Kasai Pro 3 - Results and uh...Reflections?

I gotta say, I have to suspect the full Kasai experience probably didn't come through on the broadcast by Flograppling. Whether it was catcalling during AJ's post fight speech, Calestine coming on stage to remind AJ that he's been ducking him, the booing when the refs blew several calls in Barch's match with "Interpretive Dance Master" Canuto, or just the overall atmosphere, it was a blast to attend in person. I've trained with or train with on a regular basis a bunch of the folks on the card so if nothing else but for that it was worthwhile to attend and support them at such a high profile event. Add to that it's was the biggest marquee name value JiuJitsu event of the second half of the year and well, it's fireworks. I don't go to concerts, or spend money on electronics, so spending some coin to see guys from all over compete and match up in a format like this was truly exceptional. Made better by the fact I simply got on the subway to come here after competing and coaching at the Grappling Industries event during the day in lower Manhattan. Coach, compete, win my Advanced division, head to Midtown, watch my teammates and a bunch of high and profile names put it on the line. A good day.

The venue, the broadcast team, the pacing of the event, all top notch. If you'd told me 3-5 years ago I'd be at an event like this, with this many big names and match-ups, at a venue like this in NYC, I'd have been unable to believe it. The match-ups and styles in the Grand Prix were impressive with a variety of teams, accolades/resumes, and names matched up in the two pools. Iwasaki and Silverio made for competitive match-ups, and despite some gamesmanship and refusal by the referees to utilize penalties to enforce promotional expectations regarding pace and engagement, the majority of competitors came to get after it.  

Some thoughts on the Grand Prix: Vagner picked up a finger crank partial wrist lock over Marcin Held and a quick and easy outside heel hook over Iwasaki, then a total stall out of Lutes (who also wasn't willing to shoot or initiate for his part either) which got him through to the finals. For his part, Canuto, did a lot of dance moves to run up some points in a few matches, then picked up a title in the final with Vagner. Having seen Canuto dance and bullsh*t over the course of 3 previous matches, I left, and got food at the diner around the corner from the Hammerstein Ballroom. 

If you saw Canuto's Kasai title match with Eddie with the foot stomping and the hand clapping, it was a lot of shuck and jive and happy feet tap dancing shuffles and circling to the outside. 6 minutes is a lot to watch tick by with nary a real takedown shot in, nor any getting to substantive/meaningful grappling, but Canuto found a way to do it for 6 minutes x 4 times and get a belt for his troubles. Sigh. Kill me. 

AJ Agazarm using this mic time to call out Geo Martinez but ignore Calestine's callout 

A number of matches (and the superfight of  Mr. Gilbert "I didn't make weight by 10 lbs" Burns vs Agazarm) degenerated into 6 minutes of aggressive collar ties and wrist control battles and endless circling from the boundary. The referees seemed willing to penalize Rau for not making meaningful contact as he sat to guard (y'know, whereby guys have to like, actually, start looking to pass or advance position) but willing to watch guys endlessly circle and collar tie and handfight with either no penalty or penalizing both competitors (effectively useless if both guys still now have the same score). People wonder why modern Judo so aggressive with the rule set....because spectators don't show up to watch 2 people circle one another for minutes on end and bullsh*t. 

Calestine on the mat after approaching AJ to point out that he's ducking him 

Canuto did his breakdance moves on Rau for a points win, Rau would rebound to pick up a submission win (one of the few of the night) and a convincing points win to actually tie Canuto for points in the bracket (Canuto would advance to the final having beaten Rau - the tiebreaker criteria within a pool: they both had 7 points to their credit following the 3 matches within their pool). Honestly devoid of the fact that I see Rau on a weekly basis at Renzo's, but simply as a spectator I would tune in to watch Rau over Canuto any day of the week. I could care less about ever watching Canuto compete again after his match with Eddie Cummings and his stall + circle bonanza last night in the Grand Prix. 

Calestine had solid submission attempts from bottom while Gianni stuck with a limited number of actual discernible nogi guard passing attempts. Grippo dove through and over for some bodylock/crab ride back attack attempts to scramble up the back, but Grippo never managed to get the line of his hips much further up Calestine's lower back than perhaps just that. I honestly expected to see heavier passing pressure from Grippo but he elected to enter into Reverse De La Riva, and do some hands on upper shin rotational passes, then some C grips inside the crook of the knee, but didn't enter into any double under or over under style passes either. 

Worst referee of the night - seated in the chair 

I didn't include any pics of Jones vs Palhares b/c 1) Palhares allegedly weighed in at 218, despite the original agreement for the bout being 180 and 2) because he literally came to do no JiuJitsu. He sat down on both knees, thumb posted, and showed Jones' shoulders, and literally did not attempt one single pass. For 15 minutes. Guys want to get paid to compete and be treated like a professional athlete then not do the thing they are paid to show up and do. Can you imagine if a professional athlete was supposed to run or shoot a ball, or block for a teammate and just repeatedly refused to do the thing they are paid to do? Being an accomplished competitor doesn't make you immune to criticism. Gilbert Burns talked a lot of shit about AJ....AJ 1) made weight (Burns missed weight by 10 lbs) and 2) AJ made it a match. I'm by no means AJ's biggest fan or even a fan, but his match with Gilbert was a match because he made it one. Burns shot or initiated takedowns an exceedingly judicious amount over the duration of their match. AJ actually shot and initiated and even played from the bottom. I'll show up to watch AJ face people more than I will Palhares or Canuto for the reasons covered above.



Full Grand Prix & Superfight Results from FloGrappling:

"Round 1

PJ Barch def Victor Silverio via points 2-0 

Renato Canuto def Jason Rau via points 11-0 

Vagner Rocha def Masahiro Iwasaki via heel hook 

Matheus Lutes def Marcin Held via points 10-0 

Round 2 

Jason Rau def Victor Silverio via inside heel hook 

Renato Canuto def PJ Barch 1-0 

Masahiro Iwasaki def Marcin Held via points 3-0 

Vagner Rocha vs Matheus Lutes – draw 

Round 3 

Victor Silverio vs Renato Canuto – draw 

Jason Rau def PJ Barch via points 10-3 

Matheus Lutes def Masahiro Iwasaki via points 2-1 

Vagner Rocha def Marcin Held via wristlock 

Third place 

Matheus Lutes def Jason Rau via points 3-0 

Final 

Renato Canuto def Vagner Rocha 1-1, 1-2 penalties 

Superfights

Craig Jones def Rousimar Palhares via penalties 

Gilbert Burns def AJ Agazarm via decision 

Jon Calestine def Gianni Grippo via decision"
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Partial Undercard Results:

Holland def. Yayaha by points - walked in just as this one was winding down with about a minute left. 

Frezzo Ref Dec. Win over Miley - a lot of exchanges and submission attempts by both competitors, a variety of positions and submissions exchanged

Ronan def. Miller - Miller attacking some Estima and foot locks from top while trying to pass, Ronan looking for lacing the legs from bottom for the first portion of the match. 

Williams def. Rosenthal in Golden score overtime - competitive throughout with Williams looking to knee thru pass and Rosenthal looking to lace the legs and attack. Felt like Rosenthal should've gotten a submission attempt point right at the close of the match. Frank shot in on a low single in golden score overtime which Williams countered and managed to score a guard passing following. 

Crelinsten def. Ocasio via RNC in regulation - Crelinsten on top, looking to pass, straddling Ocasio's leg work: x-guard and the like, Crelinsten looking to use a leg lock attempt to get to the back, after a near back take early on, the second back take attempt from top/passing led to the back and with one arm trapped, he forced the submission via RNC.