This week’s poll came to us from Jason (if anyone’s suggested it in the past and it slipped my mind, I apologize). This is a very interesting poll idea and gets to the heart of many debates in our jiu-jitsu community. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a constantly evolving set of techniques and as time goes on, there are more techniques and things to focus on when we train jiu-jitsu but the same number of hours in a day. So some things will likely be set aside along the way.
Many have argued that self defense – the fundamental reason for Brazilian jiu-jitsu – has been abandoned in the average BJJ school in favor of techniques and moves that are only worthwhile in a BJJ tournament. Perhaps the most vocal in this belief is the crew at the Gracie Academy in Torrance, California, lead by Helio Gracie’s eldest son Rorion Gracie.
Please don’t over-think this and say, “all the techniques I learn are self defense techniques because you never know, that crazy flying coconut-plata submission I just saw on YouTube could work in a street fight!” When I say “basic self-defense techniques”, you know which ones I’m speaking about.
As always, leave your comments on this below after voting!
In this month’s episode of Gracie Magazine, there’s an article about Helio Gracie’s distaste for red meat. This prompted Chris, a member of the Mighty 600,000, to contact us here at the to The FightWorks Podcast headquarters:
I just recently read the latest Graciemag, and they had an article in there about whether or not it’s good for your jiu-jitsu to eat red meat. Everyone knows Jake Shields is a vegetarian, and he’s an awesome grappler. I was just wondering how many people out there who do jiu-jitsu are vegetarians or vegans. Perhaps this would be a good poll question?
So what about you? Let us know about your eating habits as a BJJ person in the poll above, and definitely leave a comment here if you have any feelings on how diet affects your jiu-jitsu!
According to DREAM matchmaker Daisuke Soto on Ustream, a very big fight might be going down at Dream 14. It’s the return of one of the sports greatest rivalries: Kazushi Sakuraba vs. The Gracie Family. The Gracie Hunter is possibly prepping to go on the hunt against the new generation of Gracie family members, starting off with Ralek Gracie.
Ralek Gracie is the grandson of Helio Gracie and the son of Rorion Gracie, the original founder of The Ultimate Fighting Championship. Gracie made the jump to MMA in 2008, and has gone 2-0 with submission victories in both of his fights. His recent fight was at DREAM 4 against Alavutdin Gadzhiyev, whom Gracie dispatched of with an armbar and round one.
Sakuraba currently holds victories over Royce, Renzo, Ryan, and Royler Gracie back in the PRIDE promotion. The last time Sakuraba fought a Gracie was in 2007, against Royce Gracie at K-1’s first MMA event in America. Lately, Sakuraba has picked up victories over boxer Rubin Williams and Croation Zelg Galesic via submission.
A legendary rivalry will begin again, and this time the rivalry goes to the cage.
A photo of the Gracies circa 1962 from the family archive, donated by Angela Gracie to the film.
Back in September we brought you an interview with Victor Cesar Bota, the director of the documentary titled The Gracies. In a conversation with Bota earlier this week, he gave a few more details about when we can expect to see the movie. As of this moment, Bota is confident that his movie about the Gracie family, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu by extension, will be available this coming autumn. The film for the most part is already finished and only legal formalities remain.
While the film itself is expected to be an important addition to early jiu-jitsu historians’ collections, Bota offered that the bonus materials will be appreciated by jiu-jitsu fans as well. The bonus section of the film will include the following original footage:
Scenes from moments before Renzo Gracie’s very first MMA fight. Shot at the 1992 Gracie Vale Tudo Desafio in Rio de Janeiro, the backstage video is said to include a young Renzo’s arrival at the event and time in the locker room with Ryan Gracie.
Footage from the early 1980’s of the late Rolls Gracie training with Rickson, Royce, and Rillion Gracie while Helio Gracie observes.
Original video from the backyard challenge fight between Gracie Barra students and Carlson Gracie students. Robson, Renzo, and Ryan are on one side while Carlson’s guys are on the other.
