Bráulio Estima with UFC champion Georges St-Pierre in Montreal, Canada / Publicity photo

GRACIEMAG: You spent a week training with GSP in Canada, helping him get ready for UFC 154. How did that go?

BRÁULIO ESTIMA: Training was quite interesting. Nothing too different from what he always does, in terms of the routine, if just because there’s no way for GSP to train more than he already did, is there. He’s always been a born athlete. The only difference now was in the quality of training. He imported a solid team to take part in his camp. He brought in sparring partners with [Carlos] Condit’s style, brought in a team direct from Thailand to help with his Thai boxing, brought me in from England, as well as a bunch of other athletes to help out with his training. The camp was complete. Firas [Zahabi] is an excellent trainer.

In your opinion, how will this main event between GSP and Carlos Condit go this Saturday?

I believe GSP will take Condit down and ground-and-pound him. And when the right moment arises, he’ll finish the fight. But I do feel it will be a long fight. Condit is really tough and strategic too. Even so, I believe GSP will take this one.

What did you make of GSP’s Jiu-Jitsu?

GSP’s Jiu-Jitsu is really good. He always works on the different aspects of the art with Bruno Fernandes [leader of GB Montreal] and John Danaher [of Renzo Gracie NY]. The whole week there’s a team from Renzo Gracie showing up to train. His evolution was apparent over the weeks.

GSP is coming back from injury to both knees…

You know, I didn’t notice any difference at all. And I didn’t see him hold back or complain about his knee at any time.

What wrestling did you learn from him this time?

His wrestling is always a strong point in his game. It’s almost impossible to stop his takedowns. His technical control is impressive, which is no surprise once you’ve seen how many repetitions he does and the time he puts into working on timing takedowns. Now on the ground, I feel he’s one of the few athletes in the UFC who can almost perfectly coordinate punches with Jiu-Jitsu positioning.

How did the MMA part go? Did you two throw down?

I did a lot of the ground aspect of the MMA training, since there were guys a lot better than me to do the striking. There was a selection of specific athletes for each area.

What else did you learn in Canada?

It was a really cool trip. I learned a lot in every way and did my best to share what I know with the other athletes. It was really productive. I did seminars at GB Montreal as well, with my good friend Bruno Fernandes. It was great to see him again. I also visited the black belt Pat Cooligan in Ottowa. This trip was awesome. I plan to return soon.

Back to GSP, what do you admire most in the fighter?

His dedication, focus and perseverance. Time to train is time to train, and nothing can sway his attention. He’s a guy who’s constantly striving to improve. He listens a lot and is an intelligent guy who strings everything he practices together in a unique way.

Carcará and his reverse triangle training in England with Lucio Lagarto / GRACIEMAG archive photo

In the final stretch in preparing for his No-Gi tussle with UFC star Nick Diaz at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo next weekend, all Bráulio “Carcará” Estima wants to hear about is getting a good night’s rest.

The professor of Jiu-Jitsu at Gracie Barra in England arrived home from Thailand on Thursday and sets off for California today, and he’s plenty concerned about jet lag. As if having Nick Diaz to contend with next Saturday weren’t enough.

YOUNGER BROTHER NATE DIAZ’S GUILLOTINE AT LAST UFC

The guillotine Nate used to win his fight at the last UFC was splendid, beautifully executed and it provided a glimpse of the slick ground skills of someone who knows his stuff. Nate Diaz’s win [over Jim Miller] serves to show spectators the level the Diaz brothers are at in Jiu-Jitsu. I already knew what they’re capable of. I know how tough they are, so the submission was no surprise to me.

TRAINING TO FACE NICK DIAZ

My training consisted of a lot of basics. I sought to up my endurance, for the fact that I accepted the fight really close to competition day, since I’d scheduled my vacation before the fight. I arrived from Thailand on Tuesday and am heading to California today. It’s all quite a rush. I feel that jet lag will be my worst enemy during these days leading up to the Expo. In Thailand I managed to train twice a day for ten days, so I’m confident, although I’m not at tip-top shape.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36RnZqouEjc

JIU-JITSU TRAINING DURING VACATION

We can never stop, can we? Though I’m not 100% focused on competition right now, I’m always training. After all, Jiu-Jitsu’s my hobby, my work, my anti-stress remedy and my life philosophy.

RESPONSIBILITY AND FAVORITE STATUS

I’ve shouldered the responsibility ever since I accepted facing Nick. I brought the responsibility on me. I know I’m obligated to win, and win convincingly. But I have faith in myself and will go for the tapout from start to finish. My main strategy will be to not waste a single opportunity or favorable position.

To watch his match and the rest of the card for 10 dollars, click here.

To secure tickets to the inaugural World Jiu-Jitsu Expo and check out the timetable for the seminars with Roger Gracie, Ronaldo Jacaré and others, visit the event’s official website here.

What do you feel the outcome of the supermatch between Bráulio and Nick Diaz will be, dear reader?

The black belt Rodrigo Minotauro in UFC open training session / Photo: Josh Hedges/publicity

Now recovered from surgery to fix the broken right arm he suffered at the hands of Frank Mir at UFC 140, Rodrigo Minotauro is back in training, as you found out earlier here on GRACIEMAG.com. A Jiu-Jitsu specialist, Minotauro “imported” a trainer from Thailand to help out with the Thai boxing going on at Team Nogueira.

