Frankie Edgar in photo by Josh Hedges

This August 28 in Boston Frankie Edgar will have a second encounter with BJ Penn, from whom he took his UFC lightweight belt the last time they met, in Abu Dhabi. A savvy striker, Penn is also famous for his outstanding Jiu-Jitsu. He was the first non-Brazilian to win the world championship as a black belt. To deal with this facet of his opponent’s game, Edgar relies on the help of Ricardo “Cachorrão” Almeida and Renzo Gracie.

In an interview with our correspondent Nalty Jr, the current champion comments on the place the gentle art holds in his life, a possible matchup with José Aldo and, of course, his upcoming challenge. Check it out:

When did you start your Jiu-Jitsu training?

I started training informally four years ago, when I started training MMA. I practiced basic Jiu-Jitsu for MMA, but I started really training seriously with Cachorrão a little over two years ago.

Do you think about getting your black belt?

For sure. I need to train a bit more in the gi, but I definitely want it. I’m going to keep working towards that happening some day.

What’s the importance of Jiu-Jitsu in your game?

It’s extremely important, for the simple fact that it makes me quicker and it strengthens the different parts of my game, as Jiu-Jitsu is so good that it lets me fix what I’m doing wrong. A complicated position can become an even better one than it was before.

Against BJ Penn. Photo: Josh Hedges

What was it like to beat BJ Penn, when everyone thought it would be an easy fight for him?

I didn’t quite get it when everyone was saying that. He’s an excellent fighter and had been champion for some time. He beat a lot of good guys, destroyed everyone in the division… But to me none of that mattered, I always believed in myself, in my techniques, and I knew I had what it takes to win.

What’s the secret to beating a champion like BJ?

To me it was just carrying out my game. To beat him you can’t get sucked into his game.

Will you change your strategy or anything in training for the next fight?

I definitely have to train hard, but I also have to train smart. I’m going to watch the fight and see where I made mistakes and where he made mistakes and adapt my training to that. I feel it’s really important to improve from one fight to the next. If I’m better in the next fight, I’ll have done my job and put to practice what I did in training.

You took BJ down, which no one had ever done before. Do you feel the combination of Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling makes the difference in MMA?

It’s a great combination. I feel one completes the other. I, personally, improve in both with every day, both in Jiu-Jitsu and in wrestling, and the more comfortable I get with that, I get smoother in the transition between the two or when I use the two together. I feel my wrestling has improved because of Jiu-Jitsu.

José Aldo would be a great challenge” Frankie Edgar

The main theory behind Jiu-Jitsu is that size doesn’t matter. Against BJ, everyone was saying he had the size advantage. What do you think of that?

The truth is that people were saying a lot of things before the fight and throughout my career. The question of size was one of them. But I always knew size didn’t mean anything and I always believed in me. I don’t even pay attention to that talk.

What do you expect in your next outing with BJ Penn?

I expect a tough fight, an even tougher BJ. I’m training hard to be sure next time I’ll have an even better performance than the last time we fought.

And what would you think of facing José Aldo, the WEC featherweight champion?

A lot of people ask me that. I want to be champion of the lightweight division for a long time, but it would surely be a great fight for the fans. José Aldo is a phenomenal fighter. He’s an Anderson Silva at 66kg, it would be a great challenge for me.

Full mat in England

Transiting through Europe, Fernando Tererê contacted GRACIEMAG photographer Gustavo Aragão.

“I’m now in Europe doing a series of Jiu-Jitsu seminars and training sessions with my friend and student Pedro Bessa. Here are some photos taken here in England,” he says.

“I’m passing on my knowledge to people who like my Jiu-Jitsu, training and learning new things,” he adds.

Autographing a belt

On the Old Continent, Tererê is collecting new experiences and counting the days till his competition return.

“I hope my coaches Alexandre Paiva and Fabio Gurgel will evaluate my training at the end of the year and tell me I’m ready to compete again. I’m really happy to be back in training,” he says in finishing.

Joyous alongside training partners

Speaking of sweeps, what’s your favorite technique for reversing positions with your opponent?

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Jon Jones uses his wrestling on Brandon Vera. Photo: Josh Hedges

With 10 MMA wins, Jon Jones’s only loss came by way of disqualification due to an illegal elbow against Matt Hamill, which doesn’t set the 23-year-old back none on his ascent up the list of most promising athletes. Jones is carving out a place for himself in the stacked UFC light heavyweight division and, this Sunday at UFC on Versus 2, the fighter has another big challenge ahead of him: Vladimir Matyushenko.

