Las Vegas Open 2013 Matches: Otavio Souza, Yuri Simoes, & Nino Schembri

Otavio Sousa vs Yuri Simoes
 

Yuri Simoes vs Nino Schembri



Interviews and Thoughts with Otavio Sousa and Mackenzie Dern

Brasileiros 2013 Report: Lovato 1st American to Win Absolute

Keep it playful, bro....or pressure pass and become the 1st American to win the Black Belt Absolute at the Brasileiros

Via Graciemag:
"Rafael Lovato Jr ...from Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu passed the guard with style and submit[ted] Ricardo Evangelista with a kimura.

It was the first time that a foreigner got to the top of the absolute in a Brazilian competition, an inevitable result of globalization and the international success of Jiu-Jitsu over the last decade. Although the crowd didn’t applaud the historic moment much, they recognized Lovato’s technique and will, while the American from Oklahoma broke in tears.
...
In the super heavy division, newcomer Joao Gabriel Rocha didn’t lower his head for the two world golds by Leo Nogueira (Alliance) and went for it. The star of Soul Fighters won by 11-2, and heard the scream coming from his fans: “You just started and already got it!”
The start of Ricardo Evangelista also shone. The runner-up beat Rodrigo Cavaca by points in the final of the ultra heavy, before the battle with Lovato.
[As I anticipated earlier this year] Another highlight was Dimitrius Souza, also from Alliance, which eliminated Rafael Lovato in the heavyweight and took the gold, after winning the European in January.
Among the teams, Alliance won the adult male, female and the Master & Senior, while Gracie Barra swept the basic categories."
 

BJJ Hacks Presents Royler Gracie: Everyone Should Compete At Least Once

The one and only Royler Gracie, and his thoughts on competition et cetera:

Made in Brazil: UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs Rockhold May 18

The UFC ventures back to Brazil for an expectedly Brazil-fighter heavy card on May 18th.
It has some compelling match-ups to provide some context for a couple divisions.
Belfort will take a high risk/low reward fight against Strikeforce import/champion Luke Rockhold as Rockhold will move closer to Anderson than I would think Belfort will by beating Rockhold.
Belfort's loss by crane kick to Anderson (though, not less decisive than the way Cain stomped a hole in Bigfoot Silva who now gets a rematch AND a shot at the belt) still makes it hard to get a rematch with the undisputed best of all time Anderson Silva.

Jacare makes his follow up to making quick work of Ed Herman against a limited ground-specialist but relatively dangerous striker on the feet in Constantinos Philippou.
Evan Dunham, who was within a fight of a title shot at one point, takes on the middle of the pack and always close to contention Rafael Dos Anjos.
Paulo Thiago fights on the prelims which is a far cry from his one-time status as having stopped Koshceck decisively.

While not an overly compelling card, for a free card and when you consider the main card of this weekend's PPV, it's not bad at all kind sirs.

"

Main Event:

185 lbs.: Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold

FX Channel Main Card (9 p.m. ET):

185 lbs.: Constantinos Philippou vs. Ronaldo Souza
185 lbs.: Chris Camozzi vs. Rafael Natal
155 lbs.: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Evan Dunham

FUEL TV "Prelims (6 p.m. ET):

145 lbs.: Hacran Dias vs. Nik Lentz
155 lbs.: Mike Rio vs. Francisco Trinaldo
145 lbs.: Yuri Alcantara vs. Iliarde Santos
170 lbs.: Michel Richard dos Prazeres vs. Paulo Thiago
125 lbs.: Azamat Gashimov vs. John Lineker
205 lbs.: Roger Hollett vs. Fabio Maldonado

Facebook "Prelims" (4:30 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: John Cholish vs. Gleison Tibau
125 lbs.: Chris Cariaso vs. Jussier Formiga
155 lbs.: Jeremy Larsen vs. Lucas Martins"

Off With Their Heads: Recent UFC Firing Squad Victims

Aaaaaaand now they're fired:
"Phil De Fries, Chris Spang, Jimmy Quinlan, Collin Hart, Kevin Casey, Gilbert Smith and Adam Cella"

Most of us won't miss these fighters and the casual fan might recognize some faces from TUF, a Strikeforce import, and prelims here and there.

The economy is tough, bruh.

Monday's MMA Multimedia Mailbag: UFC 159 Injury Edition, UFC 160 "Why is Bigfoot getting a title shot against Cain?" Edition

I was working at my other job Saturday night and missed the fights. I have *ahem* watched another broadcast and for all the memes and jokes about the UFC gypsy curse cancelling fights, this event had everything from hospitalization due to excessive weight cutting to egregious eye pokes to thumbs spraining(?) to toes falling victim to compound fractures occurring mid-fight.
Which is worse, a fight that might have been or an outcome to a fight in progress that may or may not have been based on the previous action?
At any rate, on to the highlights so you can kill some time before those TPS reports are due and after that important panel meeting on synergy and work flow.

Jon Jones makes short work of the inimitable Chael Sonnen despite the already overdone grusomo injury:
 

Michael Bisping proves the "sh$7 talk to Bisping and lose" curse which haunted Jorge Rivera among others:

In case you needed some hilarious wtf?! matchmaking news for your day, Bigfoot/Pezao Silva is going to rematch Cain Velasquez (this time for the belt).

