The Estima Lock is the name given to a specific footlock developed by two well known Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors, commonly known as the ‘Estima bros’, popularized mainly by Victor Estima who submitted some of the world’s best grapplers with this same move.
Fabio Caloi is a Jiu Jitsu world champion competitor and a black belt under Fabio Gurgel. Fabio, also known as ‘Fabinho’ Caloi, belongs to an elite generation of grapplers developed by the Alliance Academy, a generation that raised waves in the lower belts of the sport, continuing in great form through the black belt divisions.
Janni Larsson is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under the illustrious instructor Shimon Mochizuki of the Arte Suave Academy (Checkmat affiliate) in Copenhagen, Denmark. A native of Sweden, Larsson is one of the most accomplished European black belts, and the first Swedish black belt world champion (2014).
Fantastic text written by Protocolo BJJ and Eduardo Flexa, describing the essence of being a good coach in extraordinary circumstances. An example to follow in the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
One of the most popular back takes in the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the Berimbolo was popularized by lightweight fighters in the late 2000s decade, though this ‘scrambly’ position originated in the mid 1990s. Find here all you need to know about one of the sport’s most revolutionary moves.
The De La Riva started being developed in the early 1980s by a Jiu Jitsu practitioner named Ricardo De La Riva. The position would play an important role in the development of Modern Day Jiu Jitsu and is taught today as part of basic BJJ by most accredited Jiu Jitsu academies.
Tammi Musumeci is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt who became one of the top featherweights in the women’s divisions at the young age of 19. Tammi Musumeci turned a few heads her way after she won the Pan American Championship in 2014 in her first year as a black belt, beating two former world champions on her way to the top.
The Open Guard is the most ancient of guard types in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the source of all other guard playing styles and also one of the most versatile. Learn about the biggest developers of the open guard game and the impact it had in grappling.
The creation of the triangle choke is awarded to Tsunetane Oda, a famous Judo Master and direct student of Jigoro Kano, it was later developed in Jiu Jitsu with a series of technical advances made by BJJ athletes in the late 1970s, early 1980s.
The first female to achieve the rank of black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was Yvone Duarte, a belt rank received in 1990. This incredible pioneer of the sport was one of the main forces behind the implementation of a female division in Jiu Jitsu competitions, being also the first female to start her own BJJ team.
The history of the closed guard ‘boom’ in Jiu Jitsu starts at Osvaldo Alves’ academy in Rio de Janeiro. The closed guard, in Portuguese: guarda fechada, is regarded today as one of the foundations of guard work in Jiu Jitsu, often classified as the first line of defence of all the guard games in Jiu Jitsu.
Mario Claudio Tallarico was an important figure in 1970s Jiu Jitsu, being the 2nd black belt awarded by the late Rolls Gracie, a deed he achieved at 19 years of age. Tallarico is often mentioned as one of the top guard players produced by Rolls, having later influenced the development of great figures of the sport.
The ‘Grau de Poderosidade’ was scale created as a joke by the late Great Master Carlson Gracie to define a few of his student’s characters. The term (that could be translated as: Scale of Prowess / Slickness / Arrogance or ‘Powerfulness’) was very quickly adopted by many people within the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community.
Eduardo Gonçalves, commonly known as ‘Edu’, is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under the illustrious Francisco ‘Toco’ Albuquerque, and the main representative of the Nova Geração academy in the United Kingdom.
Sérgio Íris, commonly know in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community as ‘Serginho de Niterói’ was the first black belt awarded by the late Master Carlson Gracie. An important figure of the sport during the 1970s decade having defeated decorated fighters such as Rorion Gracie and Carley Gracie.
The Tozi Guard Pass, often referred as the Sao Paulo Guard Pass, or in Portuguese: Passagem Paulista; is a grappling technique created by former Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Pan American champion Roberto Tozi in the mid 2000s.
The Spider Guard, is a grappling position which originated from the sport aspect of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the late 1980’s. Here is a brief history and explanation of this important position in BJJ. Its roots and the best competitors to watch using this effective guard.
Gezary Matuda is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under the legendary Ricardo Libório and a top competitor of her generation, known for having one of the most exciting styles of fighting in the women’s divisions, a style that earned her numerous titles, such as the pan american and world championships in the black belt category.
The guard is arguably the greatest contribution Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has given to Martial Arts, here is a run down of the guard’s evolution in the sport/martial art. and the main instigators of the position in sport BJJ and MMA/Vale Tudo. The guard player, known in Portuguese as ‘Guardeiro’, is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner or competitor who has the guard as his preferred stance for combat.
Totila Jordan, commonly known by his nickname ‘Pitoco’, is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under the illustrious Renan Pitanguy, being also the co-founder of the Infight Academy. Master Pitoco was also one of the first coaches to develop Jiu Jitsu in the surfing hotspot of Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro.