Lots of exciting early jiu-jitsu history to look forward to.
In addition, while the independent film is not expected to be distributed in theaters across the country, Bota believes there may be in-theater screenings in select venues in the United States. Stay tuned!
Four and a half years ago, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu internet radio show called The FightWorks Podcast began. The show began as a project at FightWorks in Northern Virginia, and here we are at our 200th episode!
We celebrate this occasion with an interview from Royler Gracie, Helio Gracie’s fifth son and renowned competitor for Gracie Humaita. Royler has relocated to San Diego, California and when he is not travelling, he can be found at Gracie Competition Team where he sometimes teaches and sometimes just comes to train.
Thank you for the questions you sent in to us to our twitter page! In addition the questions you asked about competition, training, what’s going on at Gracie Humaita in Rio, we will also learn about his eventual promotion to red and black belt and much more.
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (recommended)
[mp3] Download the show
Royler Gracie wraps up class at Gracie Competition Team in San Diego, California.
As you know our next episode will be our 200th episode of The FightWorks Podcast. Looking back, it is crazy to think that since beginning this work in September 2005 that we would still be doing this today!
As I mentioned the other day on twitter I was able to speak with Royler Gracie for an interview on Monday. The interview went very well and I got was able to present most, if not all, of your questions to him.
We will hear about Royler’s mission now in the United States after relocating to San Diego a year ago and what it means for Gracie Humaita, and a bunch of other great information from Helio Gracie’s fifth son. Make sure you tune in!
Robin Gracie (right) with his nephew Kron Gracie (left). Image courtesy Robin Gracie.
Robin Gracie is the youngest of Helio Gracie’s sons, and the only one of them to settle in Europe. In this exchange we hear straight from Robin and his academy in Barcelona about the popularity of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in Spain.
The FightWorks Podcast: How long have you lived in Spain?
Robin Gracie: I arrived in Spain in December 1997, a little over 12 years ago.
The FightWorks Podcast: When you left Brazil to live in Spain, did you know you would remain there for so long?
Robin Gracie: I did not know exactly what I would find here. The only thing I knew was that BJJ was little-known or unknown in Spain.
The FightWorks Podcast: You were one of the first to offer jiu-jitsu in Spain. What was it like in those early years?
Robin Gracie: There were only a few curious folks who surfed around the web, which was not as used back then as it is today, and there were martial arts magazines but there were no instructors. I was the only one. All of my students were of course white belts and did not have anyone to train hard with.
The FightWorks Podcast: How would you describe the Spanish who train jiu-jitsu? How are they similar to Brazilians and how are they different?
Robin Gracie: The truth is that there is a lot of diversity among them, from humble workers to famous businessmen. I believe something similar happens in the United States. In my gym there are many foreigners. I believe 30% or 40% are. In Europe it is very easy to get around by train, car or plan. You can be anywhere quickly. The Spanish, being Latinos, are as impulsive as the Brazilians but when it comes time to train are somewhat more explosive and they look for a faster pace, maybe because of the cold there is in the winter.
The FightWorks Podcast: How do you see the spread of jiu-jitsu in Spain today?
Robin Gracie: After all these years the BJJ community has grown and now there are gyms everywhere. The number of competitions has increased as well and people are looking for more information about our martial art all the time.
The FightWorks Podcast: Did you attend the 2010 IBJJF European Championship? What did you think?
Robin Gracie: Yes, it is always growing. It seems like every time there are more mats out and more competitors. The only bad thing in my opinion are the details in the rules that change every year and they confuse the coaches, fighters, and referees, who in the end make mistakes. I think they should not change the rules more than every five years to give everyone a chance to understand them before changing them.
The FightWorks Podcast: Your father, Helio Gracie, passed away in January of 2009. Do you have any favorite memories of your time with him?
Robin Gracie: Since I came to Spain I would only see him on my vacations in Brazil when I got the opportunity to visit him in his house in the mountains. I remember that even in his final years he liked to put on the gi and train. He did not speak or think about anything other than jiu-jitsu.