You may or may  not remember the axe murder style bloodbath Velasquez put on Bigfoot for about a round or maybe and a half the last time they fought (which wasn't for the belt). This fight is basically a toss up softball (sorry Pezao) for Cain to keep him active, headline a PPV, and let Dos Santos sort out his divorce or whatever else he claims led to his off night battering at the hands of a guy he previously stopped inside of a round:

 

Where Are They Now?: Jimmy Harbison Edition

Noticeably from the rigamarole of the Lloyd Irvin scandal, Jimmy Harbison has been largely MIA.
That being said, apparently he's become boys with Ross Pearson, coaching MMA fighters, and off in the UK and Australia. Who knew?

Hear it from the man himself:

Felipe Costa: 30+ Episode 4, Jiu-Jitsu Lifestyle et al.

Felipe Costa (as a lightweight competitor, and a guy who has openly discussed his difficulties with the mental aspect of BJJ and competition, is someone I follow relatively closely.

Here's an episode of a show he put together from a couple years ago chronicling seminars, tournament preparation and general Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle type travelling ish stuff. Enjoy:

UK Face-punching UFC-style Fighting Cage Warriors 54 Video Preview

That guy who flipped out at a casino owned by the UFC on an episode of TUF and got booted off is fighting for the UK-based Cage Warriors soon, FYI:

Competitor Insight: Abu Dhabi World Pro 2013 Experience

Social Media News BS of the Day: Fake Twitter Fans of Famous(?) MMA Fighters

The social media conspiracy theorist in me (This is what the world has come to? When the aliens or Galactus or Omnipotus come and ask me why they should not destroy the world....I will tell them to go ahead and obliterate it all), suspects that the managers of these guys have hired some assistants or starving college graduates living on a friend's couch or back in their high school bedroom to shall we say "exaggerate" their fighter's online profile with fake handles and followers much like Lloyd Irvin's floods the internet with SEO to hide news stories about him and rape.

This may seem ridiculous (it is) but as per the age of social media and digital purgatory in which we now reside, hype can be generated in all kinds of new and absurd ways.

 

Felipe Costa: Lightweights Should Train with Lightweights

Don't be scared homey.

That pretty much sums it up.

"What is the necessity of someone weighing 60kg training with someone weighing over 80kgs? Of course, from time to time, yes, but I believe, based on my own experience, that the risk of injuring oneself are well higher than the benefits that this kind of training can bring."

Every time I ever got injured (not hurt, but injured) in training to the extent that I could not train or worse, had long-term damage, it was training with someone north of 25 lb's heavier than me.

The damage to both of my knees, my right shoulder, and the time I tore my oblique, bruised my hip and my kidney,( and when I blew out my knee specifically) all happened training with heavier teammates.

 

Double Guard Pull You Say? It Makes Sense? Blasphemy?

 

 

Coming from Judo and having briefly wrestled in college, I instinctually had disdain for the double guard pull when I started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

The thought of sitting down and conceding top position felt antithetical to my instincts and training to fight for top position, or at least outgrip the opponent and force him to sit first then work to pass.

Then I blew out my knee and tore my ACL.

Coming back from ACL surgery I did not feel comfortable locking my closed guard and what followed was I began to use my healthy(ier) leg for Reverse De La Riva (or Spiral guard I think it is commonly called as well) and more recently to play Deep Half guard and sweep.

I still don't feel comfortable with takedowns and throws nor going "live" on the feet and likely will not for some time to come.

---

 

Conceptually and with the spirit of self-defense and the fighting/martial art in mind, I understand the disdain and decrying of the double guard pull and in light of the passivity/non-combativeness inherent to matches like the last few minutes of Rafa vs Cobrinha with the decisions going to Rafa at the Abu Dhabi World Pro 2013, and the more recent double DQ of Paolo Miyao and Keenan Cornelius at the same event, the backlash is beginning to build.

The 50/50 by extension along with the double sit down/guard pull/ankle grabbing bonanza and such positions evolved out of the knee reaping rule and the advent of the advantage. Two players jockey for position until the time is right to come up on top and get an advantage or 2 points for the "sweep" with a minute or two left and ride out the decision.

This debate rages on similar to the Berimbolo and players complaining over a certain style of play.

The competitors reflect the effort to game the rules, seeking advantage where possible.

Competitors sit down to begin the match b/c it requires less energy than a takedown, and b/c the points for sweeping are the same as that for a takedown (with the added caveat of typically less energy expended). The rules do not incentivize fighting for the takedown in matches throughout the course of a bracket/division. The players simply reflect the rules of the sport/event.

The ADCC, a nogi event, where sweeping becomes more difficult without the Gi top, you'll notice a MUCH heavier emphasis and willingness to jockey/battle for the takedown as a salient example of the effect of the rules of the competition (that and the negative point scored for pulling guard).

Even in the Gi, a competent wrestler or judoka can have his standup/takedown game stymied by a competent player who simply sits down at ANY point after the match begins. The player sitting down has the added threat/bonus of being able to submit whereas very few if any attacks (particularly at the lower belts) and submissions are available to the player in top position. The Berimbolo revolution and the countless high level players who had their back taken whilst attacking the foot in response to the Berimbolo proves the efficacy of the strategy and the low percentage success rate of the foot attack in response to said strategy.

