Josh Barnett finalizou Ryron. Foto: Sherdog/Divulgação

O Metamoris 6, realizado no sábado 9 de maio, em Los Angeles, trouxe diversos craques do Jiu-Jitsu para o badalado tapete branco do evento. Na luta principal, Josh Barnett comprovou sua categoria de ex-campeão do UFC e finalizou Ryron Gracie, que entrou de substituto em cima da hora. O oponente original seria Roberto Cyborg, que se machucou.

“Penso que meu avô Helio Gracie ficaria orgulhoso de mim, pois aceitei uma luta em menos de três dias. Fiquei um pouco decepcionado por ter batido, mas aprendi algumas coisas boas e estou ansioso para ensinar aos meus alunos para o resto da minha vida”, postou Ryron, em sua rede social.

O jovem faixa-preta Dillon Danis também foi destaque. O aluno de Marcelinho Garcia colocou pressão e finalizou Joe Lauzon, fera do UFC, no triângulo de mão.

“Lutar no Metamoris foi uma experiência incrível. Estou feliz por ter sido capaz de mostrar meu estilo e fazer uma luta emocionante. Tenho um respeito grande pelo Joe Lauzon, ele é um competidor incrível”, comentou Dillon.

Francisco Sinistro foi outro que finalizou seu confere. Contra Greg McIntyre, o faixa-preta da Alliance usou o armlock.

Chael Sonnen e Renato Babalu empataram, assim como Xande Ribeiro e Keenan Cornelius.

Metamoris 6

Los Angeles, Estados Unidos

9 de maio de 2015

Josh Barnett finalizou Ryron Gracie no pé

Chael Sonnen e Renato Babalu empataram

Dillon Danis finalizou Joe Lauzon no triângulo de mão

Xande Ribeiro e Keenan Cornelius empataram

Clark Gracie e Roberto Satoshi empataram

Evandro Nunes e Jimmy Friedrich empataram

Michael Liera e Morgan Neidlinger empataram

Francisco Iturralde finalizou Greg McIntyre no armlock

During the Worlds 2009, Otavio tested his no-gi game with success and closed the medium heavy with Romulo Barral.

With the second world championship title of Jiu-Jitsu in June, Otavio Sousa (Gracie Barra), 26, not only won the gold medal and recognition of the fans as the best black belt of the world at middleweight.

The student of Jose Olimpio, Zé Radiola, also earned an invitation to participate in the ADCC in Beijing, China, on October 18 and 19 this year in the 77kg division.

A Gracie Barra professor living in Irvine, Otavio talked about the next challenge and detailed his training by email exchange with GRACIEMAG. Check it out.

GRACIEMAG: How does it feel to participate in your first ADCC, and in China?

OTÁVIO SOUSA: It was the best thing that could have happened, because I could not participate in the ADCC trial in Brazil, in April, because I was very busy here in California with the gi training for the Worlds and classes at Gracie Barra. This invitation came at the right time, the competition is very tough but today I am a more mature athlete with more confidence. I feel that my positions are more accurate and adjusted than a few years back. Let’s see now without the gi. I still remember when I was a kid and watched the ADCC, with all those black belts giving shows and performing unforgettable fights. This year I will fight the most classic of the tournaments without the gi there in China, and I’m pretty happy about that.

How do you evaluate the 77kg division, of the legendary Marcelo Garcia, who will still have Leozada Nogueira with his guillotine and perhaps Kron and others?

The competition will be ruthless, as usual. It is a slightly lighter weight than I usually compete, which goes to 82kg. So I still need to lose some weight, but nothing else. I’m excited and I’m not a true beginner; after all, I already attended other events without the gi. In 2009, I even closed the medium heavy at the No-Gi Worlds with my partner Romulo Barral here in California.

What do you change in your game during a no-gi tournament?

The game changes just a bit, but you need to make some adjustments. The difference in the end is that the fight slips a lot more and you can’t grip the same way. Techniques need to be better, so you don’t lose the move. And, of course, attention needs to be focused on the legs and feet, especially in ADCC, because all locks are allowed. As the fighter has nothing to hold, it becomes much more difficult to defend these twists.

How are you going to train for the ADCC? Did you change anything?

I’m focusing on my workouts to come back with the victory, God willing. I’m training no-gi Jiu-Jitsu with the beasts of Gracie Barra and wrestling with Jacob Harman, from Calvery Chapel. He teaches various MMA athletes like Renato Babalu, Rafael dos Anjos, Beneil Dariush among others. I am happy to be able to train with these beasts.

What is the main aspect to win a tournament like ADCC, Otavio?

One of the recipes to success is self-confidence. I worked a lot on it before the Worlds, I trusted in my game and I thought I was going to do well. I believe in my potential and I will do anything to be victorious in this too. Another recipe is to never underestimate any opponent and never expect an easy fight. In this regard, the Worlds and ADCC look the same. So I will continue applying this thinking to compete in Beijing, and continue with the same focus and training discipline I have always had.

Babalu back to his winning ways. Photo: Esther Lin

The evening’s main event saw Renato Babalu have his work cut out for him in facing a game Robbie Lawler, but won the unanimous decision. In the first round the black belt looked to clinch and managed to take the fight to the ground on two occasions, while Lawler connected with solid strikes on standing. The second stanza was all Babalu’s, who found his mark mainly with kicks while dominating the standup action. Lawler put his opponent in danger in the third with strikes. When all was said and done, Babalu’s face looked to haven taken the greater punishment, but his victory was well deserved.

Cyborg got the knockout win over Marius Zaromskis. Photo: Esther Lin

The Cyborg family representative to put on a show this time was Evangelista, who came up with a spectacular knockout on Marius Zaromskis. Cyborg controlled the center of the cage and landed the better shots in the standup exchanges. The beginning of the end came with a kick flush to his opponent’s face. Evangelista recognized Marius was stunned and went for the kill with a barrage of strikes, prompting the referee to step in and save the downed Lithuanian from further damage.

