In the second video report of the series featuring the training camps for the 2013 Worlds, we paid a visit to black belt and seven-time world champion Leticia Ribeiro.

Once again, she is preparing a strong team for the female division.

Bia Mesquita, Carol Vidal, Penny Thomas, besides Leticia, lead the team of 20 girls (14 were training the day we visited them).

Watch the video and see how they are getting ready to compete in Long Beach. 

And you still have two hours to register. The deadline is 11:59PM (PDT). Hurry and do it now here.

Buchecha in the final of the black belt adult absolute at the 2013 Pan. Photo: Ivan Trindade

Now halfway through the 18 reasons to support the 2013 World Championship May 29 – June 2, this type of motivation is for the black belts — but watching what happens is intriguing for all.

Reason #9: See how the IBJJF black belt rankings change after all is said and done.

The IBJJF rankings for both male and female black belts is a fairly new concept. With the points structure in place, every IBJJF tournament from the Atlanta Open to the World Championship is important to a black belt’s ranking. They were implemented in 2012 as a way to determine who goes where in the black belt brackets as the top athletes hold precedent, accumulating points as far back as 2010. They are also used in determining who earns an invitation to the annual IBJJF Pro League event.

When the rankings began, Rodolfo Vieira was the leader in the male ranking and Gabrielle Garcia held the top spot on the female ranking with a 500-point lead.

Today, Gabi has yet to move from the No. 1 spot, now leading with a 900-point gap over teammate Luanna Alzuguir and Checkmat’s Michelle Nicolini respectively. The females tend to stay in their spots for the most part, as the point differences are rather large. Interesting, however, that Mackenzie Dern has made it to the tenth spot despite only competing as a black belt for less than six months.

For the males, the rankings today fluctuate as Marcus Buchecha Almeida has made his way to the top once again after Bernardo Faria was injured at the 2013 Pan American Championship in March. His match against Buchecha in the semifinals of the absolute not only caused him a rib injury but also a downgrade in the rankings as his teammate, Leonardo Nogueira, preceded him as well. Now in the third spot, it would take Bernardo at least two visits to the podium at this year’s Worlds to possibly move up.

The intrigue of the rankings is that all weight classes are combined into one point system. Roosterweights like Caio Terra, who is currently in the fifth position, and Bruno Malfacine in spot No. 11, prove that being consistent is key, regardless of competing in the open weight division where points hold much more weight. Featherweights like sixth place Rafael Mendes and his brother Guilherme in the eighth spot have ranked within the top 10 without ever competing in the open weight division at major IBJJF events.

Who do you think will be moving up in the black belt rankings after a trip to the podium this year? Let us know!

To see the full IBJJF black belt rankings for yourself, please click here.

If you have yet to sign up for the World Championship this year or you would simply like more information, you can go to:  www.ibjjf.org

Luca Atalla during live GRACIEMAG Google+ hangout with Roberto Tussa in the Pan

Continuing with our 18 reasons for following the 2013 World Championship in honor of its 18th edition, we give you number three:

Enjoy our live coverage on our Google+ page for live interviews on Google Hangouts.

For every event, GRACIEMAG presents live coverage on Google + by posting pictures, videos, results and details as to what is happening at each event. This includes when, who is winning, how the event is being run and what you’d miss if you weren’t there.

With our Google Hangouts we interview athletes and coaches during the event giving you information right on the spot as we get it from the source. Get a chance to offer your own questions by watching out for our posts on who will be up next. And if you miss the live broadcast you can head to our youtube page for archives. Check out our interviews from Abu Dhabi WPJJC here as well as the Pan American Championship.

Prepare now for the coverage by bookmarking this link: gplus.to/graciemag. Easy enough, right?

The 2013 World Championship will be held at the Long Beach Pyramid, 1250 N Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90840. To see more information and/or register please go to www.ibjjf.org

Check out this interview from the 2013 Pan American Championship with Caio Terra:

USADA letter says Gabi is PED free

After Andre Galvão, another 2013 Pan champion got a letter from the USADA (US Anti-Doping Agency) with some great news.

The female heavyweight and absolute black belt winner, Gabrielle Garcia, is in the clear for any performance enhancing substances, according to the letter.

