No ADCC 2011, Kron Gracie tenta afastar Marcelinho Garcia, em foto marcante de John Lamonica.

Como anda sua guarda no Jiu-Jitsu sem kimono? E suas quedas, transições de ataque e defesas da temida guilhotina?

Se você acha que ainda pode melhorar e muito, relembre hoje uma das semifinais até 77kg do ADCC 2011, realizado na Inglaterra, entre os craques Marcelo Garcia e Kron Gracie, e aprimore suas técnicas. Oss!

Galvão celebrates his triumph at the 2011 ADCC

The fact is you never know what that guy or girl went through to get to that point when he or she reaches the final victory.

Take Andre Galvão, the 2011 ADCC +88kg and open class champion.

What we all knew was that he had one of the best performances of his career.

In his eight matches in Nottingham, UK, on September 24-25, he defeated Don Ortega, Gunnar Nelson, Pablo Popovitch (twice), Rousimar Palhares, Shinsho Anzai, Sergio Moraes and Murilo Santana.

First he ruled over his weight division, beating Ortega, Gunnar, Popovitch and Palhares.

The final match against Toquinho was later on chosen the best one of the entire competition.

Until that point, Palhares had three heel hooks on his record, against Dan Schon, David Avelan and Rafael Lovato Jr.

Asked afterwards if he feared for his knees and ankles during the final against Toquinho, Galvão answered with the confidence of champions: “Jiu-Jitsu for Jiu-Jitsu I knew mine was better.”

Despite the confidence, the fact is Palhares managed to attack Galvão’s leg .

Andre told GRACIEMAG’s Marcelo Dunlop at the time how he kept his cool not to tap to such a violent force: “I started to spin to the wrong side. Then I thought, damn I going to stay put. He tried two more times but  I noticed he was getting tired.”

After neutralizing his opponent’s most dangerous weapon, Galvão put his game to work.

After a takedown, Toquinho turned on all fours and Andre went for the back take.

In the end, the 8-3 lead earned Galvão his first ever ADCC gold medal.

Watch the match here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-jQxNWvt9Q

So it was time for the open class division, the icing on the cake.

After all he had gone through, as we’re going to know about further along this story, there was no way Galvão would not compete in that too.

First he choked Japanese Anzai with a RNC, then beat Sergio Moraes by points and made it to the final after a tough win over Murilo Santana.

The final match would be against Pablo Popovitch, but it didn’t last much.

In only 3:15, Galvão managed to have a toe hold in place and get the tap to become once and for all the standout of the event.

The celebration included some capoeira moves.

Watch the match here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFJ-ad_BurQ

Now, going back to the first sentence of this story, here’s what you didn’t know about Galvão’s campaign at the 2011 ADCC.

Up until the moment he disembarked in England, he had no clue if he was going to be allowed in the country.

He told people why on a post on Facebook some time after the event: “I was training without knowing if I was going to get in. In 2009, I was deported from the UK back to Brazil. Also, I was in the middle of my Green Card process and I was not allowed to leave the US. The authorization to travel came three weeks before the 2011 ADCC.”

The uncertainty haunted Galvão all throughout his camp, as he wrote about: “Sometimes, during the sessions while I was training so hard and sweating so much, I was thinking: ‘why am I doing all this. They will never let me in there again or maybe I can’t even go there.”

Galvão vs. Popovitch at the 2011 ADCC

The moment of truth came at the airport: “When I was on the plane ready to arrive in the UK I just thought they were going to kick me out again. What was I doing there. In fact they did give me a hard time, but eventually let me in. They gave me only four days to stay and I had to leave the country on September 29th, the day of my birthday. So as soon as I got my bags I thought: ‘I want to fight so hard now. I want to win it’.”

So, in he went and after four days he flew back home with two gold medals and proud of knowing his name was forever linked to the history of the 2011 ADCC.

To do that, he had to beat the British immigration and eight tough guys. Andre knew where the strength to do it came from: “When you are loyal, God is loyal. So whatever I do I will do for Him. Because He is my power and my strength.”

After 2011, Galvão fought at the 2013 ADCC, in China, where he got back at Braulio Estima for the famous inverted triangle defeat in 2009. In Beijing, Andre won the superfight with a rear-naked choke.

He’s now getting ready for his second superfight against Roberto Cyborg.

If he wins, he’ll join José Mario Sperry (1999, 2000) as the two men with two ADCC superfights victories in a row.

The 2015 ADCC takes place in São Paulo, Brazil, on August 29-30.

Do outro lado, porém, estava o bem treinado André Galvão, que não bobeou na defesa e levou a melhor, nos pontos, para sair com o título que já buscava havia três edições. Em seguida, Galvão também venceria o absoluto. Relembre!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-jQxNWvt9Q

Jeff Monson at the 2011 ADCC in Nottingham. Photo: Daren Bartlett

Another athlete to drop out of the October 19-20 event in Beijing, China, is Jeff Monson. He made his name in the very first event in 1999 in Abu Dhabi.