 

Thus, we are left with two camps of players/competitors/schools: those that function within the rules as set forth by (for example) the IBJJF and popular sport Jiu-Jitsu, and those that will disregard or decry the rules with the spirit of the martial are and self-defense in mind.

The sliding scale of white vs black, right vs wrong, to sit to guard vs to compete in jiu-jitsu with the original martial art in mind is a by product of the rules.

If pulling guard was de-incentivized then it would happen less.
As a counter argument, as boring as the double guard pull/butt scoot/leg scissor game for a win by advantage is two jiu-jitsu players unable to take one another down and a referee decision resulting.
Though, to be fair, this happens with far more infrequency. 

The Weight-ing Game: Jeff Curran Edition

Jeff Curran is dropping to flyweight in one last attempt to get a shot at a championship belt.

Shameless Ploy for Attention News of the Day: Boxer Tyson Fury Calls Out Cain Velasquez

Following in the footsteps of James Toney seeking a much needed payday, Tyson Fury says MMA "is rubbish" and wants to fight Cain Velasquez.
This kind of stuff is just humorous at this point, as someone who's never wrestled beating someone like Cain is literally no more than a puncher's chance.

Thursday's Grappling & Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Blogs for Your Day

From a recently promoted Faixa Preta, his thoughts on each belt in his journey to the great beyond that is the Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:

Link to "Top 50 BJJ Blogs":

BJJ Weekly.com:

Somebody's "Top 5 BJJ Blogs":

Clark Gracie's Omoplata game over at The Jiu-Jitsu Laboratory:

InnerBJJ:

The Green Gi Revolution Continues

What's more 'Merican than starting your own business and starting a business that is connected to the world of choking people unconscious and defending yourself?

Nothing, that's what.

I already blogged about it HERE, but here's some add'l press that popped up:

"'To take something from nothing to success, you really have to feel it,” said Adrienne Adams, 33. “It’s very personal to me. I’m fully invested in this.”
Adams was working in an unfulfilling job as a project manager for a construction company in Northern Virginia when her mother’s healthy lifestyle kick encouraged her to try with a class at her gym: Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Her friend introduced her to it and she was hooked, training six to seven times a week.
Because she could sew, many of her classmates brought torn gis — martial arts uniforms — to her to mend. She encountered various brands, weaves and types of quality of uniforms. At the same time, she learned about hemp as a cotton replacement for sustainable design in her construction industry career....“Then I kind of had this a-ha moment: the green gi,” Adams said. “I can do something better than what’s on the market right now.”

That was in 2009. Three weeks later, she was laid off because of the economic downturn. She submitted the name of her product, the “Green Gi” for a trademark and worked to design a website and logo. While she trained as a blue belt for an International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation-sanctioned tournament, she experimented with different patterns and made two prototype uniforms made of hemp.
She finished in time to debut a Green Gi while she competed at the world championships that year and soon she was inundated with emails from people asking about the uniform.
“I underestimated the amount of exposure I was going to get,” said Adams, now a purple belt. “I wanted to see if people liked my idea and they did.”
Difficulty finding an American textile manufacturer stalled the project and she moved to Norfolk in 2010. While working as an office manager for a sheet metal manufacturer, she began her search again. Adams was dead-set on having the gi made in America. She did small runs with a small regional company but that deal fell through.
“I was crushed,” Adams said, adding she thought maybe she should abandon the project.

That thought left her mind when she heard entrepreneurs could pitch their ideas to investors and the business community in a “Start! Peninsula” event at Christopher Newport University in December. She found out just days before but was able to pitch.
The judges selected her as a finalist and her Facebook page attracted 500 likes that weekend. The backing of the community inspired her to continue, but she realized through workshops at the event that she didn’t understand all the aspects of launching a business.
Because she was a finalist, she was eligible to enter an accelerator program for three months at the Peninsula Technology Incubator in Hampton where she took business development classes while working full-time.
Incubator director Tom Flake and other business owners helped her move forward with the idea. Instead of focusing on overwhelming issues like the supply chain — it is illegal to grow hemp in the United States — she began asking questions about what uniform price would make sense in the market. When she went back to manufacturers, she found three companies willing to work with her on the gi.
Adams is confident that she will have the quality product she originally envisioned. Her goal since starting the incubator program in January was to be ready to take orders for the Green Gi when she pitched the idea at the entrepreneurial event “Start Norfolk 3” on March 22-24.
During the Start Norfolk weekend, she said she took an order every 45 minutes and received 10 requests from companies wanting to distribute the gi.
Ben Eaton, owner of the Jiu-Jitsu Institute in York County, said he has heard of another hemp uniform on the market but nothing American-made. He said he would like to try out the Green Gi as hemp is known to be more durable. While tournaments would have to allow the use of the gi, he said the uniform could be used for daily training.
Adams’ new challenge is to take enough pre-orders to justify importing hemp from China. She said she would notify customers of getting refunds if she couldn’t get the gi into production within six months. She has self-financed her venture so far and is working to put together a campaign on Kickstarter.com, which raises money for products through crowd funding.
Marla Schuchman, who mentored Adams at “Start Norfolk” and advises her now, said she liked the product because it could evolve into other hemp fitness clothing.
Schuchman, a marketing consultant in Arlington, said investors would be attracted to the larger vision as well as Adams’ passion and story. Schuchman said the challenge is getting outside capital and operating in a market where it’s difficult to get hemp.
“It’s time for me to hustle,” Adams said.
For more information on the Green Gi, visit http://thegreengi.com.

