Featherweight Dustin Pourier did a splendid job representing Jiu-Jitsu at UFC 143. Photo: Josh Hedges/ UFC publicity.

The “Submission of the Night” award at UFC 143 last Saturday in Las Vegas went to Dustin Poirier. With a snug triangle, the purple belt from Louisiana hyperextended the arm of Max Holloway 3:23 minutes into their bout. His Jiu-Jitsu savvy earned him an extra 65,000 dollars, not to mention his 12th win in 13 career fights.

The triangle, a move seen on the main stage ever since Royce Gracie and the very first UFC shows, is still a highly effective finishing move both with and without the gi—two legs and two arms against the enemy neck; but there’s often a way out.

USE YOUR WEIGHT BY STACKING OR FALLING BACKWARDS

You can defend by either going forward or backwards. The thing is to never let your opponent break your posture or trap your arm once and for all.

In the following exclusive video, brown belt Alvaro Fontes of SAS team demonstrates how to defend against the triangle by throwing yourself backwards; a handy escape without the gi as well, perfect for when you’re running out of steam.

Tererê demonstrates hook sweep at recent seminar in São Paulo. Publicity photo.

The latest issue of GRACIEMAG is especially savory for Jiu-Jitsu practitioners aiming to evolve.

One of the highlights is a tribute to one of the greatest mat aces of all times, and the ones who benefit are our readers. Fernando Tererê (Alliance), now living in England, was picked to head the Training Program section, where he shares some of the techniques that marked his career.

One of them is of course the hook sweep that brought gymnasiums to their feet all across Brazil during the last two decades.

Starting kneeling or playing guard, with hooks in place, Tererê caught everyone by surprise with his use of basic leverage.

He’d position one foot between his opponents’ legs and the otherbehind their thigh. From there, Tererê would use the hook he was using for support as leverage for the sweep. With the hand on the same side as the hook, the black belt would sink a deadly grip either on the belt or the leg, depending on the situation. He would thus use his own leg to hoist his opponent up into the air and tip him over.

Check out the position in greater detail in GRACIEMAG #179, now at a bookstore near you. And to not miss a beat in the future, get GRACIEMAG in the comfort of your own home by subscribing here.

In the meantime, refresh your memory of the position by watching Tererê using it against Rodrigo Feijão in the grand finale of the 1999 Brazilian Team Nationals in Rio.

At Team Nogueira's Rio headquarters, Captain America speaks Portuguese. Publicity photo.

The wrestling coach at Team Nogueira, Eric Albarracin, better known as “Captain America,” is already considered pretty much a Brazilian. With an appreciation for Jiu-Jitsu, Portuguese that’s getting better with every day, and a teaching style all his own, always requesting applause and grunts of “Uha!”, the trainer now teaches GRACIEMAG.com readers a double-leg-takedown counter-attack that results in landing in top position with the guard passed.

Pay close attention to the moment he switches grips and how he powers his opponent off balance.

IN JIU-JITSU AND WRESTLING ALIKE, THE SHOT HAS TO BE PLACED JUST RIGHT

Mexico’s Javier Torres, a contestant on the 13th season of the UFC reality show, for which Junior Cigano was one of the coaches, helps in demonstrating the position.

Get a good takedown move from Captain America and a lesson in Portuguese, to boot. Let us know if you can get it to work for you, below.

Anderson using Jiu-Jitsu in Xingu / Photo: PortalAmazonia.com.br

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva sought a different tribe with which to train. At the invitation of Globo television network, the Jiu-Jitsu black belt and masterful Thai boxer paid a visit to the Kamayurá tribe of the Xingu river basin and tested his takedown techniques in a style known as huka-huka.

The footage was shot in the state of Mato Grosso and broadcast on last Sunday’s episode of the “Esporte Espetacular” television show, and it wasn’t long before the UFC legend’s fans were voicing their suspicions. “While Anderson is fooling around, Chael Sonnen is training!” said one of the fans, watching closely the events surrounding the champ’s title defense, almost a sure thing for the June UFC in São Paulo.

