Buiú in action at Rio Open / Photo: Gustavo Aragão.

Gracie Barra’s Kleber “Buiú” Paulino divides his time between competitions and teaching at team headquarters in Barra da Tijuca. Even with the taxing schedule, the black belt managed some good results during the 2010 season. He closed out the medium heavyweight division at the Rio International Open with teammate Felipe Cranivata and won the No-Gi Brazilian Nationals. Now, the fighter is heading off to fight at the European Open, to take place January 27 in Lisbon.

“I want to compete in the main competitions. I was going to participate at the World Pro tryouts in Rio, but they take place the very day I embark for Europe. So my first goal is the European, but I hope to work things out so I can try out – who knows? – maybe in Europe,” he tells GRACIEMAG.com.

“This year I want to participate in all the major international tournaments. My visa is about to come out and I want to compete in the United States, I want to compete at the Worlds,” he adds.

Buiú beats Murilo Santana at No-Gi Brazilian Nationals. Photo: Carlos Ozório.

A teacher at Gracie Barra alongside the likes of Jefferson Moura, Buiú says training is going strong and that there will be a top-notch GB team out there in competition.

“We have a good number of teachers, so I can be substituted and focus whenever there are competitions. We have training sessions at a different time just for the folks who want to compete. Jefferson (Moura) works a lot, that’s why he won’t be able to compete at all the events, despite his always being excited about competing. But there’s a good bunch showing up for training. Tussa trains with us and will compete at the Rio tryouts. There’s Paulo “Samoa”, Chiquinho de Cuiabá, Lúcio Lagarto. So we’ve got good guys training with us,” he says in closing.

To participate at the European Open, click here. And to be sharp when you get to Portugal, learn a sweep from the GB teacher in the video below:

Peinado got the finish in two matches at Brazilian Team Nationals. Photo: Gustavo Aragão

In 2010 Antonio Peinado captured gold at the Brazilian Team and Brazilian No-Gi Nationals, as well as placing at the European Open, Pan, and Worlds. Now he’s already hard at it for next season, to kick off with the European Open.

For 2011 Peinado is eying a return to the superheavyweight division and, to be in tip-top physical form, the black belt is relying on the efforts of physical conditioning coach Rafael Alejarra.

“We got to know each other better in Bahia, when I was there helping Demian Maia train, and we became good friends. He’s going to help me get in better shape for 2011,” Peinado told GRACIEMAG.com.

The fighter explains what their work together will be like.

“We put together a really cool project. When I’m in São Paulo, he’ll send me what I should do by email and we’ll communicate regarding any questions I may have. But in February or March I should be in the U.S. For the Pan and then the Worlds. There we’ll work together on MMA conditioning. I’ll work with him whenever I’m in the States,” he says.

Do as Peinado does and get in on IBJJF tournaments. Sign up for the European Open coming up January 27 to 30 in Lisbon, Portugal, by clicking here.

Folklore or not, Igor is a beast. The judoka who also specializes in sambo is at Gordo-Evolve academy working on his Jiu-Jitsu to take off in MMA once and for all. According to the Sherdog.com website, Vasilyev has  three losses at M-1 Russia plus a TKO win at Face to Face earlier this month on his record, and now he wants to turn things around, which may happen at the next Jungle Fight, an event promoted by Wallid Ismail.

So far, the Russian fighter has handled himself well in Jiu-Jitsu, as shown in the takedown technique he displayed at the last No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Championship, in Rio.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8Kk2ydBxEs

Davi Ramos celebrates victory in Natal. Photo: Carlos Ozório.

Following his win at the Brazilian No-Gi Natioinals, Davi Ramos headed full steam up to Natal, where he secured a spot in the under-74 kg division at the World Pro main event, after beating beasts like Helder “Bob Sponja” Medeiros. Now the Master Casquinha black belt from Top Brother team heads into a challenge in another style.

“I almost didn’t come, because I’m going to fight MMA in Mexico, at Extreme Combat. But the event was postponed till the 20th, so I decided to enter both the Brazilian No-Gi Nationals and the World Pro qualifiers,” he tells GRACIEMAG.com.