Spring-Summer IBJJF/ADCC/Mundials/Metamoris 2 events

Despite the fact we've already had the Pan Ams, Abu Dhabi World Pro (along with the IBJJF NY Open), and the ADCC Rio Trials, there remains much left to enjoy in the coming months in terms of high level grappling competition:


- The Brasileiros/Brazilian National Championships take place over 3 days at the end of April.

- Copa Podio brackets have been announced for the "Lightweight GP to be held at Club Hebraica in Rio on May 5.....On one side, in the yellow group, is the defending champion (GP and World IBJJF) Leandro Lo, with Clark Gracie, Diego Borges, Brandon Magana and Juan Kamezawa, the Alliance promise, a newcomer brown belt....In the green group are the American DJ Jackson, Victor Estima, Augusto “Tio Chico” Vieira, Vinicius Marinho and the English Oliver Geddes.

Something interesting about this group is that Victor Estima, Gracie Barra professor living in England, has nowhere to run. He will need to face the teammate Tio Chico and also his old acquaintance Oliver Geddes, Roger Gracie student in London."

 

In addition to the LW Grand Prix, a number of superfights are on the card which rivals that of any match-ups one might see on the Metamoris or the IBJJF Pro League.

Among them a modified Team/City challenge for bragging rights:
"Team Challenge (Alliance x GFTeam ) - 

Leo Leite vs Rodolfo Vieira
Dimitrius Souza vs Leonardo Maciel 

Michael Langhi vs Vinicius Marinho
Cities Challenge (Recife x Manaus)
Braulio Estima vs Xande Ribeiro"

- The 2013 Mundials take place May 29th through June 2nd in California and promis to answer at least some of the following questions in the world of high level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition:
Will Cobrinha find an answer for Rafa and/or Tanquinho, both of whom beat him by the slimmest of margins at the Abu Dhabi and Pan Ams respectively?
Will Malfacine return and will Gui and him rematch? Will Rodolfo return to form and find an answer for the ever gaining momentum locomotive/Terminator that is Buchecha? Will the recently impressive other Souza threaten in a division full of the likes of Victor Estima and others?

- Metamoris II takes place June 9th:
"Main Event:

Kron Gracie vs. Shinya Aoki

Main Card:

Braulio Estima vs. Rodolfo Vieira
Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu vs. Brendan "The Hybrid" Schaub
Mackenzie Dern vs. Michelle Nicolini
Andre Galvao vs. Rafael Lovato Jr.
Bill "The Grill" Cooper vs. Ryan Hall"

- The judging criteria has yet to be announced and some will decry the pairing of predominantly MMA-associated grapplers with more "pure" Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighters as a marketing ploy, which will likely renew some of the debate as to how much the rule sets of the IBJJF influence who wins, but matching up high level grapplers cannot be anything but good for the sport overall.

- June and July promise the Euro NoGi's, the Lisbon Int'l IBJJF event and even an event in Rome, Italy.
- And on the far off horizon, we have the Abu Dhabi Combat Club final with 2 announced superfights of "Bráulio Estima facing off with current champ André Galvão, and Zé Mario Sperry and Fabio Gurgel squaring off in a veterans dream match-up."

ADCC Rio Trials Results and Description (& Under 66kg Final Video)

ADCC Rio Trials confirms some of the berths for the upcoming ADCC in China:

"Up to 66kg: João Miyao beat Marcio André by decision

After a great match, the purple belt Marcio André (Nova União) and brown belt João Miyao (Cicero Costha) made a highly technical and strategic final. After a good few seconds of attempts of takedowns on both sides, Marcio was the first to pull for his guard, then João sat down to work his berimbolo. Marcio defended with style all attempts of submissions in the foot and knee. The fight went a good deal of time with both players sitting down, trying sweeps and submission attacks on the ankle and knee. The fight ended 0-0 and went to the extra time of four minutes. The athletes rolled out of the mats with their feet twisted, but the score remained zero. After a quick conference between the referee and the table, the victory went to João Miyao.
 

 

Up to 77kg: Leozada Nogueira beat Victor Silvério with a guillotine

The category was strong, with names like Murilo Santana, Edson Diniz and Carlo Prater, but after a series of good fights, the finalists were Victor Silverio (GFTeam) and Leonardo “Leozada” Nogueira (Pequeno). Brother of Shooto and WEC Alexandre Pequeno, Leonardo was one of the most technical of the championship with an explosive back defense and a guillotine in automatic mode. In the final, the brown belt Victor began a mile per minute, took the fight down and took the back. However, he couldn’t hold Nogueira there, or end the match. Leonardo then reacted, and using an attempt by Silverio, used the guillotine to submit and get the ticket. Alexandre Pequeno, who didn’t compete since he was giving seminars in Mexico, must have liked it.

