[ Por Gabriel Almada ]

O Brasil segue muito bem representado no Japão. Nesse fim de semana, na luta principal do Rizin FF 35, Roberto “Satoshi” Souza finalizou o americano Johnny Case no primeiro round e manteve o cinturão dos leves da organização.

O duelo foi nesse domingo, 17 de abril em Tóquio, onde o faixa-preta aplicou um triângulo invertido justíssimo para vingar sua única derrota na carreira.

Um dos grandes representantes da arte suave no MMA, Satoshi precisou apenas de 3min32s para superar o adversário, numa exibição de gala. O lutador nascido no Brasil e radicado no Japão tomou a iniciativa, derrubou Case e impôs seu Jiu-Jitsu agressivo até conseguir a submissão. Reveja, aqui.

Com o triunfo, Satoshi conquistou a 14ª vitória em 15 lutas como profissional. Ao defender o título do Rizin com sucesso pela segunda vez, o craque da Bonsai Jiu-Jitsu emplacou sua quinta vitória seguida no evento japonês – foram quatro por finalização e uma por nocaute. Ele está invicto desde outubro de 2019.

O triângulo tem sido a principal arma de Roberto Souza para derrotar os oponentes. Em suas últimas quatro lutas – entre elas a que lhe tornou campeão peso leve – Satoshi aplicou esta chave para sair com o braço erguido. Sem jamais ter deixado um combate chegar à decisão dos juízes, o paulista é daqueles que resolvem a luta pela via rápida, e trazem emoção ao público, como fazia nos tempos de pano. Ao todo, ele soma dez vitórias por finalização e quatro por nocaute.

Campeão peso leve do Bellator e irmão mais velho de Patricio, Patricky “Pitbull” Freire desafiou respeitosamente Satoshi e propôs um embate para o futuro entre os campeões das companhias.

“Primeiro quero defender meu título”, declarou Patricky. “Depois disso, seria uma honra ter uma luta pelo título entre Bellator x Rizin. Respeito muito o @ToshiJJ , seria uma grande luta. Também adoraria ver alguns dos meus alunos Pitbull Brothers lutarem pelo Rizin”, afirmou o brasileiro via Twitter logo após a vitória de Satoshi.

E aí, fiel leitor? Quem leva a melhor num possível combate entre Roberto Satoshi e Patricky Pitbull?

Roberto Satoshi poupando o braço direito no Grand Slam de Tóquio. Foto: Ane Nunes/Gentle Art Media

Faixa-preta brasileiro criado no Japão, o craque Roberto Satoshi emocionou seus fãs durante o Mundial de Jiu-Jitsu 2017. Com o ombro esquerdo deslocado e entre lágrimas, o peso leve precisou abandonar a final contra Lucas Lepri e o sonho do ouro inédito, numa tristeza contagiante.

Um mês e dez dias depois, no entanto, Satoshi lavou a alma e voltou a ser campeão, no Grand Slam de Tóquio, diante de seus alunos. Que lições o peso leve tirou da volta por cima? GRACIEMAG apurou, e relembra para você:

“A lição que fica é que a lesão no esporte de alto rendimento é normal, faz parte da nossa vida nos tatames. Eu treino Jiu-Jitsu desde os meus 5 anos e volta e meia senti alguma coisa. Mas nunca deixei que isso me deixasse abatido, nem muito menos pensei em parar de treinar. O ombro ainda dói, mas vai ficar bom”, disse o faixa-preta da Bonsai JJ.

“No longo prazo as contusões só me ajudaram a não ficar com o jogo limitado. Toda vez que eu me lesionava, era obrigado a variar a técnica ou mudar para que lado eu faria o golpe. Não se esqueça: está com o joelho ruim? Faça um treininho de meia-guarda. Está com o braço esquerdo ruim, como eu fiquei? Faça uma guarda para a direita. O importante é não ficar tempo demais longe da academia, o que mina o corpo e a mente”, ensina Satoshi.

Relembre Roberto Satoshi x Tiago Bravo na final do Grand Slam:

Roberto Satoshi sparing his left arm at the Tokyo Grand Slam. Ane Nunes/Gentle Art Media

A Brazilian black-belt raised in Japan, Roberto Satoshi moved his fans in June during the BJJ Worlds when he lost his final to Lucas Lepri without fighting. With a dislocated left shoulder and in tears, the lightweight had to abandon the contest and the dream of a first world title.

But in July 15 — just a month and ten days later –Satoshi triumphed at the Tokyo Grand Slam before his students. What lessons did he get out of such trajectory?, you might ask. Lucky for you, Graciemag talked to Satoshi to find out.

“I’m still feeling the shoulder,” said the Bonsai JJ representative, “but soon I’ll be recovered. The lesson that remains is that injury in high-performance sports is normal — it’s part of our life on the mats. I’ve trained BJJ since I was five, and often I’ve felt something. But I never let that shake me, much less thought about quitting training.”