“I went in at full force. I beat Bob Sponja, a really tough opponent, for the second time and I also beat Thiago Rocha of Alliance. For me it was really great,” he says in celebration.

Davi against Cascão. Photo: Carlos Ozório.

The final was against Leonardo “Cascão” Saggioro and was evenly matched, decided by a penalty point against his opponent, who cried bloody murder.

“The final was kind of unprecedented. But the truth is, I feel he didn’t try and pass my guard at any moment. He was there stacking me the whole time and the ref could have penalized him earlier. Thank God I won and now I’m going to Abu Dhabi. I’m going to do lots of preparations and, after my MMA fight, I’ll focus solely on Jiu-Jitsu because I want to compete at the Pan as well,” he says, seeing both positives and negatives in the fact that he trained more for MMA in the lead up to his last tournaments.

“It sets you back a bit, however, your stamina improves. My physical conditioning was excellent, but I found my grip to be a bit lacking.”

Win at No-Gi Brazilian Nationals. Photo: Carlos Ozório.

In getting ready the World Pro and Pan, Davi will spend a spell with the folks at Atos, a team where he has many friends and that he even fought under at the Brazilian Team Nationals.

“I have a good relationship with the folks at Atos. Durinho even encouraged me to compete here. I believe I should be going there in February to brush up on my Jiu-Jitsu,” he says in closing.

Buiú tries to sweep Murilo Santana. Photo: Carlos Ozório

The Brazilian No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Nationals served up a generous helping of good grappling this Saturday in Rio de Janeiro (read complete coverage here). Besides big wins from Antonio Peinado, Tiago Alves, Luiz Big Mac, and Michelle Tavares, the event crowned absolute champion Victor Costa, following his win at the No-Gi Pan.

GRACIEMAG.com couldn’t miss the event and brings you the best of what went down at the Tijuca Tennis Club in images:

[flickr set=72157625155784279]

Bernardo Faria won the heavyweight div. in 2009. Photo: Carlos Ozório

You haven’t signed up for the No-Gi Brazilian Nationals yet? Chill, there’s still time to get in on the country’s biggest no-gi competition of the year. Sign-ups have been extended till the 25th. To sign up or find more information, click here.

The No-Gi Brazilian Nationals will be held October 30 at Rio de Janeiro’s traditional venue of the Tijuca Tennis Club. At the inaugural installment of he event, in 2009, Bruno Malfacine, Raoni Barcelos, Michael Langhi, Tiago Alves, Felipe Silva, Bernardo Faria, Fabrício Couto, Igor Silva and Murilo Santana were the black belts that took top honors.

Who will the champions in 2010 be? Be a part of history!

Murilo in final against Nilson Ricardo. Photo: Carlos Ozório

The No-Gi Brazilian Nationals saw its maiden installment take place last year, and it crowned Murilo Santana the winner of the main division.

After closing out the middleweight division with Barbosa JJ teammate Tiago Alves, Murilo went all the way in the absolute. In the big decider, the black belt took down and then finished off Nilson Ricardo (Nova União) with an arm-triangle choke.

Photo: Carlos Ozório

In 2010, at the second installment of the event, Murilo Santana will try to repeat the feat. The fighter is already confirmed on the competitor list.

The deadline for sign-ups is this Friday, so anyone who will be in or around Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on October 30 should hurry and sign up here.

Pablo and Bochecha celebrate. Photo: Alberto Vasari

One of the standouts at the No-Gi Pan 2010, our GMA Pablo Popovitch overcame Caio Terra in the absolute semifinal. The match seemed more like a final, since with the win, Popovitch shut out the division with training partner Marcus Bochecha, and thus there was no final.

The heavier man Popovitch had his work cut out for him in dealing with Caio Terra’s guard. The solution was to get to back mount, where he ended the open weight affair.

See how it played out:

The next IBJJF events are the Miami Open on October 23, the No-Gi Brazilian Nationals on October 30, and the No-Gi Worlds on November 7.

To find out more about the Miami Open, click here.

To find out more about the No-Gi Brazilian Nationals, click here.

To find out more about the No-Gi Worlds, click here.