Both active competitors in the largest competitions in the world, the duo combines their expertise and experience to teach a shin to shin pass that is detailed and specific.

With Leo in shin to shin guard, Sinistro shows how to alleviate the hooks and get the pass. Check out the move below:

Francisco “Sinistro” Iturralde at the 2013 IBJJF Chicago Summer Open where he earned his first black belt gold. Photo: Ivan Trindade

Of the athletes to compete in the 2013 BJJ Pro League on Dec. 8, another new black belt has been added to the roster. The Ecuadorian Francisco “Sinistro” Iturralde of Alliance Ecuador was promoted in June but has already earned himself three tournament titles.

Having started Jiu-Jitsu at an early age because of his older brothers, Sinistro found his path right away. He brought his talents to the States often growing up and earned three World titles, three Pan American titles to summarize.

As a purple belt he won the ticket to the Abu Dhabi World Pro and went on to earn two golds in the main event: one in gi, one in no-gi.

After placing third in the brown belt division at the 2013 Worlds earlier this year, Sinistro was promoted to black belt in the same month from the hands of Fernando Soluco.

In August Sinistro won his first black belt gold medal at the 2013 IBJJF Chicago Summer Open and earned a bronze in the absolute. At the Pan Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship the following month he won the black belt division and earned yet another gold medal at the Abu Dhabi WPJJC East Coast Trial a month after that, solidifying his place in the main event for 2014.

His passion for competition was seen at a young age and the perseverance has brought him to this point. On Dec. 8 we will see Sinistro in the light/middle division against three other black belts at the Long Beach Walter Pyramid so stay tuned.

In the meantime, watch Sinistro’s final of the Chicago Summer Open against Philipe Della Monica:

Learn more about the 2013 BJJ Pro League on Dec. 8 at the Long Beach Walter Pyramid at www.bjjproleague.com

The IBJJF London Open has both gi and no-gi divisions on Oct. 19-20

On the weekend of Oct. 19 and 20 there will be be two IBJJF championships around the globe. On Saturday, Oct. 19 Miami Open will have its one-day event. In the UK, the London Open will be held on both Saturday and Sunday for gi and no-gi divisions.

Both tournaments offer chances to earn an IBJJF title, compete against international athletes and test your skills no matter you experience level.

The deadline is fast approaching. You must register by Friday, Oct. 4 at 11:59 PST.

To register, go to www.ibjjf.org

The location for Miami Open is: Miami Dade College – Kendall Campus 11011 SW 104th Street Miami, FL 33176

The location for London Open is: Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Ledrington Road, London SE19 2BB

Athletes already registered for Miami Open include members from GMA academies such as Fight Sports Miami, Gracie Del Mar, Alliance Ecuador, Renzo Gracie Academy, Renato Tavares Association, Soca BJJ, Roberto Traven BJJ and more!

In London we have GMA academies: Choke Academy, Drysdale BJJ, Gracie Barra Birmingham, Roger Gracie Academy, Gracie Barra Santa Barbara and more!

Francisco Sinistro wins the lightweight black belt adult division at the IBJJF Chicago Summer Open. Photo: Ivan Trindade

During the past weekend, new Alliance Ecuador black belt Francisco ‘Sinistro’ Iturralde competed at the IBJJF Chicago Summer Open on August 17-18. Sinistro has won the Worlds and Pan Ams both three times each as well as the Abu Dhabi WPJJC main event among many others. His debut at black belt was a success with a gold medal in the black belt adult lightweight division and a bronze medal in the open weight division.

Training and teaching in New York City, he plans for more tournaments in the future with similar results. He talked exclusively with GRACIEMAG about his matches and plans:

GRACIEMAG: What can you contribute to your successful first black belt gold medal?

FRANCISCO ITURRALDE: I was focused on imposing my game and to not let my opponents fix their positions. I was trying to make good grips the whole time so I can apply my game plan. I have been working more on specifics and Kinephys, my strength and conditioning coach, put a great conditioning plan for me so I didn’t get tired at all. The last thing you want to have in your mind while fighting for ten minutes is getting tired.

Who was your toughest match at the Chicago Open?

All of the matches were tough; I can see that in the black belt division you fight for small details or grips that make a great difference during the match.

What happened in your match against Vitor and what did you learn from your mistakes?

Vitor is a well-known competitor who medaled in the main tournaments this year so I felt his experience played a big role in that match. I opened the scoreboard with a sweep but he was able to manage the fight to get the win during the second half.  Thank God I could get the gold medal [in the lightweight division] and God willing I will do the Boston Open this weekend. It was a great feeling to finally fight in a main Jiu-Jitsu event and share the podium with legends of the sport and also with my brother Leo. I will compete the most that I can to represent well for my team, my country [Ecuador] and family.

And what do you feel is your strongest asset as in what you can be known for at black belt?

I want to be the one who works the hardest and whatever happens during the match, will not give up.

See the match between Sinistro and Philipe Della Monica in the lightweight division:

The IBJJF New York Open is set for April 20 in the big apple. With many academies representing some of the largest teams such as Alliance, Nova Uniao, Gracie Elite and Gracie Barra the turn-out is sure to bring much competition. Right in the middle of tournament season between Pan Ams and Worlds, learn with the team that has won every major tournament including the 2012 NY Open.

In order to prepare, Fabio Clemente and his team of instructors are inviting you to their GMA New York academy. The training is from April 9-18 and includes top competitors and instructors like Babs, the Iturralde brothers Francisco “Sinistro” and Leo from Alliance Ecuador. There will be two training sessions a day at the academy. You can read about the atmosphere here when GracieMag made a visit earlier this year.

