Gordon Ryan (Renzo Gracie NY) def. João Gabriel Rocha (Soul Fighters) via Points (1-0) – No Gi Heavyweight

It was a great night of 23 exciting matches at the opening of the Kasai Super Series in Dallas, with Gordon Ryan taking the win by one point due to a submission attempt during the second part of the match. The main event and the co-main event were both using modified rules — the first 10 minutes of the match were submission-only. In case there was no submission after a quick interval, the fight continues for another 5 minutes with modified Kasai rules, which grants one point to submission attempts. It was that point that earned Ryan the win. The first 10 minutes of the match had been a true game of guard pass, with failed attempts from both fighters to get an advantage spot. During the second part of the match, Ryan was able to sink a really nice heel hook, which Rocha was able to counter. After the match, Ryan commented that he “felt the heel pop a couple of times.” Rocha tried to pass the guard numerous times and get to a side mount, all the way up to the very last second of the match; however, Ryan’s guard proved ironclad. Ryan mentioned later that on a takedown attempt his knee “popped” and he had to fight the rest of the match with the injury, causing him not to be able to use the strength of the guard on his left side.

At the end of the match, João Rocha was visibly frustrated. Given the microphone, he asked his local crowd, “Who won this match?” to which the crowd acknowledged him in unison. The point, however, showed a different winner, and Gordon Ryan walked out with the trophy.

João Gabriel Rocha getting up after the match ended

Gordon Ryan’s heel hook attempt, which earned him the victory

Renato Canuto taps Marcio Andre with a devastating heel hook

The co-main event between many-time Kasai winner Renato Canuto and Marcio Andre was a different story. Canuto was able to sink in a tight and devastating heel hook that left Andre with no option but to tap, during the first 10 minutes of the match. Canuto adds another Kasai trophy to his collection and proves once again he is a force to be contended with in this stage.

Dante Leon (GF Team) def. Matheus Lutes (Marcelo Garcia) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) – No Gi 175 LBS

It is pretty clear that the game of sport jiu-jitsu needs rules to make the matches speedier and more entertaining to a larger consumption crowd. Kasai’s modified rules have proven to make some matches that are great to be watched. On the flip side, it can cause some confusion, as it happened in the match between Dante Leon and Matheus Lutes — Leon received 4 points for taking the back, which left Lutes, who thought he was fighting 10-minute, submission-only, confused. While Lutes was trying to talk to the referees, Leon continued the match and was able to sink a deep rear naked choke which left Lutes with no option but to tap, albeit a little late.

Below, find the full results and a complete photo gallery.

Undercard

Jorge Vasquez (Alvarez Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) def. Ryan Benoit (Gracie Gym Texas) via Points (7-2) – No Gi 140 lbs..

Jessica Crane (Soul Fighters) def. Meghan Williams (Stout Training) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) – No Gi 120 lbs..

Conrad Duran (Seeds 13) def. Dillon Hinojosa (Genesis) via Points (3-2) – No Gi 155 lbs.

Jeff Horn (AMBJJ) def. Leigh Macneil (RCJ MACHADO) via Points (18-0) – Gi 185 lbs.

Abdul Karem Al-Selwady (Soul Fighters) def. Dylan Kastelic (Mohler MMA) via Points (22-0) – No Gi 170 lbs.

Kecia Makenzie (Checkmat Texas) def. Nathalia Santoro (Renzo Gracie NY) via Submission (Armbar) – No Gi 135 lbs.

Cameron Adair (Checkmat Texas) def. Franklin Caballo (Renzo Gracie Houston) via Submission (Armbar) – No Gi 145 lbs.

Thomas Gentile def. Javier Zapata (AMBJJ) via Referee Decision (Unanimous) – No Gi Heavyweight

Diego Santana (Gracie Gym Texas) def. Jairo Bautista (Marcelo Garcia Dallas) via Submission (Toe Hold) – No Gi 170 lbs.

Dulces Flaco Flores Jr. (AMBJJ) def. Bobby Alexander (Travis Lutter BJJ) via Points (11-2) – No Gi 180 lbs.

David Hulsey (Soul Fighters) def. Benjamin Annunziato (Travis Lutter BJJ) via Submission (Heel Hook) – No Gi 165 lbs.

Alan Shebaro (Tier 1) def. Sebastian Black (Checkmat Texas) via Submission (Toe Hold) – Gi 230 lbs.

Camron Couch (Mohler MMA) def. Marcus Antelante (Soul Fightes) via Points (3-1) – No Gi 190 lbs.

MAIN CARD

Edwin “Junny” Ocasio (Unity) def. Vinny Saenz (Lovato) via Submission (Heel Hook) – No Gi 140 lbs.

Lucas Valente (Gracie Barra) def. Rafael “Formiga” Barbosa (Soul Fighters) via Referee Decision – Gi 175 lbs.

Alex Martins (Alex Martins) def. Mike Medrano (Mushin MMA) via Points (8-0) – No Gi 173 lbs.

Raquel Canuto (Checkmat International) def. Chelsah Lyons (Marcelo Garcia Dallas) via Points (5-1) – No Gi 145 lbs.

Bruno Bastos (Bruno Bastos) def. Tom Deblass (Renzo Gracie) via Points (3-1) – No Gi 240 lbs.

Aaron “Tex” Johnson (Unity) def. Ricardo “Demente” Abreu (Team Lead) via Points (1-0) – No Gi 220 lbs.

Andressa Cintra (Gracie Barra) def. Jessica Swanson (Soul Fighters) via Points (4-2) – Gi 150 lbs.

Dante Leon (GF Team) def. Matheus Lutes (Marcelo Garcia) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) – No Gi 175 lbs.

Renato Canuto (Tio Chico BJJ) def. Marcio Andre (Nova União) via Submission (Heel Hook) – No Gi 170 lbs.

Gordon Ryan (Renzo Gracie NY) def. Joao Gabriel Rocha (Soul Fighters) via Points (1-0) – No Gi Heavyweight

Famosa no UFC, a chave de Toquinho fez mais uma vítima, desta vez na Rússia. Foto: Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Faixa-preta de Jiu-Jitsu e finalizador eficiente, Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares colocou mais uma perna em sua vasta coleção, desta fez ao batalhar no evento Fight Nights Global 70, na Rússia.

O combate, que rolou nesta sexta-feira, dia 7, terminou com pouco mais de 30s. Após o soar do gongo, Toquinho aplicou uma queda de sacrifício, e por baixo já buscou a perna no giro que terminou com a chave de calcanhar encaixada. O adversário, Alexei Ivanov, tentou escapar do golpe, mas apenas adiou a inevitável batucada na chave de Toko.

Confira o lance no vídeo abaixo!

Tonon with the ankle lock in place while Aoki taps out. One FC

Last Friday Garry Tonon was able to flaunt some more of his BJJ skills, at the One FC edition dubbed Dynasty of Heroes. His opponent was strong finisher Shinya Aoki. For the first time ever, One FC held a BJJ superfight. Tonon came out with the win after he sank a tight ankle lock; Aoki failed to escape and was forced to surrender.

You can watch it happen in this video.

Tonon com a chave encaixada enquanto Aoki bate. Foto: Divulgação/One

Faixa-preta de Jiu-Jitsu formado na academia de Renzo Gracie, Garry Tonon se especializou na arte suave sem kimono, com habilidosos ataques nos membros inferiores. O americano de personalidade forte pode mostrar mais um dos seus golpes no One FC, em sua edição intitulada Dynasty of Heroes, que rolou nessa sexta, dia 26. Seu adversário, o habilidoso finalizador no MMA Shinya Aoki.

Pela primeira vez em sua história, o One FC realizou uma superluta de Jiu-Jitsu, e os dois craques no solo foram escalado para protagonizar. Para levar a vitória, Garry atacou numa justa chave de tornozelo. Aoki tentou escapar, mas acabou por ceder os três tapinhas.

Confira o lance no vídeo abaixo!

Photos Dan Rod, John Lamonica

Garry Tonon broke the news earlier today that he’s going to be facing Rousimar Palhares at Polaris 3.

The event is scheduled April 2, in Poole, UK.

The match between the two heel hook artists will for sure be a sight to see.

The reaction on social media was instantaneous, with people siding up with the Brazilian or the American.

Here are two highlights with Garry and Toquinho.

