Milton Bastos is signed up for the IBJJF Seattle Open and is calling for more black belts to join. Photo: Ivan Trindade

The deadline is fast approaching for one of IBJJF’s newest tournaments: the 2014 IBJJF Seattle Open. This will be the northwest’s first time competing in their backyard.

The event will be held on Oct. 25 at the Everett Community College Fitness Center located at 2206 Tower St., Everett, WA 98201.

Many GMA academies have athletes signed up already including Gracie Barra Seattle, Impact Jiu-Jitsu, Caio Terra Association, Lovato Jiu-Jitsu, Cascao Jiu-Jitsu, Foster Jiu-Jitsu, Ralph Gracie OC, Art of Jiu-Jitsu Academy, Gracie Barra Pasadena, Five Rings Jiu-Jitsu and more.

Earn a gold, go up in IBJJF rankings, prepare for the 2015 grand slam tournaments and enjoy the northwest, perhaps indulging in some coffee.

You can register until Oct. 17 at 11:59 p.m. PST by going here: www.ibjjf.org

See the athlete list so far: http://static.ibjjfdb.com/Campeonato/000322/en-US/RegistrationsByCategoryAndAcademy.pdf

Black belt Beneil Dariush wins his UFC debut.

The Jiu-Jitsu community is congratulating another one of their black belts who has successfully represented the gentle art in MMA. Beneil Dariush, black belt at GMA Ralph Gracie OC, just won his UFC debut at 1:45 of the first round. His fight was the first on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 35: Rockhold vs. Philippou in Duluth, GA. His record remains undefeated, now 7-0-0.

Benny knocked his opponent Charlie Brenneman to the ground with a left hand and capitalized. He quickly adapted his game to the ground trapping the right arm of Brenneman while he landed punches from all sides. After securing the seat belt hold, Brenneman stood up and Benny sunk his second hook. A rear naked choke stopped the fight not long after.

This was Benny’s first fight in the UFC after filling for an injured fighter. Even after his opponent was changed as well in the last-minute match-up, he was still able to execute his plan using both muay thai and Jiu-Jitsu.

Check out the fight in this GIF:

Benny Dariush alongside Master Rafael Cordeiro after a recent promotion to black/navy blue belt. Photo: Personal Archive

Beneil Dariush, also known as Benny, has earned his spot in the UFC.

At the beginning of this year, Benny announced he would retire from the gi. Having received his black belt six months prior, he felt it was time to focus on what would help him support his family instead of remaining in the Jiu-Jitsu competition scene.

He was promoted to black belt in 2012 by his long-time professor Bruno “Mamute” Paulista of GMA Ralph Gracie OC but also in attendance was Romulo Barral who shared the promoting duties. His relationship with Romulo and the knowledge he’s learned from him can be described as: “Romulo has been kicking my ass since I was a blue belt but I moved and trained at his gym in 2011 for 6 months. Those 6 months changed my life.”

Benny’s Jiu-Jitsu accomplishments extend from blue belt and on gathering medals from Pan Ams, Worlds and more. But MMA requires more than a ground game. After winning his first MMA fight in which he experienced his introduction to stand-up, it was only then that he sought out the help of a stand-up coach. That coach was Master Rafael Cordeiro at Kings MMA who also coaches UFC’s Anderson Silva, Fabricio Werdum, Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and others. In just three years Benny has earned a black/dark blue belt, one step away from black belt in the Muay Thai ranking system.

Also in 2010 Benny took up wrestling and chose Churchboyz with Jacob Harman to perfect his takedowns. The same coach helped three of the champions of ADCC win their gold in Beijing this year. He wrestles three times a week with those champions.

The professional record for Benny as he enters the biggest MMA organization in the world is 6-0-0. One was a split decision but five of his wins have been stopped early with two submissions, one KO and one TKO. Three of his fights have ended in the first round.

Signing the UFC contract. Photo: Personal Archive

The call from the UFC came through his manager, who he shares with Frankie Edgar, to replace an injured Adlan Amagov and fight Jason High in the UFC Fight Night 35: Rockhold vs. Philippou on Jan. 15, 2014. He jumped at the chance.

A family man, Benny’s priorities aim towards helping out his family. This opportunity is his biggest yet as he focuses on winning the fight because this is his dream but also for the financial rewards and representing his Assyrian roots.

The 24-year-old, began Jiu-Jitsu in 2007 and says, “before Jiu-Jitsu I had no clue what competition was. I became a man from the Jiu-Jitsu circuit.” What he learned from competing on the mats in tournaments has carried over into the cage. Along with his three years of training on the feet, Benny has finally made it onto the main stage to put it all together where it counts.

Today he responds to this new chapter with confidence: “I don’t believe in talent, only hard work.”

Watch the UFC Fight Night 35: Rockhold vs. Philippou on Jan. 15, 2014 on Fox Sports 1.

