Robson Moura Fighting at the Worlds. Photo: IBJJF

One of the biggest winners between featherweights in Jiu-Jitsu and the collector of gold medals in the Worlds, Robson Moura will reconnect with an old acquaintance at the 2014 Jiu-Jitsu Expo in one of the event’s supermatches, on October 18th.

Robinho will face Marcos da Matta Parrumpinha in a kimono battle of 15 minutes under the IBJJF’s rules.

Robinho and Parrumpinha made ​​a remarkable final for the featherweight Jiu-Jitsu World’s tittle in 2000 in Rio de Janeiro. Remember this tense match and see the movement of these two beasts that, nowadays, are recognized teachers in the U.S.

To learn more about the Expo, click here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsZ3gicJEA4

Fabio Gurgel during training with Marcelo Garcia: “After Marcelinho, I think Zé Mario has the most ADCC trophies of anybody.”

GRACIEMAG: How did this offer to face Zé Mario Sperry that’s been abuzz with the fans since yesterday come about?

FABIO GURGEL: Right, well they got me off the couch (laugh). I’d hurd murmurs of it, since there’d been some poll on the internet about who should face Zé Mario in the next supermatch, him having won his match in England and all. And the names that got the most votes were me and Rickson. I don’t feel like this is a mission for Rickson. Guy Neivens called me yesterday, and I accepted. It would be an honor. Aside from Marcelo [Garcia], I think Zé Mario is the guy with the most ADCC titles of anybody.

He has a win over Renzo, won the absolute there, has more tournament-format experience. Have you had any notable No-Gi matches?

I’ve only ever really been at the 1999 ADCC, where I lost to a Russian. The guy ran away the whole match. I only got to touch him with 20 seconds left—things that only happened in the Abu Dhabis of back then. But I don’t feel like I’m at any disadvantage at all. We’ll be going there to put on a good show for you guys. The odd part is that half an hour before Guy called me I was training No-Gi at Alliance. Every Friday is No-Gi day at the academy, a sort of casual Friday, without the suit jacket (laughs). So I’m always training, and you can be sure I’ll be in great physical shape.

You haven’t faced Zé Mario before. What are your expectations?

That’s the coolest part. Zé is the only guy from my generation who I haven’t faced yet. Murilo Bustamante, Amaury Bitetti, Ricardo Libório—I’ve faced them all. But I never did cross paths with Zé. Only at the 1997 Worlds were we supposed to face each other in the semifinals, but he ended up having to pull out because he wasn’t feeling well. So we’ve still got that one to account for.

Is this an unpredictable match or do you have a picture of what you two will be doing?

The two of us have similar styles. Like I said when joking with you yesterday, I could ask him to pull guard on me. I don’t think that’s going to happen, though (laughs). To me what I need to do is go in there with it in my head that I’m not just going to win, but give the crowd their kicks, to not let anyone down. I think that’s what he has in mind too, so it’ll be a great party. And the best part is that it should be in São Paulo. At least that’s what the forecast is; there’s a 90% likelihood it’ll be in our backyard. I like traveling with the athletes and all, but here in Brazil we’ll be able to promote the ADCC a lot better.

Any idea who’ll be in your corner?

Alliance has got its fair share of champions, so I’ll certainly have someone there to give me the right pointers. It could be Marcelo, Rubens Cobrinha or Romero Jacaré. We’ll see about that in training, depending on who stands out in tactical training. Truth is, having a cornerman hardly helps you at all. It’s not going to win the fight for you. I don’t win matches for them, and they don’t win matches for me. But it’ll be cool. Nor do I know who’s going to want to compete at the 2013 ADCC, but we’ll be looking into that; we have time. We also have to see who’ll be cornering our athletes, since I’ll be pretty focused on my match, getting ready to do my job.

Fabio Gurgel during training for 2012 Jiu-Jitsu World Championship / Photo by Ivan Trindade/GRACIEMAG

A black belt and master at Twitter too, Fabio Gurgel couldn’t resist breaking the good news about the 2013 ADCC himself.

“@MarioSperry, Big Zé, I just got invited to fight you in the ADCC! I couldn’t be more honored!!! Best regards!” posted the Allliance head honcho over his micro-blog account.

A superstar at the traditional No-Gi tournament, Zé Mario Sperry returned to the white carpets of the ADCC in 2011, when he faced Renzo Gracie at the Nottingham, England event and won by a score of 5 to 2.

