5Grappling Lightweight Invitational: Grippo Wins Submission Lacking Event

Some odds and ends from watching the event...I literally fell asleep before the semis.
I don't think it was just me being a Negative Nancy...at one point the announcer told the crowd to "Maaake some noise".....and literally you could hear crickets.
Not a single person yelled.
Not one.
Several of the competitors in the bracket seemed completely content to play open guard and/or look like they were thinking about passing and that was pretty much it. Jamil looked like he literally could have cared less to have been there despite getting the nod from referees judging matches with virtually none or almost no submission attempts in the 6 min time frame of his two matches en route to the finals. Grippo in his first match fed the lapel from side control and attempted the step over with the leg/lapel-feed choke twice, but rode the clock out for the remainder. Shrock fell into a crafty triangle by Monteiro. The rest of it was pretty ho-hum. I'm beginning to honestly have to admit that Gi events can seriously stop plugging the submission only format and shorter time limits because honestly, the matches lacked the intensity of event a regular IBJJF event. Dunno if guys were tired from American Nationals or what, it simply felt like a lot of faking it or dancing about from a big chunk of the bracket. Keenan got Matheus into some deep trouble with his lapel guard eventually, after Matheus would break grips and back away from the guard almost every 30 seconds, but Keenan in his return to competing you could tell was a bit winded from his layoff due to injury in Japan awhile back.

I saw 2 submissions but frankly, a lot of the matches felt lackadaisical at best and I've seen better work and hustle in videos of Worlds camps and Pan Ams camps that various gyms put up for public viewing.

I wanted to like this event. I was ready to like the event. Was super excited to see a lighter weight class invitational bracket but the guys they had really did not bring and many didn't seem much excited to be there after their entrance and bumping hands.
I just can't bring myself to pretend that I did. 

5Grappling Lightweight Tournament - San Diego, July 15th

5 Grappling Lightweight Card - with some bio's provided HERE. 

The same day as an IBJJF event, and 2 weeks after the American Nationals, The 5 Grappling folks are bringing us a very cool Lightweight pool of competitors along with 3 superfights.

Saggioro is coming off a Worlds appearance in the finals which is by far his biggest profile performance today. His division was full of monsters and threats and the fact he made it to the finals is no small testament to his emergence on the big field in his weight class. He literally lost by the smallest margin possible in professional Gi Jiu-Jitsu....1 single advantage to Cobrinha, the only man on par with Rafa in this division for going on 10 years. It was a true breakout performance for Saggioro and now all eyes are watching him.

Braga is quietly reappearing on the mats to compete, the disputed originator of the Berimbolo is of the old guard but he will have his hands full facing the likes of this squadron of younger competitors.

I saw some clips of Lucas Pinheiro's slickness at the American Nationals on Instagram earlier today. He will be undersized for this bracket but I think he'll win a match or two depending on the draw. Pinheiro made it to the 3rd place round along with Hashimoto while Caio Terra and Bruno Malfacine battled it out yet again. Being 3rd to those guys is quite the accomplishment after nearing a decade of those two resting atop the roosterweight pyramid unequaled by any close or even distant 3rd place figure.

Jamil Hill trains on the team whose name I still refuse to speak (we all gonna just pretend that whole incident didn't take place? or that it led to the discovery of the earlier college incident of a equally barbaric nature?)

Moving on, Gianni Grippo, the hope for American Jiu-Jitsu among others to get a black belt World title continues to have on days and off days whilst competing, most recently taking 3rd at the Worlds in a ridiculously stacked featherweight division.

Sinistro has been winning matches in tough divisions against tough guys for awhile. Never one to be counted out, I always get the feeling it could be his day when he competes. I've seen him win and lose to guys depending on how sharp he is that day but I expect him to get out of the first round depending on the draw. 

5Grappling Lightweight Card Revealed

Can't wait. Old school Braga, perennial contender Grippo, Saggioro, Sinistro....