GMA member Luis “Limão” Herédia is getting set to offer a new class for his students this next month.

Maui JJ will launch an all-new women’s self-defense class starting November 5.

The class will be held at Haiku academy on Saturdays from 1pm – 3pm.

Luis and instructor Danyel will be heading the lessons.

For further info, go to mauijiujitsu.com

Black belt podium, with Cyborg, Abmar, Laércio Fernandes and Nivaldo Lima. Photos: Felipe Pires.

The saga of Jiu-Jitsu in Hawaii would yield a heck of a book, ever since the days such legends as Marcelo Behring, Relson Gracie and Marcelo Biju passed through the archipelago.

This Saturday, a new chapter of the story was written, with the maiden Honolulu Open put on by the IBJJF.

Not sporting his classic waxed hair do in Hawaii, Abmar fought Laércio, light featherweight champion, in the absolute. In the end, Abmar won 2-0.

With a massive number of white and blue belts, a sign Jiu-Jitsu has a future in Hawaii, the championship crowned our GMA Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu, who in the absolute final defeated Abmar Barbosa and lay claim to two gold medals, one at weight and the other open weight.

Besides them, the other black belts to stand out were Jonatas “Tagarela” Gurgel, the lightweight winner after beating Wallace Castro, and our GMA Aldo Januário, the master absolute champion. In the senior division, an “aloha” goes out to our local GMA and now absolute champion Master Luis “Limão” Heredia.

The team podium: trophy to Gracie Barra.

At brown belt, the absolute winner was the hard-nosed Nathan Mendelsohn (Claudio França).

Check out the team results, and see who came up big in Hawaii by clicking here for the complete results from the IBJJF.
1. Gracie Barra
2. Maui Grappling Academy
3. Gracie Humaitá

Tagarela (standing) against Wallace in lightweight final.

O pódio do absoluto da faixa-preta, com Cyborg, Abmar, Laércio Fernandes e Nivaldo Lima. Fotos: Felipe Pires.

A saga do Jiu-Jitsu no Havaí renderia um belo livro, desde a época da passagem pelo arquipélago americano de lendas como Marcelo Behring, Relson Gracie e Marcelo Biju.

Nesse sábado, um novo capítulo desta história foi escrito, com a realização do 1º Honolulu Open, da IBJJF.

Sem o clássico cabelo parafinado logo no Havaí, Abmar Barbosa venceu o campeão dos plumas Laércio por 2 a 0.

Com um número maciço de faixas-brancas e azuis, sinal de que o Jiu-Jitsu não é uma onda passageira no Havaí, o campeonato coroou nosso GMA Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu, que na final do absoluto derrotou Abmar Barbosa e faturou dois ouros, no peso e no aberto.

Além deles, outros faixas-pretas de destaque foram Jonatas “Tagarela” Gurgel, campeão dos leves ao bater Wallace Castro, e nosso GMA Aldo Januário, campeão absoluto master. No sênior, um “aloha” para nosso GMA local e agora campeão absoluto, mestre Luis “Limão” Heredia.

O pódio por equipes: troféu com a Gracie Barra.

Na marrom, o campeão absoluto foi a pedreira Nathan Mendelson (Claudio França).

Confira o resultados por equipe, e para ver quem se deu bem no Havaí clique aqui, para os resultados oficiais completos da IBJJF.

1. Gracie Barra
2. Maui Grappling Academy
3. Gracie Humaitá

Tagarela (de pé) contra Wallace na final dos leves.

Frazatto garantiu presença no Havaí. Foto: Ivan Trindade

A IBJJF prorrogou o prazo de inscrições para o Honolulu Open. A data final era neste sábado, mas foi estendida até o dia 31 de agosto, próxima terça-feira (inscreva-se aqui).

O evento, que acontece no dia 4 de setembro, no ginásio da Henry J. Kaiser High School, marca a volta de grandes competições da IBJJF ao Havaí. Os faixas-pretas Bruno Frazatto, Jonatas Tagarela, Bruno Bastos, Laércio Fernandes e Aldo Caveirinha, entre outros, disseram que estarão dentro do Honolulu Open. Entre as equipes, times tradicionais do arquipélago havaiano como Gracie Barra, Relson Gracie, Nova União, Brazilian Freestyle, Grappling Unlimited, Gracie Technics, Gracie Humaitá, Maui Jiu-Jitsu, Longman JJ, Mad Tiger JJ e Gracie Jiu Jitsu North Shore, entre tantas outras, também devem estar dentro.

Outro ponto alto é a homenagem a BJ Penn, Egan Inoue, Renato Charuto, Luis Limão, Kai Garcia e Bruno Longman, que receberão o diploma de faixa-preta da IBJJF.

UFC star BJ Penn. Photo: publicity

This coming September 4 the Honolulu International Open will mark the return of major competitions to Hawaii. But what’s more, the IBJJF is preparing a special tribute to the six resident black belts on the archipelago, among them BJ Penn.

“We’re going to present black belt diplomas to BJ Penn, Egan Inoue, Renato Charuto, Luis Limão, Kai Garcia and Bruno Longman. We’re contacting them all. The event will be really cool and there’s only a week left to sign up,” recounts André Fernandes.

BJ Penn with world championship gold medal. Photo: publicity

On August 28 the honored BJ will see action at UFC 118 in Boston, when he attempts to take back the organization’s lightweight belt against Frankie Edgar. BJ remembers his days participating in IBJJF competitions, which he considers an important step in his success as a fighter.

“I never took it seriously, but I started to change my way of thinking before the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship finals. I was in the final and remember thinking: ‘I’ll never be in this position again. So get out there and do the possible and impossible to win.’ And that’s why I think today I’m good under pressure,” remembers BJ on the UFC website.

For anyone who wants to be a champion like BJ, or just wants to feel the adrenaline and put their Jiu-Jitsu to the test, all you need to do is sign up for the Honolulu Open clicking here.

Now in the meantime, check out “Baby” Jay at the 2000 World Championship, the year he became the first non-Brazilian black belt to win the title.