#187 Josh Barnett, Renato Tavares, & Pancho
November 8, 2009
Bill “The Grill” Cooper and Jeff Monson at the 2007 No Gi World Championships, just a couple of weeks after Cooper received his black belt.
This week on The FightWorks Podcast, Bruce Hoyer supercontributor interviews:
- Josh Barnett on his appearance at the 2009 No Gi Jiu Jitsu World Championship
- Renato Tavares about the 2010 Abu Dhabi Pro, the gi competition with big prize money for competitors
- Team Quest’s Pancho regarding his knee injury
Remember that you can watch the 2009 No Gi Jiu Jitsu World Championship streamed live on nogi.com today!
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (recommended)
[mp3] Download the show
BJJ Poll: What Is the Worst Injury You Have Suffered While Training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
November 7, 2009
I think most folks who have followed the FightWorks Podcast for a while know my answer to this one! This poll comes to us courtesy of one of the earliest members of the Mighty 600,000, Ross!
Gabriel Vella Leaves Alliance: Thoughts from Fabio Gurgel
November 4, 2009
Gabriel Vella (blue) defends an attack from Bruno Paulista at the 2008 Mundials.
Gabriel Vella’s name is not likely to bring warm and fuzzy thoughts to his opponents in the ultra heavyweight division. Like most Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt competitors, Vella is smiling and relaxed off the mats, but once the referee signals “combate!“, the easygoing character becomes one of the most formidable challenges in the world of BJJ. This image of Flavio Almeida after his 2008 encounter with Vella sums up the the difficulties of going against this perennial pesadissimo medalist.
On Tuesday GracieMag.com reported that Gabriel Vella had left Alliance, the jiu-jitsu competition team that – with his help – won the 2009 World Championship team title for male competitors. We contacted Fabio Gurgel, the leader of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil, to get a little more information about the departure of this very valuable team mate, who will now likely return to his roots and compete again under the Gracie Barra flag.
The FightWorks Podcast: Hello Fabio. What can you tell us about Gabriel Vella leaving Alliance? Vella has been a reliable medalist for Alliance in the black belt pessadissimo division for some time. How does this affect Alliance’s strategy in major competitions? Does Alliance have another black belt ready in that weight division?
Fabio Gurgel: About Vella, unfortunately he decided to move away, there was nothing that I could do to change his mind, it was a big loss for the team as a great competitor that he is, but in other hand it create a spot for news talents thats coming up, of course Alliance will have someone to take his place, not forgetting that we already have Leonardo Leite in pesadissimo.
The FightWorks Podcast: You recently reflected on what your 20 years as a black belt have been like on your website. What do you see happening in the next 20 years for Alliance?
Fabio Gurgel: 20 years of black belt, it has been a long journey so far, however it is still far away to the point that i see Alliance in the future, next 20 years? I hope I’m still here doing what I love to do.
The FightWorks Podcast: Any other news from Alliance in Sao Paulo that you think our audience would like to know?
Fabio Gurgel: We are working very hard here preparing the team for the next season, Europeans is our next goal, among other things that we working on in order to organize the school even better.
The FightWorks Podcast: Thank you for your time Fabio!
Fabio Gurgel: big hug
Gabriel Vella’s hand is raised as he defeats Rodrigo Cavaca (CheckMat BJJ) and wins the gold at the 2009 Mundials.
Tournament Review Tuesday: No Gi British Open
November 3, 2009
(RGA student) Oli Geddes (bottom/left) on his way to victory in the advanced division.
by Jon Broster
Following on from his double victory at the recent Abu Dhabi Combat Club World Submission Wrestling Championship, it was time for Gacie Barra’s Braulio Estima to host his own No Gi tournament.
This was by far Britain’s biggest No Gi event this year, with around 400 competitors in divisions from white to black belt and children through to seniors. The event built on the success of Braulio’s BJJ British Open that was held in the spring and ran very smoothly, with divisions running very punctually and being very clearly announced. Whilst attendance was significantly less than the BJJ Open (which saw over 700 competitors) it was good to see strong teams fielded by the country’s bigger schools – Roger Gracie Academy, GB Birmingham, GB Swansea as well as quite a number of participants from MMA gyms, who would probably not normally enter BJJ competitions. In order to give a relatively level playing field, the divisions were based on the amount of time spent training (rather than the actual belt level per se); as a result, some people were forced to compete above their normal division, (so a blue belt who had been training for more than 3 years would have had to enter the purple belt division).