The leader of Ralph Gracie Orange County is an accomplished Jiu-Jitsu competitor and Professor.

To celebrate the date, here is a video of him graduating his first black belt at Ralph Gracie OC.

Tameem Hamoui got his black belt on October, 2011

Beneil Dariush mounting his opponent in his third MMA fight

The level of dedication required for any top athlete to succeed is great. So great, in fact, that Beneil Dariush realized he had to choose between two aspects if he wants to succeed at either. The choice made was between Jiu-Jitsu gi competition and MMA. He sided with his MMA route and has officially determined his retirement from the gi.

Benny is no stranger to the competition mats despite avoiding most voluntary exposure. Since 2007 he trained with Bruno “Mamute” Paulista and quickly went up the ranks while landing on the podium at many large tournaments.

At blue belt he won Pan Ams and placed second at Worlds, and placed second at both of those when he reached purple belt. By 2011 he had his brown belt, placing third at Pan Ams and second at Worlds in 2012. His most notable matches were his wars against Alec Baulding from team Alliance, often meeting him at purple and brown belt but perhaps the close matches against Kron Gracie and DJ Jackson were both enough to solidify him on the map.

The picture that best captures Beneil Dariush’s reaction to his black belt promotion / Photo by Laron Vincent

Benny received his black belt from both his long-time coach, Bruno “Mamute” Paulista and his more recent mentor, Romulo Barral from Gracie Barra. The promotion was an unexpected one on June 30 as Romulo had been set to teach the Saturday class at Ralph Gracie OC. The surprise promotion came at the end of class making it a special occasion for him to have both his mentors and all of his BJJ family present.

In response to receiving his black belt, he describes it as “better than cookies and cream ice cream, and I thought nothing was better than cookies and cream.”

Set for his new journey in the realm of black belt, it was MMA that made him stray from serious training in the gi. Benny spends a lot of his time at Kings MMA preparing for fights that come, most recently fighting in Brazil. His professional record is 4-0-0 with two submission wins, one TKO and one decision. Every finish was made in the first round.

Benny with his mother

The choice for Benny to choose boiled down to financial reasons. The Assyrian family man has made the decision to spend his time making money in MMA so that he can support his family here in the states. Because of exchange rates in Iran, the currency of his family cannot easily be transferred to the U.S.

“I wanted to retire at 25,” Benny says regarding his concrete plans. A man of values and keeping his word, he is also adaptable. In this case, he is retiring two years before his original goal at the age of 23. But it is no surprise that any decision announced is final.

You can see Benny fight next on January 19 in Pomona, CA. This will be his fifth professional MMA fight.

For more information regarding Beneil Dariush you can visit his facebook page here.

What to do when the opponent plays the turtle guard?

We asked GMA member and black belt Bruno Paulista about that and he came up with this awesome technique.

Watch the video filmed at Paulista’s Ralph Gracie OC academy, in Anaheim, and add another move to your Jiu-Jitsu game.

The leader of Ralph Gracie OC, in California, suffered a very serious car accident in his birthtown Florianopolis, southern Brazil, on late April.

Mamute back home (archive photo)

He spent weeks in the hospital, most of it in the ICU, but made it through.

Bruno left the hospital for a second period of recovery at his family home.

Then, this Tuesday, he went back to the USA, to go back to work and to his beloved students.

He wrote about it in his Facebook page: “Today is my first day back to the USA. I’m so happy and cant explain it!!!”

RGOC students at the Worlds

All the luck to Mamute.

For more info, go to ralphgracieoc.com

His friends call him “Mamute” (Mammoth) because of his size and strength.

And now, more than ever.

Bruno suffered a very serious car accident back in April, in Brazil.

The GMA Blog followed his recovery and is now pleased to report that Bruno is back home and getting better everyday.

At the 2010 Worlds, last month, in Long Beach, his students did not forget him.

Beneil Dariush, purple belt middleweight silver medalist, brought a sign to the medal podium.

See what it read:

Mamute is always with us!

Bruno (second from left) at the recent 2010 Pan

Our GMA member Bruno Paulista, black belt and head instructor at Ralph Gracie OC, in California, suffered a car accident last Thursday.

Paulista was in Florianopolis, his hometown in Southern Brazil, when his car slipped off a curve at Morro da Lagoa.

More info at the GMA Blog.

Bruno (second from left) at the recent 2010 Pan

Our GMA member Bruno Paulista, black belt and head instructor at Ralph Gracie OC, in California, suffered a car accident last Thursday.

Paulista was in Florianopolis, his hometown in Southern Brazil, when his car slipped off a curve at Morro da Lagoa.

The black belt was brought to a local hospital with a possible head injury.

Through Bruno’s Orkut page we discovered that he is getting better.

Our thoughts at the GMA Blog are with him for a full recovery.

For more info on Ralph Gracie OC, go to ralphgracieoc.com