Just after falling to the tribe champion, Anderson Silva paraphrased a Sir James Dewar quote, “People’s minds are like parachutes—they only function when they are open,” Silva lectured. “They have a different way of fighting, a different type of technique. They are very strong, and I really enjoyed the experience.”

The Dewar phrase, in fact, is one of the favorites of Rickson Gracie, who along with Rolls and Carlinhos Gracie would often test themselves in sambo and other styles of hand-to-hand combat.

Our gentle readers will surely agree that testing oneself is one of the grand pillars of the martial arts, as Anderson, Rickson and Bruce Lee would preach. But what did you make of Silva’s testing himself against the native Brazilians? Was it a true test, or was it just a hoax?

Another question: if Anderson hops an airplane and takes a 30-hour flight to Thailand to train over there, would anyone see it as a waste of time?

Help us get the debate going in the comments field below.

Paulo Miyao on his way to gold at 2012 IBJJF European Open / Photo: Kuba Sawicki/MANTO

In Jiu-Jitsu, winning’s great. But what really makes the effort worthwhile is putting on a great show, giving it your best shot, and etching your style into the spectators’ memories.

Slide to back and choke

That’s what young purple belt Paulo Miyao taught us at the  IBJJF European Jiu-Jitsu Championship, winning the light featherweight division with his fantastic guard, and drawing applause from the Lisbon crowd.

Despite the title of the video, the athlete featured is Paulo Miyao, not his talented brother João. Watch and learn:

The New York WPJJ Trials will be held on Sunday, March 11, 2012.

Several Prizes will be given away to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

Thirteen (13) winners of select divisions will win an all expenses paid trip to Abu Dhabi to compete in the World Professional Jiu Jitsu Cup on April 13-15.

The New York Trial will feature several divisions including categories for Adult Men and Women,  Seniors, Juniors (10-12yrs), Teens (13-15yrs) and Juvenile (16-17yrs). To register or to find out more information about the divisions, visit the Weight Classes or Registration pages.

To request more information on the New York Trial, please contact abudhabijiujitsuprotrials@yahoo.com.

For more info, go to abudhabijiujitsuprotrial

GMA member Braulio Estima just awarded his 11th black belt.

Graham Keys became the first black belt in Northern Ireland and the 3rd in Ireland overall.

Graham’s club was one of the first clubs founded in the UK by Maurico Gomes in 1998.

Here’s a video of this very special promotion:

For more info, go to graciebarrabirmingham.com

GMA member Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles is offering a training camp for the 2012 Pan.

The four times world champion will be welcoming athletes from all academies at his school in los Angeles, California.

The cost is $299 for seven days of practice, from March 21st to the 27th.

For more info and to register, call 323-931-9953 or email at info@cobrinhabjj.com

For more info, go to cobrinhabjj.com

Coach Titi in action on his way to winning the 2009 No-Gi American Nationals / Photo: GRACIEMAG.com archives..

An interesting match-up for Jiu-Jitsu fans approaches—at Bellator 61 this March 16 in Louisiana, USA.

Arm collector Givanildo Santana will take on Bruno Carioca in the promotion’s middleweight GP. The curious part is that Carioca will be receiving his ground training from a former rival—guillotine king Cristiano “Titi” Lazzarini, a Vinicius Draculino black belt and the teacher of submissions superstar Rômulo Barral. Lazzarini and Carioca faced off in MMA back in October of 2010, when Carioca prevailed. Now the two join forces in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, as Cristiano reported to GRACIEMAG.com.

Could the lessons from the guillotine king keep the arm collector at bay? Between one grueling training session and another, Lazzarini took the time to share some of the lessons that will guide them in training for their commitment at Bellator:

1. WHEN THE MMA GAME DOESN’T MATCH UP

“Giva is a Jiu-Jitsu player from way back; he’s compete a lot in the gi [during the 1990s and 2000s] and has a really good grappling game, with a real tight armbar attack. But Bruno’s a monster; he’s explosive, and the way I see it their games don’t click. That’s something that happens a lot, and that’s why I have full faith he’s going to win,” said Cristiano, who has a fight of his own coming up on March 24. After their commitments, he will help Barral prepare for the 2012 Jiu-Jitsu World Championship, and may even give it a go himself.

