BJJPDF Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Fighting Strategies Free Sample

Introduction ....................................................................................... 1

Chapter 1: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu........................................................... 3

Chapter 2: Standing ........................................................................ 21

Chapter 3: Closed Guard ............................................................... 45

Chapter 4: Open Guard.................................................................. 65

Chapter 5: Half Guard.................................................................... 85

Chapter 6: Side Control................................................................ 103

Chapter 7: North-to-South Control ............................................ 123

Chapter 8: Knee-in-the-Belly ....................................................... 139

Chapter 9: Mount .......................................................................... 155

Chapter 10: Back............................................................................ 173

Chapter 11: Diagnosis................................................................... 189

References....................................................................................... 203

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Now the general who wins a battle makesmany calculations in his temple ere the battleis fought. The general who loses a battle makesbut few calculations beforehand. Thus do manycalculations lead to victory, and few calcula-tions to defeat: how much more no calculationat all! It is by attention to this point that I canforesee who is likely to win or lose.

—Sun Tzu, The Art of War

This is a book about Brazilian jiu-jitsu, oneof the world’s greatest martial arts. From thisbook you will not only learn techniques andtactics of gi, no-gi, and NHB (no-holds-barred)jiu-jitsu but also how to formulate a compre-hensive strategy for winning. Whether you area beginner or an accomplished veteran of theart, when you finish reading this book, yourlife as a martial artist will be forever changed.Apply what you learn and you will find your-self transformed from follower to leader, fromprivate to general, from technician to strategist.

In this chapter you will learn the primarystrategy of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and see the evi-dence that shows the effectiveness of the art.You will also learn how jiu-jitsu fighters applythe principles of leverage in virtually every sub-mission technique. In this chapter you will dis-cover the 18 conditions common to groundfighting and the classifications of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. You will discover how different personality

types manifest themselves in different fightingstyles, and you will read a brief history of the artitself. This chapter also explains the difference intechniques, tactics, and strategy, and it sets thetone for the comprehensive overview and analy-sis of the art that follows in chapters 2–11.

FIGHTING TECHNIQUES OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is massively successfulbecause of two things: It always works, and itis alwaysevolving.This is sobecausepractitionersof the art arecontinuouslyfighting andcompetingat all levelsand, there-fore, theyare alwayslearning.Since theformulationof this sys-tem byCarlosGracie Sr. in

3

BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

CHAPTER 1

Figure 1-1. Romero “Jacare” Cavalcanti.

the 1920s, Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters have beenaccepting challenges to fight in the ring, on themat, on the beach, and pretty much anywherethat it is possible for them to test their stuff.

What makes it work? How has this artwithstood countless challenges for the betterpart of a century? To understand this, you mustfirst have a grasp of the primary strategy thatmakes ground fighting, and Brazilian jiu-jitsuin particular, so amazingly effective.

The Primary StrategyBrazilian jiu-jitsu is a derivative of Japanese

jiu-jitsu. Unlike most of the traditional Japanesejiu-jitsu and judo systems, Brazilian jiu-jitsuplaces great emphasis on ground fighting tech-niques, called ne waza in Japan. The primarystrategy behind this system is to take the oppo-nent to the ground and force him to fight you there.The theory behind this is simple and it hasbeen proven to work on the street, in the NHBring, and on the mat time and again. It goeslike this: If you are skilled at fighting on theground and your attacker is not, your attackerwill be virtually at your mercy once you havehim on the ground. Furthermore, the theorygoes, it is extremely difficult for any opponentto stay on his feet when confronted by a skilledground fighter.

If you are unfamiliar with ground fighting,you may be asking yourself this question:“Why should I bother to learn ground fight-ing?” You may be thinking, “My stand-up skillsare so strong that I’ll never end up on theground. After all, how likely is it that I will beattacked by a trained ground fighter on thestreet? Why should I worry about it?” Well,think long and hard before you decide to leaveground fighting out of your portfolio of skills.Think about all the fights that you were per-sonally involved in, witnessed, or heard aboutfirsthand. Did these fights end up on theground? We’re betting the answer is yes,because many experts, including Rorion Gracie,estimate that more than 80 percent of all streetfights end up on the ground.

We consider it to be an obvious fact that

most street fights go to the ground, and it iscertainly a fact that most NHB matches arefought at least partly on the mat. Given thatvirtually everyone knows this is true, it aston-ishes us that so many instructors in the tradi-tional martial arts invest little or no time inground application.