 

Up to 88kg: Claudio Calasans beat Paulo Baraúna by 3-0

After a series of tough fights, like the semifinal with Delson Pé de Chumbo who won with a leglock, Claudio Calasans (Atos) faced the MMA ace Paulo Baraúna (Alliance) in the final. The fight was mostly on the feet. Calasans began gripping on the neck and working on Paulo’s foot to take him down. Baraúna managed to get up and keep the fight standing up again. Then, magically, the good judoka Calasans shot on, slipped to the back and turned into a backpack on the Alliance’s fighter back. The rear naked choke didn’t come, but the points (3, according to ADCC) yes. Calasans is going to China, too.

 

Up to 99kg: João Gabriel Rocha submitted Cristiano Titi on the back

After a series of opponents were submitted along the way, João Gabriel Rocha (Soul Fighters) and Cristiano Lazzarini (Gracie Barra) made a final of giants. João pulled the opponent to his guard, trying his sweep game. Titi was well balanced and trying to pass the guard, until João managed to slip away and apply the rear naked choke. “Gee, I’m a black belt for four months, I’m thrilled,” he said.

 

Above 99kg: Rodrigo Cavaca submitted Kitner Mendonça with a gogoplata

With the deadliest guard in the tournament, Rodrigo Cavaca (CheckMat) went to the final against Kitner Mendonça (Ryan Gracie), looking to apply more of his triangles or knee locks. After the referee initiated the fight, Rodrigo automatically sat to guard and Kitner was up, trying to put pressure to pass. Cavaca held the opponent with his hand pushing the shoulders and making good grips on Kitner’s arms. And then came the spectacular submission. When Kitner threw his weight to pass the guard, Cavaca raised his shin, pressed the neck with his hand and closed the fight, and the event, with a beautiful gogoplata."

Semi-Interview Wednesday: Leo Vieira on Open Mat Radio

 

It's from Open Mat Radio, and this is the first thing that popped into my head

Listen and Enjoy

It's an interview with Leo Vieira
- his list of accomplishments in Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, and his work as a coach are pretty undisputable -
"
2x ADCC Champion (2003, 2005)
2x World Champion (1996 brown, 1999)
2x Pan American Champion (2002, 2004)
Brazilian National Champion (1998)
2x ADCC Silver Medallist (2011, 2007)
World Silver Medallist (1997)
World Bronze Medallist (2000)"

 

Braulio Talks Metamoris Pro II and Rodolfo

From over at GracieBarra.com:

"Will the match be in Gi or No Gi?
It will be in Gi."
"Tell us about your opponent. Have you ever went against with Rodolfo Vieira?
I had fought him and lost to him by one advantage at the Worlds Pro finals couple of years ago."
"Tells us how you got into the fight card. How did it all come together? I remember people posting something in facebook.com clamoring that you should be a part of it.
I got a phone call from Ralek Gracie asking me if I would be interested on fghting a top guy that it would make the crowd go nuts. I said, “of course.” Then came the name and I’m happy to be fighting Rodolfo. He is such  a classy guy.

Let’s talk about your own predictions.  So Kron or Aioki for the main event. Who has your vote?
I think Kron will have the edge for that fight. Aoki is very flexible, but Kron has more control plus he is much heavier."

FYI, Braulio faces Xande Ribeiro at the Copa Podio a month before in May, down in Brazil.

 

UFC 159 Countdown Episode: Jon Jones vs Chael Sonnen

Um......?

Longest limbed, fastest and youngest (modern time-excluding Belfort) UFC champion Jon Jones faces the King Troll of Mixed Martial Arts Chael Sonnen.

You may  be tired of the Chael Sonnen absurdity hype train but win or lose, I'm interested to see him fight. He gave Anderson Silva the one legitimate test of his UFC career and championship reign and he comes to fight, makes few excuses and scraps. I mean, trash talking and whatever else aside, "are you not entertained?"

Belcher fights Bisping in a several shots away from a title shot type fight since both guys are coming off of losses (Belcher by decision to Yushin "I'll never fight for the belt again" Okami and Bisping by devastating KO to Vitor "I am a living commercial for TRT" Belfort).

Cheick Kongo will find a way to cement his legacy as the biggest hit or miss HW fighter in the UFC.

And Vinny Magalhaes will likely show Phil Davis his unorthodox submissions don't fly against an ADCC/world class grappler.
 

UFC on FOX 7: The Hangover

Having fought before, Sunday morning after a fight is a tough day.
You're beaten up, you're sore, your face is usually a bit tender at best and at worst your lips are busted, a nose is broken or an eye is swollen shut.

At any rate, in the professional ranks there are more things to add to that hangover: moving down the totem pole, not fighting on the main card or the live broadcast (which costs sponsorship money) and the general malaise of armchair experts like yours truly and the even more armchair experts that haven't fought nor even trained Jiu-Jitsu or some combat related sport.

At any rate, the UFC on FOX 7 is no exception:

Gilbert Melendez - lost an arguable decision. Fight could have gone either way with a judge seeing a round or so different and he'd be wearing the strap, finally bringing the UFC gold to Caesar Gracie and co.

Daniel Cormier - had the biggest stage available on network TV to make a splash and failed to put away the historically proven to be stoppable Frank Mir. IN fact, Cormier is stylistically exactly the type of fighter to put Frank Mir away.

Frank Mir - has lost to most of the top tier guys he's fought as of late and losing to a UFC debuting fighter (D. Cormier or not) does not help his visibility...but he is a name, with a track record in the UFC who tends to pull out a win just when he's facing the executioner's axe/pink slip.

