The UAEJJF held another edition of the US National Pro series this Saturday, Feb. 13.

Hundreds of athletes gathered in Orlando, Florida, to compete for travel packages for the 2016 WPJJC.

Marcelo Garcia’s black belt Jon Satava was the standout when he won the adult black belt division.

Satava beat Abraham Marte in the absolute final.

Click here for more info and for the full results.

The next chance to compete for travel packages for the 2016 WPJJC is the NY International Pro.

Click here to register.

Matheus Diniz at the 2015 Worlds

Day 1 of the 2015 New York Summer Open is a wrap.

Alliance’s Matheus Diniz and Jonathan Satava closed out the black belt open class gi division.

Diniz (medium-heavy) and Satava (middle) also won their weight divisions.

Watch Matheus’ final in the medium-heavy.

Other champions in the black belt divisions included João Miyao (light-feather), Paulo Miyao (light), Aaron Johnson (heavy), Lincoln Pereira (super-heavy), Thomas MacMahon (ultraheavy).

Watch João Miyao’s final match.

In the teams competition, Alliance swept the first day with 272 pts., followed by Soul Fighters with 70 pts. and SAS with 58 pts.

For the complete results, go to IBJJF.com.

Click here for a quick guide for the 2015 NY Summer Open.

Marcos Tinoco, Dominyka Obelenyte, Marcelo Garcia, Jonathan Satava. Photo: John “Ric” Ricard

When Marcelo Garcia runs his promotion nights at Marcelo Garcia Academy in New York City, he makes sure to leave some level of surprise. It may be seen as a tease or even a prank like when he promoted Gianni Grippo one year ago by making him think he was being promoted to a four-stripe brown belt before whipping out the black belt from his gi.

Dominyka receiving her black belt. Photo: John “Ric” Ricard

This year there were three additions to the MGA black belt team: Dominyka Obelenyte, Marcos Tinoco and Jonathan Satava. All active competitors on the team with multiple accomplishments for each, Marcelo decided it was their time. But not without inviting Marcos and Jon up for more stripes on their brown belts, letting them believe they would have to wait a little longer for their final rank.

Marcos receiving his black belt. Photo: John “Ric” Ricard

Before the ceremony was over, Marcelo gave his speech and called up the three one by one to have their black belts tied around their waist. A microphone placed in their hand, they each told a speech that they may or may not have been prepared for. Dominyka talked of her ten years in the art and wanting to quit while her parents encouraged her throughout her journey. Marcos talked of his struggles in Brazil and the opportunities that both his wife and Marcelo

Jon receiving his black belt. Photo: John “Ric” Ricard

gave to him that led him to this day. And Jon spoke of how he still had photos of Marcelo choking people in his bedroom at his family home that proved how much of a hero Marcelo was for him prior to even training with him.

Thanks to MGinaction, the speeches are available to see online. You can watch them below:

Watch out for Dominyka and Marcos, both entering the 2015 IBJJF European Championship to test their new belts on Jan. 22-25 in Lisbon, Portugal!

MG brown belts. Photo: John “Ric” Ricard

The students of GMA Marcelo Garcia Academy are gaining ground–quite literally. Besides taking over podiums they are now traveling internationally taking up opportunities as they come.

This Saturday, Nov. 22 will prove to be a big weekend with Metamoris, Copa Podio and the Rickson Gracie Cup featuring students of MGA.

Dillon Danis traveled to Tokyo on Wednesday for the Rickson Gracie Cup. Sponsor Shoyoroll sent the brown belt world champion on his way to hopefully earn a new title in Asia. The 21-year-old says, “Competing in Japan means a lot to me because I am really into the samurai spirit. It will be a great experience for me.” On what it means for the team he explains, “It’s an effect of our hard work and unity. We all grind together every day and these opportunities are bound to come. We’re going to show the world what we’re about and how hard we train!”

Over in South America, both black belt Gianni Grippo and brown belt Jonathan Satava are settled into Rio de Janeiro as they prepare for their day at Copa Podio.

For Gianni, this will be his second time at the event. He first competed in the lightweight grand prix earlier this year but will now be facing Joao Miyao in a no time limit, submission-only no-gi match. Ready for this next challenge he writes, “I’ve been thinking about this opportunity since the last time I stepped off the Copa Podio mats this past April. I was really disappointed with my performance then. I’m excited because I feel like this is a great opportunity for me to redeem myself against an opponent who I have a lot of respect for.”