He added: “In reality, in the long term the injuries have only helped me not have a limited game. Every time I got injured, I was forced to change up the technique or switch the side I was going to make a move on. Don’t forget: got a bad knee? Do a half-guard session. Got a bad left arm, like I had? Play guard to the right. What’s important is not to stay out of the gym too long, which will undermine body and mind.”

You can watch Satoshi’s final versus Tiago Bravo right here.

Isaque Bahiense. Ane Nunes/Gentle Art Media

[Press release.]

The thrills are back! The 2017/2018 season of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour opened this Saturday, July 15, in Tokyo, Japan. Over five hundred athletes from all over the world gathered at the Makuhari Messe for a full day of action on the seven mats set up in exhibition hall number 4. Competitors went after their share of over US$125,000 in prizes.

As usual the highlight of the day was the black belt division, which featured fast-paced matches for the delight of the crowd present at the venue and also for the viewers all over the globe. Here’s how each weight class played out.

Adult Male

56kg – In a all against all bracket, João Carlos Kuraoka won both her matches to climb to the top of the podium. He first beat Japan’s Kei Ito 3-0 and then finished Masaaki Todokoro with a choke from the back.

62kg – For the pleasure of the home crowd, Japan’s Kazuya Kawashima made to the title in two tough matches. He first beat his fellow countryman Hideyuki Yamada by referee decision in the semifinal. The gold medal match was against Brazil’s Guilherme Carvalho. Behind in the scoreboard 12-4, Kawashima found a lapel choke to finish his opponent.

69kg – South Korea’s Wanki Chae fought three times to reach the gold medal. First he finished Ricardo Yagi in the quarterfinals, then caught Mario Silva in the semifinal. The gold medal came his way with a 1-0 lead on advantages over Japan’s Daisuke Shirake.

77kg – Roberto Satoshi was out to defend his title and things worked out just fine. In three matches, he first caught Matias Asencio with a triangle/armbar, then finished Kleber Koike also with a triangle to meet Tiago Bravo in the final. The gold medal became reality with a sweep and a 2-0 lead.

Roberto Satoshi. Ane Nunes/Gentle Art Media

85kg – The most stacked division saw Isaque Bahiense have a flawless performance to win the gold medal. He met up with also favorite Lucas Barbosa in the semifinals and won by one advantage in a thrilling match. The final was against Jaime Canuto and the decision came down to the last seconds. With a 2-1 lead on advantages, Bahiense secured the title.

94kg – Marcos Sousa registered at the last second and made the division even tougher. In two matches, he caught Youngam Noh with an armbar in the semifinals and met up with the talented Adam Wardzinski in the gold medal match. With one sweep, Sousa built a 2-0 lead to win the title.

110kg – In a single match, South Korea’s Dongwa Choi beat Brazil’s Wanderson Amakawa 7-0 to win the gold medal.

Female Brown/Black Belt

49kg – The 2017 ADWPJJC champion was merciless to continue ruling over the weight class. Mayssa Bastos finished both her opponents to win the division. She caught Aya Matsumoto and Priscila Gonçalves with chokes from the back to claim the gold medal.

55kg – In one match, Japan’s Maiko Kurogi finished Saori Shibamoto with an armlock to take the gold medal home.

62kg – Also in one match, Larissa Paes beat Natalia Zumba 5-0 to win the title.

70kg – Priscila Cerqueira fought twice to make to the top of the podium. First she caught Jessica Andrade and then she finished Caroline da Silva with an armlock to secure the gold medal.

Nathiely Jesus. Ane Nunes/Gentle Art Media

90kg – The 2016/2017 female black belt ranking leader started the new season on fire. In two matches, Nathiely de Jesus caught Ingrid Franco with a toe hold and then finished LeeAnn Genovese with an americana lock.

Master 1

The black belts over 30 years old also put on a show in Tokyo. Here are the champions.

62kg – Gabriel Moraes beat Jorge dos Santos 2-1 on advantages
69kg – Daisuke Nakamura beat Italo Nunes 1-0 on advantages
77kg – Pedro Bessa beat Yuji Goto 2-0 on points
85kg – Pedro Jordão beat Leandro Kussano 3-0 on advantages
94kg – Celso de Campos beat Anderson Takahashi 4-2 on points
110kg – Sadayoshi Kurimori finished Keunwoo via armlock

Teams Results

1st – Axis Jiu-Jitsu – 9180pts
2nd – Infight Japan – 5380pts
3rd – Bonsai Jiu-Jitsu Japan – 3080pts

For the complete results, go to events.uaejjf.org/event/8/results

Isaque bateu Lucas Hulk e Jaime Canuto para faturar a divisão mais movimentada. Foto: GentleArt Media

Foi dada a largada para a temporada 2017/2018 do Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour. Nesse sábado, 15 de julho, em Tóquio, no Japão, mais de quinhentos atletas de todo o mundo se reuniram no Makuhari Messe para um dia inteiro de ação nos sete tatames montados no salão de exposições número 4. Cada competidor deu seu melhor para garantir sua parte dos mais de 125 mil dólares em prêmios.