Gabi posted the letter in her Facebook page this Sunday.

To GRACIEMAG, she said: “I have always had to prove to other people a lot of things in my career. People seem to forget that I was always big, but I lost many times before I became the athlete I am today. I lost to Ana Laura Cordeiro, to Ana Carol Lebre, to Lana Stefanac. Today, I train to overcome my limits because I want to be number 1. First they said I had no technique, then they said I was too big and after that they said I was on the juice. People give no value to hard training and to everything I give up to be a champion. I deserve to be a champion and I sincerely expect that all the people that talked about me and judged me are now sorry and start thinking about what they say before they say it. I showed them that my doping is my will power. If I have to be tested after the Worlds again, I will, but I hope that people start respecting me as an athlete that trains and dedicates to the sport. I know they will come with other excuses, but if I was going to care about all that people say, I would have abandoned the sport a long time ago.”

In the next days, the USADA must release all the other results from the athletes tested after the 2013 Pan.

Liera Jr. in action in the purple belt open class at the 2013 Pan / Photo: Ivan Trindade

The 2013 Pan American purple belt weight and absolute champion Michael Liera, Jr. will be present at GMA Texas Punishment Crew in Beaumont, Texas next weekend to teach a seminar.

A well-known winning competitor since his juvenile blue belt days, the Atos purple belt under Andre Galvao has won the most prestigious tournaments while still a teenager. Most recently, his performance at the 2013 Pan earned him two gold medals, which you can read about here.

His resume boasts two world titles in gi and no-gi, three Pan American titles, six American National titles and one European title all before his twentieth birthday. At the seminar you can expect to learn techniques that he has used to dominate on the mat as well as tips for competition from the dedicated athlete.

The date for the seminar is Saturday, April 27 and will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost will be $45 for Texas Punishment Crew academy members and $55 for non-members. If you plan to go, make sure you plan on getting on your gi and participating because there will be no spectators allowed. With limited space, make sure you reserve your spot as soon as possible by contacting ebarbjj@hotmail.com

For more information and future events at Texas Punishment Crew academy, please visit www.tpcjiujitsu.com

Tarcísio Jardim with the blue gi against Alexandro Ceconi, in Brazilian 2012. Photo: Carlos Ozório/GRACIEMAG.com

The heavyweight Paul Tarcisio Jardim is training at full speed to do well in Abu Dhabi on April 13 and 14 in the WPJJC professional event, with millionaire prizes. To shine in the event of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the black belt from CheckMat has sharpening his takedowns and his guard, not just at the gym, in João Pessoa, Paraíba. He also competed in the Pan 2013, at the end of March, where he won third place in his weight division.

Today, Tarcisio teaches some traps from the sitting guard so you can use it on your friends at the gym. The starting position begins in half guard, as he shows in the video below.

Note that, at :33, the black belt from Paraíba teaches how to master the grips and to fit the right leg on the opponent’s thigh in order to sweep.

At :39, with the grips, Tarcisio releases one grip and goes up to hold the opponent’s lapel and going over the right leg, taking away the opponent’s option of rolling and passing the guard.

At :57, Jardim comes back to the starting position with the grips dominated and encourages the opponent to pass the guard to the left. After that, he stretches the opponent’s leg taking the base away, but defends the position with his hand. Now you just need to release the grip on the left arm of the opponent and take the back. Use the hook on the opponent’s left foot, kick back and take the back.

And what if the opponent defends the sweep? Replace the hand on the lapel and sweep.

At 2:37, see how the professor passes the lapel from one hand to another. Note that he keeps the right leg stretched on the thigh of the opponent.

At 2:40, he supports his hand on the ground, lowers the leg and rotates the hip to sweep the opponent. Note that Tarcisio Jardim doesn’t release the lapel when the opponent is with his back on the floor.

Did it fit to your game? Tell us.

Beatriz Mesquita in action, in Pan 2013. Photo: Erin Herle/GRACIEMAG

The city of Irvine, California, received the 18th edition of the Pan IBJJF in late March. The gym of the Bren Event Center was the venue for the display of black belts and their refined Jiu-Jitsu.

