The Gracies and the Birth of Valetudo

Victor Cesar Bota it looks like is still working on his debut film bring the story via film to the massess. 
I love it when I see some jiu jitsu in movies but I think it is also extremely important that the movie is well-made and shows jiu jitsu for what it is. I think the major problem is that it continues to be misunderstood as there is still a very small proportion of people that have ever trained in a grappling martial art. People see jiu jitsu still as "rolling around on the floor" and I think it is a duty of every jiu jitsu soldier to really take these guys to the gym and show the beauty behind the sport.

Marcelo Garcia X-Guard

I was just watching this video below of Marcelo Garcia sparring and just amazed how nice he uses that x-guard position to get under his opponent and sweep. Very often I get in this position where my opponent tries to pass from the top with the knee-slide and I have to prevent that. He does this beautifully and and the sweeps him from the x-guard. Very cool.

Marcelo is really a pioneer in a way because he is one of the few guys that has brought new techniques and showed that they can be applied on the elite level.

Roger Gracie Back Take

Roger Gracie is a great inspiration for me. Below is a demo I found on youtube of his amazing back take technique which I will be working on in the next couple of weeks. What I like about it is it is something I think I can get to work against almost any opponent, whether big or small and it doesnt require me to be athletic.

Deep Half Guard

Working on my deep half guard guys! Enjoying the detail with this position. Used to find it difficult to get under there but as time goes on its natural.

Ryan Hall in this video mentions one crucial aspect which is making sure your other hand does not get attacked on under hooked. When I am rolling, sometimes I forget to keep it tucked in and I risk getting caught in the arm bar.

I think deep half guard is one of those technical positions that allows you to fight a much bigger opponent and I find that this is one of the positions where it is almost impossible for my opponent to resist with just brutal strength alone.

Also take a look how he works to transition to the back. Very important detail because very often what happens is that your opponent gets back into traditional half guard or worse, nearly achieves mount and stars putting on the choke. Gotta be careful with this!

Metamoris Pro!!

October 14 Metamoris Jiu Jitsu Pro Invitational.
A stacked card of super fights that will take place in San Diego California

Roger Gracie vs Marcus Almeida Buchecha will headline the event and I think everyone is interested to see how Roger will do against the new breed of bjj fighters that are coming on to the circuit

Moreover plenty of other fights including Andre Galvao vs Ryron Gracie and JJ Machado vs Nelson
Monteiro. The only guy that I don't know is Kevin Casey but I am sure there is a reason why he has been selected.

FIGHT CARD:
Roger Gracie v Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida
Andre Galvao v Ryron Gracie
Jeff Glover v Gui Mendes
Dean Lister vs Kevin Casey
Kron Gracie v Octavio de Souza
Rafael Lovato Jr v Kayron Gracie

Going to live stream as well, more news in the next few weeks

All fights in the GI except the fight with Dean Lister!!



Stacked card, something we keep missing in the UFC. Great job organizers.

Tickets available on Ticketmaster.com and also see the website of the organizers www.metamoris.com/

Lucio Sergio Dos Santos

For those training in the UK, you probably know Lucio Sergio Dos Santos. I have had the pleasure of training with him and I can attest that he is truly one of the best bjj players I have had a chance to learn from, really great guy and a monster on the ground!
Check out the video below about him.

Half Guard

Working on my deep half guard at the moment. Very often it is hard to get the sweep from half guard when the guy on top defends heavily but allows me to get the arm under his leg for the deep half guard. So therefore I feel expanding my arsenal of half guard sweeps with a good deep half guard sweep that is simple enough and works on most guys is a great option for me to improve my game. So working hard on this at the moment.

There are so many complicated variations but Ive been looking for a simple technique that would work and avoid putting me in a dangerous position for counter attack. If the guy allows me to get the leg underhook, I feel I can move to attack from this position and then recover quite quickly without putting myself in danger too much.

In the one above, I just love the sweep he does at 3:47, check it out.