2. GIVE IT YOUR ALL

“Our training philosophy is: always do your best every day, every training session, as you’ll never get that day back again.”

3. JIU-JITSU SPARRING IN THE GI FOR MMA

“Don’t neglect your gi. Between fights, always get back to training in the gi. If possible, keep active in competition; that will help you adjust the positions, keep up to date on techniques, and sharpen up your defenses.”

4. TRAIN LIKE A PRO

“Be professional about your career from the start, if that’s really what you want to do! There’s no room for amateurs in modern MMA,” Lazzarini said in closing.

Now what do you think, gentle reader? Who wins it at Bellator—Giva Santana or Bruno Carioca? Post your pick in the comments field below.

Professor Alexandre Marciano in front with his GB Joinville academy / Publicity photo

Professor Alexandre “Marciano” Ricardo harbored no doubts: he agreed to adopt the measures that would transform his GB Joinville into the latest GB Premium school in Brazil.

There was one objective behind his decision: greater quality.

“We’re pursuing GB Premium accreditation because we feel the processes that lead to the title improve the quality of Jiu-Jitsu in a big way, as well as the services we render at our school,” says Professor Marciano.

“To make it to this standard of quality we strive to implement all of GB Brazil’s requirements—from mat color, paintings on the wall, attendance sheets, class methodology, etc. That will take our Jiu-Jitsu to the next level, since it standardizes important aspects that in the past we didn’t give such importance to,” he says.

To Professor Alexandre, who is also the GB regional leader in Santa Catarina, the measures have already begun to bring in a series of advantages, for the teachers and the students.

“The advantage of this process to us teachers is that our classes improved a lot, and thus our efforts are duly recognized by both our students and our peers. For the students having the Premium title is also important—now they have the certainty that they’re getting high quality Jiu-Jitsu that is in line with the clearly defined standards for the learning process and that transmits complete security to the practitioner.”

The grandmasters Carlos and Helio Gracie

Helio Gracie always preached about how Jiu-Jitsu did not come to be as a weapon for the strong, but as a means of empowering the weak, the women.

Now, the brothers’ thesis has prevailed, and the fairer sex is as powerful through Jiu-Jitsu as ever, as the following video of our GMA in Texas  João Crus’s (Carlson Gracie) lady students reveals.

JIU-JITSU, SELF-DEFENSE AND CONTROL

In this training session, women of all ages keep in shape, express themselves and have fun doing entertaining self-defense techniques. All to, if need be, be in control of a situation.

If you like watching from afar but haven’t yet gotten a taste of the Jiu-Jitsu you read so much about, give yourself a chance. Find the nearest school, wherever you may be.

Gracie Diet pasta and salad platter: health for your Jiu-Jitsu / Photo: Carol Nakagawa/GRACIEMAG archives

Ever present on the recommended list of our columnist Adriana Gracie, the Mistura Viva web log is constantly serving up posts on the principles of proper eating as they pertain to keeping your body ailment free. Recently featured on the blog, six principles for proper eating, living healthier and having copious amounts of energy for dealing with your daily routine.

Click here for the full article in Portuguese. GRACIEMAG.com extracted the highlights and lists them below:

1. BREATHE BETTER AND FLUSH OUT TOXINS

Not a lot of Jiu-Jitsu practitioners pay due attention to their breathing. Make note of how oxygenizing your organism is directly linked to daily health and vigor.

“Lack of oxygen is significant in that it can cause cells to become cancerous. It surely affects the cell’s quality of life,” reads one snippet from the blog.

The lymphatic system gets activated by deep breathing. Practicing deep breathing and exercises like yoga eliminate 15 times more toxins from the body than does normal, hurried breathing, says the article.

2. EAT FOODS RICH IN WATER!

Remember: your quality of life is dependent on the quality of life of your cells. So straight to the nitty-gritty: fresh fruit, greens, legumes, sprouts and plenty of water.