Jonathan Satava will make Copa Podio debut as part of the middleweight grand prix in the yellow group. He will face top black belts to vie for the crown. His feelings towards Saturday: “This is my first time competing at a tournament this big. It has brought a lot more attention than I’m used to but it’s been fun dealing with the challenges of it. I look forward to competing and giving my best against some of the best.”

When it comes to the team, even their feelings are mutual. Their joint statement about the importance of the MGA team’s opportunities this weekend reads: “We’re both so excited about this weekend now that Matheus is in Metamoris and Dillon is competing at the Rickson Cup in Japan. This is an extra motivation for us to give everything in our matches because we know our brothers will be doing the same. Also this really means a lot to us as a team. We’ve all been working hard together and it’s great to see that the hard work is beginning to open up opportunities for everyone. Now it’s just time to take advantage of those opportunities.”

It was only yesterday that the team secured yet another opportunity, this time in the home country in the form of a Metamoris superfight. After a tough social media contest and an executive decision by the organization, organizer Ralek Gracie chose Matheus Diniz to replace Kevin Casey in the superfight against Vinny Magalhaes and have a chance to win $10,000 should he submit the ADCC champ.

Matheus sees this opening as a way to prove the success of Marcelo’s tutelage and the hard work of his training partners who have helped him prepare for this even on late notice.

You can catch the Copa Podio event on their livestream at www.copapodio.com starting 12:30 p.m. PST

Metamoris will begin at 1 p.m. PST with their livestream at www.metamoris.com

The brown belt dream team at the 2014 No-Gi Pans. Photo: Erin Herle

At Marcelo Garcia Academy in New York City, there is a team of athletes who have been sweeping tournaments. They came on the rise last year after individually winning competitions here and there. But today, they’ve discovered their unity in both training and competition so well that their tactics have succeeded in many accomplishments and titles.

The brown belt dream team as they’re called includes Marcos Silva Tinoco, Matheus Diniz, Jonathan Satava, Dillon Danis, Mansher Singh Khera and Joel Burgess. Their origins all differ as to when they exactly began training full-time with Marcelo and where they traveled from to be part of the team but now they all share a very similar lifestyle.

Some of their weight divisions overlap but from feather to sometimes heavy they have the titles covered. Their opportunities granted to them by Marcelo allow them a life of full-time training but their work ethics provide them with the results.

Marcelo Garcia himself pays close attention to the ebb and flow of their training, their interpersonal relationships and even their living situations. “I try to develop such a good environment that it encourages everyone to train. No fights, no chance to complain about small things, never lose the focus from what is the big goal: get better at Jiu-Jitsu and be able to live from Jiu-Jitsu later on. Everyone will enjoy it no matter if they are hurt or they’re upset, they come here and they’re going to have a good place and always enjoy training.”

Marcos, right. Photo: Erin Herle

Marcos’ arrival came in 2012 when he met Marcelo through his wife after moving from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The two were living in Memphis, TN and working at an affiliate school but Marcos often traveled back to New York to train under the legend. It was early this year when Marcos became part of the team in New York full-time. Since then he has competed in the major tournaments on both coasts and internationally. In 2013 he came up short as a brown belt at the gi Worlds, earning second in the middleweight division. By the following year the gold was his after closing out with teammate Dillon. In no-gi he closed out the medium-heavy division with another teammate Matheus twice at the Pans in NYC in 2013 and 2014.

Matheus after winning his second No-Gi Worlds title. Photo: Erin Herle

Matheus Diniz came from the same hometown as Marcelo in Brazil. When Matheus began training, Marcelo would come by to train and it was then that he made the connection. By the time he was a purple belt in 2011 he began training full-time as much as he could with Marcelo in the states before he’d travel back to his hometown. In 2013 he began his trek of collecting titles by closing out the 2013 No-Gi Pans with teammate Marcos and winning the 2013 No-Gi Worlds medium-heavy title. He came up with a bronze at the gi Worlds in 2014 but accomplished the same exact no-gi feat at Pans and Worlds as the previous year. He currently lives in a house with other serious athletes who are focused on the same goals from the academy.

Jon Satava winning his Pan ttile. Photo: Erin Herle

Jonathan Satava, a Long Island native spends his time teaching and training in the city during the week but travels home to family on the weekends. Considered to have the most replicated game of Marcelo’s, he moved to the academy as a blue belt. His breakthrough came in 2012 when he won No-Gi Pans absolute as a purple belt then followed up with a No-Gi Worlds title and a silver in the absolute. After being promoted to brown belt in 2013, he went on to win the No-Gi Pans. By 2014 he earned the gi Pans title with Dillon and earned third in the absolute. More recently he repeated the No-Gi Pans title but this time with an absolute title as well. No-Gi Worlds this year was another win for him as he closed the middleweight division.

