5 Things I Learned From the 2014 IBJJF Pan-Ams

5. Michael Liera Jr. has a dangerous, traditional, fundamental, basic, solid closed guard
  b. he will submit you once he gets to your back



4. Victor Estima put Leandro Lo in more danger than virtually anyone I've seen (Rodolfo at the Copa Podio doesn't count, he's a heavyweight) since Kron Gracie

3.

3. Handshakes in the finals, 5 out of 10 to be exact are *&^^&^$%.
Don't expect to be paid as professionals if you handshake it out.
Guys who don't even directly train together were handshaking it up.
This HAS to be addressed. No one wants to tune in Sunday to see HALF of the finals decided with two dudes grinning ear to ear both acting like they're the champion.
No, bro....you are not. Neither of you are actually.

2. Keenan at Black Belt lost to Alexander Trans in an exceedingly close match. He is one to watch at black belt and had looked very good at the Pro Trials and NoGi against Jackson Sousa in the UFC style NoGi Grappling submission stuff.



1. Lapel-o-plata for 5 plus minutes is slightly more exciting than Braulio's "Galaxy guard" he used to stall the living death out of Rodolfo for nearly 20 minutes at the Metamoris
 

Honorable Mention: Lovato vs Yuri Simoes

 

Metamoris 3 Preview: Dean Lister vs Renato "Babalu" Sobral

Like that girl that comes around just often enough to bait you into caring and thinking it will go somewhere, Metamoris is back with it's 3rd installment.
As much as the negative Nancy in me knows I will be disappointed, I look at this card and I have a roaring hope that it will be awesome and be the type of event I will love and be like the UFC of sport grappling.

The first event was mired by logistical shortcomings like starting obscenely late, dragging out, and being essentially a soft ball marketing pitch for various Torrance Academy side business angles.

The second event was marred by commentary that told me Brendan Schaub non-grappling was actually the highest form of Jiu-Jitsu which turned my stomach to no end.

Despite these shortcomings, matches like Kron vs Otavio, Kayron vs Lovato, Kron vs Shinya, were thrilling to watch and well, this it the big show and essentially only show of it's kind in town.
So, I must take the good with the bad.


Can't wait.

God, I know parts of it will infuriate me....and yet.....still I come back for another beating.