The 4th Big Apple BJJ Open is just around the corner on Saturday, May 17 and registration closes on May 10. The event will be held at the Martin Luther King Jr High School in Manhattan.

Special guest, Andre Galvao will hold a seminar right after the tournament on Saturday May 17 from 6 – 8 p.m.!

The cost is $80 per person but competitors are discounted to $40 per person for the first 40 that register for the seminar. The winners of all absolute divisions are able to attend for free!

Here is the full list of divisions at the tournament that can earn free admission:

Adult male white belt below 168
Adult male white belt above 168
Master male white belt below 168
Master male white belt above 168

Adult male blue belt below 168
Adult male blue belt above 168
Master male blue belt below 168
Master male blue belt above 168

Male purple belt below 168
Male purple belt above 168

Women’s white belt below 141
Women’s white belt above 141
Women’s blue belt below 141
Women’s blue belt above 141

For more information, go to www.bigapplebjjopen.com

To register, click here.

The 4th Annual Big Apple BJJ Open will be on May 17 at Martin Luther King Jr. High School in New York City. The tournament run by Vitor Shaolin of GMA VSBJJ, Jen Sung and Mario Guerrero offers the New York Jiu-Jitsu scene an opportunity to compete in a structured environment and friendly atmosphere.

Registration is still open and for a discounted price of $100 per person until April 27. After that date, the price will go up to $110 per person until registration completely closes on May 10.

Divisons are available for adults, both men and women. Please note that brown/black belt divisions are only available for males and the weight classes are 154.5 lbs, 181.5 lbs and over 181.5 lbs. Women can sign up for white, blue and purple divisions.

The location for the venue is 122 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10023.

Register at this link: https://events.membersolutions.com/event_detail.asp?content_id=45915

For more information visit www.bigapplebjjopen.com

The Big Apple BJJ Open is on for its fourth edition in New York City on May 17. The organizers, GMA member Vitor Shaolin, Jen Sung and Mario Guerrero are hoping to double the amount of competitors as last year.

Helping out the BJJ community in NYC, the tournament brings together the quality competitors from all of the surrounding schools to test their skills.

Divisions are available for males and females of all belt levels.

Discounted rates for registration are now in effect until March 22 at the cost of $90 per person.

The venue of the event is in the middle of Manhattan at Martin Luther King High School: 122 Amsterdam Avenue Manhattan, NY 10023.

To find more information and reserve your spot, go to www.bigapplebjjopen.com

Blue belts at the 3rd Annual Big Apple BJJ Open. Photo: John “Ric” Ricard

On Saturday May 18, New York Jiu-Jitsu athletes and even some far away visitors came together to compete at the 3rd Annual Big Apple BJJ Open. The tournament at Martin Luther King Jr. High School was a success with 322 participants from N.Y. academies and even schools that came all the way from Moscow, Russia!

Plenty of our GMA academies were present such as Vitor Shaolin Academy, Marcelo Garcia Academy, Renzo Gracie Academy, Soca BJJ, Kioto BJJ, Brooklyn Martial Arts, Gracie Barra Long Island.

The team results are as follows:

1. Vitor Shaolin BJJ 153 pts
2. Renzo Gracie 104 pts
3. Kioto BJJ 63 pts

Cash prizes were awarded to the winners of the brown/black belt divisions and the gi absolute divisions.

For the full results you can go to: http://www.bigapplebjjopen.com/results.html

Pioneers of the Big Apple Open in New York City / PhotoL Dan Rod

In less than a month, the Big Apple Open returns to its home turf on the Upper Westside of Manhattan. The tournament has been growing every year, bringing nearly 300 athletes and 65 different teams in 2012. With New York and the surrounding areas well-populated with Jiu-Jitsu academies, it’s important to create opportunities for these locals to test their skills in an organized, professional atmosphere and GMA members Vitor Shaolin, Mario Guerrero and Jen Sung are doing just that.

The first Big Apple Open started with 151 competitors and fostered a competitive day with camaraderie. With Shaolin presenting Renzo Gracie a plaque for his importance to the New York Jiu-Jitsu scene, today we can still see that type of New York pride. Be a part of your local scene, help strengthen your Jiu-Jitsu community and build your own self-confidence through competing at the Big Apple Open.

The date is set for Saturday, May 18, 2013 at Martin Luther King High School on Amsterdam and 65th street in New York City.
With even more divisions from kids to teens as well as a new seniors division, the opportunities keep extending. There will be three divisions for brown/black belt males with a monetary prize for the winner of each division of $300! Absolute division winners also get prizes.

Registration is still open, and only $100 until April 27, 2013. Use the code YOUTH to register kids.

All questions can be directed to: bigapplebjj@gmail.com or phone inquiries at 212-957-4045

For more information and to register please go here: http://www.bigapplebjjopen.com/

Hope to see you at the event!

Big Apple BJJ Open is on MAy 18.

GMA members Vitor Shaolin and Mario Guerrero are once again devoted to promote the Gentle Art in New York City.

The third edition of the Big Apple BJJ Open is scheduled for May 18, at the Martin Luther King High School, on 122 Amsterdan Avenue, in Manhattan.

The early registration period is now open and goes on until March 23. The cost for those who do it now is $90.

Here is a video of an early edition of the Big Apple BJJ Open.

Now that you are stoked to compete, register here!

For more info on the event, go to bigapplebjjopen.com