Dillon after winning at the 2014 Pans. Photo: Erin Herle

Dillon Danis was the last to enter the dream team. He trained four years in both wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu as a teenager in New Jersey before moving next door to the Marcelo Garcia Academy in NYC at the age of 19 in 2013. Prior to the major move he traveled from NJ to train twice a week. He first made his appearance at the 2013 gi Worlds, which was his first tournament as a new brown belt, when he got to the quarter-finals of the middleweight division submitting all three of his opponents up to that point. But by the end of the year at No-Gi Pans he had put it all together to close out the middleweight division with teammate Jon Satava and third in the open. The gi Pans in 2014 gave him the win after again closing out with Jon. But at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Championship he and Jon fought in the finals instead of closing out, a move that is considered controversial by most. He earned the win and a month later closed out the middle division at gi Worlds with teammate Marcos. Most recently he closed middleweight and the absolute at 2014 No-Gi Pans  with Jon and closed middleweight with Jon again at 2014 No-Gi Worlds and then closed out with Munchi in the absolute.

Munchi won the double gold at 2013 No-Gi Worlds. Photo: Erin Herle

Mansher Singh Khera, known as Munch or Munchi, started training with Marcelo in 2010 as a white belt. He transferred over to the gym from a Queens academy less than a year after his Jiu-Jitsu journey began. All of his promotions have been earned under Marcelo making him the first of the homegrown. He made some strides in tournaments every once in awhile even placing second at gi worlds in 2013 as a purple belt losing to Michael Liera Jr. Later that year after being promoted to brown belt alongside teammate Jon Satava, he went on to win the 2013 No-Gi Pans lightweight division and accomplished double gold at the No-Gi Worlds. He again came up short against Liera Jr. at the gi Worlds of 2014 placing third in the lightweight division. However, he accomplished the same titles in no-gi as the previous year but instead of winning the absolute at No-Gi Worlds he closed it out with teammate Dillon.

Joel securing a crucifix, his most successful technique. Photo: Erin Herle

Joel Burgess moved from upstate New York to the Big Apple Feb. of 2012 as a purple belt after a short career in MMA. He visited the academy almost every month for two years before making the official move. Today he works as an assistant instructor, he’s the forum admin of MGinaction and oversees the daily operations and production of Estimainaction. He carries the weight of the feather division at most tournaments, earning his first major win at the 2013 No-Gi Pans closing out the weight division with German Salas. Moving on the No-Gi Worlds, he earned the silver medal in the feather division out in California. At the beginning of this year he was promoted to brown belt, his first promotion under Marcelo. Later in the year he won No-Gi Pans again, this time on his own accord. At No-Gi Worlds he secured the bronze.

In a video by John”Ric” Ricard, five of the dream team members discuss their tournaments and training in a casual setting. As an added plus, each of the athletes choose a technique they use well and break it down for viewers. You can watch the documentary here:

Mansher and Dillon close out the brown belt male absolute. Photo: Erin Herle

The brown belts at the 2014 IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship fought their matches on Sunday, Oct. 5 inside the Felix Event Center in Azusa, CA.

The divisions began the day and ran all the way through until the very end, only taking a break for the black belt finals in the middle. The brown belt male absolute title was shared among two students of Marcelo Garcia Academy in NYC. A week prior, the team swept the divisions from feather to heavyweight winning gold in each with one close-out in middleweight. Those middleweights, Dillon Danis and Jonathan Satava repeated the same feat in Azusa. Matheus Diniz went up a weight class at the Pan and won the heavyweight division there but went back down to his medium-heavy division at the Worlds and earned another gold there. Featherweight Joel Burgess conquered the Pan and earned a bronze in the Worlds.

Mansher in the lightweight final. Photo: Erin Herle

Mansher Singh Khera won the lightweight division after three matches and entered the absolute alongside Dillon. The two met in the finals and the title was given to Dillon, who had three matches of his own in middleweight before meeting Jon in the finals.

Dillon wins the semi-final with a kneebar. Photo: Erin Herle

Mansher defeated an ultra-heavyweight, a heavyweight and a super-heavyweight in the absolute using his single-leg x-guard. Dillon faced an ultra-heavyweight, and two other middleweights on his way to the gold. The podium was shared with super-heavyweight silver medalist Pedro Araujo of Gracie Barra and middleweight William Durkee of Fight Sports.