Nate Diaz - stopped for the first time in his UFC career and now, is coming off of two losses: a decisive loss to Ben Henderson and a TKO stoppage by head kick + punches.

Ramsey Nijem - momentum built from coming off of TUF derailed by losing to a relative unknown to most MMA fans. IN the long run, this will give him add'l time to build his resume/sharpen his tools to perhaps challenge for the belt down the road. A work in progress he is.

Tournament Proof Tuesday: US Grappling Submission Only: Bernardo Faria sweep, Terrere pass, Baseball choke

Overall results by Team and Individual School(s):

1) I hit my Bernardo Faria sweep.
2) Set up my baseball choke with the lapel grip.
3) I lose position but finish. b/c the grip is set.
 

1) He lets me come up on top
2) I Terrere pass to knee on belly.
3) Set up my lapel grip and baseball choke to finish

Fedor being Fedor

UFC 159 Extended Preview: Jones vs Sonnen, Bisping vs Belcher, et al.

OR.......?



Now that you've taken a breath or two from another controversially perhaps close Ben Henderson championship fight, we have to pack our bags and head on down the line to UFC 159. I don't know very many guys at the gym that admit to still watching TUF, with its new time slot, Jones vs Sonnen coaching, whatever angle they're pimping these days. But at any rate, I'll be excited for the title fight regardless of how it goes and interested to see how the card plays out:

I'm psyched to see the "wrestling vs Jiu-Jitsu" angle Phil Davis added to his fight with Vinny Magalhaes.

To be honest, Cody McKenzie is the only fighter anywhere other than the main card I'm mildly interested to see fight. As for the entire prelims, I could care less. I shouldn't complain b/c they are free fights AND b/c I just watched great fights on FX and FOX network 2 days ago.
That's what I keep telling myself anyway.

That and Cheick Kongo will find some way to make his fight with Roy Nelson either a sack kicking fest or cure for insomnia.

Full Card courtesy of MMAJunkie.com:

"

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

• Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen                     
• Alan Belcher vs. Michael Bisping
• Cheick Kongo vs. Roy Nelson
• Phil Davis vs. Vinny Magalhaes
• Pat Healy vs. Jim Miller

PRELIMINARY CARD (FX, 8 p.m. ET)

• Johnny Bedford vs. Erik Perez
• Ovince St. Preux vs. Gian Villante
• Sheila Gaff vs. Sara McMann
• Rustam Khabilov vs. Yancy Medeiros

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 6:30 p.m. ET)

• Leonard Garcia vs. Cody McKenzie
• Nick Catone vs. James Head
• Kurt Holobaugh vs. Steven Siler "

Monday's UFC on Fox 7 Multimedia Mailbag: Hype Trains Boarded and Derailed

Matt Brown derailed the first hype train I had jumped aboard in awhile in the form of his first round stoppage of Jordan Mein.

Mein had recently been the first person to finish Dan Miller, doing so in emphatic fashion despite a deep as *&^% armbar in the first round and what could have been construed as an exploitable ground game but in all honesty, Jordan Mein's aggressive pressure style is just like Matt Brown's: live by the sword and you die by the sword. He got caught a bit more and/or perhaps fighting on such short notice was a bit too much too soon (my serious suspicion pending how much Mein normally cuts, though he did seem smaller in frame than the lengthy-ish framed "Immortal" Matt Brown).
 

Josh Thompson is going to be boarding his own hype train after becoming the first guy to finish Nate Diaz in the UFC (though others have wrestle-*&^%ed him like Clay Guida). Diaz's punch-heavy style is exploitable stylistically if a fighter sticks to the game plan and despite taunting from the younger half of the Stockton Bad Boys, Thompson stuck to his leg kicks, switching stances, circling, and avoiding the combinations and reach of Nate Diaz ultimately setting up a headkick that led to a TKO/stoppage.
Can't ask for much  more than that in your UFC debut than beating the guy who just fought for the belt and went the distance AND hasn't been finished in the UFC.

Daniel Cormier could have been boarding the hype train to casual fans and title shot land had he dominated Frank Mir (something *ahem* other wrestlers less skilled than Cormier have already done), but instead he chose to press Frank Mir against the fence in what was politely seen as a "clinch-heavy affair". Despite how well-edited the HL is the overall pace of the fight was lacking and I say that only b/c Cormier looked &$*#ing impressive over 5 rounds against Josh Barnett who may not be the upper echelon of the HW division but is about as dangerous and experienced a top 10 heavyweight in the world as you could find outside the UFC who has wins over a lot of game opponents. That being said, those expectations come with responsibility and for an Octagon debut, on FOX network, Cormier didn't quite have a breakout performance you might have been hoping to hype future HW or LHW match-ups as the "I won't fight a teammate" threat looms over both Cain and he.
Le siiiiiiigh.

AAAAAAAAAnd, in this corner....another split decision win for the Champion.

I expected a close fight as Melendez fights 5 rounds well, has good wrestling, and is a grinder. Henderson has not been the finishing machine he was with non-title fights previously as of late, but again, you won't finish every fight and you won't be and retain the championship by fighting *&^^s out every single minute of every single round.

