To learn mroe about Joe and his Gracie Barra Long Island Academy, visit www.gblongisland.com

On Oct. 23, Felipe “Preguica” Pena will be at GMA Gracie Barra Long Island to lead a seminar. The three-time world champion and Copa Podio star will be making his way from Brazil to the east coast to share his knowledge.

Professor Joe Scarola invites all teams and affiliations to attend the event located at 24 Jericho Turnpike, New Hyde Park, NY 11040.

The seminar will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and the cost will be $60 per person.

Learn more at www.gblongisland.com or call 516-616-4662.

Black belt Joe Scarola, leader of GMA member school Gracie Barra Long Island, in New York, is our Professor for the day.

During a class at his school, we have captured this very useful technique that you can use when playing on top.

Watch and add it to your game.

Live to Fight is a not for profit organization whose mission is to help those in the martial arts community who are facing life-threatening illnesses. The son of a prominent judo and Jiu-Jitsu black belt on Long Island in New York is currently facing a battle with cancer so Live to Fight is promoting a seminar to gather donations for the medical treatment.

See the story behind this seminar below:

Mark “Stan” Staniszewski’s passion for martial arts began over three decades ago as a young boy growing up on Long Island, NY. Years later, Stan discovered judo and Jiu-Jitsu. Stan excelled in both and has dedicated his life to studying, competing, and teaching the two disciplines.

Stan has medaled in multiple state, national and world competitions and is the first dual black belt on Long Island in both judo and BJJ. He was deservedly inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2010. Stan’s accolades in judo and BJJ seem endless; however, his greatest accomplishments are his two sons, Luke and Jake.

Two years ago, Stan’s youngest son, Jake, was diagnosed with a rare form of pediatric cancer. Jake was diagnosed with advanced stage 4 Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma at only 15 months old. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in the connective tissue, skeletal muscle or bone. The news shocked and devastated the Staniszewski family but Jake is a fighter, just like his father.
Jake has completed over a year of chemotherapy already and the bills have reached over an excess of $150,000. Unfortunately for Jake, the long road of treatment is far from over.

Live To Fight will be holding a benefit BJJ Seminar to help cover the costs of some of Jake’s medical treatment. Live To Fight for Jake will be held on Sunday, May 4th at 1:00 p.m. at Maxum BJJ in Bohemia, Long Island.

The $60 event will be taught be top instructors including Jake’s dad, judo Mark Stan, second degree BJJ black belts Joe Scarola of GMA Gracie Barra Long Island and Karel “Silver Fox” Pravec, UFC veteran Jimmy Quinlan, and third degree BJJ black belt and former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt “The Terror” Serra.

Live To Fight for Jake is open to all schools and skills levels are encouraged to come and participate.

For more information please contact Kristen at Kristen@LiveToFight.org

Funds raised from Live To Fight for Jake will go to Jake Staniszewski and to support LTF’s charitable mission. Live to Fight continues to evolve into the premiere MMA and Combat Sports not for profit platform where we can stand up together and fight back against cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Learn more about Live to Fight at www.livetofight.org

Pay attention and learn to sink a nice triangle and also to sweep and pass. For more info on GB Long Island, go to graciebarralongisland.com.

If you wish to enroll your academy in the GMA network, please send a message to gma@graciemag.com.

Professor Joe Scarola cumprimenta seus alunos, na Gracie Barra Long Island. Foto: Erin Herle/GRACIEMAG

O que você faz quando cai na guarda fechada do parceiro de treinos? Se a sua resposta é “passo igual manteiga”, este vídeo não é para você.

Se, no entanto, você está tendo a postura quebrada e não tem conseguido passar, você pode aprender duas ou três coisas com Joe Scarola, professor da GB Long Island.

Para Joe, o detalhe principal é não deixar o adversário fazer pegada na sua lapela e quebrar sua postura. O ideal é estourar a pegada e fazer postura forçando o quadril do rival para baixo.

Aos 1mim17s do vídeo a seguir, nosso GMA mostra como estourar a pegada e fazer postura, para evitar qualquer surpresa ou ataque.

Aos 1mim33s, repare como o faixa-preta da Gracie Barra faz uma pegada na lapela e outra forçando o quadril para baixo. Feito isso, Scarola estica a perna direta e põe pressão na ponta do joelho para abrir a guarda.

A 1min40s, ele começa a trabalhar a passagem emborcada fazendo pegada na lapela com a mão esquerda; com a mão direita, Scarola segura a perna para passar.

Aos 2mim44s, ele mostra os detalhes da pegada na calça. A mão que segura a perna na hora da passagem de guarda precisa estar com o cotovelo posicionado para baixo, para que o seu braço não seja puxado para dentro de um triângulo.

Aos 2mim53s, Joe Scarola mostra como colocar pressão no quadril utilizando seu próprio peso. E destaca a pegada no fundo da calça, que tira todo o poder do oponente de repor a guarda. Agora é passar colado e ir para o abraço.

Curtiu? Aprendeu a passar “feito manteiga”? Comente com a gente.

Scarola (front row right) with Romulo Barral and his team

The GMA has added a new member in Long Island, NY.

