Tapped out: Justin married Deanna inside the Octagon at Rogers Centre, with the blessing of a judge – and Dana White. Photo: Marcelo Dunlop.

Will Jiu-Jitsu indeed define UFC 129? How many tapouts will fans get to see at today’s show in Toronto?

The recent UFC 118, with Randy Couture and boxer James Toney, hit the five-submission mark. At the even more recent UFC 128, headlined by Jones and Shogun, the tally came to zero. Not one piddling submission. What’s the menu like for Jiu-Jitsu fans tonight?

I am of the mind that only José Aldo is capable of coaxing a tapout on the main card. In the undercard, Nate Diaz and Daniel Roberts are a couple of solid candidates. We’ll see. And, of course, none of this means we won’t see some sensational groundwork, even if it doesn’t result in the perfect finishing hold.

Whatever’s to come, Jiu-Jitsu has already reared its head. And we’re not talking about on Thursday, when GSP had an open training session demonstrating self-defense moves more akin to karate.

On Friday we had the first four “tapped out” of the UFC 129 week. Let’s get to them:

Victim number 1: Justin Peacock

At nine on Friday morning the Rogers Centre Octagon received 16 guests, a justice of the peace and two nuts: Justin Peacock and Deanna Peacock harbored the dream of being joined in matrimony on the UFC’s main stage. Justin, an executive working for a company that does business with the event, personally put in a request to Dana White, who authorized the madness. That Friday morning the two said “I do,” and Justin was the first one tapped out at UFC 129, with a finger lock. Deanna, who got her hubby good, was the author of the achievement.

Victim number 2: Andrew McInnes

With a special appearance from Bruce Buffer, UFC star Diego Sanchez was decked in white as he made his entrance to the first match of a four-fighter tournament. His opponent was lanky Canadian Andrew McInnes, a fiesty Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who had a good showing the other day against Marcus Bochecha. Andrew didn’t want to hear about fighting accolades: he started out sweeping and sliding to the UFC fighter’s back. Diego was at wit’s end trying to rally back and tame the young local’s f0rmidable guard, but the points counter wouldn’t budge. With thirty seconds left to go, the star put an end to the rookie’s romp: he wrapped up Andre’s ankle and cranked out a lock that popped his knee in a bad way. Diego is through to the final of the Grapplers Quest at the UFC Fan Expo, set for 1:30 pm local time.

Victim number 3: Jorge Britto

Even while teaching class to nearly forty students a day in Toronto, our GMA Jorge Britto can’t resist a good fight. “I go out there to have fun, no pressure at all,” he often says. That’s what he did at Grapplers Quest at the UFC Fan Expo against Ryan Hall, an athlete from 50-50 academy who’s been on a tear in Gi and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu competition. Jorge spent the whole time in top position, trying to decipher Ryan’s pesky guard. Halfway through the match, Hall got Jorge in the 50-50 guard and attacked with a showstopping heelhook, to the dismay of the cheering section that turned out at the fair en masse to egg Britto on – with even his master Royler Gracie watching from the sidelines. So now Ryan Hall and Diego Sanchez will soon take to the mat for the final.

Victim number 4: Chuck Liddell

It was around 5pm in Toronto. The retired UFC star was kicking back on the UFC Fan Expo stage when a little guy sporting a Mohawk hairdo asked to have a word with him: “Chuck, I’m your fan! Can I get up on stage to fight you?” The crowd was aghast and Liddell authorized it, “So long as you don’t hurt me, alright?” The brazen Jiu-Jitsu practitioner heeded the former light heavyweight’s request and took it easy. Or easy to a certain point: he lunged at Chuck Liddell’s neck and sunk a snug guillotine that obliged the American to tap in desistance. The retirer gloated: “And the winner is the little fan, by guillotine!” His face still red and chuckling, Liddell set about attending to the other, less-rambunctious fans. “Sure, of course I’d like to face Jon Jones, but folks, I’m retired, you know…” he sighed.

Who’s going to be the next to tap out, tonight?

UFC 129
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada
Saturday, April 30, 2011

Georges St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields
José Aldo vs. Mark Hominick
Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Jason Brilz
Lyoto Machida vs. Randy Couture
Mark Bocek vs. Ben Henderson

Preliminary card Spike TV broadcast

Nate Diaz vs. Rory MacDonald
Sean Pierson vs. Jake Ellenberger

Undercard (an informal Canada vs. USA)

Yves Jabouin vs. Pablo Garza
Claude Patrick vs. Daniel Roberts
Ivan Menjivar vs. Charlie Valencia
Jason MacDonald vs. Ryan Jensen
John Makdessi vs. Kyle Watson

Finalizado: Justin se casou com Deanna dentro do Octagon do Rogers Centre, com a benção de uma juíza, e de Dana White. Foto: Marcelo Dunlop.

O Jiu-Jitsu vai definir de fato o UFC 129? Quantas finalizações o show de hoje, em Toronto, vai oferecer aos fãs?

O recente UFC 118, com Randy Couture e o boxeador James Toney, bateu cinco finalizações. O mais recente UFC 128, de Jones x Shogun, bateu zero. Nenhuminha. Como será o cardápio desta noite para o fã de Jiu-Jitsu?