- It still blows my mind I spent my Saturday evening watching prelims on FX network then watching most of the main card before I had to head to work downtown watching the FOX network, y'know, that has pro football and other socially acceptable forms of organized violence and entertainment.
It is a brave new world for MMA these days...with women in a TUF house (with men) being coached by female fighters who will fight for a UFC belt. The sport has truly changed since I had to trick my mom into renting the YRV (youth restricted viewing) UFC's from my local blockbuster and Joe Son got his *&^s repeatedly punched by Keith Hackney and Dan Severn repeatedly suplexed Macias who was clearly 70 lb's too light to be fighting in an open weight class bare knuckle tournament and Royce Gracie taught us that if you did not know how to fight on the ground you could not legitimately claim you were a bad mother*&^%3r.

In other news the prelims were mostly stoppages making me said I didn't see all of them and a couple some more hype trains went off the tracks right as they might have begun: Ramsey Nijem got stopped in round 2 against the relatively unheralded Myles Jury and Lorenz Larkin went from short notice stepping up to Jacare awhile back to losing against the hit or miss Francis Carmont.

From MMAJunkie.com:
"Chad Mendes def. Darren Elkins via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 1:08

Francis Carmont def. Lorenz Larkin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Myles Jury def. Ramsey Nijem via knockout (punch) - Round 2, 1:02

Joseph Benavidez def. Darren Uyenoyama via TKO (punches) - Round 2, 4:50

Jorge Masvidal def. Tim Means via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

TJ Dillashaw def. Hugo Viana via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 4:22

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 4 p.m. ET)

• Anthony Njokuani def. Roger Bowling via TKO (punch) - Round 2, 2:52
• Yoel Romero def. Clifford Starks via knockout (strikes) - Round 1, 0:32 "

ADCC Rio Trials Results

Friends and Teammates at the IBJJF New York Open

Jiu-Jitsu has blessed me with many of the best, brightest, most eccentric, and interesting friends and training partners I could have hoped for during this long, strange, disheartening, and refreshing journey across time and space on the mats day in and day out.

This isn't everyone but it's some of my friends and/or teammates that competed and medaled at the IBJJF New York Open this weekend.

 

Leandro Lo and Marcos Souza: Abu Dhabi Pro 2013 Reflections

For additional BJJ/Grappling related news, check out BJJNews.com

The Cicero Costha representative, Leandro Lo, will compete as lightweight at Mundials:
"First, he needed to forget about the negatives, after leaving in the 2013 Pan in California without medals in his division nor in the absolute. After getting his head together, he made his game and won again in the land of sheikhs, in the final against old acquaintance Lucas Lepri. The gold came thanks to an advantage after he tried to pass the guard."

On his final with Lepri:
"We know each other well, we have done several finals in the lightweight division. Lucas is a very tough and technical guy, you can’t make mistakes against him or start the fight behind in the score. It is very difficult to gain points against him, on top or on bottom. What has helped me a lot...is that I have always managed to get my hands on the ground, it helps me with my base. He has a good guard and unbalances you a lot. I believe I won thanks to my base. I’ve been practicing my balance doing drills on the ball, in addition to base training with hands resting on the floor."

Marcos Souza on winning gold against Estima at Abu Dhabi World Pro 2013:
"When I woke up on the competition day I felt something different inside of me, I can’t explain. I had good energy and a lot of will to fight. When I qualified for the final, I watched my brother lose the semifinal to Leandro Lo in his weight. It was interesting, because at the same time I got sad, that made me stronger. I wanted so much to win for him because I didn’t want to see him completely sad. I just did enough to be the champion."
On the reality of winning at that level when ahead on points:
"Estima is a fighter who needs no comment, he has some of the most dangerous legs in the category. He is able to submit in any position...If he had swept me, for example, I would probably open the game to lead the score again. And if we fought standing up, I’d try a takedown. Anyway, at the end of the fight I even apologized to him. Victor told me: “If I was in your place, I would do the same thing. You knew how to manage the fight and won.” It was a major title at stake and I wanted to win more than ever. Regarding the takedown, I thought about pulling guard or letting him pull on me. I didn’t arrange anything and just went for it and took him down."

 

"What was your worst moment in Abu Dhabi?

Hitting the weight, I was eight kilos over and had to lose them in one day. It wasn’t easy. And also when I saw my brother lost, I got very sad.

 

What difficulties did you have until the podium? What happened?

The greater truth is that the fear of losing made me the champion. ...Organizers in Japan hadn’t allowed the Brazilians to fight the trial, they demanded permanent visa or a Japanese passport....With the help of my friend Douglas Santos, I enrolled on the last day. But my brother’s ticket was missing. We taught in seminars in Hawaii and raised the money. Even defending the championship, things weren’t easy for Satoshi. The result of it all is that there was a lot of running around, and we ended up fighting the tournament without training (laughs)! I was not prepared technically. "

 

What lessons have you learned?

None of this lasts long: the fights, the gold medal and the prize money. The medal will rust one day, the fights will be remembered by a few people and the money is almost gone (laughs). The most valuable in Jiu-Jitsu is the opportunity to live special moments forever. Whether at breakfast, a hotel, in practice all together and even in the sauna, in every corner you have fun. The friendship and the good times last forever. The rest is fleeting, there are people and moments in Abu Dhabi that I will carry in my heart forever. Some people don’t really know what Jiu-Jitsu can do in your life and give more importance to be the champion or to a simple gold medal. Another important lesson: if only a few believe in you, fight for the few who believe. It is for them that you should give your best, no matter what others say. The dream is yours, chase it."

