Formiga's personal archives

Rafael Formiga has been on a roll in competition in the USA this year, having won gold at the Boston Open and Chicago Open. Last Sunday, the black belt scored another two medals, this time at the Freestyle Grappling Open in Maine.

“I closed out the Gi absolute and No-Gi absolute with Diego Gamonal of BTT. We closed out because we trained a lot together back when I was in the BTT. I had three matches in the gi and got the tapout in all of them,” Formiga told GRACIEMAG.com.

“I sunk a forearm choke in the first, the second was against Dan Simmler and I subbed him with a choke from back mount in a minute and a half, and the third was against Renan Borges, who I caught in an armbar in one minute and twenty seconds,” he elaborated.

Check out the match between Formiga and Renan Borges:

Foto: Arquivo Pessoal Formiga.

Rafael Formiga vem se destacando nos Estados Unidos, neste ano, em eventos como o Boston e o Chicago Open, tendo conquistado o ouro. Domingo passado, o faixa-preta conseguiu mais duas medalhas, dessa vez no Freestyle Grappling Open, em Maine.

“Fechei no absoluto de kimono e no sem com o Diego Gamonal da BTT. Fechamos porque treinamos muito tempo juntos na época em que eu era da BTT. Fiz três lutas de kimono e finalizei todas”, conta Formiga ao GRACIEMAG.com.

“Finalizei de ezequiel a primeira, a segunda foi com o Dan Simmler e finalizei em 1min30s com um estrangulamento nas costas. A terceira luta foi com o Renan Borges e finalizei com um armlock a 1min20s!”, completou.

Confira abaixo a luta entre Formiga e Renan Borges.

Aldo Batista

The Jiu-Jitsu circus keeps traveling around the USA.

The last two stops were in Chicago, on August 21st, and in Boston, last Saturday.

As usual, our GMA members were present to put their show of technique and heart.

First, in Chicago, Sean Bansfield, leader of Ann Arbour JJ, conquered the senior black belt super-heavyweight and the open class golds.

Marcos Barros, of Gracie Barra Springfield, won the senior 1 black belt middleweight.

At the master division, Renato Tavares, of ATT Vero beach, came third in the lightweight division.

Last weekend, in Massachusetts, another great GMA performance.

Carlos Alberto Terrinha, of Gracie Barra New England, won the black belt senior 2 medium-heavyweight and open class divisions.

At the Team’s competition, Aldo Batista BJJ came third.

Other than that, many GMA member schools had athletes competing on both competitions.

Congrats to all!

This year, the Jiu-Jitsu coach to Brock Lesnar and a number of other aces decided to head to the master division, where he put in a fine display yet again, closing out with his student Jonatas Novaes, an MMA fighter who ended up taking the gold in the official result.

“We took the team championship with more points than the second and third place teams combined,” said a jubilant Rodrigo. “I negotiated a sponsorship deal with the Warrior International brand and we competed under the name Brasa Warrior. It was the first time a team used the name of a sponsor when registering its athletes. With the win, I hope we manage to renew the sponsorship and thus draw more companies that are more focused on MMA to Jiu-Jitsu. I’d like to congratulate all my students for having a great championship and helping me achieve this objective.”

Check out Rodrigo’s submission on the gray mats in Chicago.

“Fomos campeões por equipes somando mais pontos que o segundo e o terceiro colocados juntos”, vibrou Rodrigo. “Negociei um patrocínio com a empresa Warrior Internacional e competimos usando o nome Brasa Warrior, foi a primeira vez em que uma equipe usa o nome do patrocinador na hora de registrar os atletas. Com a vitória, espero conseguir renovar o patrocínio e assim atrair para o Jiu-Jitsu mais empresas que hoje tem como foco o MMA. Gostaria de parabenizar todos os meus alunos que fizeram um grande campeonato e me ajudaram a conquistar esse objetivo”.

Confira a finalização de Rodrigo no dojô cinza de Chicago.

Rafael Formiga squeezes out armbar. Photo: IBJJF publicity.

Sunday was competition day in Chicago, where the second installment of the IBJJF’s Chicago International Open took place. The big winner to arise from the black belt action on the day was Rafael Formiga.

The Soul Fighters black belt took two golds, winning the middleweight and absolute divisions. Now in the master category, Rodrigo Comprido won both at ultraheavyweight and the absolute with his teammate Jonatas Novaes.

The double win helped team Brasa Warrior take top spot in the overall team dispute. Carlson Gracie Team took second, with Chicago United in third.

Check out the complete results here.

Formiga in victory / Photo: IBJJF publicity.

Rafael Formiga aperta no armlock. Foto: Divulgação IBJJF.

O domingo foi de disputas, com a segunda edição do Chicago International Open, organizado pela IBJJF. Os faixas-pretas estiveram em ação e o grande campeão do dia foi Rafael Formiga.