---wait-- also take a look at this one

I particularly like the deep half guard sweeps in this one, and when he gets the arm in for the omoplata transition. From the deep half guard the waiter sweep seems quite nice if you can make it work. very technical 

BJJ Progression

BJJ World Championships 2012

The BJJ World Championships Start Today!!! Extremely exciting, watch them online on Budovideos.com or if you are lucky enough to be able to come to the event in person, even better!!

Its a shame for Gracie Barra fans that we dont get a chance to see Roger Gracie and Braulio Estima in action this year due to their MMA committments but certainly Kayron Gracie and Romullo Barral are competing and I just cant wait to see how Alliance will do this year as well.

Also I noticed there are no good promotional videos this year, just a shame!! Take a look at last years one, was pretty good, they definitely should do a good one this year!

BJJ Sweep Series

There are so few good sweep series videos out there to watch. This one I like a lot. Just runs you through some of the classic sweeps and maybe one you didnt really know so much.

Everyone likes something and does it best. Me I like the last two, will try them out in class next time.

BJJ Seminar Moscow Russia

Guys, a couple of brazilian jiu jitsu seminars coming up in the next few months if you are interested. very exciting when we have great guys coming over to teach.

Max Carvalho Seminar 21-22 April 2012, organized by Gracie Barra Hungary and Axe Capoeira
http://axecapoeira.ru/?p=737



Ralek Gracie Seminar 29 April 2012
http://www.ilmma.ru/news/news79.php

This will be at the Moscow Center of Martial Arts, Chertanovskaya Metro is the closest one.

Sport Club Lion (Gracie Barra) is also organizing several seminars and also a summer camp for BJJ in Suzdal. Plenty of opportunities here.

Short summary of the announcement below, but follow the link to the Sport Club Lion website as well and call for details:
http://sportclublion.ru/portal2/component/content/article/19-introscroller/243-anons-sobitiy-kluba

Здравствуйте!

 1-3 июня состоится семинар по бразильскому джиу-джитсу и грэпплингу черного пояса по бразильскому джиу джитсу, трехкратного победителя ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship, ветерана Pride и UFC Дина Листера.

 1-15 июня состоится кшатра на севере Индии.
 Тренировочная програма: - «2 + 1» - два дня тренируемся, один отдыхаем (трек или поездка); - подъем в 5 утра, купание в горной реке - 7.00 Зарядка. Макс Дедик (Пробежка, Йога, медитация «Столб») - 1я тренировка: Леонид Гатовский. Грепплинг и Бразильское Джиу-Джитсу - 2я тренировка: Макс Дедик. Кросс и ОФП + «Ударка» (Ичи-Геки) - мастер-классы выдающихся бойцов – участников Кшатры; Отдых: - каждый 3й день – трек (поход по горам) - поездка в Маникаран и встреча с рекой Парвати
- Большой поход с ночевкой на Хрустальную Гору в конце путешествия - «Свит Лодж»
- Индейская Баня в Гималаях - Разговоры у костра; Го – Игра Самураев 19-25 июня состоится семинар по бразильскому джиу-джитсу и грэпплингу черного пояса по бразильскому джиу джитсу, многократного победителя и призера чемпионатов мира по бразильскому джиу-джитсу, панамериканских чемпионатов по бразильскому джиу джитсу, турниров IBJJF и ветерана ADCC Бруно Бастоса.

 Ну а гвоздем нашей летней программы станет лагерь в г. Суздаль, который состоится 3-13 августа и инструктором в котором будет ветеран UFC, Pride и Dream, двукратный чемпион Бразилии по бразильскому джиу джитсу, двукратный победитель панамериканского чемпионата по бразильскому джиу джитсу, черный пояс 4 степени по бразильскому джиу Маркус Аурелио.

Более подробно с информацией о готовящемся лагере можно ознакомиться пройдя по ссылке. По вопросам участия в семинарах и лагере просьба обращаться по телефону +7-985-233-11-72

Rodolfo Viera vs Andre Galvao, Abu Dhabi Pro Cup

How great would it be to see Rodolfo Viera in a gi match against Roger Gracie. This could be a great fight and certainly a super match people are going to want to see.

