the roll. I lasted maybe 2 minutes. I can honestly say that he is the smoothest I have ever rolled against. I have experienced world class black belts pressure, explosiveness, etc. but Caio never exhibited any of those traits. He was just smooth as can be. There was nothing wasted...simply efficient.
Day 2 (Nogi portion)
At the beginning of the second day, Caio reiterated that we chose a difficult topic the day prior and he would pick for the second day...something much easier. We spent the entire second day working from the side mount. The focus was on moving to north-south, trapping the far side arm with an over hook and moving into side mount on the far side to eventually finish the armbar. We worked the following scenarios:
1. Finishing same side armbar (2 different methods)
2. Switching sides to far side armbar (2 different methods)
3. Finishing the armbar many different ways on the far side based on your opponents responses to defend and interlock their hands.
The nice thing about this particular series was that after each variation, he would add a layer or option depending on your opponent's response or attempt to escape the submission/position. It is worth noting he covered the armbar he managed to finish with against Jeff Glover at Metamoris earlier this year. (Video is linked at the bottom of this article.)
Again, it may not sound like a lot of material but it really built layer upon layer from beginning to end. I probably got more out of the second day for some of the basic concepts that I had not seen before. There was no rolling at the end of the second day but again he allowed questions which I took full advantage. I asked how to finish the ankle lock from 50/50 when your opponent hides their feet really well (particularly figure four). He showed multiple ways to attack the non-hidden foot by way of ankle lock and toe-holds. One of the great concepts I took away from it was almost anytime your are working the 50/50 guard...if you want to sweep, submit, escape you have to be willing to make space with your hips.
Overall I think it was a very good seminar. Caio showed some excellent techniques and details. I do get the impression that Caio is a perfectionist while showing technique. There were some moments when he appeared to get a little frustrated with his training partner while trying to show technique. Some positives to take away from those moments that should be applied during training are the following:
1. The training partner should never feed any moves; don't make the technique easy because the reality is most techniques will not be easy to apply on a resisting opponent.
2. The training partner should react naturally (not necessarily defend) but use good posture when stuck in DLR guard rather than slumping over, don't just lay flat on your back while your partner attempts Berimbolo, etc. These are not natural during a live roll so why would you do this while training? Giving that much natural resistance makes it more real for the person attempting the techniques.
Something else worth noting. After circling up to review some of the covered techniques, if someone had a question about a detail he would have them perform the move in front of the group and then correct the issue. This is good for both the people directly involved and also the group. Being able to evaluate what others are doing or having issues with may answer some questions for everyone involved.
All in all it was an excellent two days of training. I might not recommend a Caio Terra seminar to a white belt but every one's learning curves are different. I've seen my fair share of blue belts that have a hard time keeping up with the level of techniques during some seminars.
Things Caio has upcoming:
1. World Jiu-Jitsu Expo in November. I asked him if he had an opponent and he said that had not been determined yet. Stay up to date on this event here: https://www.facebook.com/worldjiujitsuexpo
2. Pan Jiu-Jitsu Nogi Championships the last weekend of September.
3. Rumor has it that Caio will be launching an online training site. I confirmed with him via Facebook that he indeed plans to launch the site. No target date was provided.
I'd like to extend a huge amount of thanks to Collin Grayson for hosting the seminar. He provided most of the pictures for this article. He is also now the first and ONLY Caio Terra affiliate in Texas! http://www.ctarockwall.com/
This is a great match that exemplifies Rafa Mendes when he is at his best. It's not often that you see Justin Rader get dominated but Rafa simply has his number. Some of the techniques you see on the Mendes Bros. training site are executed in this match.
Commentary: (Skip to the bottom for the video)
The match starts with both competitors working from their preferred positions. Rafa pulls open guard and Rader looks to establish his own grips and pass. Rafa transitions quickly to De La Riva guard, controls the hooked pant sleeve with a solid grip and stands up into a single leg passing immediately a leg drag position, then into side mount. This worked well for Rafa for a couple reasons: 1. Rader's posture was not favorable & 2. Rader's trapped leg completely extended and disturbed his base.