The Importance of Leverage

Give me a place to stand and a lever longenough and I will move the world.

—Archimedes, 220 BC

Virtually every technique in Brazilian jiu-jitsu makes use of leverage. To excel in jiu-jitsuyou must, therefore, understand what leveragereally is and how it works within the context ofthe art.

Most students of jiu-jitsu learn one techniqueafter another but never bother to learn how andwhy the techniques work. This is called being atechnique-dependent learner, which limits yourskill level to the number of techniques you canmemorize. It’s akin to the old saying, “Give aman a fish and you feed him today; teach a manhow to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”Technique-dependent learners are being giventhe technique instead of being taught the princi-ples behind the technique.

When you learn the principles of leverage,you will know how and why your techniqueswork or don’t work. Learn the principles ofleverage and you will be able to create yourown submissions, and you will know why onetechnique trumps another in a given situation.Learn the principles of leverage and you willbe able to defend against your opponents’ sub-mission attempts far more effectively becauseyou will understand what is going on mechani-cally. Learn the principles of leverage and youwill move beyond technique dependency totechnique independency.

Principles of LeverageLeverage is the act of using a small amount

of effort to move a large load. All levers have

4 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Fighting Strategies

three components: the fulcrum, the load, andthe effort. The fulcrum is the point about whichthe lever rotates; the load is the force appliedby the lever system; and the effort is the forceapplied by the user of the lever system.1 In thethird century the famous Greek mathematicianArchimedes was the first to describe the funda-mental mechanics of leverage. He gave us thisformula: The effort times its distance from the ful-crum = the load times its distance from the fulcrum.

There are three types of lever. The type oflever is determined in accordance with theposition of the fulcrum in relation to the effortand load.2 The three types of levers are:

Levers of the first class: The fulcrum liesbetween the effort and the load. Examplesinclude a crowbar, seesaw, and scissors.

Levers of the second class: The fulcrum is atone end, the effort at the other end, and the loadis between the effort and the fulcrum. Examplesinclude a wheelbarrow and a nutcracker.

Levers of the third class: The fulcrum is atone end, the load at the other end, and theeffort is between the load and the fulcrum.Examples include tweezers, tongs, brooms, andfishing poles.3

Brazilian jiu-jitsu techniques apply princi-ples derived from all three types of lever.Illustrations of levers of the first, second, andthird type are shown below. Photos ofBrazilian jiu-jitsu techniques that make use ofprinciples from lever types one, two, and threeare also shown.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 5

Figure 1-2. Alliance competitor Andrew Uria wins with a Kimurasubmission. Illustration 1-1. Levers of the first class (fulcrum in the mid-

dle) magnify the effect of effort.

Figure 1-3. The arm bar applies lever of the first class principles.


Illustration 1-2. Levers of the second class (load in the middle)magnify the effort.

Illustration 1-3. Levers of the third class (effort in the middle)magnify distance.

Figure 1-4. This side mount escape employs principles of leversof the second class.

Figure 1-5. Squeezing the knees together to restrict an oppo-nent’s movement, as shown in this close-quarter open guardposition, makes use of lever of the third type principles.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters apply the princi-ples of leverage to execute submissions. This isdone by isolating one part of an opponent’sanatomy, such as an arm or neck, and thenapplying pressure from a superior position. Ajiu-jitsu fighter might, for example, isolate anopponent’s arm and apply the full power of hisarms, back, and legs against that opponent’selbow joint to create an arm bar.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters also seek to applyleverage to execute sweeps, throws, and take-downs. This is done by applying leverage atthe precise moment it will have maximumeffect—the moment of maximum opportunity.A fighter might, for example, attempt to use ascissor sweep, which is based on lever of thefirst type principles, at a moment in which hisopponent is slightly imbalanced. This is themoment in which the opponent is already lean-ing toward the “tipping point,” i.e., the point atwhich he could easily lose balance and fall orbe swept. At these moments of imbalance (orpoor balance), a minimum amount of leveragewill tip an opponent over.

The use of leverage in fighting is a greatequalizer because, except for power lifters andgiants, hardly anyone’s elbow, knee, ankle,wrist, shoulder, or neck is stronger than theleveraged force of someone else’s arms, back,and legs in combination. Every fighter, no mat-ter how big and how powerful, will present“moments of opportunity” in which he can eas-ily be taken down by minimal leverage correct-ly applied. Thus, the principles of leverage, inproper application, make it possible for asmaller and weaker person to defeat a muchlarger and stronger opponent.