In the women’s division, the lightweight Beatriz Mesquita (Gracie Humaita) was one of the highlights of the competition. Leticia Ribeiro’s student got the silver medal in weight, making the final with her friend Ana Carol Vidal Lebre, and the second place in the absolute, after the battle against the champion Gabi Garcia.

Interviewed by GracieMag, Bia countered the allegations by Gabi Garcia, commented on the absolute final and talked about closing the category. Check it out.

GracieMag: What was your reaction to your performance after the Pan 2013?

BEATRIZ MESQUITA: I enjoyed my performance. I closed the weight category with my teammate Carol Vidal. And I am always proud to reach an absolute final, as a lightweight. I made good fights, played just right, I made fewer mistakes and defeated my opponents until the final.

How was the absolute final with Gabi Garcia?

It’s always a tough match. She is at least twice my size. Gabi is winning all absolutes, but I always go for it with confidence in my game and well determined. I think it is working because although I didn’t win, I’m one of those who have been improving against her, I was fighting well during the ten minutes without being submitted. She passed my guard and then I was able to recover. It is a result of a lot of training of hip escapes, the best way to reset the guard. They are supernatural abilities (laughs).

Gabi told GracieMag you taunted her during the fight. What happened?

Look, I didn’t do anything to provoke her or to take her concentration away. I fought to have a good performance, and trying not to get hurt, even with a punch and an elbow that she gave me, perhaps thinking it would make a difference. My warrior spirit would not let me be affected, even with my mouth bleeding and surviving under such weight. But the absolute is like that, I’m always prepared for the worst. I really didn’t understand, and I wonder: what have I done? I really don’t know. I think her problem was not being able to submit … At the end of the fight, the referee led us to greet and I was cordial and polite as she turned her back on me and was talking nonsense. In my opinion, immature attitudes are completely unworthy.

In Abu Dhabi, you can fight again in the absolute. What do you plan to do differently?

The training continues, and studying the opponents and correcting the mistakes are part of it. But you’ll see the different aspects in our next fight (laughs). I learned in Pan that the important thing is not always winning. There are times when only the affection and respect of people you know or come to congratulate you outweigh everything. It really is priceless.

And about the fight with Carol, how was that final?

We are a team. I did not make the decisions alone. In 2011, Carol and I closed the Pan and she gave me the victory. It was also when I got my black belt. Now it was her turn. In the Worlds, we decided that we will go in different categories, Carol in featherweight and me in the lightweight, defending the title I won last year.

You did not guarantee a place in the trials but decided to travel to Abu Dhabi. Are you ready?

I’ll go more aggressive and submit more, these are my plans. I get on the mat wanting to submit, which is the main goal, but of course the black belt is a very high level and we can’t always do that. Unfortunately, I didn’t win in the Manaus trial, but as it is a major professional championship, I decided to go on my own account.

Gabi Garcia in the final absolute match against Beatriz Mesquita. Photo: Erin Herle/GRACIEMAG

Alliance star Gabrielle Garcia, 27, was once again the big name in the women’s division in Pan 2013, which ended last Sunday in Irvine, California. With double gold in her weight category and the absolute, Garcia added two more medals to her collection, and in style: Fabio Gurgel’s black belt submitted all opponents except Beatriz Mesquita (Gracie Humaitá).

In a conversation with GracieMag.com, the fighter from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, talked about the final of the absolute, against Beatriz Mesquita, told what she learned and still needled her rivals, which, according to her, had teased Garcia. Check it out:

GracieMag: What was the hardest part of keeping your position as the absolute queen in Pan 2013?

GABI GARCIA: I think I did a good job because I submitted every opponent except in the absolute final. Too bad I can’t celebrate much because the WPJJC in Abu Dhabi is almost here in the middle of April and I need to keep my focus.

How was this fight with Beatriz in another absolute final?

I always fight with her. And I had always submitted her in them, but lately she seems to be always seeking to keep our fight tied at 0-0 so the judges give the win to her. This is nonetheless a strategy. It just depends on me not to leave the fight as a draw. I know what her game is, and the good thing is that every time I got the victory. I hope it stays that way.

Were there complicated times during the fight?

Yes, when I lost my head in the absolute final with taunts and disrespect from the opponent. That was actually my worst moment! There, I think I’ve learned to keep my head on straight and not lose control. Fabio Gurgel even scolded me for paying attention to her provocations. She wants me to lose control of the fight, but that just isn’t cool. I learned that even disrespected, I have to keep my mouth shut, and not pay attention to someone who doesn’t deserve it.