Gracie Barra Long Island is headed by black belt 2nd degree Joe Scarola.

Scarola Started training Jiu-Jitsu when he was 18 years old. He has trained with and learned from many great instructors including Renzo Gracie,Rodrigo Gracie, Matt Serra, and Nick Serra.

Professor Joe was promoted to black belt in 2005 by Renzo Gracie and Matt Serra(first black belt given by Matt).

Professor Joe now continues training and learning from the great instructors of the Legendary Gracie Barra Team.

He has competed and won many Grappling, Jiu-Jitsu, and MMA competitions.

For more info, go to scarolabjj.com.

Joe received a lot of bad press during and after his short stint on TUF 6. After he left the show, he got kicked around in the media. It was clear that most people had their minds made up about him anyway.

TUF 6 was a long time ago, and Joe wants to leave the past in the past. It definitely changed his life, but he’s a resilient guy who, over the years, has redeemed himself in an impressive and admirable way. So, erase everything in your mind that you think you know about him, and get to know the real Joe…from the beginning.

Joe grew up in East Meadow in Long Island, NY. He started training martial arts at the age of 5. When he was 16, he saw the first Ultimate Fighting Championship with Royce Gracie and wanted to learn Jiu-Jitsu. He related to Royce, who wasn’t a big guy either, and liked the idea of overcoming bigger guys with technique, not strength.

Joe started taking Jiu-Jitsu and stand-up at a local school when he heard that Matt and Nick Serra, who trained under Renzo Gracie, were doing “privates” at their home in East Meadow. Joe contacted Matt and started training with him. “After a while, Renzo started Jiu-Jitsu classes where I lived,” Joe says, “Ricardo Almeida, Rodrigo Gracie, and Matt taught at the school.”

They called it “The Barn” because there were no windows or ventilation. “It was like slip and slide in there in the summer,” Joe laughs. He trained at The Barn for about three years. “Renzo taught there for the first six months, then went back to his Manhattan academy. Matt and Rodrigo took over teaching to keep it going,” Joe says.

Joe Scarola holds his brand new black belt. With him, Matt, Nick Serra, Damien Serra, Papa Serra, Joe Monahan and Persian Nick. They all trained at "The Barn". Photo: personal archives

Matt and Rodrigo eventually opened their own schools. “I stayed with Matt and helped teach classes.” Joe says, “I also trained with Rodrigo at his school.” When Rodrigo moved to California, Joe kept teaching and competing under Matt and their friendship continued to grow. Joe also began to build a name for himself as a respected and knowledgeable instructor and Jiu-Jitsu artist.

Over time, Joe became so passionate about the sport, he started traveling back and forth to Brazil to train. The first time he went, he stayed with Flavio Almeida. “He was a really good guy,” Joe says, “He let me stay with him and he showed me all around Rio.” Joe went to train in Brazil about a half dozen times. “Jiu-Jitsu was different there,” he says, “Back then, Renzo was getting into MMA along with a lot of other guys. I was training more no gi. Their grips were at a different level. They were better than what I was used to. I learned a lot when I went there.”

As Joe’s Jiu-Jitsu developed, he began to progress in his belts as well. He became Matt’s first black belt when he was 25 years old and the two were inseparable. “I was training with Matt, and going to his shows. I’d known Dana White for a long time. I told Matt I wanted to be in the show (TUF 6). He pitched it and they accepted me.”

Getting his black belt from Renzo and Matt. Photo: Personal Files.

The Ultimate Fighter 6: Team Hughes vs. Team Serra was shot in June of 2007. The show was scheduled to run six weeks, but Joe only lasted two. He says he didn’t realize until it was too late, that the fighters trained for two hours in the morning and two in the evening, but the rest of the time they were stuck in the house with each other.

“The whole experience…that I left for my girlfriend…that wasn’t the case,” Joe recalls, “I didn’t leave for her. At the time, for good or for bad, I just wasn’t mentally prepared to live in the house.” Joe says he was ready to fight, but as a private, introverted person, the chaos, drama, and constant verbal sparring between the guys left him drained and stressed out. “I just wasn’t prepared to deal with all that,” he says.

After Joe left the show, the life he knew completely unraveled. Matt was true to his word when he said if Joe dropped out, he’d cut him out of his life. “Matt gave me everything,” he recalls sadly, “But when I left the house, I had nothing. I lost my way of life and my best friend. Matt was like a brother to me. I was the best man in his wedding. It sucked.”

Scarola was left on his own to try to put his life back together with what little he had – no job, no money, and no real plans. He couldn’t teach for Matt at his school anymore and he had to find a way to make money. Joe had hit the lowest point in his life. “I had to grow up,” he says, “It forced me to man-up. It made me tough.”

I just wasn’t prepared to deal with all that” Joe Scarola

So, Joe did what Joe does best: Jiu-Jitsu. He called in some old “privates” and taught them out of his house. Some friends remained by his side, while others turned their backs on him. “It was terrible,” he says, “True friends stuck around through the hard times. They motivated me to do something big.”

