Renato Cardoso is signed up for the January European Open 2013. (Personal-archive photo)

Rodrigo Cavaca student Renato Cardoso had a successful competition run in 2012, his first year as a black belt, winning gold at tournaments like the Brasília Open and São Paulo Open.

Now the CheckMat heavyweight wants to take the level up a notch and win with gold medals at the 2013 European Open, coming up late January in Lisbon, Portugal.

The absolute division at the big event is a promising one, as, besides Renato, there will be Rômulo Barral, Alexander Trans and José “Ciência” Junior, among others all going for glory in the most thrilling division.

While not letting the cat out of the bag altogether, Renato did let GRACIEMAG.com in one a few of the positions he is developing to take his adversaries by surprise.

The first of them is a de la Riva-guard pass. The trick is to sink the first grip at the opponent’s shoulder while grabbing the pant leg at the knee with the second hand.

Renato then postures up and, taking one leg out of play, gets free by hopping over the hook (minute 1:02). To get around the de la Riva hook, the stronger of the two, he simply turns his foot outwards (minute 1:25).

Still with his hand on the knee, the CheckMat ace pushes the leg down and maintains the pressure on the shoulder with his other hand, allowing him to jump past guard (minute 1:30).

In the second position, Renato Cardoso plays sitting guard. With the help of a firm grip on the lapel, he pushes the opponent’s thigh with one foot, slips his hip out and, holding the collar, pulls the opponent while pressuring his calf.

How’d you like the positions?

To find out who all is confirmed for the 2013 European Open, click here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqEXqukmlIw

Caio Magalhães training in Fortaleza / Photo by Junior Samurai/GRACIEMAG.com

Jiu-Jitsu black belt Caio Magalhães (5-1) has been confirmed to fight on the card of UFC São Paulo, to be held Jan. 19 at Ginásio Ibirapuera arena. The Brazilian steps in for his injured countryman Tiago Bodão to take on the dangerous Michael Kuiper (12-1).

This will be Magalhães’s second appearance in the UFC, having made his debut last June at UFC on FX 3 against Buddy Roberts, to whom he lost by unanimous decision.

With a trip to Rio de Janeiro planned for Tuesday, to go through his final preparations at team Nova União headquarters, Caio had his final training session in the city of Fortaleza.

“I was already training hard for Copa Pódio. The difference is that I’ll do without the gi. The strategy is still to fight on the ground, though. I’m a jiu-jitsu guy. Grappling is my thing, and I’m going out there to finish. Who knows?–maybe it’ll be with this one,” he said before demonstrating exclusively for GRACIEMAG.com.

Do you think he’ll pull this one off in São Paulo?

UFC São Paulo
Ginásio do Ibirapuera, São Paulo, Brazil
January 19, 2013

Main Card

• Vitor Belfort vs Michael Bisping
• Daniel Sarafian vs CB Dollaway
• Gabriel Napão vs Ben Rothwell
• Tiago Tavares vs Khabib Nurmagomedov

Undercard

• Godofredo Pepey vs Miltinho Vieira
• Andrew Craig vs Ronny Markes
• Diego Nunes vs Nik Lentz
• Justin Salas vs Edson Barbosa
• Michael Kuiper vs Caio Magalhães
• Iuri Marajó vs George Roop
• Roger Hollett vs Wagner Caldeirão
• CJ Keith vs Francisco Massaranduba

For more UFC and MMA coverage,

visit GRACIEMAG.com’s Choke MMA section.

Marcos Tulio (in blue) training in Fortaleza / Photo: Junior Samurai/GRACIEMAG.com

In Jiu-Jitsu, as with any sport, champions are possessed of a great defense. See the NBA, Eurocup 2012, etc.

As a tribute to the winners who know how the best attack is a good counter-attack, GRACIEMAG.com brings you five positions for you to get your awaited comeuppance on that training partner of yours who always comes at you in a storm of bilious fury—and impress your instructor while you’re at it. Which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments field below.

1. Marcos Tulio teaches single-leg-takedown counter

2. Marlon Caveira Ribeiro teaches bicep-crunch counter

3. Reginaldo Gurgel teaches Kimura counter from side-control

4. Daniel Wanderley teaches calf-crunch counter

5. Marcos Schubert teaches side-choke counter in self-defense

Jiu-Jitsu ace Charles do Bronx sinking the fight-ending calf-crunch, to Eric Wisely's chagrin / Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

The calf crunch, a weapon of surprise in Jiu-Jitsu, finally had its moment in the sun last Saturday in Chicago, when Charles “do Bronx” Oliveira used one to swiftly bring his fight at UFC on Fox to a close.

IT’S WRAP IT UP, GRAB THE WAIST, AND WRAP UP

An expert on the position in sport Jiu-Jitsu, Augusto “Tanquinho” Mendes (Soul Fighters) got his girl’s dad to help him show GRACIEMAG.com readers how it’s done, on his break between seminars in Lyon.

So, direct from France, Tanquinho and Megaton go over the details of the move Charles honed so smoothly in São Paulo. Or was it in the Bronx?

Clash of Jiu-Jitsu aces, Weidman lands a blow on Demian Maia at UFC on Fox 2. Photo: UFC/Zuffa.

There were a few lessons to emerge last Saturday at UFC on Fox 2, an event that started out riveting and ended as quite the snooze.

Right off the bat the lesson seemed to be: give everything you got when you’re in there, to not end up weeping after. But our dear readers can derive their own, from behind-the-scenes footage released by the all-powerful Dana White.