“I respect Vladimir and I see him as a big step and great test for me. I feel he’s a great warrior and has what it takes to make it a tough fight. He probably has some of the best wrestling credentials of anyone I’ve faced, he definitely has the best record I’ve come up against, and he’ll be the best fighter I’ve faced. I feel he’s better than Stephan Bonnar, better than Hamill, better than Brandon Vera. He technical and skillful, I consider this the toughest fight I’ve had,” says Jones on the UFC website.

For this challenge, the fighter finds inspiration in one of his career wins, specifically the one at UFC 94.

“Having beat Stephan Bonnar really made me believe that I can beat a veteran like him. Now I see all these fighters as just being men, and any man can be beat. No one is invincible,” he remarks.

With great wrestling skills and impressive physical prowess, Jones remains a favorite to challenge for the belt in the near future. And he has no lack of confidence.

I become more confident with every win and believe more that I can be one of the best in the world. And I’m also starting to believe perhaps I am one of the best in the world. I have a lot of confidence and faith, I’m in this to be the best and I hope to be the best. I can’t wait to fight better and better opponents.

Check back with GRACIEMAG.com for all the goings-on in the UFC. Check out the complete card:

UFC On Versus 2
San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, California
August 1, 2010

Jon Jones vs Vladimir Matyushenko
Tyson Griffin vs Takanori Gomi
Mark Munoz vs Yushin Okami
John Howard vs Jake Ellenberger
Paul Kelly vs Jacob Volkmann
DaMarques Johnson vs Matthew Riddle
James Irvin vs Igor Pokrajac
Mike Massenzio vs Brian Stann
Darren Elkins vs Charles Oliveira
Rob Kimmons vs Steve Steinbeiss

Bruno Bastos made his masters division debut. Photo: Gustavo Aragão

Ever since work to revamp its Jiu-Jitsu program began, Nova União started its gentle art tradition with solid competition results. At the Rio Open and International Master and Senior championships, the team didn’t make it to the top of the winners’ stand. However, taking second and third place, respectively, was reason for celebration.

“We began this mission two years ago. We took second at the Rio Open and third in the Masters. Buno and André Bastos made their masters division debuts. There was also Gustavo Dantas, Jair Lourenço… We had a good crew. We also entered the Worlds this year and, in 2011, we’ll go in real strong,” says a jubilant André Marola, head of the Jiu-Jitsu team.

Marola himself had a good showing, winning both his weight group and the absolute senior 1 divisions.

“I’m really happy. I had 10 matches over two days. At weight, I closed out with my dear friend Rafael Carino. In the absolute, I hurt my shoulder in the third match, but I managed to carry on. My judo worked out for me and it was a worthwhile experience. I ended the competition on the right foot,” he said in finishing.

Black belt males and brown/black belt females can sign up by clicking here. The other belt groups can sign up here.

Sign-ups for the September 4 Honolulu Open are open as well. The tourney in the Pacific paradise of Hawaii is set for September 4, and is also open for sign-up. Black belt males and female brown/black belts can sign up here, and the other belt groups can sign up here. Anyone to register by August 15 will pay the promotional rate of $82, after which the full price of $97 will stand until the August-28 final sign-up deadline.

For further information on the upcoming International Open championships, visit the USBJJF website.

Rafael Lovato will take to the mats in Las Vegas. Photo: Carlos Ozório

The next IBJJF tournaments fast approach. On August 14 in Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Open and American No-Gi Nationals are to take place. Already on the roster are three big names: Rafael Lovato, Flavio “Cachorrinho” Almeida and Caio Terra.

“Three great athletes are already confirmed. Rafael Lovato and Cachorrinho are major adversaries on the mat. Caio too is in there to raise the bar, as a former world champion,” remarks IBJJF director André Fernandes.

The entity further announces that this Saturday is the last day for a discount to sign up for the Chicago Open, to take place August 22. After which the price raises from US$ 82 to US$ 97.

Sign up here before 11:59 pm on Saturday the 31st to pay the discount rate.

And last but not least, the Honolulu Open is open for sign-ups.

Click here for more information.

Photo: Carlos Ozório

Brothers Rodrigo Minotauro and Rogério Minotouro will again see action at the same MMA event. On the September 25 UFC 119 event in Indianapolis, the two will step into the octagon on the same evening. GRACIEMAG.com already spoke with Minotauro (see here), who faces Frank Mir. This time the word went to Minotouro, who has the undefeated Ryan Bader ahead of him. Check it out:

How’s training going? Are you training with your brother?