Nor did the bout between Tim Kennedy and Trevor Prangley last very long. Kennedy ended the encounter in the first with a rear-naked choke at the 3:35 min mark. Now KJ Noons had his hands full, but overcame Conor Heun via split decision.

Check out the complete results:

Strike Force
Los Angeles, California, USA
June 16, 2010

Renato “Babalu” Sobral defeated Robbie Lawler via unanimous decision
Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos defeated Marius Zaromskis via TKO at 2:38 min of R1
Tim Kennedy submitted Trevor Prangley via rear-naked choke at 3:35 min of R1
K.J. Noons defeated Conor Heun via split decision
Jeremy Umphries submitted. R.J. Clifford via rear-naked choke at 2:27 min of R2
Hugo Sandoval defeated Marcus Kowal via TKO at 0.43 min of R2

Sobral lands a double-leg on Lawler. Photo: Mike Colón

As the fight began, both fighters came out aggressively. Babalu, who had been working diligently on his muay thai techniques with renowned coach, Rafael Cordeiro, came at Lawler with kicks and then a clinch, where he backed him into the fence. This scenario played itself out quite a few times; Babalu then relying on his Jiu-Jitsu skills, going for the single or double-leg to take him down, only to have Lawler slip away. A few times the fight went to the ground, but Babalu was unable to lock anything in. The two ended up in standup for the majority of the fight, exchanging blows.

Babalu measures up his opponent. Photo: Mike Colón

Round one went to Babalu. He dominated the fight with his standup game. Round two was no different. Lawler didn’t seem to know what to do with him. Babalu wasn’t playing his usual ground game and his boxing and muay thai skills were exceptional. Whatever Babalu got from Lawler, he gave back even more. As the crowd was chanting “Baba-lu, Baba-lu” he kicked Lawler so hard in the ribs, spectators could be heard saying, “Did you hear that?” Many said they heard Lawler’s ribs crack, and in fact, he favored that side of his body for the rest of the fight, a big red welt growing bigger and redder as the fight wore on. After that came a spinning back fist from Babalu that had the crowd shouting and whistling.

It wasn’t until the third round that Lawler seemed to find his rhythm. He came at Babalu with guns loaded. He split Babalu’s eye and bloodied up his face, but Babalu fired right back. With Cordeiro, his manager, Richard Wilner, his boxing coach, Justin Fortune, and his good friend and fellow MMA star, Fabricio Werdum (who’s set to face Fedor in the June 26^th Strikeforce show) in his corner, along with the rest of his Metal Mulisha crew, the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion couldn’t go wrong.

Post-win, Babalu and the crew. Photo: Mike Colón

As the bell in the final round rang, Babalu threw his arms up in victory, knowing he had dominated this fight. The decision was unanimous: Babalu wins; the seasoned veteran’s reputation was back intact.

On the way to the press conference, Babalu’s boxing coach Justin Fortune says Babalu’s confidence in the ring has increased significantly. “This is the first time he’s used that much hands and legs,” he says, “I’m happy with that. He used a lot of combinations that were really effective.”

Rafael Cordeiro concurred, “I am so proud of Babalu,” he says, “I’m very happy with this victory. He proved that he’s a warrior with a big heart.”  Cordeiro says that Babalu has one dream, and that is to fight Dan Henderson again. “Dan’s a real gentleman,” Cordeiro says, “He loves challenges, so I think he’ll take the offer.”

Down in the locker room after the fight, another scenario played out. Babalu is laid out on the couch, his face a mess, an ice bag on his ankle, but even through the pain, “During the fight I feel nothing….but now….F**K!” Even as he winces and grimaces with every move of his body, his happiness at winning is apparent and contagious. As Wilner wraps the ice around Babalu’s ankle and tends to his needs, he turns to the group and jokes, “Hard way to make a living, huh?”

The MMA event’s doctor then makes a call to check on the “patient.” He checks Babalu’s eye that is completely split and swollen to the size of an egg. As he sticks a needle all around Babalu’s eye to numb it up before stitching it back together, Babalu tells jokes, keeping everyone around him laughing. Once the doctor’s finished, he tells him he should go to the emergency room to have his ankle checked because it might be broken.

When asked how he felt about the night, Babalu says, “I feel great!” When asked how he felt about some considering him an underdog in this fight he said, “My camp and I thought I was going to win and I’m sure that (Fabricio) Werdum is going to win, too. The job is not done yet. The job is done next Saturday.”

As they wheel the bruised and banged up victor out of the locker room and up to the street where his SUV is waiting, Wilner describes their journey together. “Babalu worked so hard for this win,” he says, “One year. Every day. He trained and sacrificed – time away from his family, time away from his friends, the sacrifice of food. The whole team came together for this. It was a group effort and we want to thank everyone for their support.”

Up on the street two fans see Babalu and call over to him; trying to be respectful and keep their distance, but so excited to see him they can barely stand still. “Hey Babalu!” they say, “We love you, man! You’re the whole reason we came tonight!” Babalu looks over at them and sees the adoration in their eyes. In the middle of the street he takes off his shirt and throws it to them. It lands in front of them and the two dive for it and begin to laugh and fight over the shirt. Babalu digs into his bag, finds another one and throws that over to them as well. They are overwhelmed by his generosity and ask to take a picture with him. Babalu honors the request, even though his pain and fatigue grows by the minute.

And so goes the life of the MMA fighter. It’s a long, hard, grueling job, with little in the way of accolades. The rewards they seek are in the ring – winning a brutal hand-to-hand combat war, and in the eyes of their worshipping fans.