“Your diet should include foods consisting of 70% water. The lower the level of water, the greater the likelihood of you contracting imbalances (illnesses),” says the article.

3. CHOOSE YOUR FOOD COMBINATIONS WISELY

“Take care of your stomach for your first 50 years, and it will take care of you for the next 50,” is Dr. Steven Smith’s take on how to stay healthy.

Eat meat and potatoes at the same time? Bread and cheese, milk and cereal, fish and rice? What if you were told these combinations are totally destructive to your digestive system and sap your energy?

Eat just one condensed food per meal. What’s condensed food? Any ingestible not rich in water. For example, beef jerky is condensed, while watermelon is rich in water.

Make sure not to eat starch, carbohydrates and protein in the same meal.

4. EAT LITTLE, AND CAREFUL ABOUT LIQUIDS DURING MEAL TIMES

Are you dragging your feet when you get out of bed in the morning, even if you got your full eight hours’ worth of sleep? Know why? While you’re sleeping, your body is working overtime to digest the incompatible food combinations you put in your belly.

Eat light before going to bed, just enough to keep from feeling hungry. If you feel like eating a lot of something, eat a lot of salad. And after 9pm eat just fruit. Remember: after ingesting a properly combined meal, you should wait for at least three hours before eating anything else.

It’s important that you keep in mind that drinking during meal time dilutes your digestive juices and slows down the digestive process; so don’t drink much water, especially not cold water.

5. EAT MORE FRUIT!

Fruit is the most perfect food on the planet, since it takes the least energy to digest and gives your body the maximum return. Least effort for maximum benefit—have you heard that here on GRACIEMAG.com before?

“The only food that makes your brain work is glucose. Fruit is packed with fructose, which is easily converted into glucose. Most of the time, it is 90-95% water, which means it cleanses you and feeds you at the same time.

Eat fruit upon getting up in the morning and on an empty stomach. Your heart and overall health will thank you for it.

6. EAT LESS PROTEIN!

The percentage of protein in a human mother’s milk doesn’t exceed 2.38. Did you know that? So where did this idea that we need loads of protein to be strong and healthy come from?

Dr. Mark Hegstead, a Professor of nutrition at Harvard Medical School, asserts that most human beings seem to adapt to whatever quantity of protein is available to them. In other words: if you eat a well-balanced vegetarian diet, you’ll get all the protein you need!

To be sure you have energy for training, all you need is glucose from fruits, vegetables and sprouts.

But what about the myth that protein is good for endurance? “Wrong. Too much protein overloads your system with nitrogen, which causes fatigue,” says the article. “And as for protein strengthening our bones? Wrong again. Excess protein has been linked to osteoporosis, degeneration and weakening of the bones. The strongest bones in the world belong to vegetarians.”

Milk and meat just clog up your body. For your supply of calcium, go with green vegetables, nuts, sesame seed, turnips. And you can have small quantities of white cheese on salad.

How about it, gentle reader, learned something new? Now what boosts your energy levels in training. Share with us, using the comments field below.

Last January marked three years since the death of the great Grandmaster Helio Gracie, whose legacy helped inspire our team in putting together “10 fundamentals your Jiu-Jitsu teacher needs to know”, the article that starts on page 48 of the new GRACIEMAG issue. I was plenty pleased with the piece.

I have a feeling it will cull kudos from a good number of qualified teachers. I just regret that, for lack of space, we couldn’t lengthen the list to 15, 20 or so fundamentals. The selection criteria we employed was ruthless: only 10 topics made the cut, which in a way is pretty cool, since it makes the manual all the more concise and challenging. On the other hand, some real gems ended up getting yanked.

One good example of such an anguishing snub was “Encourage your student to use the least force possible”. Could we have been imprudent in not fitting that one in there? A feeling of guilt arrests me when I reread an old statement from Helio Gracie: “Everything I know about Jiu-Jitsu a lot of other people know too. The difference is that I execute the same moves but without using force”…

Want to read the complete article? Go get your new GRACIEMAG #179 and see our Editorial.

Are you still not a subscriber? Click here.

Eli Manning, the ace led the NY Giants to another NFL title. Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for DIRECTV.

What does Jiu-Jitsu have to do with American football? A lot more than would seem, as GRACIEMAG.com outlines below.

1. ELI MANNING’S “JIU-JITSU” COACH

Elisha Manning, the young quarterback who won his second NFL title late this Sunday evening, was throwing too many pass interceptions last season. Then Mike Sullivan—an upstart coach formerly on the Rangers who holds a blue belt in Jiu-Jitsu and is big on MMA—entered the scene.

Sullivan didn’t have any experience training quarterbacks; still he took the problem head on, setting Eli Manning up with a triangle like the one he’d seen on the Gracie academy emblems. He assigned a meaning to each vertex on the triangle and encouraged the NY Giants star to seek equilibrium between the three different concepts: leadership, decision making, and precision. Manning embraced Sullivan’s new training philosophy, threw fewer incomplete passes, and ended the season breaking an historic Giants yardage record—and he won the Super Bowl, to boot!

2. HAVE FUN IN JIU-JITSU RESPONSIBLY

In conversations between Mike Sullivan and the prankster Eli Manning, coach and athlete always set aside a few minutes to talk about anything at all, except football. For every five hours talking about plays, tactics and training, the two would take the edge off through brief exchanges about Adam Sandler movies, telling jokes or being silly. To become a great champion, you don’t need to be serious the whole time—quite the contrary. Comic relief can prove to be a performance booster.

3. FALLING AND GETTING BACK UP IS PART OF LIFE

In football as in the martial arts, knowing how to fall is vital—if just because there will always be something looking to bowl you over. A true ace takes those hard knocks, seems to be down for the count, and leaps back to his feet as though nothing happened.

Or as UFC fighter Renan Barão, another of the weekend’s winners, once said: “You have to see the obstacles along the way as something small, fleeting. There will always be hardships on everyone’s path. You have to keep calm and get past them and keep heading towards your dreams.”

4. JIU-JITSU, WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, IS A TEAM SPORT

Even though it’s an individual sport, in Jiu-Jitsu the power is in the union more than it would seem. If you don’t have motivated teammates to count on, you likely won’t make it very far.

As in a football team, every Jiu-Jitsu school has someone quick, someone technical, a powerhouse with a hulking frame, and that guy who crudely uses force at every opportunity. And all of them will be key in shaping your game, as well as your progress on the mat.

The IBJJF has extended the registration period for the Houston International Open coming up next weekend in Texas.

Now you have until this Monday, February 6, to reserve your spot in the first International Open in the United States of 2012.

Scheduled for February 11-12  at the Jerabeck Activity and Athletic Center, the tournament already has some big names registered, such as JT Torres, Pablo Silva, James Harbinson, Gianni Grippo and Stephen Hall.

To help you make up your mind to get in on the action, GRACIEMAG.com has put together 10 reasons why you should be in Texas next weekend.

1. It is time to compete again

The Houston Open International is the first IBJJF tournament on US soil of the 2012 season. So you should already be missing the thrill of competing in the big arena. Here is your chance.

2. It is winter (or it is not 104 degrees outside)

Houston is known for its scalding summers, with temperatures easily reaching over 100 degrees. Knowing that, the IBJJF scheduled the tournament for the winter, so heat won’t be an issue and you will be able to focus on your opponents.

3. A good way to kick off your 2012 Worlds training camp

It may seem far now, but we are only four months from the 2012 Worlds. The Houston International can be considered the first step to test your level for the biggest gentle art competition of all. You can’t waste any time if you want to be in top shape for the Worlds.

4. It is easy to get there

Being in Houston, you don’t have the excuse of saying that it is hard to get to the championship. Houston international airport (Bush Intercontinental) is one the world’s busiest, with flights coming and going from almost everywhere at all times. Don’t miss out, and book yours now.

