Loving Our Laboratories of Grappling

Watching Eddie Bravo's Combat Jiu-Jitsu Team Duel between Christmas and New Year's Day, I was struck anew by the realization that jiu-jitsu is in an unbelievably golden era. 

Most of this growth is coming from no-gi grappling. No-gi grappling offers the best of both worlds for grappling athletes and spectators alike, combining the fast pace of amateur wrestling with the fight-finishing capacity of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

What's also interesting about no-gi grappling is the variety of rule sets. It may be true that rule set diversity is one of many reasons why the grappling we see and train will not become an Olympic sport. But that same diversity of rule sets is providing a "laboratory of grappling" that is helping propel the art forward at an incredible pace.

Watching CBJJ, I'm reminded of things like Eddie Bravo's "the get down rule" that eliminates stalling (and poor ability, to be honest) in the standup. I also enjoy watching the "overtime" of his Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) tournaments. For spectators, it delivers that critical one-two of pace and finishing opportunity. For competitors, this is how they train all the time: defending and escaping from specific situations. 

Forget competitors. This is how all of us train. At least some of the time. And I bet most of us love it.

Combat jiu-jitsu is similar. The vast majority of grapplers do not train combat jiu-jitsu now and have no interest in doing so in the future. I'm in that group. But there is something worth watching when strikes are introduced into grappling competition. Not all strikes. Not strikes all the time. Still, I enjoy the "realness" that strikes-against-a-grounded-opponent bring to jiu-jitsu guard strategy. These are entertaining and enlightening contests. And given the struggles we see with guard strategy in mixed martial arts, combat jiu-jitsu provides a workshop for further innovations from the guard.

There may come a time when a certain ruleset captures the enthusiasm of a certain number of grappling spectators and participants in a way that makes an Olympic sport out of no-gi grappling after all. If it happens in my lifetime, then count me in. Meanwhile, I am loving our little laboratories of grappling: from the IBJJF to ADCC to EBI to WNO to FTW to CBJJ and more. Has innovation in any other combat sport been so entertaining?

Gracie Barra Black Belt, ADCC Champion Orlando Sanchez: 1982-2022

 

Sad news late in the week as multiple outlets report that Gracie Barra black belt instructor and ADCC champion Orlando Sanchez has died at the age of 40.

Is Gordon Ryan the No Gi GOAT? | Morning Kombat Extra Credit Ep. 28

ADCC 2022: The Yankees Are Here

A friend of mine who knows nothing of grappling but did know that I was especially excited for this week's event asked me which country tended to do the best at ADCC. 

Up until very recently, this was a pretty easy question to answer. 

But now it looks like the 2022 ADCC will be the first one to feature more gold medals for the U.S. than for any other country - including historic ADCC gold medal-collector Brazil.

2022 ADCC Division Champions

• 66 kg Brazil
• 77kg USA - Won all matches by submission
• 88kg USA - Submitted IBJJF no gi 2017 division and Absolute champion
• 99kg Brazil
• >99kg USA - Now three-division champion
• Absolute Brazil
• <60 kg Wales 
• >60kg USA - Defeated 2019 division champion in semi-finals

That adds up to:

2022: USA 4, Brazil 3, Wales 1

Compare that with this history of Brazilian dominance.

• 2019: Brazil 5, USA 3
• 2017: Brazil 6 USA 2
• 2015 Brazil 6 USA 2
• 2013 Brazil 8 USA 0
• 2011 Brazil 5 USA 1
• 2009 Brazil 6 USA 0
• 2007 Brazil 5 USA 1
• 2005 Brazil 7 USA 1
• 2003 Brazil 4 USA 1 Norway 1
• 2001 Brazil 4 Japan 1 South Africa 1
• 2000 Brazil 4 USA 2
• 1999 Brazil 3 USA 2 Russia 1
• 1998 Brazil 5 USA 1

Celebrate Tax Day with the ADCC West Coast Trials

Looking for a great way to congratulate yourself for a timely filing of your federal taxes? After training on Saturday the 15th (hint, hint), be sure to check out what looks like an amazing card of "superfights," including two of my favorite competitors Braulio Estima and Leandro Lo, as well as the headlining Buchecha v, Lovato Jr. match, at the Abu Dhabi Combat Club West Coast Trials.