The venue, the University of Wolverhampton sports centre, was excellent. The central location makes it easily accessible and the facilities were modern and well maintained. There was plenty of seating and plenty of room for spectators; in addition, there was a viewing gallery with a café for anyone who wanted a change of view and something to eat or drink.
The atmosphere was great throughout the day, with spectators cheering good performance from all those involved.
The level of competition in Britain continues to rise and this event was no exception. There were some excellent performances at all levels. It was particularly nice to see a fantastic level of athleticism and technique in the youth divisions, with several boys who looked like they would be more than capable of holding their own with, and probably beating, adults. Every division was fiercely contested, with play-offs for third place meaning that everyone who won a medal richly deserved.
In summary, this was an excellent event, whether for the experienced campaigner or the relative newcomer.
Jon Broster trains under Victor Estima at Gracie Barra Mansfield and under Lee Livingstone at Bushido MMA in Nottingham England.
This is an installment in our Tournament Review Tuesdays column, where FightWorks Podcast listeners submit reports about Brazilian jiu-jitsu and grappling competitions that happened the weekend prior. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of The FightWorks Podcast. Through the rest of 2009, if you submit a Tournament Review Tuesday piece, you might win an Isami gi!
- Caleb
Wolverhampton University sports centre
Braulio Estima
#186 Silvio Braga in Hong Kong
November 1, 2009
BJJ black belt Silvio Braga
Silvio Braga is a 2nd degree black belt under Gracie Barra, and now resides in Hong Kong, a city hungry for Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This week on the FightWorks Podcast we present an interview with Braga that took place over the summer when our cohost Dan traveled to China to cover the Art of War event.
We will also review the results of our most recent BJJ Poll, as well as answer an email from a member of the Mighty 600,000 about knee injuries (including my own!).
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (recommended)
[mp3] Download the show
BJJ Poll: What Do You Drink After Training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
October 31, 2009
Cohost Dan suggested this poll after noticing that after training, certain guys at the academy just tended to always grab the same drink, which were not his drink of choice. What about you? What do you reach for when you just finished a hard session of Brazilian jiu-jitsu training?
Vote and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Catching Up with Nino Schembri
October 27, 2009
FightWorks Podcast contributor Bruce Hoyer brings you this quick interview with Antonio “Nino” Schembri, the ultra flexible black belt known for his creative attacks. At the 2006 Mundials, Schembri took third place just behind Marcelo Garcia (first place) and Andre Galvao (second).
Bruce: What have you been up to lately?
Nino Schembri: I’ve recently opened up my first academy here in the United States with my partner and friend, Alexandre Novaes. Jiu-jitsu is growing at a tremendous pace but there is definitely a large gap forming in the quality of teaching and technique in BJJ. I’ve arrived to help fill that gap.
Bruce: Where are you teaching now?
Nino Schembri: My academy is located on 1005 N. Aviation Boulevard, in Manhattan Beach. My students will learn the techniques I was taught since the age of thirteen along with the moves I have developed during the past twenty years. You can find more information on my website www.ninoschembribjj.com.
Bruce: Do you plan to compete soon?
Nino Schembri: Definitely! I plan to compete in both Brazilian jiu-jitsu as well as MMA. But right now my focus is on growing and operating my academy.
Bruce: You are known for crazy moves. Where do they come from?
Nino Schembri: Growing up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, all I ever did was live the jiu-jitsu lifestyle. I would train three times a day, surf, eat a very healthy diet and get a lot of sleep. Brazilian jiu-jitsu allows for a temendous amount of creativity. Training hard every day, along with my flexibility and competitive spirit, helped me develop many positions and variations during my years of experience with BJJ.
Bruce: You also have crazy flexibility. Is this natural or something that you have to work on? If you have to work at it what do you do?
Nino Schembri: I was born very flexible, but it is something I work on every single day in order to maintain. Stretching and yoga are a big part of my training regimen.
Bruce: You have had many great BJJ matches. Which one was your favorite?
Nino Schembri: Wow, this is a difficult question. I’ve literally competed in hundreds of competitions and super fights. One jiu-jitsu match that really sticks out in my mind was when I first submitted my opponent with the gogoplata. It is a choke applied with the foot that is set up off of the omoplata. It is a move that I developed myself.
Bruce: Who are you helping out these days?
Nino Schembri: At this moment mostly myself and my partner Alexandre Novaes. I am really putting a lot of effort in making our academy stand out as a top-quality Brazilian jiu-jitsu school.
Bruce: Anyone you would like to thank?