What’s your secret to submitting almost all of your opponents?

I felt much stronger. My preparation is all focused on strength, thanks to trainer James Heck, who has been taking care of it. I felt my grips on the gi were stronger. And I’m always looking for the submission, it makes a difference. I liked my performance. Now I have
to train harder as I want to keep my titles in the IBJJF Worlds, the WPJJC in Abu Dhabi and the ADCC in Beijing, in October.

What would you say to a girl who longs to be a champion or earn a black belt one day?

Never give up, never stop because of small problems. I’ve always been discredited and today I keep myself on top of Jiu-Jitsu for years. I could easily have given up halfway, but I went ahead. So never give up, practice a lot, be dedicated, and always give your best to achieve your goals. One day, the victory arrives.

The team on the medal podium at the 2013 Pans / Photo via Alvarez BJJ facebook

Team Alvarez BJJ of Mansfield, TX headed out to the five day event called the Pan Ams last week led by head black belt Danny Alvarez. The GMA traveled to Irvine with eleven competitors representing Bruno Bastos and the Nova Uniao banner. By Sunday they had eight medals to take home from their trip as souvenirs.

Five of those medals were the color gold, most of those competitors having at least four matches. Three thousand competitors means most divisions have a lot of hungry athletes hunting for the top spot and Alvarez BJJ was full of starving individuals.

The weekend left one student promoted, others with a brand new accomplishments and for some, a Pan title to fit well with their existing World title.

Congrats to the team at Alvarez BJJ! Check out who won what below and don’t miss the video of one gold medalist, Natalia Shepler in her final match.

Taking home gold were:

Miriam Villar – white belt light feather division

Natalia Shepler – blue belt light feather division

Jordan Shepler (silver in the absolute) – blue belt master middle division

Vin Abadie – blue belt master feather division

Justin Rebolloso – blue belt juvenile 1 feather division

The silver medalists:

Ryne Sandhagen – purple belt super heavy division

Bronze:

Danny Alvarez – black belt senior 1 light feather division

To read more about the GMA academy, you can visit: www.AlvarezBJJ.com

Caio Terra, champion and tested in Irvine, one of the major supporters of the drug testing. Photo: Ivan Trindade / GracieMag.com

Professors requested and the IBJJF worked seriously to implant the drug testing for the first time in Jiu-Jitsu. In partnership with the agency United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the tests were promoted for the first time during Pan 2013 in Irvine, Calif. last weekend.

Because of the contract, the Federation staff can’t talk about the athletes selected for the urine test. However, the champions commented on it, despite the initial strangeness.

“It was a bit embarrassing, because of the presence of a woman there watching you. But they are right, this is the way,” praised Gabi Garcia, one of the athletes who was seen heading for the test.

Other names were the absolute champion Marcus Buchecha, Andre Galvao, Roberto Tussa, Caio Terra, Rafa and Gui Mendes, Luiza Monteiro and Vanessa Oliveira.

Featherweight athlete and bronze medalist Augusto Tanquinho talked about the draw process: “They randomly selected the categories of black belt, not the athletes. So when we had the result of the champions of each, they were called for the test.”

For some athletes, the most uncomfortable part of the exam was not being able to see some of the finals, since they were being tested.

“I liked the initiative. I expected to be tested, but I was not drawn this time. It is better for the competitors and clearer to the public. In Jiu-Jitsu, nothing replaces hard work,” praised Michael Langhi, lightweight champion.

The USADA, which conducts tests in accordance with the international rules of the IOC, has examined athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic Games since 2000 in the U.S. The agency will report test results to athletes when they are completed.

Michael Langhi surprisingly playing on top in the Pan 2013. Photo: Ivan Trindade / GRACIEMAG

The dispute of the Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Pan warmed the week in Irvine, Calif. with high-level matches. On Sunday, the eight mat areas were like a red carpet for Michael Langhi (Alliance), who made his return to competition and did well. He got the gold medal in the lightweight closing the division with his teammate Lucas Lepri.