Jaqueline after she won the absolute. Photo: Erin Herle

The female absolute was conquered by featherweight Jaqueline Amorim of Checkmat, who was able to redeem herself from losing her one match in her weight division. The new brown belt, who won both 2013 and 2014 purple belt featherweight at gi worlds, faced two lightweights in the first and second rounds to get to the finals. Her opponent in the finals, Alexis Du Frense of Checkmat as well, attempted to pass Jaqueline’s guard but it was a referee decision that ended the match. In a cathartic moment, Jaqueline’s hand was raised and she collapsed as she realized the gold was hers.

See the full results here: http://static.ibjjfdb.com/Campeonato/000313/en-US/Results.pdf 

Check out full photos of the brown belt divisions:

Dillon on the back of an opponent. Photo: John “Ric” Ricard

The city of New York on Saturday, Sept. 27, was the place where Dillon Danis, student of Marcelo Garcia earned gold. The 20-year-old brown belt took gold in the middleweight and absolute divisions of the 2014 IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship, closing with teammate Jonathan Satava. The Alliance team member won five fights in the tournament.

Most athletes prefer to rest after an exhausting tournament, but not Dillon. He made sure to train nine rounds of eight minutes with the black belt star Joao Miyao, also winner of the event. “His philosophy on Jiu-Jitsu looks like mine: always attack,” says the brown belt.

In conversation with GRACIEMAG, the athlete says his dream of becoming the next American world champion is on track, and talks about the importance of fighting the absolute. Learn from the beast:

GRACIEMAG: After your great performance at the no-gi Pan, are you already dreaming about the black belt?

DILLON DANIS: I look forward to getting my black belt because I can’t wait to test myself against the best fighters in the world. Since I was 15 years old, I dreamed about becoming the next American black belt world champion. However I’m not in a rush, I believe my professor Marcelo Garcia will aid me in reaching that goal whenever he feels I’m ready to make that transition to black belt.

One of your interesting matches was the absolute semifinal against Dainis Nguyen-Huu. Can you walk us through that one?

Prior to that match, I fought two ultra-heavyweights, so nonetheless I was relieved that he [Dainis] was also a middleweight. At the start of the match, I set the pace very high because I knew that it was essentially a finals match, since my teammate had already made it to the final. I was able to quickly secure a victory via one arm choke and secure another absolute title with my teammate Jon Satava.

Dillon training with Joao Miyao. Photo: Personal Archive

After the competition you trained with João Miyao. What did your learn training with him?

I enjoy training with Joao because he has a tenacious attitude and relentless pace that leads to a wide variety of attacks. His philosophy sinks up with mine of just trying your best to not stall or rest. I came away from the training session with a renewed sense to continue being aggressive regardless of the position and to keep moving forward.

Can you give our readers some valuable lesson you may have learned while conquering the no-gi Pan?

The most valuable takeaway from No-Gi Pan would be to always compete in the absolute, if possible. I always learn something new about myself as a competitor and person competing in the absolute division. It’s always great to test yourself potentially against someone twice your size and since you will compete with the best of best of the divisions you will make yourself a better fighter and martial artist.

Dilon celebrates his win at the 2014 Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship. Photo: Erin Herle

After the double gold at the 2014 IBJJF New York Open, a brown belt taught by star Marcelo Garcia gained prominence in the Jiu-Jitsu scene. Dillon Danis, 20, won the middleweight and absolute, closing with teammates. The promising young athlete won five fights.

Dillon also dominated the middleweight category at the the Pans and Worlds this year.

In conversation with GRACIEMAG, the Alliance athlete told how he plays against heavier opponents, and passed on the lessons he learns from his teacher Marcelo.

GRACIEMAG: What did you do differently in this competition, Dillon?

DILLON DANIS: Nothing different. I always do the same thing. I want to dominant, that’s my style. I like to score as many points as possible while always attacking. I want my opponent to never want to fight me again.

In the middleweight category, you closed out the competition with your teammate Jonathan Satava. But, for that to happen, first you had to take on Tye Ryan Murphy of Team Lloyd Irvin. Talk me through how you subbed him.

I know from watching Tye before that he is very physical and aggressive so going in I knew I had to be smart and use my mind and go around his force using it against him, which I did eventually finishing with a toehold.

You were also successful in the open. What was the secret to beating that division?

For me I love fighting the absolute because it gives me the chance to try my Jiu-Jitsu against all sizes especially bigger opponents. A big thing for me is when I was growing up I was very weak and was always on the defense because I was training with men. When I was a kid my defense became really good so now when I fight bigger opponents I don’t have to change my style. I do the same thing: go for the kill because I have no fear. I attack without caution because I am comfortable in bad positions.