Jiu-Jitsu Athlete of the Year: 2013

OntheMat used to do something like this. Not sure if they still do. But I'm more than happy to open up the shop, turn the lights on, and let everybody get a few rolls in for the day.

Marcus Vinicius Oliveira de Almeida - CheckMat

When you win your division and the open class at both the Pan and the Mundial, you are the jiu-jitsu athlete of the year, period.

The open class is the often-unappreciated feature of sport Jiu-jitsu. In some ways, there is no greater testament to the martial integrity of jiu-jitsu than the presence, if not pre-eminence, of an open class competition and an open class champion.

So while there are other performances from 2013 that may hold much mystery and anticipation for the future, the ability of the young man from Sao Paulo to meet the ultimate grappling challenge - win your division, win the absolute, twice in one year - deserves the highest praise.

Honorable Mention

Kron Gracie - Kron Gracie Jiu-Jitsu

Any other year, Kron Gracie's exciting run to the gold medal at the Abu Dhabi Combat Club's biannual championships, submitting all four opponents in his path, would be the easy call for jiu-jitsu athlete of the year.

Was Kron Gracie's unheard of run through his division at the ADCC championships something we should have seen coming after his impressive performance against Marcelo Garcia at the previous Abu Dhabi? Maybe it was his exciting endurance contest against two-time Mundial champion Otavio Sousa in the Metamoris submission-only event that should have warned us what was coming?

There were moments of domination and danger for the son of Rickson Gracie at last year's ADCC in China. But the fact that Kron was consistently able to maintain his composure - and maintain his hunt for the submission - in contest after contest is the stuff of every competitors dreams.

ADCC 2013: Buchecha v. Cyborg +99kg Final

ADCC 2013 Superfight: Braulio Estima v. Andre Galvao

On Kron

There is one thing more impressive to me than Kron Gracie's run of four submission victories in this year's ADCC.

The fact that there isn't a single leglock among them.

My sentiments toward leg locks are no secret. And your mileage may vary - especially when it comes to no gi competition. But peer beyond Kron's immaculate quartet and, to steal a line, it's heel hooks all the way down. 

As much as I respect the performances of Galvao, Cobrinha, Romulo and old warriors like Sperry and Gurgel whose age approximates my own, Cyborg's upset victory over Buchecha in the Absolute ... it is easy to find inspiration in Kron Gracie's performances in China this weekend. His jiu-jitsu is a kind of solution.

" ...of course the techniques are great – but the sensibility of the opponent, the sense of touch, the weight, the momentum, the transition from one move to another ..."

ADCC 2011 Highlight

ADCC 2011 Highlight from stuart cooper Films on Vimeo.

Best. Call Out. Ever.

Interviewer: If you could have a superfight with anyone - from any time period, even - who would it be?

Glover: How about that guy who beat Helio Gracie back in the day? That big giant guy, they had that three hour match and, like, overpowered Helio. I'd like to break him off, man. Show him what's up.

Ryan Hall Post-ADCC 2011 Interview

Every time I hear Ryan Hall talk about training, competition, and jiu-jitsu, I feel like I hear something that I've never really heard from anyone else. Maybe it's just the way he puts things. But he is truly one of my favorite guys to watch and listen to.

Jeff Glover Post-ADCC 2011 Interview

Who doesn't love Jeff Glover? Jeff won a bronze at the ADCC 2011 in September, avenging a loss to jiu-jitsu legend Robson Moura.

Zen Master Mario Sperry On His ADCC Superfight Victory

If you are a jiu-jitsu guy/gal over 40, then this one is especially for you.

More on ADCC 2011 Absolute Champion: Andre Galvao

Andre Galvao: Why He Won ADCC 2011

After storming through both the 88kg weight and open weight divisions for double gold at ADCC, many are wondering what changed in Andre Galvao.