 

Tanquinho Beats Cobrinha at Abu Dhabi World Pro: The Devil is in the Details

Over at Graciemag:



 ..."Cobrinha is very dangerous when he takes the cross sleeve and I knew I couldn’t let him make this grip at all. ...I know his game well and I know the danger when he grips the cross sleeve."

"My strategy was to get ahead, sweeping or taking him down. And when I was on top, the tactic was to break his cross grip all the time and look for spaces to pass. In the end, it worked out (laughs). Cobrinha has a very good base and it is also always difficult to sweep him. People are used to seeing me fighting more on top and think I have no guard, but at the gym I train much more bottom than on top. So I could sweep and win."

"I learned that you should believe in yourself from beginning to the end in all fights. And to have enough confidence in your game is essential to train and train. That is the simple secret of success."

ADCC Rio Trials - competitor List

From over at Graciemag: http://www.graciemag.com/2013/04/adcc-2013-organization-of-rio-trial-releases-full-list-of-fighters/

TUF 18 Tryouts (Men and Women, Oh my!)

They should just call it "TUF 18: Ze Womenz" but I digress.

Believe it or not, women have been scrapping for a long time in history, just with less notoriety and often more controversy.
Well....
    in another example of how MMA is far more open-minded and tolerant and egalitarian than boxing and other combat sports, the women folks of MMA are getting pretty much equal billing with their own part of TUF 18 and here are the tryouts. You'll recognize some notables including Tara La Rosa and Roxanne Modaferi:

Saturday's BJJ News Link Dump: Magid Hage Baseball choke, Darren Uenoyama's road to the UFC, and Lesson Construction in BJJ

Magid Hage (that guy who subbed the ridiculously photogenic Clark Gracie and Zak Maxwell at the Abu Dhabi Pro (and another black belt) with the sneaky baseball choke from bottom as the other guy passes guard)

Your job is to fight, not stereotype and generalize a person you've never met nor know virtually anything about: Dana White talks turkey about Matt Mitrione

Darren Uenoyama: the long road to being an "overnight success"

The Art of teaching as it applies to Jiu-Jitsu, lesson construction and Marcelo Garcia - Brea Jiu-Jitsu

MMA "We Are the World" Public Service Announcement

For a sport often stereotyped as being a bunch of roided meathead misogynistic douche bags....in many ways, MMA promotes a lassez-faire attitude about personal life and the like.

We have gay female fighters challenging for Rousey's newly crowned belt.
We have women fighters headlining events (ahem, boxing?)
We have transgendered fighters.
We have former gay pornstars fighting in the premier MMA organization in the world. We have more diversity among the champions in the UFC than you could find in boxing with its 432 different championship belts and 20 weight classes.
You truly have fighters from all walks of life from teachers to the impoverished to small business owners to parents to former addicts and convicts.

What I've always liked about MMA and to a similar extent Jiu-Jitsu is that people who are fake, those who bull&^%$, whatever, they typically don't last.

The mats have an equalizing effect that those who remain are often at best the most humble, supportive, and down to earth people you will ever meet. You'll meet doctors, lawyers, teachers, business owners, people who came from nothing, people who are normal, every day salt of the earth people and of course, some of the most eccentric people you'll ever have the joy of meeting and knowing.
There is always someone better or more skilled and that constant reminder and awareness helps us understand and bond with one another.

That constant proving every day of who you are, what you can do, and your willingness to simply show up and do your best  and learn, win, lose, or draw is what binds us.

It's a great community, and far more open-minded and tolerant than the vast majority of other social groups of which I have been a part for much of my life.
 

BJJ drama for Friday: DJ Jackson calls out Keenan

Taken from the super professional source of Facebook, this intrepid reporter has the scoop!

Rafa Mendes Rolling with Ricardo Demente

Friday Work Kill Time Link: TUF Brazil 2 - Streaming Episodes Online with Subtitles

Follow the Link HERE and Enjoy with some acai.

Click HERE for Episode 1

Acai from the source, in Brazil

What's the Best and Worst Thing About Being a White Belt?

BJJ Newsroom: Drysdale's 6th MMA win, Metamoris Judging, Abu Dhabi DQ, and Costha Cicero HL

Click Below for the source material of today's BJJ headlines:

 

Official Metamoris 2 statement from Ralek on judging criteria and selection of judges

Robert Drysdale notched his 6th professional MMA win this weekend over DJ Linderman (the guy last seen getting KTFO by Anthony Johnson at WSOF on NBC Sports).

    - Drysdale gets him down within a minute from a bodylock takedown off the cage, gets to mount, quarter mount, transitions to the back and sinks the mata leao at roughly 2 minutes into the match. Impressive work, sir.

Straight from the man in question himself, the referee who DQ'd Keenan and Paulo Miyao:

   In a very small nut shell he had this to say: "Cases of lack of combativeness must always be punished strictly and all referees are trained for that.”

To quote Shakespeare, "brevity is the soul of wit."

Where champions come from nothing and strive to succeed and escape: Costha Cicero:

 Reminder: Otavio Souza live webinar today, 3pm PDT: