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

A Jiu-Jitsu purple belt in action at San Diego tryouts: last all-expenses-paid berths in Abu Dhabi are coming to an end. Publicity photo.

The main WPJJ event in Abu Dhabi will only happen in April; still the climate is already heating up for the big Jiu-Jitsu stars already this February and March, when three more tryouts for the big event will take place to determine who gets free airfare, food and board for their trip to the United Arab Emirates.

The first of the three will be in Europe—Finland, to be specific—on February 18.

If you eligible and want to compete, click here.

MAJOR JIU-JITSU STARS IN ACTION IN BRAZIL AND CALIFORNIA

On March 3 and 4—with Rodrigo Minotauro in attendance, as you read here on GRACIEMAG.com yesterday—the picturesque town of Gramado will host the aces of the gentle-art world for the final qualifying event in Brazil.

Among the favorites: Tarsis Humphreys, winner of the absolute at the maiden WPJJ, back in 2009; Fernando Margarida, Marcus Bochecha, Celso Venícius, Bruno Frazatto, Guto Campos, Mário Reis, and a bunch of other hard-nosed competitors.

In the female division, according to the promoters, current world champion Gabi Garcia will be there—the Alliance ace always makes a point of competing in her birth state.

To compete alongside the big names in Gramado, click here.

Another shortcut to Abu Dhabi is the San Diego trials, on March 10 and 11, for which sign-ups only go till Sunday. Among the stars expected by the organizers, the likes of Xande Ribeiro, Lucas Leite and Clark Gracie.

Click here to compete in San Diego.

Augusto Ferrari sweeps Theodoro Canal in final of absolute division at Abu Dhabi tryouts. Photo: GRACIEMAG.com.

On the 22nd of January, at Clube Canto do Rio club in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, the World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championship (refresh your memory here) was held to determine the last batch of Brazilians to earn all-expenses-paid trips to the big event in Abu Dhabi next April.

Champions like Rodolfo Vieira, Gabriel Willcox and Gabi Garcia, among others, earned their way to the United Arab Emirates. Now the winner of the absolute division, team Cicero Costha’s Augusto Ferrari, netted himself a cool 400 dollars for his efforts, to boot.

In the open weight final, Augusto pulled Theodoro Canal into his guard and got the sweep, before going on to finish. Watch and learn from Ferrari:

Rodrigo Minotauro, special guest at WPJJ tryouts in Gramado / Publicity photo

Besides funding an outreach project for needy kids in Rio de Janeiro with his own money, Jiu-Jitsu and MMA star Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira is now using his image to draw society’s attention to young people in other places, as GRACIEMAG.com found out.

Ever since he first started appearing in the media, the onetime interim champion of the UFC heavyweight division has gone out of his way to share his life experience with kids needing inspiration. At 11 years of age, as is now common knowledge, Rodrigo suffered a serious accident in which he was run over by a truck, and martial arts was the path he sought to making a full recovery.

RODRIGO MINOTAURO’S 40

At the invitation of the Jiu-Jitsu federation of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, Minotauro is set to take part in a workshop for kids during the March 3 and 4 Gramado leg of the South American tryouts for the WPJJ. The federation will pick 40 kids from four municipalities to participate in the tryouts, take a tour of the city, and later meet with the superstar at a mat set up in the city center.

The idea arose at a meeting between the tryouts organizers and sponsors, who brought up the need for the event to address social responsibility.

DILMA, JIU-JITSU AND SOCIAL ADVANCES

Kevin Krieger, president of Fundação de Assistência Social e Cidadania (foundation for social assistance and citizenship) of the city of Porto Alegre, implemented Projeto Arte Suave (gentle art project) in high risk areas of the city, and now Jiu-Jitsu has joined the fight against society’s problems in the metropolis. Krieger commented on the idea:

“Minotauro is undeniably a national hero. His story speaks for itself. We’ve made some major advances and our goal is to get kids off the street by appealing to them through Jiu-Jitsu, and he is here to help us out in our efforst. I hope more public administrators join us in sharing our vision for the good of the children,” said Kevin, who has already presented some of the strides they have made to President Dilma Roussef.

Governor Tarso Genro and Mayor José Fortunati discuss Projeto Arte Suave with President Dilma Rousseff, as presented by Kevin Krieger: Jiu-Jitsu as a tool for social change. Publicity photo.

For athletse interested in competing at the tryouts in Gramado, they are open only to South Americans, and sign-ups can be performed at www.abudhabiprojj.com,

The winners earn a trip to Abu Dhabi for the main event in April.

In the USA, the final qualifying tournament for the main event in the Emirates will take place March 10 and 11 in San Diego, California. You can register by clicking here.

Guto Campos sinks a triangle at 2010 Europeans. Photo: Ivan Trindade.

On the week of the 2012 European Jiu-Jitsu Championship, GRACIEMAG.com caught up with Guto Campos while he was overseeing the makeover his school in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre is undergoing. The Southern Brazilian was mulling over ideas regarding the female dressing room with the architect, but at the same time he was laying out his plans for the season.

“I didn’t get to be at the Euros [he won the absolute division there in 2010] because of this refurbishment. But next week I’ll head to São Paulo to train with my teammates at Atos, focusing on the Abu Dhabi tryouts in Gramado. I want to secure my spot in the Middle East so I can go into the IBJJF Pan with my mind at ease. And I’ll keep up with the Europeans over the internet; I want to see who’s at the head of the pack at the start of the season.”

EYES ON OPPONENTS ON THE MATS ABROAD

Another Southern Brazilian who is sitting out the European Open, due to injury, but will be keenly watching the results as they surface is Vinicius Corrales, otherwise known as “Pulga”, from Sul Jiu-Jitsu academy: “I got back to training this week; I want to be solid for the Gramado tryouts. The results from the Europeans will help me analyze my likely opponents.” Last year Pulga won the No-Gi championship and took runner-up in the Gi Jiu-Jitsu championship in Abu Dhabi, losing in the final of the under-83kg division to Cláudio Calasans, Guto’s training partner at Atos.

Now Rio de Janeiro native Igor Silva is in Portugal and planning to take the first half of the competition-year by storm, making a stab at the Europeans, Gramado tryouts, and the Pan. Sport Jiu-Jitsu superstars Marcus Bochecha, Moacir Mendes, Mário Reis, Giovane Guedes and Bruno Frazatto and others are all tipped to be at the Abu Dhabi tryouts in Brazil’s south as well.

So the first half of the Jiu-Jitsu year is indeed promising. The Abu Dhabi tryouts in Gramado by themselves will serve up top-caliber competition. And on March 10 and 11 the WPJJC tryouts in San Diego will bring even more excitement.

What do you think, who will be the big names to arise early this season, from the Euros to the Pan and on to Abu Dhabi?

Rodolfo Vieira fakes going for a choke in the final of the Abu Dhabi tryouts in Rio. Photo: Carlos Ozório.

In the final at last Sunday’s WPJJ tryouts in Rio, Rodolfo Vieira (GFTeam)

works free of Barbosa representative Luiz Panza’s guard, mounts and wins with a well crafted double attack.

Learn how it’s done from the current absolute Jiu-Jitsu champion of the world in this video produced by the folks at BJJFights.com.

The quickest route to fame and fortune are the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship tryouts taking place across the planet.

The coming 3rd and 4th of March in the southern Brazilian city of Gramado will mark the final qualifier in Brazil. Sign-ups only open on February 1 but we’re already spoken with some of the promoters and got a sense of the competition, so we bring you four points in a strong case for the event being quite different from the ones that have already taken place.

Proof GRACIEMAG.com believes what it’s saying, our team will be there. Why don’t you show up too!

Gramado will be the host city for the final Abu Dhabi qualifier in Brazil. There, even the secretary of sports practices Jiu-Jitsu. Publicity photo.