Since his first gold at the 99 event he went on to win four more medals in the following events including one other gold medal. Unfortunately “The Snowman” will be missing his chance for yet another medal at this year’s event.

The ADCC committee is currently working towards finding a replacement. The over 99kg division already holds athletes such as Marcus Almeida Buchecha, Bernardo Faria, Alexander Trans, and the champion Vinny Pezao.

Stay tuned for more follow-up information about the 2013 ADCC event in Beijing, China.

Rousimar Toquinho na final até 88kg contra o campeão André Galvão: uma das melhores lutas do ADCC 2011, na Inglaterra. Foto: Dan Rod/GRACIEMAG

O mais charmoso torneio de luta agarrada do planeta, o ADCC tem tudo para retornar ao Brasil este ano, exatamente uma década depois do marcante ADCC 2003 no Ibirapuera, em São Paulo.

Nem o local nem o card do ADCC 2013 foram definidos, mas especula-se que o evento principal seja novamente em São Paulo, em novembro.

No site do evento, os campeões da edição de 2011 estão confirmados, e o primeiro convidado já apareceu entre os nomes certos: Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares, astro até 84kg do UFC.

Toquinho, que vem de duas derrotas no UFC, brilhou nos tapetes do último ADCC, na Inglaterra. O finalizador da BTT fez bom uso das suas quedas plásticas e das chaves de pé para superar Rafael Lovato, David Avellan e outras feras, e chegar até a final da categoria até 88kg.

As seletivas para o evento já estão acontecendo em vários países, e no Brasil a seletiva deverá ser em maio, no Rio de Janeiro.

Aguarde mais novidades aqui, no GRACIEMAG.com, e confira os nomes anunciados no site do evento.

Superluta:

André Galvão vs Bráulio Estima

Superluta Master:

Zé Mario Sperry vs Fabio Gurgel

Feminino:

– 60kg: Kyra Gracie

+ 60kg: Gabi Garcia

Masculino:

– 66kg: Rafael Mendes

– 77kg: Marcelo Garcia

– 88kg: André Galvão, Rousimar Toquinho

– 99kg: Dean Lister

+ 99kg:  Vinny Magalhães

Rousimar Toquinho in the under-88 kg final against André Galvão, one of the best matches of ADCC 2011 (Photo by Dan Rod/GRACIEMAG)

This year, the world’s premier submission-wrestling event, the ADCC, will be returning to Brazil exactly one decade after its maiden voyage to the South American nation, when ADCC 2003 was held at São Paulo’s Ibirapuera arena.

No official announcement has been made as to the location or lineup for ADCC 2013 yet, but speculation has it that it will again take place in São Paulo, in November.

Now, the organization’s website is already offering clues as to the degree of excitement that will be on offer, with the announcement of the first official invitee: Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares, a UFC middleweight.

Toquinho, who has lost his last two MMA fights in the UFC, shone on the mats of the last ADCC event, held in England. The BTT’s submission powerhouse made good use of his takedown skills and heelhooks in overcoming Rafael Lovato, David Avellan and others, on his way to the under-88 kg divisional final.

Tryouts for the event are underway in a number of countries, and the Brazilian qualifying leg will take place in Rio de Janeiro in May.

Stay tuned to GRACIEMAG.com. We’ll be announcing the names of the participants as they are confirmed.

Supermatch:

André Galvão vs. Bráulio Estima

Master supermatch:

Zé Mario Sperry vs. Fabio Gurgel

Female:

– 60kg: Kyra Gracie

+ 60kg: Gabi Garcia

Male:

– 66kg: Rafael Mendes

– 77kg: Marcelo Garcia

– 88kg: André Galvão, Rousimar Toquinho

– 99kg: Dean Lister

+ 99kg:  Vinny Magalhães

Rousimar Toquinho yanks on André Galvão’s foot in the under-88 kg final at ADCC 2011. Photo by Daren Bartlett/GRACIEMAG.

If in the UFC Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares hasn’t been having the best of time, with his concussive encounter with Hector Lombard last Friday, in Jiu-Jitsu the ace from BTT is still beloved by fans.

To see why, all you need to do is take a look at ADCC 2001 in Nottingham, England. It was there that Toquinho used his potent takedowns and painful lower-body holds to make it to the under-88 kg final.

At the other end of the bracket, though, was a well-trained André Galvão, who didn’t falter in defense and managed to outpoint Palhares in winning the title he had come up short in capturing on two prior occasions. And next Galvão would go on to win the absolute to boot.