Rafa wastes little time and appears to work Rader's lapel free from the side mount, feeds it under his head and attempts to set up a baseball bat choke. Rader does an excellent job of staying mobile underneath and forces Rafa to let go.
When the action restarts Rafa moves to knee on belly, then switches sides (as seen on his training site). He controls the far arm with a figure four and as Rader defends awkwardly by standing up. Rafa transitions brilliantly into a back mount dragging Rader to the ground. Still threatening with the arm control he slides his leg over and attacks the armbar. In typical fashion Rader manages to defend very well and escape from deep waters like few others can do.
Action restarts in the center at 2:11; Rafa grabs the same side lapel and shoots a well-timed triangle. The timing Rafa uses to lure him in and bump Rader's elbow inward enough to lock in the triangle is worth noting here. Very smooth technique. Rader crouches down trying to survive the choke but it's in too deep. Rafa forces the tap at the 3:00 mark. It's not often you see Rader get taken apart like this and simply a HL reel match for Mendes.
Those in the grappling community should be very familiar with Dean Lister's body of work. He is a veteran MMA fighter in multiple organizations most notably Pride FC and the UFC. He still remains fairly active in the grappling scene by competing in super fights and ADCC. Did I mention he's won ADCC three times? The guy is incredibly good and well known for his brutal leg lock game.
In this particular match, no points are scored for the first 10 minutes to encourage submissions. Only in the last 5 minutes are points tallied to determine a winner should the match exceed the time limits. It took place earlier this year at the UFC Fan Expo 2013.
Commentary: (Skip to the bottom of the page for the video)
As one might expect, Lister engages enough to take a seat and begins working a semi-open guard.
Lister fighting from his half-guard sits up with an under hook while Griffin counters with a whizzer and tries to remain in the top position.
Griffin hits a very nice back step pass from the half-guard at 1:32 and attempts to move back into the topside half-guard. Lister sees this and begins lacing Griffin's left leg and hunts for a submission. Griffin is wise and immediately starts to defend and retreats out of bounds.
When they restart at 1:57 Griffin attempts a nice pass but Lister is so quick to recover, gain the under hook and works from the turtle position. Lister traps his right leg and forces a take down from the knees.
Trying to prevent the pass Griffin manages to tie up Lister's upper body and they reset again. Griffin secures the head attempting to pass and Lister easily reverses position again.
Positions are exchanged again after Lister attacks for a leg. Shortly after Lister reverses to the top position with ease. At 4:52, Lister begins to sit back and create a figure 4 lock on Griffin's left leg preventing Griffin from being able to escape as easily this time. Lister fights to secure the toe hold forcing the tap.
I think this format is really great for Lister. He doesn't mind giving up position and has an uncanny ability to reverse and regain dominant positions if he loses a potential submission.
Here is a match with Paulo Miyao from the 2013 IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu tournament earlier this year. Unfortunately I don't know his opponent's name but it does appear to be an Absolute match.
Miyao threatens early with a leg-lasso spider/De la Riva hook which eventually allows him to attack with Berimbolo as you would expect. His opponent does a good job to prevent the back-take by taking a seat himself and controlling Miyao's grips (note: Miyao's non-DLR leg).
At the 3:00 mark Miyao attacks with an Omoplata which was the beginning of the end.
His opponent attempts to posture out of the shoulder lock at 3:47. Note how Miyao compromises his posture (at 3:56) and bring him back to the floor.
Miyao does an excellent job of keeping the pressure on as his opponent finally tries to somersault roll and Miyao obliges him. He allows him to feel safe, remove the shoulder lock, then takes his back for all his efforts at 4:26.
Interestingly Miyao appears to finish the match with a modified sleeve/collar choke rather than the typical lapel choke from the back.
July was an insanely busy month but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things with the blog. Here is a nice, short match from Ultimate Absolute II which took place just over a year ago. This is a very cool event that encourages submissions (nogi) by allowing reaping & heel hooks. This match shows that the 50/50 guard can actually be an exciting position when heel hooks are allowed.