 1. TOURISM AND JIU-JITSU

Gramado is a unique town, with tourist and gastronomical attractions that fill the senses. The landscapes and mountain air are perfect for “nourishing yourself with fresh air,” one of Grandmaster Carlos Gracie’s commandments.

2. FAITH IN JIU-JITSU

The city’s mayor, Nestor Tissot, spoke with the event’s promoter, Fernando Paradeda, and was enthusiastic about the repercussions from the last tryouts held there, with nearly a thousand Jiu-Jitsu competitors showing up for the occasion. The secretary of sport, Ubirajara Elias, liked it so much that he took up Jiu-Jitsu himself.

3. JIU-JITSU IN SCHOOLS

Gramado recently implemented Jiu-Jitsu in its schools. With the young town-folk training and tryouts on the annual calendar, Gramado has all the makings of a future gentle art hub.

4. SURPRISES FOR THE ATHLETES

And there are still surprises to come, guarantees Paradeda. “We have full faith the next one will be the best in the world. We have the backing of city hall, the local community, our partners, and some surprises for the participants,” the black belt promises.

Lovato at WPJJ Trials / Photo by Mike Calimbas

This tournament will mark the last Abu Dhabi Trials before the actual World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship in April. Rafael Dallinha, coordinator for the San Diego Trials, says the event is a five-star trials, compared to some of the others that have been three- or four-star affairs. “What that means is that we are going to be giving away a lot of tickets to Dubai,” Rafael says, “And not just plane tickets. This includes hotel, food, registration – everything. It’s going to be a huge event.”

Rafael says he expects to see a big crowd this year, since this is the last trials before the main event in April. “We are ready for everyone and excited to see all the great contests that will occur at the tournament,” Rafael says.

If you need information about sponsorship or how to get to the San Diego trials, please contact Rafael at rafabjj@hotmail.com.

To honor the best Jiu-Jitsu competitor of 2011, as he was deemed by GRACIEMAG, we wrap up the year with an enthralling video, where the locomotive from Campo Grande spills his heart and recounts the course of his career, from his earliest training sessions with Master Júlio Cesar to his crowning achievements.

The youngest absolute champion in the history of the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship, Fernando “Margarida” Pontes spent this week teaching seminars in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, specifically in the cities of São Leopoldo, Santa Maria, Caxias do Sul and state capital Porto Alegre. While in Brazil’s south, Margarida demonstrated the techniques that led to his conquest of three world championships.

“Margarida showed positional details to around 150 athletes in all. And all of them were awed by his technique,” remarked black belt Diandro Maciel of Sul Jiu-Jitsu academy.

For next year, Margarida promises a return to competition—and in Rio Grande do Sul itself: “It was a great visit; I met up with great friends and was invited to take part in the Abu Dhabi [WPJJ] trials in the town of Gramado. I aim to be in tip-top shape in 2012. That Arabian title is all my career is missing,” he said in closing.

A wrestler representing Brazil at the last Olympic Games (Beijing, 2008), Rosângela Conceição has just added being a Brazilian comic book character to her CV.

With the backing of Companhia Rio-Grandense de Artes Gráficas company, the judo and Jiu-Jitsu black belt now living in Abu Dhabi released a booklet demonstrating techniques and stressing the moral values encompassed in the martial arts.

According to Rosângela, the aim of the initiative was to elucidate the benefits of the sport to the broader public—and children in particular—in an educative manner.

The 36-page booklet also features the history of wrestling and its rules, as well as interactive games aimed at children.

The comic book is being distributed to the public school network in several regions of Brazil, so as to spread the word on sportive martial arts.

In 2011, GRACIEMAG.com pointed out “Zanza”, as she is known in Brazil, as one of the most winning athletes in Jiu-Jitsu World Championship history.

For next year, Rosângela plans to distribute the magazines to the embassies of Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to serve the children of the citizens of those nations. Also in her future plans is an outreach project for war refugees sheltered in UN-backed encampments around the Middle East. Another simple mission for a comic book superheroine.

Rubens celebrates after winning by submission at the last No-Gi Worlds. Photo by Dan Rod.

