Notes on the Night

Masterful Meregali

I have been obsessing over Nicholas Meregali's performance at the 2023 IBJJF Pan American Championship for days. I knew about his decision to work with John Danaher and Gordon Ryan of late, so he has definitely been on my radar. But his accomplishment at this year's Pan - winning both weight and open divisions AND finishing the vast majority of his opponents - has been truly one for the history books.

FloGrappling's All Access coverage of Meregali's journey is as good as anything they've put together. It's available for free on YouTube. I've long been a fan of FloGrappling's work. Take a look for yourself and see why.

Meanwhile, on the mat ...

 

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.

Watching The UFC Fight Pass Invitational 3

Spent the evening taking in The UFC Fight Pass Invitational 3, a grappling event that was initially going to showcase the must-happen rematch between Gordon Ryan and Vinny Magalhães. This rematch did not happen due to a medical issue for Vinny. So we got a new main event with Ryan rematching his ADCC victory against former teammate Nicky Rodriguez.

As for the event overall, I very much enjoyed the performance of Mason Fowler in the eight-person tournament. I tend to think that whenever you see a professional grappler win off their back, you've got to take special notice. The fact that Fowler was able to secure submissions from the guard in his first two matches is the kind of thing worth celebrating. Also interesting that Fowler faced off against two very different competitors in the long and lanky Haisam Rida and the short and thick Pat Shahgholi - and finished both.

Also impressed by the incomparable Beatriz Mesquita. Michael Chiesa referred to her match against Meisha Tate as "tough," which is not exactly how I would describe the contest. But the match showcased essentially what you'd expect from a matchup between one of the world's best grapplers and one of the world's grittiest MMA fighters.

With regard to the main event, it's notable that "The Toehold" that NickyRod attacked Gordon with late in the match was immediately referred to as a moral victory by the commentary team. There are some great lessons in the way that Ryan dealt with Rodriguez in the OT, realizing that this was one of those "position before submission" moments and leveraging his superior technical skill to manage his opponent's athletic advantage.

Now Playing: Leandro Lo's Spider de la Riva X Guard

With apologies to Michael Ondaatje, here's the latest "trick with a knife I'm learning to do" for 2023.

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Roger Gracie: Greatest Jiu Jitsu Competitor of All Time | Lex Fridman Po...

"If you're going to be good, you have to work on your weaknesses." Roger Gracie

Jiu-Jitsu Kings

 

Jordan, Kobe, Lebron? GSP, Jones, DJ? Brady, Montana, Manning?

Jiu Jitsu Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for many things this Thanksgiving. But if there's one thing I'm more thankful for than anything else when it comes to my time on the mat, it's been the vision of the man who's made my jiu-jitsu dream possible.

A lot of people boast about how many schools they've trained at, how many instructors they've studied under ... And I hope that has helped them live the kind of jiu-jitsu life they enjoy. For me, I couldn't be happier to have been raised in one home, by one family, for the past 17+ years of my jiu-jitsu life.

Revolution 2023

 

Firas Zahabi "This is the thing Jiu-Jitsu players don't do but absolutely should"

Is conditioning the biggest differentiator between the success of jiu-jitsu athletes in MMA and other combat athletes, especially Russian wrestlers? Tristar's Firas Zahabi thinks so.

I recently read an Instagram post from a wrestling organization that encouraged wrestlers to make sure they got in their conditioning work. And if there was a choice between conditioning and strength work, conditioning came first. I've adjusted my off-mat training to emphasize conditioning and de-emphasize strength work. I've also gone back to doing a long, LSD cardio session (40+ minutes) after jiu-jitsu training.

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The Revolution Will Not Be Televised ... Or Over-Capacity

 

Night Moves: Thursday Edition

 Everybody had fun tonight ...

Kade Ruotolo Explains Where Jiu-Jitsu Is Headed Next | Morning Kombat

Luke Thomas doing the Lord's work with more great coverage from this year's top ADCC competitors.

Night Moves: Tuesday Night Edition

 Porrada edition ...

IBJJF No-Gi Pans 2022 Results

The final big event of the year - the IBJJF No Gi Pans - is in the books. As always, FloGrappling has the coverage - and the videos - you need to read and see. As for highlights, check out the performance of brown belt Jacob Couch in his match up against New Wave (formerly Danaher Death Squad) representative Luke Griffith.

Props also to the performances of the Corbe brothers at Feather and Light (there's something about these jiu-jitsu brotherhoods; I've been wanting to write about that for years!). And congratulations to Elizabeth Clay in taking home double gold (Middle and Absolute).

It was also great to see Keenan Cornelius back on the competition mat. Things didn't work out as he would have liked, but it was great to hear his attitude and demeanor about where he is and what his next steps are. He would be a great interview - especially if he were willing to go there about his early training, his relationship with top competitors over the years, the future of gi entanglement strategy in jiu-jitsu ...

The next big event in the IBJJF calendar will be coming sooner than you think: the IBJJF European championships for 2023 will be held in late January - at Paris' Institut du Judo, no less!

John Danaher's advice for grapplers | Lex Fridman Podcast Clips

Night Moves: Thursday Edition

Me and my mat time tonight ...

IBJJF No-Gi Pans Brackets Revealed

Is it anti-climactic to have the IBJJF No-Gi Pans after the ADCC? Or is this year's event going to take advantage of the momentum from one of the most exciting ADCC tournaments of all time?

Either way, the No-Gi Pans are coming this weekend and the brackets have now been revealed.

Night Moves: Tuesday Edition

Tales from a night on the tatame ...

Night Moves: Thursday Edition

A map of my time on the mat tonight ...

Night Moves: Tuesday Edition

Notes on the evening's activities ...

And current film study.

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

Gordon Ryan: This Is My Game on Gi

Days before the greatest no-gi grappling competition, and I'm fascinated by Gordon's thoughts about how his game translates into the gi. 

"My entire game is like, if you're standing and I'm on bottom, you go into ashi garame. Well, if I have pants to grab, then it's going to be easier to knock you down. If you're on your knees, then I go into butterfly sweeps with sumi gaeshis. If I can get to a belt, and pull you on to me, sumi gaeshis is easier. Then it's forcing half guard from top position. And if I can get to half guard and I can feed a lapel and use a stronger crossface, I can pass your guard easier. And then mount and back, there's just more friction to hold people and more collars to strangle with ..."

People Get Ready: Revolution Edition

 

Six Weeks Out begins Monday, September 19th

Mega Coral: IBJJF Recognizes Wellington Dias' Coral Belt Promotion

Once upon a time, I used to fantasize about competing in the Masters divisions of some of the IBJJF's biggest events in the U.S. My favorite vision involved winning the Masters 5 division at the Seattle Open and then defending my title against one of the greatest competitors of all time: Wellington "Megaton" Dias.

For a variety of reasons - some more obvious than others - there's little chance of that vision coming true. But I've always kept an eye on Megaton's performances, all the same. His accomplishments are truly inspiring.

Today with the IBJJF Masters underway and having received his Coral belt in March, Megaton was awarded his Coral belt certificate today by the IBJJF.

Take Down Tuesday: Mr. Smith's Low Single

One of the drills we did as part of the warmup during my first week back was alternating single/double leg shots and sprawls. Here's something for me to work on when those warmups come around again.

Maps and Territories: Half Guard Top Edition