A champion many times over in Thailand, Narongsak Pako comes from the traditional Poptheeratham Gym, and his instruction has been impressing everyone at Nogueira’s academy.

MINOTAURO WORKING ON THIPS AND KNEES

In the exclusive GRACIEMAG.com video, Minotauro works the mitts with his new coach. He still seems to be struggling with the Thai language, though.

After watching, comment below and share with us who you’d like to see Mino face next.

Jiu-Jitsu is learning your ABs: to produce eloquent phrases, you have to learn the letters first. Publicity photo.

Jiu-Jitsu, as GRACIEMAG readers know, is like learning the alphabet. First the vowels, the A before the U, then the consonants and so on and so forth.

For good Jiu-Jitsu guard players, it’s advisable that they sharpen up the de la Rva guard before learning the ins and outs of the berimbolo or other more brazen maneuvers.

THE TRICK IS TO PUSH THE KNEE

In this video, black belt Olavo Abreu, a teacher in Thailand, teaches to sweep from de la Riva guard, underscoring the importance of breaking the opponent’s posture and pushing the knee to compete the movement. Watch how it’s done, and practice at the gym.

Photos: publicity

Marcos “Santa Cruz” Oliveira’s end-of-the-year festivities were a bit different. As the black belt has the final of the ADFC – an MMA event shaking up the United Arab Emirates – coming up in the month of March against Russia’s Shamil Abdurahimov in Abu Dhabi, he put off taking rest and headed for Thailand to brush up on his striking game.

Along with him went Oscar Junior, his training partner on Emirates Team and considered the most technical No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu player on the team.

“We came to do some serious muay thai training, but I couldn’t forsake training on the ground. So I brought Oscar and Terorge, who are helping me with that.

Oscar, the winner of the last Asian Super Cup, says he was very well received at Tiger Muay Thai MMA Camp:

“Ray Elbe is responsible for MMA training and was very receptive, having promoted a seminar conducted by me on the 24th.”

Oscar promises a series of seminars in the USA, Europe, and Middle East for 2011. Following the ADFC, of course. Till then his greatest priority will be to helping his friend Marcão in training.

Photographer Hashimoto Kinya was on the scene and sent GRACIEAG.com images of the Jiu-Jitsu representatives adventures in Thailand. Check it out:

[flickr set=72157625147585559]

Cosmo (in blue) trains with another muay thai ace, Diego Sebastião. Photo: Carlos Ozório

WPMF muay thai world champion, WMC intercontinental champion, It’s Show Time champion and King Cup – Thailand’s main event – champion Cosmo Alexandre isn’t just the best striker in Brazil at present, but is one of the most respected on the planet. The fighter hopes to make his MMA debut soon and, thus, dove into Jiu-Jitsu training with Coach Marcelo Nigue at Gracie Memorial Arena Santos in São Paulo.

GRACIEMAG.com had the following chat with the figher:

How are your preparations for your MMA debut going?

I’m training hard with Marcelo Nigue, working hard on my ground game. At first I’d only train countering on the ground, for the ref to bring the fight back to the feet. But, as I don’t like doing anything halfway, I told Nigue that I wanted to train in the gi to surprise some people. I want to get the submission and sweep. I train a lot in the gi and I’m ready. I’m just waiting to make my debut.

Blue belt Cosmo goes for some sweeps. Photo: Carlos Ozório

But did you  have prior Jiu-Jitsu experience?

I did some training a while back, but I was kind of just playing around. Now I’m serious about it. I didn’t think I’d enjoy it so much because strikers have a prejudice against Jiu-Jitsu. But I’m surprised how I’ve taken to it and, as I just fought muay thai two weeks ago, now I’m training more on the ground than standing. Now I’m training Jiu-Jitsu and will never stop.

You lived in Thailand in the past. What was that experience like?

I knew I had to do something about my career because it’s hard to make a living in muay thai in Brazil. So I wanted to go to where the cream of the crop in the sport is, where the best muay thai in the world is. I spent a year in Thailand I I’m always going back. There’s no better place and every muay thai fighter should go not just to fight, but because that’s where the sport’s culture is.

What was it like participating in the muay thai reality show that was so successful in Europe?

It was great. There was already a good-sized market in Asia, but doors needed to be opened in Europe. I made it to the final and ended up losing on points, but Europe was where it all started for me.

In muay thai action. Photo: Carlos Ozório

Why don’t they call you up for K-1? Do you expect them to invite you?

These days it’s better for me to fight at It’s Show Time than to be in K-1. First, because I can fight in my weight group, which doesn’t exist in K-1. They have either the under 70kg division or the heavyweight division. There’s also a lot of bureaucracy in K-1 and they take a long time paying the fighters’ purses. Furthermore, these days in Europe It’s Show Time is much bigger than K-1. I can fight in other organizations because the contract isn’t exclusive, even though I’m the current under 77kg champion. The event is held in high regard in Europe and I’m happy there.

Want to see the beast in action? Check out Cosmo’s highlight reel:

“I recently promoted our student Opal Devine.” It would be just another promotion, but… “Well, she’s the Thailand’s first female Jiu-Jitsu blue belt,” says Zingano.

GRACIEMAG hopes the muay thai gang won’t have any problem with the young lady from Thailand.

Zingano and Opel. Photo: Publicity

If you are interested in what Zingano has done for Jiu-Jitsu, from Colorado to Thailand, check out this flying footlock he landed at the 2005 Pan. Don’t try it at home!

For more, check out www.zinganobjj.com.