But, before the final, things weren’t easy for Michael, and he had to pass the semifinal against the tough Jonathan Torres, JT. After the fight, the pupil of Rubens ‘Cobrinha’ commented on the triumph with reporter Ivan Trindade:

“The fight against JT was very hard, but I managed to sweep and then submit with a choke from the back,” he recalled.

Langhi was out of the Pan and the Worlds last year because of a setback in his visa to the U.S. Rubens ‘Cobrinha’s student talked about the feeling of winning again on the mats of California:

“The feeling is of being alive again. It is always a pleasure to have Lucas (Lepri) beside me as a fight companion, we feel stronger with each other. I spent one year without coming to the United States, but I’m back and I started the year very well, winning the European and the Pan. Surely there’s more to come,” said the Brazilian, who is confirmed in the Lightweight GP in Copa Pódio, on May 3 and then in the Worlds.

And he promises even more news:

“I have played more on top, wanting to pass the opponents’ guard more. I feel even more confident in any situation, very comfortable both on top as on bottom,” he explained.

Here are the top five female black belts at the moment in Jiu-Jitsu. The next update on the ranking will take place after the New York open, which is scheduled for April 20, in NYC. For the full ranking, go to IBJJF.com.

1^st – Gabrielle Lemos Garcia – 1066.5 pts

Gabi Garcia

Gabi Garcia is no stranger to the IBJJF rankings. After securing double gold once again in her division and the absolute at Pans 2013, she moved herself even further apart from the other females. A seven time world champion, she has been unstoppable. Her ability to place pressure on her opponents gives her a level that so far, no one has been able to strategize. Her mentor Fabio Gurgel and the Alliance team in Sao Paulo, Brazil have supported her endeavors and victories across the globe and she will continue to rule the rankings with that guidance.

2^nd – Luanna Alzuguir Marton Moraes – 732 pts

Luanna Alzuguir

Luanna Alzuguir has been the partner of teammate Gabi Garcia, often closing out the open weight divisions at the most prestigious tournaments over the years. A light weight until moving to middle in 2012, she has conquered every major tournament: Pan American Championship, World Championship and ADCC to name a few. Her ability to win against nearly every type of opponent and do well in the light weight despite being at a smaller weight level, has contributed to her overall ranking score. Even though she was absent from the 2013 Pans, her double gold in the 2013 Europeans allowed her to maintain a nice lead over the other ladies.

3rd – Michelle Zonato Nicolini – 652.5 pts

Michelle Nicolini

Michelle Nicolini was another top black belt absent from the Pans but her double silver in the 2013 Europeans allowed her to maintain in the top rankings. In an unfortunate event in the semi-finals of the Lisbon, Portugal tournament she suffered an injury and we did not see her this past weekend. Her most known talent is her flexible and aggressive spider guard techniques, however she has proven skills from every position. A Checkmat team member, she fluctuates in weight classes but also does well in the opens as she won the open division at the 2007 World Championship which contributed to her total of six world titles. With a recent move to MMA, we hope to see her back in Jiu-Jitsu tournaments soon.

4th – Luiza Monteiro Moura da Costa – 447 pts

Luiza Monteiro

Having only started competing as a black belt in 2011, Luiza Monteiro has managed to rise up the ranks rather quickly. First coming onto the scene after winning at no-gi worlds as a purple belt in 2009 then repeating the performance in 2009 at the same tournament in the brown/black division. She made a move to the Cicero Costa team in 2011 and has since found much success. Her wins at the World Championship and the Pans have secured her spot. Winning the final of the featherweight division at the 2013 Pans against Mackenzie Dern gave her the gold medal and raised her name into the top five of the IBJJF rankings in the process.

5th – Marina Soares de Araujo Ribeiro – 348 pts

Marina Ribeiro

A member of the Checkmat team, Marina Ribeiro was another who was absent from the 2013 Pans but was still able to maintain within the top of the rankings list. She received her black belt from Ricardo Vieira in only four years and has proven her promotion many times in competition. Placing second in the feather weight division after competing in the final against fellow Checkmat member Michelle Nicolini and beating legend Kyra Gracie on the way gave her a more known name. She showed at the 2013 Europeans in January and placed third in the open after defaulting gold in her weight division earning her enough points to secure the fifth spot.