These four--Rickson, Joe, Michael and Lance--are (and were, in the case of the late Mr. Louis) not just great. They are great players who figured it out, who discovered the combination to the safe of excellence in their discipline and were able to successfully pick the lock again and again at will.
So I'm reading Gracie Magazine tonight, an article about Rickson's unbelievable son, Kron. And I come across this passage:
:GRACIEMAG.com: Was getting the submission in every one of your fights the result of this daily effort?Helio talked about Rickson's timing. Kron talks about his father's efficiency. Of all the stories I've read about Rickson, the one that impresses me the most is his fight against Sergio Penha (click here and scroll down to question #21.) In that match, Rickson is down by nearly 16 points. But he manages to pull out the win by submission.
Kron: I think it's the result of the technique my father's been teaching me since I was a kid. There's a difference between the Jiu-Jitsu you see going around and the way it should be done. Jiu-Jitsu was always about the submission, the detail of seeking out the easiest route to the submission is what my dad taught me.
It reminds me of what impressed me immediately when I saw Royce Gracie for the first time some 14 years ago (!). The ability to survive, to avoid taking punishment. And not just for the sake of avoiding punishment (a worthy goal, but ...) Instead the point is to avoid punishment for long enough to be able to position yourself to take a dominant position and get the finish.
My favorite Rickson quote: "During fights there comes a moment without fail when an opponent makes a mistake. That moment cannot be missed." That's where timing and efficiency meet. Doing only what is necessary, but exactly what is necessary, as soon as it is necessary to do so.