They could stream this live on the internet and people will pay to see this one. Rodolfo is a star but would be great to see him in a fight against an all time great like Roger.

Check out this link: http://www.graciemag.com/2011/09/promoter-wants-rodolfo-vs-roger-gracie-in-canada/

Looks like someone really wants to see this one happen.

Training In Moscow with a Great Instructor, Leonid Gatovskiy

Those of you looking to train in Moscow Russia at a great club with an awesome instructor, consider Sport Club Lion. The Head Instructor there is Leonid Gatovskiy, the first BJJ black belt in Russia under Renzo Gracie and certainly one of the most able grapplers in Russia today.

Please check out the video below:





Sport Club Lion is the number 1 Gracie Barra Academy in Russia and has some true talented fighters already on its team list. Great academy and super instructors.

Please see below an interview with Leonid Gatovskiy, my teacher.



 The BJJ Moscow Open Cup is behind us, a great event and a crowd of more than 150 competitors from all over Moscow.

I think the events just get bigger and bigger and the academies are literally full. In a couple of years I think we are going to see crowds of 300-400 people as is in the big BJJ events in the UK and it will become a big sport.

MMA is growing and bjj and grappling is an important element that many enjoy. Russian grappling and brazilian jiu jitsu has a great future ahead, lots of very good and talented guys now learning the martial art, sparring and I think the level is improving fast. We should see some strong results in the Europeans next year. Well, I might even go too!

So Who is The Greatest Grappler of All Time??

Hey so who is the best of all time??

GracieMag says Roger after 2003 but also Marcelo Garcia and Ronaldo Jacare up there at the top

Royler Gracie was probably the best in the 90s, Saulo Ribeiro was also a legend!

Rickson and Rolles Gracie were the best in the 80s!

Its a hard one, there are so many great guys out there, great to see you guys voting

BJJ Expensive In Russia?

Yes Guys, just another post about BJJ in Russia. This time, about prices.

Of course the BJJ as a sport is not really a commercial activity and you want the teachers to also make a living, teach privates, teach ordinary classes. Moscow is an expensive city if you want to hang out, go to nice restaurants and live nice.

Unfortunately in my view since BJJ is not yet mainstream and due to the lack of good quality and experienced teachers, the guys that do know their staff, they try to make money any way they can.

There are probably 3-4 good quality instructors in Moscow that can teach BJJ, I mean brown belt - black belt level and I think its a shame that some of them rather teach privates than give mass classes at a reasonable price.

I just think if you are paying 100 Euros per month for regular class, that should be enough. Of course if there was a gym in the city center, with good teaching, great facilties, what have you thats one thing. But when they charge you $30+ for one group class when the gym is located in the middle of nowhere, Christ, I dont care. Ridiculous. No wonder no one goes there.

The best guys out there, who want to teach and develop the sport really need to teach the masses and not just guys that can afford private lessons.

The BJJ student is the client. He has the right to choose whether to go to one school or another. If the price is high, the quality of facilities and instruction should be comparable.

Why do BJJ Schools dont post the price on the website?

Why do BJJ Teachers dont treat their students as clients and treat them in this way?

Why do BJJ Teachers feel some times that they are doing their students a favor by showing up to train them?

Why do sometimes schools feel no obligation to tell their students what is happening to the academy, why it is moving to another location and changing the schedule?

Why do they increase the price even though the quality of the service/product sometimes gets worse?

Some of the questions, I am sure many of us have others

ADCC 2011 HL Video

Great event and thanks to Budovideos for streaming live. Unfortunately I could not come to Nottingham this time, but look forward to 2013!

The guys looked great. Its a shame Roger did not participate due to other committments I guess. I would also love to see some more MMA stars compete. Would be fun to see Brock Lesnar get submitted or Fedor Emelianenko. On the internet articles keep appearing that some of them may participate but it never happens.