He wields mind-boggling moves and outlandishly effective locks that have garnered him countless titles in sport Jiu-Jitsu, with and without the gi. However skillful in the gentle art Rubens Charles “Cobrinha” may be, he also knows his way around the kitchen.

In this video shot in Abu Dhabi and posted on Facebook, Cobrinha drums up delicious cakes for a special birthday boy – Tahnoon bin Zayed, the prince of Abu Dhabi. Check it out by clicking here.

With more than 250 athletes, the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu (WPJJ) Trials, the second American selective for Abu Dhabi, were held in San Antonio, Texas.

The disputes have been hot for seven positions in the areas of fighting mounted at Freeman Coliseum, and the great name was Rafael Lovato Jr, who won the weight competition and the absolute. The American black belt used arm bars to beat his opponents and earn awards for first place in weight and open division. Check out the black belt in action in the absolute finals.

Bia in the finals against Nicolini. Photo: Carlos Ozório.

Beatriz Mesquita enjoyed the no-gi events season of IBJJF. She won by weight and absolute in the Brazilian Championship and was the world champion in her division. In the midst of this rush, Bia put on her gi and fought. Last Sunday, in Manaus, she secured the title in the Trials for the World Professional JJ Championship (WPJJ). In the end, she even defeated her tormentor in the absolute No-Gi World Championship, Michelle Nicolini. GRACIEMAG.com talked to the Gracie Humaitá star.

You just fought the World No-Gi. How was like to fight in Manaus, with a gi on?

I was only training no-gi for the Brazilian and World Championship. I trained only one week with a gi and came to fight. It’s a little different and the fingers get all skinned. But I came with courage to try the trials title.  In Brazil, I couldn’t go to Natal and was thinking of assuring me in Abu Dhabi. I knew it would be a great opportunity to fight in Manaus.

You and Nicolini have made really hard combats…

My fights against Michelle are always hard! We both go for it, so we have to pay much attention not to make a mistake. She is a great athlete and is always on the top. She won the World Championship finals against Kyra won the World Absolute No-Gi  and was second in ADCC. She is an excellent athlete and our battles are very difficult. If you make a tiny mistake, it’s over. We had a very good fight here.

When you were a brown belt, you’ve already defeated many black belts. How is it now to be a black belt and face the browns?

It was better when I was brown (laughs)! I entered to win, but I seemed to have less responsibility. The brown belts are reaching us at full speed, and because they have less responsibility, they come with all they have. If not very focused, the black belt loses.  Thankfully, it seems next year they will separate the females of the brown and black belts!

We are at the end of the year. What surprises do you prepare for next season?

The opponent’s strategies change a lot from one fight to another. There are people who pull the guard, who knocks down, who mount … We have to be very complete. I’ll keep training everything and give enough emphasis on fitness, which is what has made ​​much difference among the top athletes. The first championship is European and to face that cold weather, leaving Brazil in the middle of the summer, I wanna be really prepared!

Rafael Lovato want s to come back to Emirates in 2012. Photo: GRACIEMAG.

Saturday is a day of World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship (WPJJ) trials in San Antonio, Texas, the second  U.S. trials to AbuDhabi.

The event has a significant number of high level aces, as reported by our partner Mike Calimbas. The event chooses 13 fighters for the main tournament, held in the capital of the UAE, in April 2012. Saturday’s disputes occur at Coliseu Freeman, and before the fights, there will be na arbitration course by IBJJF.

Among the athletes of the leading academies in the U.S., experts like Rafael Lovato, Pablo Silva, Gustavo Dantas, Wellington Megaton, JJ Holmes, Ricardo Bastos, Samir Chantre, Joshua Lauber and others, are promises of hot dispute.

The girls, with great technique, will be represented by Mackenzie Dern, Michelle Tavares, Kristina Barlaan and Christina Thomas, brown belt by Relson Gracie.

Check out the entries in all categories of major graduations and wait for the results here in GRACIEMAG.com.