Nino Schembri: First I would like to thank God, my mother, my brother, all of my fans, and last but not least, my partner Alexandre Novaes.
Bruce: Thanks again for the answers. Hope to hear from you soon!
Nino Schembri: Thank you, Bruce, for this opportunity!
#185 2009 No Gi World Championships to be Streamed Online Free
October 25, 2009
Bill “The Grill” Cooper and Jeff Monson at the 2007 No Gi World Championships, just a couple of weeks after Cooper received his black belt.
So the big news this week is that Budo Videos is setting it up so that you can watch the 2009 No Gi BJJ World Championships online free! The event takes place on November 8th at the Long Beach Pyramid here in California and will be viewable on nogi.com. To be specific, Budo expects to broadcast the black belt finals at a minimum and hopes to also show various matches in the few hours that precede the finals. They have hired a production crew with experience in online sports broadcasts and expect that the commentators will be “The Two Seans”, who often are the commentary crew in Budo Videos’ Mundials DVDs. It is also expected that if this online streaming of the 2009 No Gi Worlds goes well, it may be offered at future IBJJF events like the World Championships or the Pan-Ams.
For the historians out there, here are links to some coverage of earlier incarnations of this IBJJF event:
Also in this show, cohost Dan and I speak about our most recent BJJ Poll, as well as answer a couple voicemails and an email from The Mighty 600,000!
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (recommended)
[mp3] Download the show
BJJ Poll: How Many Students Train at Your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu School?
October 24, 2009
Yes, I know you probably don’t have access to your jiu-jitsu academy’s official books, but what is your best guess about how many people train at the same location you do? Don’t answer with how many people train within your association, just how many take BJJ classes at the same spot you do.
Roger Gracie: Victory Movie Coming Soon
October 22, 2009
Roger Gracie in victory at the 2009 BJJ World Championships.
Big news for the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community: a feature-length film about Roger Gracie is going to be released in Spring of next year, according to the movie’s director Daren Bartlett. Roger Gracie is the winner of seven Brazilian jiu-jitsu world championship titles as a black belt and runs an academy in London.
Here is an official release received here at FightWorks Podcast headquarters:
Daren Bartlett’s documentary film VICTORY (working title), was shot on four continents over an eight year period. It is the story of Roger Gracie and his ascent in the world of competition Ju-Jitsu. He is currently considered by some to be the premier ground fighter of his era.
Roger’s mother is Reila Gracie, outspoken author and curator of a vast family archive. She is the daughter of Carlos Gracie, mentor and pioneer. She gives a passionate discourse throughout the film. The narrative is driven by the unfolding dramas of Roger Gracie’s pursuit of the World Championships absolute title in Rio de Janeiro’s Tijuca tennis club: a cauldron of emotions.
The film gives an understanding of Roger’s mixed fortunes, over several campaigns (Worlds and ADCC) to conquer all before him. It is an intimate portrait of the events and fighters, with testimonies from the source – family members and those close to them. All this is set within the context of the Gracie families Ju-Jitsu achievements past and present; of the spirit of preservation and promotion of the families honour and the mystique surrounding this invincible fighting system.
Shot on various formats, the cinematography captures the beauty and mindfulness of The Great Art and to this end, perhaps, explores new chapters and pivotal moments that are ultimately the victory of Brazilian Ju-Jitsu.
Film Maker/ Director : VICTORY is Daren Bartlett’s second feature-length documentary. His first O ZELADOR (The Caretaker) premiered at The Sao Paulo International Film Festival in 2007 (http://www.o-zelador.com). Daren has made short films for Nike and 14 Bike Company. Daren is a Ju-Jitsu practitioner and is a brown belt under Mestre Mauricio Gomes.
Directors Note: As a film maker it was just natural to begin filming when first making contact with the sport in 2000, and I was lucky enough to encounter Mauricio Gomes, father of Roger Gracie. Aged just seventeen Roger showed some early promise, and as he gained success within the Brazilian Ju-Jitsu arena, I realized that I had maybe been very fortunate in identifying the right young fighter as a subject.
Production : Company : Bantam Films
Language : English/Portuguese (subtitled)
Format : Various
Running : Time : 90 minutes (approx)
Release : Spring 2010
With the upcoming release of The Gracies and the Birth of Vale Tudo, as well as last year’s Renzo Gracie: Legacy, this movie about Roger Gracie will be the third jiu-jitsu-themed film we have been treated to. Having that much cinematic energy in a community the size of ours is something to be very proud of. I hereby declare this the Golden Age of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu films!
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