Check out the riveting match between the former Strikeforce fighter and the UFC ace. Enjoy your studies.

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

Fabricio Werdum comemora vitória sobre Mike Russow, pelo UFC 147. Foto: Divulgação

No UFC on Fuel TV 5, realizado no último sábado em Nottingham, Inglaterra, o brasileiro Fabricio Werdum foi um dos lutadores mais falados – sem nem vestir as luvas ou mesmo estar por perto.

Tudo isso porque o grande vencedor da noite, o nocauteador holândes Stefan Struve, derrubou o até então invicto Stipe Miocic e saiu desafiando o peso pesado gaúcho, bicampeão mundial de Jiu-Jitsu em 2003/04.

Struve quer ganhar uma chance pelo cinturão de Junior Cigano, e vê no brasileiro bom de chão um atalho. Werdum, por sua vez, está pronto para enfrentar qualquer um que seja bom trampulim para a luta com Cigano, então o combate parece plausível.

Como fã, o que você acha do duelo? Cai bem para ambos, e para o UFC?

Fabricio Werdum vem de duas vitórias consecutivas no evento, contra o mão-pesada Roy Nelson e o wrestler Mike Russow. Em todas elas, Werdum usou os preceitos do Jiu-Jitsu: incomodar o oponente o tempo todo. Recentemente, ele mostrou que esse também é o segredo para usar o clinche e soltar suas fortes joelhadas.

Repare como ele faz a pegada precisa e puxa a cabeça da bela entrevistadora, tirando o conforto e deixando a oponente a mercê de seus golpes.

Fabricio Werdum celebrates win over Mike Russow at UFC 147. Publicity photo.

by Vitor Freitas

Last Saturday in Nottingham, England, during UFC on Fuel TV 5, Fabricio Werdum was one of the fighters causing the biggest buzz – without even putting on gloves or gracing the arena with his presence.

All because the big winner of the evening, towering Dutchman Stefan Struve, took out the until-then undefeated Stipe Miocic and issued a challenge to the 2003 and 2004 Jiu-Jitsu world champion.

Struve wants his shot at Junior Cigano’s belt, and he sees the stalwart grappler from Brazil as being a shortcut to getting it. Werdum, on his part, is ready to take on anyone who might catapult him to a rematch with the champion, so the match looks quite plausible.

As a fan, what do you think of the matchup? Is it a good fit for the fighters? How about for the UFC?

Fabricio Werdum is coming off back-to-back wins in the event, against the heavy-handed Roy Nelson and the wrestler Mike Russow. In both of them, Werdum relied on Jiu-Jitsu’s precepts: make the opponent uncomfortable the whole time. Recently, he showed how such methods also apply to clinching and throwing knees.

Note how he grabs the wrist of the hand cupped behind the winsome interviewer’s head, making her uncomfortable and at the mercy of his strikes.

Pablo contra Victor Estima, no absoluto. Foto: John Lamonica.

Poucas horas após a final do absoluto do ADCC 2011, Pablo Popovitch estava no bar do hotel em Nottingham, de casaco e olhar perdido. Um dos principais nomes do evento realizado em setembro, ele saiu com um bronze no peso (até 88kg) e uma prata no absoluto. Até ali, porém, o professor brasileiro radicado na Flórida estava invicto desde 2007.

Atleta obstinado, sempre buscando fazer história no Jiu-Jitsu sem kimono, Pablo estava visivelmente abatido com a dupla derrota para André Galvão – que tratava-se não apenas de um ex-companheiro de treinos, por alguns meses na Flórida, mas de um cara que Pablo já havia derrotado, no ADCC 2007, em Nova Jersey.

Campeão da superluta, Bráulio Estima então se aproximou e pediu um sorriso ao companheiro de treinos, com quem também afiou o jogo para vencer Ronaldo Jacaré. “Ô rapaz! Você não tem nenhum motivo para ficar com essa cara, Pablão! Só perdeu para um lutador neste fim de semana, que estava num ritmo impressionante”, disse Estima.

Pablo aceitou o abraço, ameaçou um sorriso, mas o incômodo era mais forte. O brasileiro radicado em Fort Lauderdale não perdia para ninguém no Jiu-Jitsu sem kimono desde o já citado ADCC 2007, quando foi derrotado na final até 77kg por Marcelo Garcia.

“Eu tenho de agradecer vocês por terem salvado meu casamento em 2009 – o Pablo só falava em vencer o Marcelinho no último ADCC, ainda bem aconteceu e pudemos voltar à normalidade”, confidenciava, por ali, a senhora Popovitch, em conversa inusitada com Tatiana Tognini Garcia, a sra Marcelinho.

Mas os cumprimentos e tapinhas nas costas foram se sucedendo no bar, onde se festejava o aniversário de Rodolfo Vieira, e Pablo foi descontraindo. Até o abraço que o fez sorrir de vez.