 Black/Brown Belt

-143 pounds

Gustavo Dantas / Nova União

Gustavo Carpio / Marra Senki

Pablo Silva / Gracie Barra Tx “Draculino”

Milton Nascimento / Paragon BJJ

Mike Reyna / Champion Jiujitsu

-163

Joshua Lauber / Relson Gracie JiuJistu

Wellington “Megaton” Dias / Gracie Humaitá

Bruno Amaral / Brazilian Top Team

Joe Scovel / Longman Jiu-jitsu

Maajid Abdullah AL-Kush / Jiu jitsu Academy of Health and Fitness

Vitor Henrique Silva Oliveira / GFTeam

Darrin Lillian / Paragon Texas

Jason Soliz / TX 3 Coast MMA

Travis Tooke / Travis Tooke MMA

Travis Serna / Lovato Jiu Jitsu

Albert Hughes / Esportes Luta

Samir Chantre / Gracie Lutador

-183

James Harbison / Team Lloyd Irvin

Alberto Juarez / Ricardo Barros BJJ

-202

Rafael Lovato Jr. / Lovato Jiu-Jitsu

Jon Wagner / Nova União

Ricardo Bastos Cruz / Nova União

JJ Holmes / Aliança

Alexandre Santos / Gracie Barra

+ 202

Luis Rubalcava / Arsenal Jiu-Jitsu

Ricardo Barros / Ricardo Barros BJJ

Female – Purple to Black

- 140

Mackenzie Dern / Gracie Humaitá

Nathalia Azoff / Brazilian Top Team

Kristina Barlaan / Nova União

Ana Michelle Tavares Dantas / Gracie Humaitá

Tessa Simpson / Team Ronny Lis BJJ

Laurah Hallock / Paragon Texas

Ariadne Burkhart / João Crus BJJ

+ 140

Sijara Eubanks / Team Lloyd Irvin

Christina Thomas / Relson Gracie

Kelly Faszholz / Nova União

Braga celebrates his victory over Ceconi. Photo: Carlos Ozório.

Antonio Braga Neto fought at home in Manaus trials for the World Professional Championship, but it wasn’t easy. In fact, his most difficult fight was on the first day of the competition, against a local opponent.

“I was very nervous. I hadn’t fought here in Manaus for a long time, so it was a big responsibility for me. I’ve decided to fight in a different category of which I had signed up at the last minute. I was going to fight in MMA, so I was already losing weight. I had to lose a lot of weight from one day to another and I didn’t feel well. But today (finals day), I was able to have good fights”, said the champion of the 92kg category, who submitted Rigoney Castro in the semifinals with an omoplata and defeated Alexandro Ceconi in the finals with 11 to 0.

Guaranteed in Abu Dhabi, Braga will continue with the action on the mats. But now the main goal, even more important than being absolute champion in the Mundial or in Abu Dhabi, is to become a UFC fighter. The black belt wants to participate in Brazilian TUF’s edition, the Ultimate Fighting reality show.

“Unfortunately, today I can’t focus so much on Jiu-Jitsu. In fact, I think I went through many ups and downs due to not being totally focused. MMA is growing a lot and I’m more into it, lately. I don’t have the absolute championship with kimono, but I have the no-gi one. I’m two-time black belt world champion, I have 11 gold medals in World Championships by IBJJF. I know Jiu-Jitsu has opened many doors, I have a great life, but I just turned 24 and the responsibility is increasing. It’s time to build a more solid career and MMA gives me a better final stability. Today, I seek for a rise in MMA and, who knows, be part of UFC”, commented.

“TUF was what helped the popularity of MMA in the U.S. and of course this will also happen in Brazil. I want to be part of it. I come from an unknown part of Brazil for many people (Manaus) and people aren’t aware of the amount of tough guys coming out here. I think when you dedicate five entire years of your life, whether the activity is, you grow, it’s rewarding. I have done it and it changed my life. Now I want the same in MMA”, concluded.

Registration for TUF is open in br.ufc.com since last Sunday. Will we see Braga Neto on the TV screen?