5. What better occasion to say, “Houston, we have a problem?”

Nobody likes to lose, and for sure nobody will be going there to be defeated, but if things don’t go your way, there isn’t a more suitable place to say the timeless phrase first uttered by Apollo 13’s Captain James Lowell in 1970 after a major malfunction on the ship.

6. And speaking of NASA, there is some sightseeing to do

NASA’s world famous Johnson Space Center is only one of the many places to visit in Houston. There is also the Museum District, the Montrose neighborhood, the Zoo and much more. So we advise you to reserve one or two days to relax after the tournament.

7. Eat like a real Texan      

A huge part of the experience of travelling anywhere is to eat the local fare. Forget about the fast food chains, and experience some real Texan food. In Houston, that means BBQ, Tex-Mex, fried chicken, fried catfish, pinto beans with cornbread, chili, tamales, and more. Just look for a good old diner and place your order.

8. Take an IBJJF medal home  

The IBJJF created the International Open circuit to make the experience of competing in a world-class tournament available to all. So don’t miss the opportunity to scribe your name in Jiu-Jitsu history .

9. Be featured on GRACIEMAG.com and in GRACIEMAG

You already know that GRACIEMAG.com and GRACIEMAG are references when it comes to the gentle art. So you can rest assured that if you do well in Houston, there is a good chance you will appear in at least one of the two.

10. It is for all family

The Houston International Open has categories that go from white belt junior to black belt senior 3. So if you train with your wife, husband, kids, grandchildren, grandparents, you can all go compete together safely and happily.

Convinced? Of course you are. Click HERE and register now!

Condit against Diaz / Photo: Nick Laham, UFC

In the video introducing the stars of the UFC 143 main event this Saturday just before the two took to the cage in combat, Carlos Condit said, “I’m going to win because I have a much greater repertory of moves and I’m going to use all my weapons.”

Diaz retorted, “I’d like to see him hit me while walking backwards.”

Once the five rounds were up, Nick’s battered face and the scorecards from the judges proved Condit right.

Even backpedaling, he’d managed to get his arsenal to work for him and leave its mark on his opponent. In an evenly-matched encounter, that made the difference.

On the other hand, over the 25 minutes of combat, Nick was unable to string together that combination of strikes that would prove his superiority or bring the fight to a conclusive finish.

Ineffective with his potent boxing skills, all Diaz could do was resort to his brawler persona, trying to taunt his opponent into bringing the action to him.

As thought trying to influence the public and judges, Diaz wasted a lot of time showboating: dropping his guard, crossing his arms, mad-dogging his opponent between rounds.

Diaz did manage to influence the public; now the judges…

Once it was all over, Diaz’s reaction to the proclamation of his defeat was consistent with his performance: quite inelegant. “I don’t need this s%#$! I’m done with this MMA!”

Condit, on the other hand, showed the composure of a champion: “Diaz is a great fighter … It will be an honor to face Saint-Pierre,” said the interim champion of the welterweight division in his post-fight celebration.

Now ahead of Condit, an attempt at the definitive title by taking on Georges Saint-Pierre at a date yet to be determined, once the Canadian champion has recouped from injury. And next for the UFC, the February 25 event in Japan.

Check out the complete results from UFC 143:

UFC 143
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
February 4, 2012

Carlos Condit defeated Nick Diaz via unanimous decision;
Fabricio Werdum defeated Roy Nelson via unanimous decision;
Josh Koscheck defeated Mike Pierce via split decision;
Renan Barão defeated Scott Jorgensen via unanimous decision;
Ed Herman subbed Clifford Starks via rear-naked choke at 1:43 min of R2;
Dustin Poirier subbed Max Holloway via armbar from triangle 3:23 min of R1;
Edwin Figueroa defeated Alex Caceres via split decision;
Matt Brown defeated Chris Cope via KO at 1:19 min of R2;
Matthew Riddle defeated Henry Martinez via split decision;
Rafael Sapo defeated Michael Kuiper via unanimous decision;
Stephen Thompson defeated Dan Stittgen via KO at 4:13 min of 1R.