O faixa-preta da Soul Fighters ficou com dois ouros, campeão no peso médio e no absoluto. Já no master, Rodrigo Comprido venceu no pesadíssimo e fechou o absoluto com o parceiro Jonatas Novaes.

A vitória da dupla ajudou ao time Brasa Warrior alcançar o primeiro posto no placar geral. Carlson Gracie Team veio em segundo, seguido pelo Chicago United.

Confira todos os resultados aqui.

Formiga comemora. Foto: Divulgação IBJJF.

Chicago's Navy Pier / Photo: Wikipedia/photographer unknown

The deadline to sign up for the August 21 Chicago Summer Open is nigh. You have until Saturday to get in on the IBJJF event and test your Jiu-Jitsu against the best around in the land of Michael Jordan and President Obama – and to boot, get your face into GRACIEMAG.

Who’ll be the king of Chicago? Comprido? Rafael Formiga? You? To find out more, click http://www.ibjjf.org/chicagosummer2011home.htm.

Now for the folks to the east, the August 27 Boston Open is in its final week of registration. Click here for more: http://www.ibjjf.org/boston2011home.htm.

There’s a discount if you sign up for the Montreal Open in advance, but that only lasts till this Saturday, an excellent reason to secure your spot in the IBJJF’s maiden event in Canada. Click here to get in on the action: http://www.ibjjf.org/montreal2011home.htm.

Navy Pier, em Chicago. Foto: Wikipedia/Autor desconhecido.

Está chegando ao fim o prazo de inscrição para o Chicago Summer Open, marcado para o próximo dia 21. Você só tem até sábado para se inscrever, lutar no evento da IBJJF, testar seu Jiu-Jitsu e ser o melhor na terra de Michael Jordan e Obama – e de quebra, aparecer em GRACIEMAG.

Quem será rei em Chicago? Rodrigo Comprido? Rafael Formiga? Você? Para saber mais, clique em http://www.ibjjf.org/chicagosummer2011home.htm

Já para o povo mais ao leste, o Boston Open, no dia 27 de agosto, entra na última semana de inscrição. Clique aqui para mais: http://www.ibjjf.org/boston2011home.htm

O Montreal Open, no Canadá, oferece desconto na inscrição antecipada, mas vai só até este sábado, ótimo motivo para garantir seu nome no primeiro evento da IBJJF no Canadá. Clique aqui e faça parte da festa: http://www.ibjjf.org/montreal2011home.htm .

Cachorrinho gets the finish at Las Vegas Open in 2010. Photo: John Cooper.

For anyone who thinks the Gi Jiu-Jitsu year ends after the Worlds, think again: there are five more events coming up to spice up the IBJJF calendar. The next in line are the International Masters and the Rio International Open, in Rio de Janeiro from July 21 to 24.

Then there’s the Las Vegas International Open (find out more here) , on August 13 in Nevada, after which, on the 21st, comes the Chicago Open, about which there was some doubt as to whether it would in fact take place, due to legislation changes in Illinois (find out more here).

Still in the month of August, the 27th marks the Boston Open (find out more here), in Boston, Massachussets.

Don’t miss out on the excitement. Get out your gi and participate; sign-ups are already underway! Check out the  IBJJF website for further information.

cachorrinho finaliza na final do Las Vegas Open em 2010. Foto: John Cooper.

Para quem pensa que o ano com kimono termina depois do Mundial, cinco eventos agitam o calendário da IBJJF. Os próximos são o Internacional de Masters e Rio Open, de 21 a 24 de julho, no Rio de Janeiro. Mas vem muito mais por aí e, no mês de agosto, não vai faltar competições por todo o território americano.

No dia 13 de agosto, é a vez do Las Vegas International Open (saiba mais aqui), em Nevada. Em seguida, no dia 21, está confirmadíssima a edição do Chicago Open, antes posto em dúvida devido às mudanças na legislação de Illinois (saiba mais aqui).

Ainda no mês de agosto, no dia 27, o pessoal de Boston, em Massachusetts, compete no Boston Open (saiba mais aqui).

Não fique de fora, vista o kimono e participe, as inscrições já estão abertas! Fique por dentro no site da IBJJF.

Downtown Chicago / Photo: GRACIEMAG archives

This Wednesday the IBJJF confirmed that the 2011 installment of the Chicago Open tournament will be taking place. Due to changes to legislation in the state of Illinois requiring that Jiu-Jitsu events be sanctioned by the local athletic commission, the date for the competition was left undetermined. Now, though, the gentle art governing body has announced on its website that the Chicago Open will take place August 21 at the Odeum Expo Center.

“The event is confirmed for August 21. The Illinois State Athletic Commission responded to us and were very attentive to our cause. They gave us a brief explanation of the new regulations and the one from 2007, which included a lot of things. Once this event is out of the way, we’ll closen our relationship to further our efforts in developing Jiu-Jitsu,” stated IBJJF director André Fernandes.

Sign-ups end August 13, but anyone to register by July 30 will pay a reduced rate.

Click here to participate.