When I first started training Jiu-Jitsu I felt that training with a variety of high level guys would no doubt enhance my progression in the sport. As a white belt I managed to attend a few seminars and even though the amount of knowledge I gained was minimal it was definitely a fun experience. After five years of experience I can honestly say that the average person probably doesn't stand to gain as much from seminars until you've reached an intermediate level (blue belt). I don't think that should discourage newer grapplers from attending seminars but one should keep things in perspective. In my experience seminars are usually three hours and tend to be a little overwhelming on the amount of information.
List of high level grapplers I have trained with (in no particular order):
1. Marcelo Garcia
2. Robson Moura
3. Bruno Bastos
4. Rico Bastos
5. Romero Jacare Cavlacanti
6. Jamil Kelly
7. Robert Drysdale
8. Reilly Bodycomb
9. Caio Terra (next month)
How can you get the most out of a seminar?
I can't stress the importance to take notes either during the seminar or immediately afterwards. Most seminars cover a lot (sometimes too much) and details will get lost if you don't take notes. Recently after a Robson Moura seminar a training partner and myself recorded ourselves drilling all of the techniques so that we could go back and review it. This is far better than just taking notes.
Something else to consider regarding seminars is scheduling a private lesson with the instructor. One on one instruction is really hard to beat and one of the best way to take your grappling to the next level. Seminars are often packed with over thirty students on the mat and it's hard to replicate the kind of individualized attention you can get during a private lesson.
Another consideration is will they allow video? In my experience, most do not want video taken during seminars but it never hurts to ask. Don't be a jerk and just assume they won't care and create an awkward situation. Politely ask the host of the seminar ahead of time and/or the person giving the seminar. They may allow it but ask that you not make it public.
Which ones should I attend?
Early on during my training in Jiu-Jitsu I would attend every seminar I possibly could with a high level superstar. I didn't necessarily know what the content would be and just tried to absorb whatever it was that they were teaching. Through my progression I've learned that as you become more advanced it is much easier to learn new concepts or find ways to implement them into your game. I am fairly picky about what seminars I will attend these days. I ask myself will they offer something that fits my game? Do they offer something that is lacking in my game? If the answer is yes then that is a great motivator to attend and gain new knowledge. Would I be better off just scheduling a private with the individual?
Another type of seminar that isn't typical but can be very beneficial are training camps. Many high level schools will hold training camps that may last a few days or even a week. These are often put together prior to a major event such as the IBJJF Pan or Worlds tournaments. This is not only a great opportunity to work with multiple high level black belts but can also help you get ready if you plan to compete at those tournaments. This can go a long way to teach you how to prepare for tournaments in general if your gym doesn't have a program dedicated to tournament preparation.
In the Spring we had Bruno and Rico Bastos at our gym for a seminar leading up to the Pan 2013 tournament. It was the first of that type I attended and it was a great experience. The techniques focused on passing the open guard and how to deal with the dreaded 50/50 guard that so many competitors like to use these days. The training was grueling compared to most seminars as the repetitions were very high paced and focused on developing muscle memory under tough situations. There was lots of rolling at the end of the seminar to end the day. This was one of the best seminars I have attended to date.
Here are a couple clips from the Bruno & Rico Bastos Pan Camp seminar.
50/50 Guard Pass
Spider Guard Pass
Which ones should I avoid?
One of the first seminars I had the chance to attend when I got into Jiu-Jitsu was an Eddie Bravo/10th Planet seminar. I didn't know much at this point in time, did some research, and quickly realized that this was a pretty specialized system that I didn't intend to focus on. I skipped it and certainly glad that I did. This is a pretty extreme example but you need to consider the content that will be covered during a seminar if at all possible. Imagine a multiple time World Champion is in town teaching the 50/50 guard and you're not a fan? Why attend it if you don't want to learn that aspect of Jiu-Jitsu? Will you learn something? Most definitely but don't throw your hard earned money somewhere you won't find good value.
I highly recommend researching and looking for reviews from other people that may have attended a particular seminar. There are plenty of valuable resources such as Sherdog's Grappling forum: http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/f12/ to ask questions and receive feedback. Sometimes we get enamored with the success or style of grappler only to find out that their seminars are lackluster or they simply aren't the greatest instructors. I've heard plenty of horror stories of instructors that show up, have everyone do cardio for 30 minutes, show some techniques, and just not really show a lot of fire or interest in being there. These are the type of seminars I try to avoid.
