O combate foi equilibrado, mas o jovem aluno de André Galvão conseguiu pegar as costas e finalizar com a lapela no arco-e-flecha.

Confira no vídeo abaixo!

Seattle, USA

The registration deadline for the 2015 Seattle International Open is this Friday, Oct. 16.

Hurry up and register today to compete.

The event is scheduled October, 24, at the Everett Community College.

Click here to register now.

After you do that, see what blue belt Anthony Bourdain has to say about the beautiful city of Seattle,.

Watch the video and get some great tips to spend your free time before and after competing.

The legend Hannette Staack of GMA Brazil-021 in Chicago, IL will be in Seattle to teach a women’s only camp hosted by Grapplin’ Gals.

The three day event will be held at Straight Blast Gym Seattle located at 5050 Delridge Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106.

Eight-time world champion Hannette will also be accompanied by Oregon’s first female black belt Leah Taylor and Washington’s second female black belt Michelle Wagner.

This is a great opportunity for ladies of all levels to meet up in the Pacific Northwest for a fun, enriching three days of Jiu-Jitsu. Expand your knowledge and your network, and drink some good coffee, too!

Schedule to be released soon.

Register early to confirm your spot at www.ggbjj.com

Learn more about Hannette and Brazil-021 at www.brazil021chicago.com

On Saturday, Dec. 6 Renato Tavares traveled to his affiliate academy Triton Fight Center in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma for his yearly seminar.

The event gathered a whopping 130 students together. Seventeen of them were black belts including Triton Fight Center head instructor Piet Wilhelm, Renato Tavares himself, James Foster of GMA Foster BJJ in Seattle, WA, Mike Budnik, Gina Franssen and others. During the seminar Renato taught various back-takes.

Along with the seminar came the belt ceremony. In all, there were over twenty promotions for those who were deserving of new belt ranks.

As part of the twenty, three special promotions came in the form of black belts to Reed Haji, Tim Holman and Omar French.

Omar was amazed and although super cool he says it was also super scary. “It was amazing! Not so much for getting the rank but because your instructors trust you to represent them. It was insane amazing.”

Learn more about GMA Triton Fight Center at www.tritonfightcenter.com

James Foster (left) with Classy Grappler and student Tyy Withrow. Photo: Personal archive

One might have thought that video games and Jiu-Jitsu don’t mix well– that they would rival for one’s attention. But employees at Bungie, a video game developer, have found that Jiu-Jitsu can help them offset their time spent with working on video games.

On Sept. 8 James Foster of GMA Foster BJJ in Seattle, WA was invited to share his love of Jiu-Jitsu at the release party for the company’s newest product, Destiny.

We wondered about how this shared love of Jiu-Jitsu began at such a company and how the open mat was included at the party so we asked James:

GRACIEMAG: Can you describe the relationship between Bungie and Jiu-Jitsu?

JAMES FOSTER: Bungie provides many physical training options to help their employees escape the sedentary lifestyle of sitting in front of a computer countless hours a day. These activities include fencing, kickboxing, rock climbing on the in house rock wall, and Jiu-Jitsu among others. The president of the company, Harold Ryan, trained in grappling and pankration many years ago and is an avid mixed martial arts fan. The company hosts a different local BJJ black belt every couple of weeks to teach a class in their matted training room.

What event did you take part in and how did an open mat get scheduled?

Myself and my good friend Classy Grappler (famous for his online feud with Kit Dale) were invited to the Destiny launch party by our friend Luis Villegas who is a blue belt and an Engineering Lead at Bungie. We both had taught a mini seminar there around this time last year while the game was reaching the end stages of its five year creation process. Classy flew all the way from Texas to attend and Luis wanted to make sure we all got an opportunity to train, so an open mat was scheduled for the employees to take a break from all the excitement of the day.

Were you able to spread the art to more people in the process?

After we completed the open mat we were walking through the building in our gis while they were doing tours for all of the Bungie/Destiny fans (there were thousands of people lined up outside, many who camped out the night before). One gentleman looked at both of us with his eyes wide and said “Whoa, they even roll here too, that’s awesome!?!?!”, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu truly is everywhere We also ran into some employees who didn’t know the company offered a BJJ program and were very excited to start training there!

During the party I met several individuals who either trained in the past or were looking to start training. It was awesome to celebrate the launch of the game with the creators and share our mutual love of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with others at the same time. They spent the past 5 years of their lives creating a truly one of a kind experience, I’m just honored to have shared a small part of that!

Follow more of James Foster Jiu-Jitsu journeys at http://www.fbjjonline.com/

Akins is the third American to receive a black belt from Rickson Gracie and has fifteen years of training under the legend to attribute to his experience. He was also a head instructor for Rickson Gracie for four years.

Don’t miss this long-time teacher and practitioner of the gentle art.

The seminar will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the cost is $100 is you pre-order.

Foster BJJ is located at 8256 S 1192nd St. Kent, WA 98032.