He placed third in the last 2009 ADCC. This year he looks stronger, tighter, and more confident in his stand up.

“After I won my division, I thought I had a chance to win in the open weight too,” says Galvao. “I got tough fights, but I was in great shape. It was my day.”

It was his day, after a 10-week camp of hard work and training with members of his Atos team and the new addition of Coach Joe VanBrackle.

There Goes My Gun

Among the patron saints (orixas?) of my jiu-jitsu this fall ...

ADCC 2011 Results: Gunnar Nelson Proves He Is Not A Fluke

In the 2009 ADCC, a young Icelandic grappler, wearing a brand new black belt awarded to him by Renzo Gracie made his debut. Gunnar Nelson had qualified for the 77 kg division at the most prestigious no gi grappling event in the world and fought James Brasco to a stand still but lost a referee decision. After one match, Nelson's ADCC run appeared to be over, but after the finals concluded he was given a second chance with an invite into the Absolute Division.

And Nelson made the most of that second chance. Nelson defeated the much larger and stronger Jeff Monson in the first round and then slapped an rear naked choke on David Avellan in the quarterfinals. In the semis, Nelson faced the legendary Xande Ribeiro and lost via kneebar. Nelson would then lose the Bronze Medal Match to Vinny Magalhaes.

Yoo-HOO!

ADCC 2011 Results: Andre Wins the Absolute

2011 ADCC Highlight and Results

Again, a yeoman's job by Ben Thapa, Patrick Tierney and the folks at SB Nation.

Andre Galvao vs. Pablo Popovitch- A rematch of an earlier fight from this weekend and this time it's for the absolute division championship. Andre Galvao goes in early for a takedown but it's shrugged off. Popovitch slapping Galvao's head quite a few times and Galvao picks up a high single and goes for a trip, the trip misses but the single hits.

Popovitch on his back against Galvao in half guard. Pablo is able to roll Andre up into deep half guard now and Galvao stands up and places the knee across Popovitch's throat. Galvao steps over Popovitch and dives for a toe hold and holy crap it hits and Pablo taps immediately.

Andre Galvao is your ADCC 2011 Absolute World Champion.

Rei Braulio 2.0

Braulio says he "proved talk doesn't win competitions with win over Jacare at ADCC 2011

How was it like for you?

It was wonderful. It was a battle, it was what I hoped for. I trained for it. He trained hard too, but I could tell he tired up, so I tried to move forwards since the beginning, and even before scoring a point I tried to take him down twice. He defended himself at all times, respected me a lot, which was something I hoped he would do, that he wouldn’t attack me so he wouldn’t get much tired, he wouldn’t try to go for it, because when I got the chance to fight him out, I felt on top of him, on his back, every time. I attacked him with sweeps and he did a good job defending himself. If you watch the fight, you’ll see I swept him many times and he didn’t bring me any danger of sweeps and breaking into my guard. The only time he tried to do so, I felt on top of him.

The Fightworks Podcast's ADCC 2011 Preview

The Fightworks Podcast's ADCC 2011 Preview

We are now days away from what many consider to be the most important submission grappling competition. No-gi competitors from all corners of the globe will face each other at the 2011 ADCC in Notthingham, England on September 24th and 25th for large monetary prizes and more importantly, fame that will carry them for the rest of their athletic careers.

The Jiu-Jitsu Lab's ADCC 2011 Preview

ADCC 2011 Preview

Every two years, the Abu Dhabi Combat Club’s Submission Wrestling World Championships crowns the best grapplers in the world. Created by Sheik Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and originally hosted in United Arab Emirates, the ADCC was developed as a method of showcasing the best grappling on the planet regardless of the style practiced. The ruleset was supposed to adhere more closely to that of a true fight than the Jiu Jitsu rules at the time, with a greater emphasis on takedowns and the allowance of leg locks including heel hooks. With a few major exceptions the tournament has been a showcase of the best Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has to offer.