Who do you got?

It seems Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares is destined to attract controversies to his MMA career.

After being fired from the UFC in 2013 for having cranked a heel hook for too long after Mike Pierce had tapped, the Brazilian fighter has done it again.

Last Saturday, he defeated Jake Shields by submission on the 3rd round with a kimura lock in the main event of WSOF 22.

The problem came when Toquinho cranked the kimura further more for a few seconds after Shields tapped and the referee stepped in to stop the fight.

He was also accused of eye-gouging Shields during the three rounds.

Today, the WSOF released its decision of stripping Toquinho of his welterweight belt and suspending him.

In the past two days, many fighters reacted in social media to the images of the fight and some of them asked for a life-ban on Toquinho, arguing he is a repeat offender in cases like that.

Today, during the era of modern MMA and trainings with the aid of Youtube, locks from the waist down have diversified. Regarded as rude in the golden days of Jiu-Jitsu, now they are largely accepted and seen as a valuable skill in any champion’s game.

One evidence of this? Karl Amoussou, who won the Bellator’s welterweight GP submiting Bryan Baker with a heel hook Rousimar Toquinho style.

The new french star only needed 56 seconds to pounce on Baker’s leg and apply the lethal move. With the triumph, besides getting 100 thousand dollars, Amoussou will face Ben Askren for the title of the event. See black belt Amoussou in action:

Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rousimar "Toquinho" Palhares celebrates yet another submission win at ADCC 2011. Photo: Dan Rod.

The only thing harder to do than figure out what’s going on in Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares Rousimar Palhares, o Toquinho’s head is escaping one of his submission holds.

What’s so special about the way the BTT star does leglocks? Why is he so devastating in the UFC middleweight division?

The theories answering that are far-reaching and varied, and they’re pretty much all valid.

1. REPETITIONS

Ever since he first started training Jiu-Jitsu in Minas Gerais, under Iran Brasileiro, the rookie Toquinho had faith in the position , and he does repetitions of them to exhaustion to this day, now in the UFC. The fact that heelhooks are very conducive to injury means most folks forgo using them too often in training. Toquinho didn’t want to hear it, though, and he set about polishing up the technique, even if his matmates had to suffer some as a result…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD4348F5lrA

2. MORE THAN MERELY THE RIGHT SQUEEZE, ROUSIMAR’S GOT POWER

Even in training, the desire and pressure with which Toquinho applies holds rarely allow his prey to escape. They either tap or lose a limb. “Even when he does it real slow, during training, it comes on really strong. If just because of his natural explosiveness,” remarks Miltinho Vieira, a training partner of Toquinho’s who recently got the call-up for the UFC featherweight division, now dominated by José Aldo. “The one who polished up Toquinho’s footlocks with him was the late Eraldo Paes, who was a specialist on the holds; he came from a luta livre background and was always using foot attacks,” Vieira adds. The man who beat Palhares in the final at ADCC 2011, in Nottingham, England,  André Galvão concurs: “That creature is real strong; that’s the thing that sets him apart the most, as I see it.”

3. ANATOMICALLY PERFECT JIU-JITSU MACHINE

At ADCC 2011 everyone was noticing: “Look at Toquinho’s torso; it’s shaped like a T! How would anyone be able to get their foot out once he fits it under his arm?” Indeed, the former cowboy’s powerful arms and even more powerful legs are a major boon in trapping an enemy leg. Fit in just right, his skill with the torque technique does the rest.

4. TRAP THE LEG, NOT THE FOOT!

As we mentioned above, most fighters are overly concerned about their foot being caught and don’t pay enough heed to the hold on their leg. “In MMA, as you get all sweaty, the hold ends up getting loose. Toquinho does a good job of adjusting the leg positions, and he sinks it in such a way that keeps the guy from spinning away,” says observant black belt Francisco “Sá”, a frontrunner in the Jiu-Jitsu scene in the Brazilian state of Ceará, in a conversation with our Junior Samurai.

5. DESPERATE OPPONENTS

Wracked with fear of Rousimar’s Jiu-Jitsu, his opponents try fleeing, to not stay stuck to him, as Rener and Ryron Gracie demonstrate below, 3:50 minutes into the video.