We train together here in Brazil, we do our strength workouts together, lift like mad. He took the opportunity to correct some things in Jiu-Jitsu and I helped him in muay thai. We also train with Rafael Feijão and Ronaldo Jacaré, who are getting ready to fight and are on fire. We went to Bahia and worked with Cigano and Luiz Dórea too. Dórea knows a lot about MMA, he’s always updated and helps us a lot. My brother just flew out for the United States with Cigano and Dórea. I’m not going to say we’re 100% yet, but on the day of the fight we will be.

The entire team. Photo: Carlos Ozório

Your brother went to the US. How’s your preparation going now?

I’m still training in Rio, but I’m going to organize myself. I want to get together with the wrestling guys to help me. Mark Munoz will fight now and, if he’s available after the fight, I’ll see if there’s a possibility of him training with me. I should find out next week.

Ryan Bader is undefeated in MMA (11 fights). What do you expect from him as an opponent?

He’s a super-tough guy who managed to fuse good wrestling with striking. He’s an opponent carrying weight. It’s a tough fight, but I’ll go after him with Jiu-Jitsu and boxing. I’ll have to use a lot of Jiu-Jitsu, that’ll be one weapon, but my boxing’s good too.

Against Jason Brilz. Photo: Josh Hedges

In your last fight there was a last-minute change of opponents. Jason Brilz, theoretically a weaker opponent, went in for Forrest Griffin. It was still a really tough fight, though.

When an opponent pulls out near a fight a lot of people refuse, asking not to fight. I accepted. I’m not going to deny the opponent change was a hindrance because I’d trained 100% muay thai. Griffin uses a lot of kicks and strikes, he comes at you. Brilz was the polar opposite. That changed my strategy. If I’d trained three months for a wrestler, it could have gone differently. But I managed to do well on the ground; even when I was on the bottom he didn’t hurt me. Standing, I took a hard cross, but I was ok. There was no denying I won the third round. It was good because I saw some weaknesses, but I feel I deserved the win.

What can Sonnen do to Anderson?” Minotouro

What do expect in the fight between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen at UFC 117?

Anderson’s a showman, the best there is. Sonnen, although he talks a lot, is a tough opponent, a pain to fight. He has absurdly good wrestling. But if he gets the takedown, what can he do? Anderson overall offers much more danger. He’ll get up and get the knockout. Anderson will show him who’s the champion.

What about Cigano, who faces Roy Nelson? Will he get another knockout?

Cigano is a great talent. I’ve never seen a guy his size be so explosive and quick. He moves like a 135-pounder. Roy Nelson has a heavy hand, we’re keen to that. But Cigano’s level is that of a professional boxer. He could be a boxing world champion. Dórea is awesome, he got him to an unbelievable level.

Cachorão at his academy's promotion party. Photo: RicardoAlmeida.com

Profiled by Debbie Lee for the August/September issue of UFC magazine, Ricardo “Cachorrão” Almeida tells how he abandoned his academic career in engineering to become a Jiu-Jitsu teacher in the United States.

The son and grandson of university professors jokes that he became the “black sheep” of the family, but that he decided there was a better path than thermodynamics and experimental physics. With over 400 students at his academy in Hamilton, NJ, the GMA member didn’t break that much from the tradition, as he too is a successful teacher, just of another subject, with greater impact on the lives of the average person.

The article also tells of how he came back from early retirement after seeing how the fighters on the “Ultimate Fighter” reality show were taking the style to another level, and that he wanted to be part of it.

“Even winning some and losing others, I want to stick my neck out. People like to talk about what they could have done, but I prefer what my life history shows… Something. It’s better than having a blank life history.”

On his fight against Matt Hughes next week, he prefers to pursue “redemption and not vengeance,” and tells of how the choice of opponent instilled doubt in him: “My first instinct was to try and take this win back to my team, but at the same time, it doesn’t mean I feel I’m better than my teacher,” says the 3^rd-degree black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, referring to Renzo’s loss to Hughes at the UFC in Abu Dhabi last April.

“I’m going to take his belt on August 7, and Dana White will fire him on the 8^th” began the fighter.

Chael Sonnen in a photo by Josh Hedges

“I’m sure of it, since I’ve beaten all the champions in every competition I’ve been in. I’ve been calling him out for four years. He beat a math teacher (Rich Franklin), a one-legged Canadian (Patrick Cote) and he always avoided me. I know he’s going to be the toughest guy I’ve ever fought,” he continued.

Sonnen further mentioned that Anderson has several records and titles, but that he was booed in all his latest fights and sponsors want nothing to do with the Brazilian. At the press-conference he also said that he loved promoting this fight.

The bout is set for the coming 7^th of August, in Oakland, California. UFC 117 also features another four fights pitting Brazilian against American fighters.

Collaborator: Junior Samurai