Thursday, December 13, 2018

BJJ Scout's BJJ Digest 95: Creeps in BJJ, EBI 18, UAEJJF in Tajikistan Allegedly Hot Mess Express & My Thoughts on EBI 18

A couple thoughts: if there's equal pay at an EBI event, then I'm going to lobby equal criticism and commentary. The winner couldn't lock a triangle properly. I'm not nitpicking details and nuances, I mean, could not lock a triangle. Fortunately her opponent also lacked any real semblance of a recognizable triangle counter/response.
You could counter my criticism by saying, "well, go back and watch EBI 2 or 3 from the men's division" and my counter argument would be: locking a triangle correctly to the point that some casual fans who train UFC recreationally could do it more efficiently...or that....women's jiujitsu isn't existing in a vacuum. Watch EBI. Previous EBI's are available for dissection and analysis to anyone preparing for the event......Another woeful area of a boondoggle was the armbar overtime positions utilized: women starting with their knees flared/ankles crossed and posting to the headside arm - allowing opponents to immediately bridge and begin a stack escape.....on the back control allowing the attacker to clasp their hands tight under the neck instead of the sternum as the rules specify. I'm not only criticizing the athletes but the coaches, the training partners, and Bravo for using a number of competitors of lower rank, or upper belts who primarily compete in the Gi and/or virtually do not compete submission only or leg lock allowed events. I also think it's bogus AF he neglected to add a Renzo NYC competitor named Katya (who I've seen day in and day out since I moved to the city 2.5 years ago and has actually competed sub only and leg lock allowed events for the past couple years. I suspect it's sour grapes for him and would've been on suicide watch if yet again a Renzo NYC competitor won an event put on by him (as to why he got ride of men's EBI and is running with Combat JiuJitsu which 10th Planet guys have had some consistent success rather than pure sport submission grappling under the EBI format).

Welcome to equality. If an event provides equal pay, expect the same level of expectation on behalf of fans, on behalf of the athletes in terms of preparedness et cetera. I believe Bravo when he says he couldn't find 16 black belt competitors at this weight class as you can look at the NoGi Worlds this weekend and the total number of females competing at black belt across ALL weight classes is 34. Total. Anyhow, I watched the event, and in an effort to shoe equality in action rather than principle, I'm not going to refrain from undue criticism et cetera in a misguided and paternal desire to shield the poor, defenseless women athletes from the same which I would say about male competitors. Sugarcoating the deficient areas helps no one.


No comments:

Post a Comment