Nossos GMAs Pablo e André Galvão conversam pela primeira vez após a final do absoluto. Foto: Marcelo Dunlop.

Mal entrara no bar, André venceu o constrangimento e foi lá saudar o oponente que finalizara, no pé, poucas horas antes. “O Pablo é um cara muito parceiro, e eu sei como é querido por todos os seus alunos. Não é a coisa mais legal enfrentar um amigo, mas é preciso para chegar ao topo, então tá tudo certo”, disse Galvão, que mostrou um wrestling potente ao conseguir por Popovitch duas vezes para baixo, algo raríssimo.

Ao GRACIEMAG.com, Pablo explicou como viu as duas derrotas para André. “Na primeira ele me derrubou, beleza, mas acho que foi distração minha, pois houve umas punições do juiz e eu achei que estava ganhando. Quando prestei atenção, era tarde. Na segunda eu estava mesmo esgotado. Principalmente por ter feito aquela semifinal de mais de meia hora contra um monstro como o Xande. Agora é treinar mais para vencer em 2013”, disse, decidido.

A cobertura completa do ADCC 2011 você não perde, na sua GRACIEMAG. Trate de garanti-la, nas bancas ou por assinatura com desconto.

André usou o armdrag para grudar em Pablo e, depois de um tempinho, quedá-lo, na final do absoluto. Foto: Daren Bartlett.

Pablo against Victor Estima in absolute / Photo: John Lamonica

A few hours after the final of the ADCC 2011 absolute final, Pablo Popovitch was at the hotel bar in Nottingham, wearing a jacket and lost look on his face. One of the biggest names at the September event, he ended up taking bronze in the under-88 kg division and silver in the absolute. Up until that point, the Brazilian teaching Jiu-Jitsu in Florida hadn’t lost a match since 2007.

An obstinate athlete who is always looking to make No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu history, Pablo was visibly shaken by his pair of losses to André Galvão – who not only spent a few months training with him in Florida but had lost to Popovitch at ADCC 2007, in New Jersey.

Supermatch champion Bráulio Estima approached and asked his training partner in the lead-up to his showdown with Ronaldo Jacaré to smile. “Whoa there! There’s no reason for you to have a look like that on your face, Pablão! You only lost to one fighter this weekend, and he was in impressive form,” said Estima.

Pablo accepted the embrace, threatening to break a smile but was to upset to do so. The Brazilian Fort Lauderdale-transplant hadn’t lost to anybody since the aforementioned 2007 ADCC, when he lost to Marcelo Garcia in the under-77 kg final.

“I have to thank you guys for saving my marriage in 2009 – all Pablo would talk about was beating Marcelinho at the last ADCC; good thing what happened happened and we could return to normal,” said Mrs. Popovitch in an awkward conversation with Tatiana Tognini Garcia, Marcelo Garcia’s wife.

But the greetings and slaps on the back started to succeed at the bar, where Rodolfo Vieira was celebrating his birthday and Pablo was kicking back. And the hug finally coaxed a grin from him.

Our GMAs Pablo and André Galvão speak for first time after absolute final. Photo: Marcelo Dunlop.

Just having stepped into the bar, André overcame the awkwardness and went to greet the opponent he’d subbed just a few hours earlier. “Pablo is a great friend, and I know how beloved his is to all his students. It’s not too cool to face a friend, but I had to make it to the top, so it’s all alright,” said Galvão, who demonstrated wrestling prowess in taking Popovitch down on two occasions – a rare achievement.

To GRACIEMAG.com, Pablo explained his feelings about his pair of losses to André. “In the first one he took me down, fine, but I think I was distracted; the ref awarded some penalties and I thought I was winning. When I came to my senses, it was too late. In the second one I was just spent, mainly because I went for over a half hour in the semifinal against a monster like Xande. Now it’s all about training to win in 2013,” he said with resolve.

Don’t miss complete coverage of ADCC 2011 in the upcoming issue of GRACIEMAG. Pick it up at your local bookstore, or subscribe to get yours for less.

André used an armdrag to close distance on Pablo and then, shortly thereafter, take him down in the absolute final. Photo: Daren Bartlett.

Marcelo Garcial fez alguns malabarismos rumo às semifinais. Foto: Dan Rod.

O sábado foi o primeiro dia de disputas em Nottingham, Inglaterra, onde acontecem as disputas do ADCC 2011. Além da superluta entre Bráulio Estima e Ronaldo Jacaré, vencida por Carcará, foram decididos todos os confrontos das semifinais, que acontecem no domingo.  Atento, na Capital FM Arena, o fotógrafo Dan Rod não perdeu nenhum lance.

Confira as melhores imagens:

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