To register your spot, go to www.kyspromotions.com/seminar 

Check out more of GMA Foster BJJ at www.fbjjonline.com

GMA member James Foster of Foster BJJ in Kent, WA will be at GMA Triton Fight Center on Saturday, Feb. 8 for a seminar. Set for 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., the active competitor black belt will be teaching his competition-tested techniques.

Triton Fight Center is located at: 2205 N Willow Ave. Broken Arrow, OK 74012.

The cost is $65 per person. To reserve your spot, call 918-252-4653

Other instructors who taught techniques include: local black belts Miriam Cardoso, Andrea Encarnacion and Michelle Wagner, Straight Blast Gym of Portland’s brown belt Amanda Loewen and purple belt Leah Taylor, and brown belt Jane Minondo from Vancouver, BC.

The experience was captured in this video and we can say that this is how women should train together:

Last week the Jiu-Jitsu community in Philadelphia attended a seminar for a student of Jared Weiner at BJJ United who is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia. They raised over $10,000.

Because of the disastrous Supertyphoon Haiyan in the Philippines that hit last week, many are in need and  we can help to fund relief efforts. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, there are currently 3,621 deaths, 12,165 injured, 1,140 missing and many homeless.

Check out these events coming up that will give you the opportunity to donate to various outlets. If you are not local or cannot make the events, there are other opportunities to support:

Rolling for Philippines – Sunday, Nov. 17 San Jose, CA

At Heroes Martial Arts is holding an open mat on Sunday, Nov. 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 460 S Market St. San Jose, CA. They are asking for a minimum $20 donation and black belts like Samir Chantre, Osvaldo Queixinho, Bryant Pangelinan, Alan “Gumby” Marques, Matt Darcy, Jeremy Adkins, Sergio Silva, Julio Echeverria to name a few will be present also. Instead of conducting a massive seminar however, they will be available for “privates” at the rate of $2 per minute. Call 408-288-8857 for more information. If you can’t make it you can donate online at: http://www.crowdrise.com/rollforthephilippines/ which goes to the American Red Cross.

Roll for the Philippines – Saturday, Nov. 23 Peoria, AZ

There will be an open mat at Siege MMA on Saturday, Nov. 23 with all proceeds donated to the relief. It will run from 1 – 3 p.m. at 14131 W. Rio Vista Blvd. #9 Peoria, AZ. They are asking for $20 or more if possible. Call 602-680-3467 for more information.

Seattle Martial Arts Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fundraiser and Auction  – Sunday, Nov. 24 Seattle, WA

Seattle martial arts and crossfit schools will come together on Sunday, Nov. 24 for a fundraising event with lunch and a silent auction. It will run from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at MKG Seattle: 10714 5th Ave NE, Seattle, WA. Workshops will run from 10 a.m. on with a Filipino lunch available for $10 donation per plate from 2 – 3:30 p.m. For more information visit http://www.mkgseattle.com/fundraiser/

Roll4Relief – Sunday, Dec. 1 San Diego, CA

Michael Liera Jr. and his family have set up open mat fundraiser for the BJJ community in San Diego, CA. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Arena MMA: 3350 Sports Arena Blvd. San Diego, CA. It will be a day of music, Jiu-Jitsu, food, prizes for family and friends. They are asking for a $25 mat fee for donation. More information can be found at their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Roll4reliefhaiyan

Northwest GrappleThon for Philippine Disaster Aid – Friday, Dec. 6 to Saturday, Dec. 7 Edmonds, WA

There will be a 24-hour grapplethon to raise money at Gracie Barra Edmonds which is twenty minutes south of downtown Seattle. It will run from 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 9681 Firdale Ave, Edmonds, Washington 98020.

“We wIll charge a fixed amount to participate, in this case, $30, and then people are welcome to solicit pledges from co-workers, family, and friends based on how many rolls you get, or how long you can go, etc. I’m feeling that “a dollar a roll” is a reasonable ask. If you aren’t a Jiu-Jitsu person, a “roll” is a 5-10 minute “live” sparring session with another person. How tough it is really depends on the participants, but it can be extremely draining and painful when your opponent is way better than you are. So, if you think it sounds like an awfully hard dollar, you are probably correct. If you’d rather do it based on time spent, $6-$10 is probably fair for an hour. We will also be doing T-shirts for the participants, and you will receive one with your donation of $50 or more. There will also be prizes available for the participants, and if you are interested in a sponsorship opportunity, please reach out to griff@edmondsbjj.com and we can discuss it directly.”

“Braver & Stronger” Fundraiser T-Shirt by Gawakoto, Meerkatsu and Scramble – Pre-order ends Monday, Nov. 18 Online

To raise money for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Phillipines, Gawakoto has teamed up with Meerkatsu & Scramble to produce this one of a kind shirt featuring all three artists’ work. Pre-orders for the first batch will be taken between Thursday 14th until Monday 18th. Tees will begin shipping roughly two weeks after. This way the money from the shirt can be donated quicker. Donations will go to Disasters Emergency Committee.