Whatever your training preferences may be I think there are great opportunities to learn from training with a wide range of people. This can be accomplished by attending seminars, dropping in at other gyms, or even switching up the training schedule at your own gym. Getting to train with a variety of training partners and even instructors can help elevate your game to another level.
This match took place in February 2012 at the IBJJF Houston Open. I'm a big fan of Grippo and who doesn't love to see a Feather competing against a Heavyweight?! At the time Gianni was still with Renzo Gracie but recently made the move to Marcelo Garcia (NYC). Luis Rubalvaca received his black belt from Jacare Cavalcanti later that year in September.
Here is a match from ADCC 2005 featuring Marcelo Garcia and Xande Ribeiro. This was the 3rd place match in for the Absolute division but it is the stuff of legends. Marcelo did manage to win his own weight class of -77kg. This contest featured an undersized Marcelo Garcia showcasing the stuff that has made him famous. You will see him use the very techniques that has made him one of the best pound for pound grapplers in the World. Many of these techniques can be found on his online training site mginaction.com
This is an interesting match up that we are rarely treated to. Rafael Mendes (Atos) and Bruno Malfacine (Alliance) are a couple weight classes a part in IBJJF tournaments and the weight classes in this tournament are much wider pitting two of the best against each other. This match took place at the World Pro 2011.
The 2013 IBJJF World Championships concluded around 10pm central time Sunday night. It was an excellent event featuring some incredible matches and upsets. That being said...my brain is FRIED from watching most of Saturday and Sunday's live stream.
Notable moments (Spoilers if you haven't seen the matches. Skip down and watch the matches first.)
Gui Mendes being knocked out in only the quarterfinals. He played a dangerously close match and didn't push the pace losing a ref's decision.
Tanquinho was impressive. I picked him to make it to the finals but who would have expected him to beat both Cobrinha AND Rafael Mendes the same day? Probably the most impressive run in the black belt division in my opinion.
Caio Terra showed that his win against his nemesis, Bruno Malfacine, at Pan 2013 was not fluke. He played a very similar game and won the 50/50 battle to claim another World title.
Leandro Lo showed that he is one of the most dynamic standing guard passers and open guard players of the tournament. He had only 2 points scored against him in the entire tournament.
Paulo Miyao FINALLY beats Keenan Cornelius in the Brown belt Absolute final. This is an amazing feat considering that he fights at Light Feather.
Braulio Estima was very impressive and showed the world that he still is competing at the highest level dazzling with a ridiculous kneebar. He closed out his weight class and conceded to teammate Romulo Barral.
Atos was shut out at black belt in all divisions.
Ary Farias had appeared to win the Light Feather final, left the mat area to celebrate, was penalized for doing so which docked him an advantage and caused him to lose the final. Very unfortunate as the match was one of the best finals during the weekend.
Lucas Leite was excellent making it to the final at Heavyweight...which is two weight classes above his natural division.
Bruno Bastos (Nova Uniao) retired from Worlds competition and gave his black belt to Buchecha after losing to him in the Absolute division.
Buchecha proved AGAIN that he is the best pound for pound guy out there. He was incredibly dominant winning both his weight and the Absolute division. The Absolute final against Rodolfo Veira wasn't close at all.
Xande Ribeiro (Match 1)
Caio Terra (Brasa) vs Fabio Passos (Alliance)
Rafa Mendes vs Mayako Borges
Braulio Estima's INSANE kneebar in slo-motion.
Gui Mendes (Atos) vs Daniel Beleza Light Feather Quarterfinal
Rodolfo Veira (GF Team) vs Leo Leite (CheckMat)
Rafael Mendes (Atos) vs Tanquinho (Soul Fighters) Feather Final
Caio Terra (Brasa) vs Bruno Malfacine (Alliance) Rooster Final
Ari Farias (Atos) vs Gabriel Moraes (CheckMat) Light Feather Final
Leandro Lo vs Michael Langhi (Alliance) Light Final
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