The FightWorks Podcast: What is your favorite thing about Spain?
Robin Gracie: Of all European countries, Spain is the warmest and also the one with the most beaches, where it rains and snows the least, and the people are friendliest. Perhaps it is the Brazil of Europe. That is why I like it.
The FightWorks Podcast: Thanks Robin! Gracias! Obrigado!
The UFC announced a replacement opponent for Rolles Gracie (3-0) for the preliminary card for UFC 109 Relentless. Making his UFC debut will be Joey “Mexicutioner” Beltran (10-3), who replaces Mostapha Al Turk after visa travel issues arose rendering him unable to make the trip to the United States.
UFC 109 takes place Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The main card airs live on pay-per-view.
Beltran has won nine of his past ten bouts via KO or TKO, which included a first-round TKO of UFC vet of Houston Alexander just three weeks ago. He’s gone 1-1 in his past two bouts, but was riding a five fight win streak till the loss to Tony Lopez at a King Of The Cage event in October of last year. On his official Web site, Beltran said he signed a four fight contract with the UFC.
Gracie, the son of Rolls Gracie (whose uncle was Helio Gracie), made his pro debut in 2007 with the International Fight League. He’s won all three of his professional bouts, two of which were fought this year in China with the Art of War promotion.
The updated UFC 109 Relentless card appears as follows:
MAIN CARD
- Mark Coleman vs. Randy Couture
- Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen
- Mike Swick vs. Paulo Thiago
- Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller
- Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
- Justin Buchholz vs. Mac Danzig
- Melvin Guillard vs. Ronnys Torres
PRELIMINARY CARD (Un-aired)
- Rob Emerson vs. Phillipe Nover
- Phil Davis vs. Brian Stann
- Tim Hague vs. Chris Tuchscherer
- Joey Beltran vs. Rolles Gracie
Helio Gracie’s picture, which adorns jiu-jitsu academies worldwide.
It was one year ago today that Helio Gracie passed away. Helio was 95 years old and remains in many eyes the person most responsible for what we today call Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In addition to two daughters, Helio Gracie fathered seven sons who made their father’s jiu-jitsu their own careers. Rorion, Relson, Rickson, Rolker, Royler, Royce, and Robin, were among the first to export what would become known as Brazilian jiu-jitsu to the world.
Helio Gracie participated in well over a dozen no holds barred or vale tudo fights in his life. Confident in his father’s form of ground fighting, Rorion Gracie formed the UFC in 1993 as a platform to showcase jiu-jitsu in North America. The victories of a skinny Royce Gracie in the early UFCs remain the reason most BJJ practitioners participate in jiu-jitsu. Even modern day Brazilian jiu-jitsu dynamos like Gracie Barra’s Otavio Souza claim that they became interested in jiu-jitsu because of seeing what Royce did in the UFC.
At all the major BJJ competitions in the months following Helio Gracie’s death, it was customary for there to be moment of silence in his memory. At the 2009 BJJ Pan-Ams, the competition action on all eight mats was paused for a moment and Helio Gracie’s son Rickson spoke these words in front of normally rambunctious crowd that became silent as he spoke: Rickson Gracie, son of Helio Gracie.
I’d like to welcome you all, and respect our great, great Master. There is nothing to be sorry about. The way he wants to be remembered, he always said to us, was a party and a celebration. I think this is a moment, with all of us here, to celebrate his legacy, to spread the seeds of the jiu-jitsu he created and brought. And I think, what more can we expect from life than to live to be 95 years old and pretty healthy and his sons doing what he loved to do? So thankfully, there is nothing to be sorry about. My dad now is eternal. Let’s live on his legacy and the passion for jiu-jitsu for all of us and for the future generations. Thank you very much.
One year ago today, Helio Gracie passed away. A celebration of Helio’s life was held at the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Torrance in February, and this video contains of Helio’s second oldest son Relson speaking at that event about his father’s influence.