To order go to: http://store.gawakotoclothing.co.uk/Pre-Order-Fundraising-Shirt-Stronger-Braver_p_45.html 

Any other events or fundraising opportunities? Let us know!

Professor:

Black Belt James Foster

Address: 8256 South 192nd Street, 
Kent, WA 98032

Phone: 1 253 208 3270

Website: www.fosterbjj.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fosterjiujitsu

About:

Foster Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (FBJJ) was established in the Seattle area by owner and head instructor James Foster in 2003. Our academy is centrally located in Kent and is easily accessible from the major Seattle freeways, so we are conveniently located no matter where you live. Coach Foster has been teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) in the Seattle area for over a decade and is a certified 2nd Degree Black Belt under Giva Santana and Lotus Club Jiu-Jitsu. He has dedicated over 17 years to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has over 26 years of martial arts experience. Coach Foster is known as one of the most technical and detail oriented instructors in the Seattle metropolitan area. His BJJ linage can be traced back to both the Carlos and Helio Gracie sides of the World Famous Gracie family. Coach Foster is the full time head instructor of our Kent facility that is located just south of Seattle.

FBJJ offers the most comprehensive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Grappling program in the Seattle area with classes offered seven days a week including mornings, afternoons, and evenings. We have multiple class types to choose from such as: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ 101, Submission Grappling (No Gi), MMA 101, Women’s Jiu-Jitsu and Self Defense, and Children’s BJJ for ages 4 and up. Our academy is one of the largest dedicated to the instruction of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the Seattle metropolitan area with nearly 3,000 square feet of matted training space with fully padded walls.

We are proud to serve the Seattle, Kent, King County and Pierce County areas of Washington State and offer the most complete Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schedule in the Northwest with training for both adults and children. Whether you are a beginner or advanced, completely new to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, want to have BJJ as your base style for MMA, or just want to have a fun hobby that keeps you in shape, FBJJ has a program that’s right for you.

Video:

Professor:

Black Belt Rodrigo Lopes

Address: 270 S. Hanford, STE 201, Seattle, WA 98134

Phone: 1 206 334 3327

Website: www.gbseattle.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bjjseattle

About:

Gracie Barra Seattle is the premier Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in the Seattle metropolitan area. We currently have many locations including but not limited to, Seattle, Bellevue, Federal Way, Issaquah, Ballard and Bothell so we are conveniently located to wherever you live. Our academy is headed by Professor Rodrigo Lopes. He is a 2nd degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Master Carlos Gracie Jr. and Professor Marcio Feitosa and a Certified Black Belt instructor of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlos Gracie Jr. and Gracie Barra. Rodrigo has many years as a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu competitor and instructor. Our academy trains very hard and we focus on developing basic through advanced skills in all of our students. We regularly host tournaments and are avid participants in local and regional tournaments. We encourage everyone who is interested to check out our academy. We are one big family and we are always open to new members. Contact Info@GBSeattle.com for any more information!

Video:

Rominho Barral sweeps André Galvão in a final at the IBJJ Pro League. Photo by Ivan Trindade/GRACIEMAG.

With its hotly disputed matches and intricate maneuvers, the under-88 kg division is the one that drew the most applause at the inaugural IBJJ Pro League event last Saturday in Long Beach, California. The final, a hard-fought affair, saw Romulo Barral sway the judges in his favor and win the $5,000 prize on offer for winning the professional league. In the following exclusive GRACIEMAG.com interview, Barral says he’ll likely be putting in an appearance at the European Championship, explains how it felt odd to fight his friend Otavio Sousa, and praises André Galvão, his opponent in the final.

GRACIEMAG.com: What’s your take on the final with André Galvão?

RÔMULO BARRAL: It was an awesome match. I think Galvão and I have the same style, we both go on the attack. So every time we face each other I’m certain it will be a great fight. The final was really even, ended in a draw, and I feel the decision could have gone to either of us. But this time the judges gave me the win, so I’m plenty pleased. I’m a fan of André Galvão’s. I really like his Jiu-Jitsu. It was an honor to compete against him.

You ended up having to face your Gracie Barra teammate Otavio Sousa in the semifinals. How did that go?

It’s never nice to have to compete against a friend or teammate. I really like Tavinho, but we’re professionals and sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do, to see our sport grow.

What was the big lesson for you from the IBJJ Pro League?

We have to always try to improve. The championship is over and victory is fleeting. I’m already back at training to fix some mistakes I made.

Jiu-Jitsu has been losing a lot of good fighters to MMA these days. Will the IBJJF paying prize money to competitors help curb the exodus?

Yes, I feel us Jiu-Jitsu athletes lead the lives of professional athletes despite being amateurs. After all, we train the whole day to be champions. So nothing could be fairer than to reward us for it.

What are your plans for 2013?

I’m really stoked about next year. I want to fight in everything, starting with the European Championship, in Lisbon, Portugal. After that I’m going to compete at the Abu Dhabi WPJJC Trials in Miami and the big IBJJF tournaments. Who knows, maybe the 2013 ADCC too?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46OqN_OSzrA