Joe decided he wanted to open up his own Jiu-Jitsu school, but he knew he had to start small to make it big. So, in November of 2007, Joe found a place in Queens to teach. Times were tough and money was sparse, so he did what he could to get by. “I rented space out of a kitchen cafeteria in an Asian Community Center in College Point,” Joes laughs, “I brought mats there and tried to advertise. Through word of mouth, I got students to train in the kitchen! I thought, ‘Wow! I can actually do this!’ I had 15 students and I thought, ‘Ok, I gotta get out of this kitchen!’”

Joe went back to Long Island with a little more money and confidence under his belt. He found a place to rent space and once again, students filled it up quickly. He decided it was time to open his own school. “Scarola BJJ opened in May of 2008,” Joe says proudly, “But I was so familiar with Gracie Barra – I originally trained under Renzo – it just made sense to change affiliations. When I got my 1^st degree stripe on my black belt, I went to the GB headquarters in California and saw how well the school was managed, how beautiful the academy was, and how efficiently their classes were run. It was awesome.”

Joe decided he wanted to be a part of their team, so he spoke to the GB Association and changed his school to GB Long Island. “I took a lot of ‘flak’ after the Ultimate Fighter show,“ Joe says, “But when I opened up my school, everyone knew me, partly from that. I got about 100 students in 2 months.” As the old saying goes, when one door closes, another one always opens up.

GB Long Island became so successful, Joe opened GB Long Island, Commack in August of 2009. “The schools are doing well with the help of my partner, Tom Muller,” Joe says, “I couldn’t do this without him. I’m so lucky to be able to live the Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle. You can’t find better. I get to do Jiu-Jitsu everyday, teach, and make people’s lives better. It’s great.”

Although Joe is hungry to get back into MMA, which he trains in and teaches regularly, he says it’s not the time in his life to pursue it. His goals these days are to stay 100% focused on his schools and to train for Jiu-Jitsu competitions. “I want to do well with the top guys,” he says.

Recently, Joe had the opportunity to do just that when he agreed to fight in a Jiu-Jitsu “superfight” with Hermes Franca, Brazilian black belt, former UFC lightweight contender, and WEC lightweight champion. The fight took place at tournament Long Island Pride.

Fighting Hermes at last Long Island Pride. Photo: Chris Scanlon.

“It was an honor to go against Hermes,” Joe says, “His Jiu-Jitsu is really good and I wanted to test my skills. It was a six minute match. He got a take down at the beginning and I got a sweep. I shot a takedown, and he got on top. He won 4-2.”

Today, Joe loves his life. Everything’s finally going his way. Who knew that when he originally accepted the Ultimate Fighter spot, it would turn his life upside down and he would have to work so hard to turn it right-side up again? But that’s exactly what he’s done with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, and he’s a better man for it. “Jiu-Jitsu gave me a purpose in life,” Joe says, “I love teaching and spreading the art. I get to do something I love every day.”

As for his relationship with Matt Serra, Joe says he’s seen him sporadically over the years. They say hello, but that’s about it. “It’s not the same as it was,” Joe says resignedly, “It won’t ever be the same. We lead two different lives now. We’ll always be friendly, but it’s sad because I was closer to him than anyone.”

Hermes França comemora a medalha. Foto: Chris Scanlon

Com a presença do grande mestre faixa-vermelha Francisco Mansur e competidores de 30 escolas de Nova York e estados vizinhos, o NY Pride acertou na nova sede, o York College, e realizou a sua nona edição. Entre os destaques do evento, o faixa-preta e ex-lutador do UFC Hermes França derrotou Joe Scarola na superluta. 

Hermes deixou claro que, apesar de aposentado no Ultimate, está em forma. Uma queda logo no inicio do desafio o colocou na frente do placar. O combate teve boas chances para os dois lados, sendo que Hermes se mostrou mais eficaz nos ataques e conseguiu impor um bom ritmo e estabilizar em algumas situações. Após 6 minutos, por pontos, Hermes França celebrou bastante e recebeu a medalha de ouro das mãos do mestre Mansur.    

A criançada também mostrou técnica. Foto: Chris Scanlon

Lotus Club

Kioto BJJ

Gracie Barra LI

Scarola, organizadores, Mansur e Hermes. Foto: Chris Scanlon

Sign-ups end four days from now so you’d better hurry. Long Island Pride 9 takes place June 13.

Originally meant to be a no-gi event, the tournament answered the call of dozens of athletes and opened up a gi division. Send an email to lipridebjj@yahoo.com and confirm your participation.
All the children in the kids division will get a medal for having participated. The championship will be held at Cuny York College (94-20 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard), Jamaica, NY.

Contact the organizers with any questions you may have:

Eloy Santos: (516) 459 2111
Milton Regis: (631) 255 72 11
Email: lipridebjj@yahoo.com

GMAs Eloy Santos and Milton Almeida invite all Jiu-Jitsu lovers to show their skills this June at Long Island’s York College.

The event will be exclusively No-Gi. It will also feature a supermatch between black belts Joe Scarola and Hermes França.

Registration is now open. For further information, go to lipridebjj.com