In the absolute semi final you overcame Gustavo. Can you talk about that one in some detail?

He was very flexible with very strong grips and the thing about strong grips is that they can’t last forever so I kept the pressure and never stopped moving forward until he got tired and I could work my game.

You are a student of one of the greatest talents ever produced by BJJ, Marcelo Garcia. What was your most unforgettable training session with him?

I don’t remember an exact session but every time I train with Marcelo it’s unforgettable. He is a special talent. I am so blessed to get to roll with him. I don’t know if there will ever be anyone like him again. People ask me all the time what it’s like to roll with him and I say I can’t explain; you have to feel it for yourself.

And what sorts of BJJ lessons does he currently pass onto you?

Marcelo is the best role model in Jiu-Jitsu and in life he has taught me so much on how to be humble and many other things. I can’t thank him enough but the best lesson he has taught me in Jiu- Jitsu is to always attack, never move backward.

At WPJJC this year you didn’t close it out with your teammate Satava. Do you have a policy against that? What is your opinion?

At our gym we have a policy as a team that you either fight or flip a coin to decide the winner so when the time comes we talk and choose what we’re gonna do between each other. In my opinion the big events should be fought because the fans deserve a fight but it’s easier said than done because my training partners are like family. We do everything together.

JT Torres. Foto: Mike Calimbas

A Seletiva de Montreal para Abu Dhabi ocorreu no último fim de semana, no Canadá. Por lá, o grande destaque foi “JT” Torres, que venceu a categoria leve. Abaixo, você confere a lista dos campeões que também vão lutar em Abu Dhabi em abril com tudo pago.

Antes, veja o confere que carimbou o passaporte de JT para os Emirados Árabes.

Absoluto – Branca
1. Brody Rawding (Brazilian Top Team)

Absoluto Leve – Azul
1. Hassan Salifu (Toronto BJJ)

Absoluto Pesado – Azul
1. Patrick Walsh (Wai Kru)

Absoluto Leve – Roxa
1. Mansher Khera (Marcelo Garcia Academy)

Absoluto Pesado – Roxa
1. Jonathan Satava (Marcelo Garcia Academy)

Absoluto Branca/Azul – Feminino
1. Yacinta Nguyen-Huu (Scott Schilling BJJ)

Absoluto Roxa/Marrom/Preta Leve- Feminino
1. Tammi Musumeci (Alliance)

Absoluto Roxa/Marrom/Preta Pesado – Feminino
1. Dominyka Obelenyte (Marcelo Garcia Academy)

Marrom/Preta – Pena
1. Darson Hemmings (Open Mat)

Marrom/Preta – Leve
1. Jt Torres (Lloyd Irvin)

Marrom/Preta – Médio
1. Paulo Azambuja (Avengers)

Marrom/Preta – Pesado
1. Lee Villeneauve (Brazilian Top Team)

Marrom/Preta – Super-Pesado
1. Dan Simmler (Renzo Gracie)

JT Torres (photo by Mike Calimbas)

The Montreal, Canada, leg of the Abu Dhabi WPJJC Trials were held last weekend. The big standout on the occasion was “JT” Torres, who won the lightweight division. Below, check out the list of the others winners who will travel to Abu Dhabi with all expenses paid.

But first, watch the match that put JT through to the Emirates.

Absolute white belt
1. Brody Rawding (Brazilian Top Team)

Absolute blue belt lightweight
1. Hassan Salifu (Toronto BJJ)

Absolute blue belt heavyweight
1. Patrick Walsh (Wai Kru)

Absolute purple belt lightweight
1. Mansher Khera (Marcelo Garcia Academy)

Absolute purple belt heavyweight
1. Jonathan Satava (Marcelo Garcia Academy)

Absolute white/blue female
1. Yacinta Nguyen-Huu (Scott Schilling BJJ)

Absolute purple/brown/black lightweight female
1. Tammi Musumeci (Alliance)

Absoluto Roxa/Marrom/Preta Pesado – Feminino
1. Dominyka Obelenyte (Marcelo Garcia Academy)

Brown/black – Featherweight
1. Darson Hemmings (Open Mat)

Brown/black – Lightweight
1. Jt Torres (Lloyd Irvin)

Brown/black – Middleweight
1. Paulo Azambuja (Avengers)

Brown/black – heavyweight
1. Lee Villeneauve (Brazilian Top Team)

Brown/black – Superheavyweight
1. Dan Simmler (Renzo Gracie)