Now Fabio Gurgel has shown his No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu prowess in MMA before, even in the UFC.

Another match-up confirmed for the show is the supermatch main event between superchamp Bráulio Estima and current absolute champion André Galvão.

Riding the wake of the news, GRACIEMAG.com brings you a simple yet efficient lesson from Fabio about an oft-used position in No-Gi.

Lucas Leite in photo by John Cooper

Rafael Lovato Junior’s opponent at the Jiu-Jitsu Expo this 12th in Long Beach will no longer be Gracie Barra’s Kayron Gracie. Injury stricken, the medium heavyweight Kayron was forced to pull out from the event promoted by his cousin Renzo Gracie. The promoters acted quick and got current Pan-American heavyweight champion Lucas Leite to fill the gap.

The CheckMat black belt was in California preparing for the IBJJF World Championship alongside friends Marcus Bochecha, Antonio Cara de Sapato, João Assis and a host of other aces.

What do you think, gentle reader, who wins it? Lovato or Lucas Leita? Place your bets!

Supermatches: 

Nick Diaz vs Bráulio Estima (No-Gi)
Victor Estima vs Kron Gracie
Kyra Gracie vs Alexis Davis (No-Gi)
Caio Terra vs Jeff Glover
Rafael Lovato Jr. vs Lucas Leite
Nino Schembri vs Bill Cooper

For anyone who can’t bear to miss watching the supermatches at the Jiu-Jitsu Expo live but won’t be able to make it to Long Beach, all you need to do is purchase the internet live stream package for $9.95.

Click here for further information on how to watch the action as it happens.

Kayron Gracie gets the tapout at IBJJF 2012 Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship. Photo: John Lamonica/GRACIEMAG.

Jiu-Jitsu lovers will have all the more reason to relish the first-ever World Jiu-Jitsu Expo, coming up May 12 in Long Beach, California. Besides a slew of seminars and an enticing supermatch between Bráulio Estima and Nick Diaz, black belts Kayron Gracie and Rafael Lovato Junior will face off in the gi.

The champion of the medium heavyweight division at the Pan 2012, Kayron teaches at Gracie Barra in California. Lovato, brought up through the ranks in Jiu-Jitsu by Carlos Machado and trained by the brothers Saulo and Xande, teaches in Oklahoma. Lovato is the second American to win a Jiu-Jitsu world title as a black belt, repeating BJ Penn’s feat in 2007.

Take a look back at the Pan 2012 final between Kayron and Vitor Toledo, and secure your spot at the Jiu-Jitsu expo.

Find out how by clicking here.

Who’re you rooting for, Kayron or Lovato? Share your fervor in the comments field below.

Bráulio Estima celebrates victory at the 2011 ADCC disclosling one of his (few) weaknesses—chocolate cookies. The Gracie Barra star will take on Nick Diaz at the Jiu-Jitsu Expo. Photo: Dan Rod/GRACIEMAG.

The organizers of the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo made the announcement first hand on our  Twitter account. The Jiu-Jitsu match featuring UFC star Nick Diaz has been made, with Bráulio Estima entering as his opponent under No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu rules, and the weight has been set at 82 kg, or 180 lbs.

The inaugural World Jiu-Jitsu Expo will be going down May 12 in Long Beach, California, and this supermatch will be just one of the attractions. Prior to current ADCC superchamp“Carcará’s” entrance into the picture, the promoters of the event made a surprise bid to bring in BJ Penn as Nick’s opponent, making contact with JD Penn, the brother and manager of the former UFC champion, who declined the invitation, despite apparent enthusiasm.

“That would be huge! But right now BJ is retiring from competing,” was JD Penn’s response.

On their going with  Bráulio Estima, the promoters of the event captained by Renzo Gracie say the aim is to offer Jiu-Jitsu fans an unforgettable experience. Contrary to what many may have assumed, they never considered feeding Nick Diaz an easy opponent.

What do you say, Jiu-Jitsu fan? How will this showdown between one of the most stalwart MMA fighters around at present and one of the best No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu competitors in the world play out? Share your predictions with us.

However, Bráulio Estima and Ronaldo Jacaré have already set about kindling the fire of a rivalry from way back, from their Jiu-Jitsu days.

While there are still two weeks to go till they exchange their first shoves and pummels, the verbal battle has already begun.

Rush to the GRACIEMAG at ADCC Blog to get up to date on all the commotion in the build-up to the ADCC 2011 supermatch.