The camp is open to any team, affiliation and rank. If you are traveling and need accommodation, you can pay $40 a night to stay at the Alliance house with other members of the team and camp. For the entire camp, pay $300 and for just a week you can pay $200.

The Alliance NYC academy is located at: 93 3rd Avenue 2nd floor New York, NY 10003.

If you haven’t registered for the NY International Open yet, you can go here to confirm your spot.

To reserve your spot at the camp, please contact sinistroiturralde@gmail.com

Professor:

Black Belt Fernando Soluco

Address: Universidad Catolica de Guayaquil

Phone: 090384000

Email: solucinho@hotmail.com

Website: www.alliance.com.ec

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allianceecuador

About:

En el Ecuador, el jiu jitsu es un arte relativamente nueva, pero que ha progresado muy rápidamente tanto en su popularización como en proyección internacional. Su introducción se dio por diferentes vías. Comenzó de la mano del guayaquileño Roberto Bitar, de la Academia Bidokan, a finales de los no- ventas. Tras el éxito de Royce Gracie en los primeros UFC, Bitar fue uno de los muchos profesionales que acudió a los Estados Unidos para aprender de la familia brasileña y, a partir de entonces, abrió una filial en el Puerto Principal. Simultáneamente, el guayaquileño Carlos Monteverde, también asiduo practi- cante de artes marciales, se formó en Brasil con el reputado profesor Marcos Barbosa e inició un nuevo grupo a su regreso al Ecuador. Adicionalmente, dos jóvenes competidores de la academia Bidokan, Leonardo Iturralde y Juan Pablo García, decidieron seguir caminos separados. El guayaquileño Giovanni Rosero invirtió en este campo y trajo al profesor brasileño Freddy Sukata, quien acogió a Iturralde; así nació un nuevo equipo de competencia. García, a su vez, dio inicio entonces a una filial del equipo Gracie Barra.

Apasionados por el jiu jitsu y decididos a progresar en dicha disciplina, Iturralde y García unieron luego fuerzas para formar un solo equipo, bajo la égida del brasileño Fernando “Soluço” Di Pierro, de São Paulo, representante del equipo mundial de jiu jitsu Alliance. Soluço, cinta negra y competidor interna- cional condecorado, se radicó en Ecuador en el año 2006 y decidió, en conjunto con Iturralde, masificar el jiu jitsu en el Ecuador y dar inicio a la formación de un equipo de competencia de calibre internacional. Su iniciativa también tuvo eco en otras ciudades, como Quito, donde funcionaba un grupo encabezado por el brasileño Delci “Cizo” Motta y en Santo Domingo, con Daniel Briceño, quienes se sumaron al esfuerzo. Posteriormente, se sumó también a la iniciativa un grande grupo de Manta.

Fernando Soluço prepares for MMA match in Ecuador

GMA member Fernando “Soluço” Di Pierro is getting ready for a MMA match next October 17th.

The leader of Alliance Ecuador will face Ben “The Hunter” Reiter as the headliner of the Inka Fighting Championship 18.

The IFC 18 will take place at the El Rosedal Coliseo, in Surco.

Ben Reiter has a 7-0 MMA record, with 3 submissions wins and 4 TKO wins.

Soluço has a 9-3 MMA record, with 6 wins by submission.

The encounter is a rematch and Soluço wants to tie the score after a unanimous decison win by Reiter on August 17th 2011.

For more info, go to alliance.com.ec

GMA member Fernando Soluço invites all for the IV Copa de Jiu-Jitsu, in Ecuador.

The event is the first leg of the National BJJ Championship.

It is scheduled next May 5th, at the Universidade San Francisco de Quito.

The cost for enrollment is US$ 30.

For more info, go to alliance.com.ec.

Last Saturday, Leo defeated Jose Mercado, at the EMMA La Batalla Final event, in Quito, Ecuador.

Fernando "Soluço" tapes Iturralde's hands before the fight

He thanked those who helped him to achieve his victory: “Big thanks to my teachers Fernando Soluço, Prof.Franklin Vidal, my teammates Chito Vera, Miguel Chino Aguirre, Ariel Pereira, Alfonso, Chaguay, and my students at Alliance Team Leo Iturralde. Also to my brothers for being my inspiration in martial arts, Juan Miguel Iturralde and Sinistro Iturralde. And to all my family and my bride, who support me no matter what.”

Congrats to Leo!

For more info, go to alliance.com.ec

GMA member Fernando “Soluço” Di Pierro is promoting a championship in Ecuador.

The Keiko Sports International Open is scheduled next November 12th.

Pan American champion Eduardo Telles is the special guest for the event.

The registration cost is US$ 30.

For more info, go to alliance.com.ec

The purple belt competition addict is the student of our GMA Fernando Soluço, who teaches in the South American nation. At the Pan the lightweight even snapped up a bronze medal in the absolute.

In Abu Dhabi, though, it was no walk in the park. “The Gi Jiu-Jitsu final was 0-0 and 2-2 on advantage points against Victor.” Check out some of the matches of the promising up-and-comer from Alliance.

Faixa-roxa viciado em competições, Francisco é aluno do nosso GMA Fernando Soluço no país da América do Sul. No Pan, o levinho “Sinistro” beliscou até mesmo um bronze no absoluto.

Em Abu Dhabi, porém, não teve vida fácil. “A final de kimono foi 0 a 0, e 2 a 2 nas vantagens contra o Victor”. Confira as lutas da nova promessa da Alliance.