Roberto Satoshi

If you were thinking of registering for the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour Los Angeles, but were worried with the deadline this Monday, Oct. 12, now that you just got some extra time to sign up.

The new deadline is Thursday, Oct. 15, at 11:59PM (PST).

Don’t miss out and register now to compete in the event organized by the UAEJJF.

The event is open to all nationalities and belt rankings.

It already has the confirmed presence of athletes from 27 countries and more than 100 black belts, including some of Jiu-Jitsu’s biggest stars like João and Paulo Miyao, Keenan Cornelius, Roberto Satoshi, Gregor and Rolles Gracie, Roberto Cyborg, Lucio Lagarto, Celso Venícius, Tim Spriggs and many others.

As mentioned in previous posts, black belts have free registration.

All they need to do is register normally and then send an email message to grandslam@uaejjf.org with the following data.

PLAYER MEMBERSHIP ID:

TEAM:

AGE DIVISION:

BELT CATEGORY:

WEIGHT CATEGORY:

There are money prizes for selected champions.

Click here to register now for the event organized by the UAEJJF and scheduled for Oct. 18, at the Azusa Pacific College.

See in table below all the money prizes to be awarded at the event.

Money Prizes LA

Os faixas-pretas disputaram o ouro na categoria até 74kg, e o vídeo enfim foi divulgado.

Veja e comente: qual movimento mais chamou sua atenção?

One of the best matches at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour, in Tokyo, two weeks ago, was between Roberto Satoshi and Celso Venícius.

The two black belts battled for the 74kg division gold medal.

Watch here how the match played out.

Don’t forget to register now for the next leg of the Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour, in Los Angeles.

It takes place next October 18, in Azusa, CA.

Click here to register now and compete for great prizes at the event organized by the UAEJJF.

Check the table below for the prizes:

Erberth Santos. Photos by Rodrigo Clark

The first leg of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour, organized by the UAEJJF, just wrapped up this Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

Erberth Santos was the standout of the event with double gold in the +94kg and the open class divisions.

In the absolute final, he choked Rodrigo Caporal for the gold medal.

Clark Gracie and the 85kg division podium

Erberth also reached the top of the +94kg division after a tough final match against Lucio Lagarto ith a 3-0 lead on advantages.

In the other black belt divisions, Clark Gracie beat Marcos Souza for the 85kg division gold medal.

Gregor Gracie was the 94kg division champion after a victory over Faisal Al Ketbi in the final.

Roberto Satoshi celebrates his win over Celso Venícius in the 77kg division final

Roberto Satoshi Souza grabbed the prize for the 74kg division after a thrilling final match against Celso Venícius.

In the 69kg division, Paulo Miyao was the champion after he defeated Thiago Bravo in the final.

In the female division, Marina Ribeiro won the open class gold medal after he got the better of Tammy Griego in the final.

Marina Ribeiro at the top of the female black/brown belt open class podium

Click here for the complete results.

The next leg of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam will be in Los Angeles, next October 18.

Click here to register now!

Clark and Gregor Gracie and the katanas. Next event in LA, on Oct. 18

Tokyo, Japan

If you are thinking of competing at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour in Tokyo, Japan, you have only four days to register.

The final deadline is August 24 and the event organized by the UAEJJF is open to all nationalities.

Click here to register.

Some pretty big names are already confirmed to compete at the first leg of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour, in Tokyo, Japan.

Paulo Miyao, Erberth Santos, Mike Fowler, Roberto Satoshi, Celso Venicius, Lucio Lagarto, Clark Gracie, Gregor Gracie, Rodrigo Caporal, Faisal Alkitbe, among others will be on the mats next August 29.

If Japan is too out of your way, know that the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour will also make a stop in the greater Los Angles area on October 18.

The registration period for that event is already open and the final deadline is October 12.

Click here for more info and to register now.

The event will take place at the Azusa Pacific University, in Azusa, CA.

Once again, there are some big money prizes on the line (check table below).

Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Japan

Some pretty big names are already confirmed to compete at the first leg of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour, in Tokyo, Japan.

Paulo Miyao, Erberth Santos, Mike Fowler, Roberto Satoshi, Celso Venicius, Lucio Lagarto, Clark Gracie, Gregor Gracie, Rodrigo Caporal, Faisal Alkitbe, among others will be on the mats next August 29.

The event organized by the UAEJJF is open for any nationality and the registration period is open.

The final deadline is August 24.

Click here for more info and to register now.

The event will award thousands of dollars in prizes.

Check the box below for the prize for each division.

The Grand Slam will have three other legs: USA (October 18), Brazil (December 5-6), UK (March 19-20, 2016).

Antes fechar o absoluto com o amigo Rafael Mendes, Toshi dominou a divisão dos leves.

Veja como o faixa-preta usou o estrangulamento pelas costas numa de suas lutas. O que você aprendeu com o golpe, leitor?