Acredito que só José Aldo é capaz de finalizar no card principal. Nas preliminares, Nate Diaz e Daniel Roberts são outros bons candidatos. Vamos ver. E, claro, nada disso impede de vermos lutas sensacionais no chão, mesmo que não haja um golpe perfeito.

Seja como for, o Jiu-Jitsu já começou dando as cartas. E não estamos falando da quinta-feira, quando GSP começou seu treino aberto com demonstrações de defesa pessoal mais próprias do karatê.

Na sexta-feira tivemos os quatro primeiros “finalizados” da semana do UFC 129. Vamos a eles:

1ª vitima: Justin Peacock

Às nove da manhã de sexta-feira, o Octagon do Rogers Centre recebeu 16 convidados, uma juíza de paz e dois malucos: Justin Peacock e Deanna Peacock tinham o sonho de se casarem no palco principal do UFC. Justin, executivo de uma empresa que tem negócios com o evento, pediu pessoalmente a Dana White, que autorizou a loucura. Na manhã de sexta, os dois disseram “sim”, e Justin foi o primeiro finalizado do UFC 129, com uma chave de dedo. Deanna, que o pegou de jeito, foi a autora do feito.

2ª vitima: Andrew McInnes

Com apresentação especial de Bruce Buffer, o astro Diego Sanchez entrou todo de branco para a primeira luta de um torneio de quatro lutadores. O oponente era o esguio canadense Andrew McInnes, um abusado praticante de Jiu-Jitsu que já fez luta boa outro dia com Marcus Bochecha. Andrew não quis saber, começou raspando e esgueirando-se para as costas do lutador do UFC. Diego fez o diabo para virar a luta e domar a guardinha invocada do jovem local, mas o resultado seguia firme no placar. Faltando 30 segundos, a estrela acabou com a brincadeira do novato: catou o tornozelo de Andrew e arrochou uma chave que estalou o joelho dele todo. Diego está na final do Grapplers Quest da UFC Fan Expo, logo mais, 13h30 da tarde horário local, 14h30 no Brasil.

3ª vítima: Jorge Britto

Mesmo dando aulas para quase 40 alunos por dia em Toronto, nosso GMA Jorge Britto não dispensa uma boa luta. “Entro para me divertir, sem pressão”, costuma dizer. Foi o que fez no Grapplers Quest da UFC Fan Expo, contra o embalado Ryan Hall, atleta da academia 50-50 que vem brilhando com e sem kimono. Jorge jogou o tempo todo por cima, tentando decifrar a guardinha chata de Ryan. No meio da luta, Hall pôs Jorge na guarda 50-50 e atacou com uma chave de tornozelo fulminante, para chateação da grande torcida de Britto na feira – com seu mestre Royler Gracie na área, inclusive. Ryan Hall e Diego Sanchez vão fazer um lutão logo mais, portanto.

4ª vítima: Chuck Liddell

Eram umas 17h em Toronto. O astro aposentado do Ultimate estava na moleza no palco da UFC Fan Expo, quando um pequeno moicano pediu a palavra: “Chuck, sou seu fã! Posso subir ao palco para lutar contigo?”. A plateia delirou e Liddell autorizou, “contanto que você não me machuque, hein”. O atrevido praticante de Jiu-Jitsu atendeu a súplica do ex-campeão dos meio-pesados e foi bem suave. Ou suave até certo ponto: voou no pescoço de Chuck Liddell e aplicou uma justa guilhotina que obrigou o americano a dar os três tapinhas. O apresentador bradou: “E o vencedor é o pequeno fã, por uma guilhotina!”. Ainda com o rosto vermelho e rindo, Liddell seguiu atendendo outros fãs menos cascudos. “Sim, claro, eu gostaria de enfrentar Jon Jones, mas gente, estou aposentado, you know…”, suspirou.

Quem serão os próximos a dar os três tapinhas, à noite?

UFC 129

Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canadá

Sábado, 30 de abril de 2011

Georges St-Pierre x Jake Shields
José Aldo x Mark Hominick
Vladimir Matyushenko x Jason Brilz
Lyoto Machida x Randy Couture
Mark Bocek x Ben Henderson

Card preliminar na Spike TV

Nate Diaz x Rory MacDonald
Sean Pierson x Jake Ellenberger

Card preliminar (um Canadá x EUA informal)

Yves Jabouin x Pablo Garza
Claude Patrick x Daniel Roberts
Ivan Menjivar x Charlie Valencia
Jason MacDonald x Ryan Jensen
John Makdessi x Kyle Watson

Diego Sanchez in photo by Josh Hedges

On an overcast and rainy Friday in Toronto the UFC Fan Expo is underway. And results from the first round of the four-man No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu tournament featured at the show previously announced here on GRACIEMAG.com have come in.

With Jiu-Jitsu legend Royler Gracie and Olympic judo medalist Flavio Canto looking on – and even announced by voice-of-the-octagon Bruce Buffer –, American UFC star Diego Sanchez took on Canadian Jiu-Jitsu standout Andrew McInnes. Although the outcome could have been expected, it was not a one-sided affair, as Sanchez was swept, back-mounted and behind on the scorecards before a last-ditch leglock saved his day 25 seconds from the end.

At the other end of the bracket, Brazil-Canada transplant Jorge Britto lost by a move similar to the one McInnes succumbed to, in his match with team Brasa standout Ryan Hall.

Tomorrow, Sanchez and Hall will face off in the final.