Of course, stronger fighters are able to usesheer muscle to accomplish more action withless leverage than weaker fighters can. Weakerfighters must find ways to generate the maxi-mum amount of leverage in order to compen-sate for their lack of strength. A fighter,whether weak or strong, who continually maxi-mizes the use of leverage is typically referred toas a “technical fighter.”

The sophisticated application of leverage

for which Brazilian jiu-jitsu is famous waslargely the contribution of jiu-jitsuGrandmaster and Gracie family patriarch HelioGracie. Grandmaster Helio, who is in hisnineties and still going strong as of this writing,was the Gracie family champion for manyyears in the last century. This is surprisingbecause Helio is a fairly small man. As a child,he was unusually weak and had significanthealth problems. According to the family’s offi-cial Web site, “Helio was always a very physi-cally frail child. He would run up a flight ofstairs and have fainting spells. Nobody couldfigure out why.”4

To overcome his physical limitations Heliointroduced innovative new ways to use lever-age into the art of jiu-jitsu. It was this modifica-tion of traditional techniques that allowed himto defeat much larger opponents while simulta-neously advancing the art itself. “[Helio] soonrealized that some of the techniques he hadmemorized from watching Carlos teach werenot very easy for him to execute. He then start-ed to adapt those moves to his frail body’s abil-


Figure 1-6. Cavalcanti (seated) demonstrates a single-leg take-down with Pat Harvey.

ities, improving the leverage in the execution ofsome of those techniques,” the site states.5

These two elements, using superior sourcesof strength against inferior strength (i.e., isola-tion) and using leverage to amplify power andtake advantage of moments of opportunity arewhat make jiu-jitsu a martial art that works foralmost everyone, including smaller, weaker,and older practitioners. Strength and size arecertainly a factor in any fight, but asGrandmaster Helio Gracie proved again andagain, a fighter trained in the ways of leverageand isolation can compensate for considerablevariances in size and strength.

The 18 Ground Fighting ConditionsThere are nine primary situations that are

most common to Brazilian jiu-jitsu and groundfighting in general. Each of these nine situationsis fluid and has many variations. They are:

1. Standing2. Closed Guard3. Open Guard4. Half Guard5. Side6. North-to-South7. Knee-In-the-Belly8. Mount9. Back

If you investigate the art more thoroughly,however, you will see that there are actually 18common ground fighting conditions that thestudent of Brazilian jiu-jitsu must be concernedwith, because each situation has two aspects.Thus, we have:

1. Standing Attacks2. Standing Counters3. Closed Guard, top4. Closed Guard, bottom5. Open Guard, top6. Open Guard, bottom7. Half Guard, top8. Half Guard, bottom9. Side Control, top

10. Side Control, bottom11. North-to-South, top12. North-to-South, bottom13. Knee-in-the-Belly, top14. Knee-in-the-Belly, bottom15. Mount, top16. Mount, bottom17. Back, top18. Back, bottom

Some of the 18 conditions describe domi-nant situations such as throwing your oppo-nent to the ground or being mounted on youropponent’s chest. Some describe defensive situ-ations such as being under the mount or hav-ing an opponent on your back. Some are bothoffensive and defensive, such as working fromthe open guard and its many variations. Thepoint is that the successful ground fighter musthave more than a few throws and a handful ofsubmission techniques. The successful fighterneeds a methodology for attacking, defending,counterattacking, and outsmarting differentopponents in a wide variety of situations. Inother words, the successful fighter needs astrategic plan for how to work in all 18 condi-tions common to the game.

The Classifications of Brazilian Jiu-JitsuBrazilian jiu-jitsu approaches martial arts

from four different domains, or classifications.The first three classifications are grappling withthe gi, grappling without the gi, and NHBfighting without the gi. Rule variations forthese three classifications exist, such as submis-sion grappling with no time limits and nopoints, submission grappling with time limits,submission grappling with limited striking,and more.

The first two classifications, grappling withthe gi and grappling without the gi, are some-times referred to as “sport jiu-jitsu.” Most sportevents follow rules that allow submissions andgive points for control (e.g., two points fortakedown, three points for passing the guard,and two points for placing the knee-in-the-belly). The third classification, NHB fighting


without the gi, is also known by several othernames. These include no-rules, vale tudo, andmixed martial arts (MMA). (Not covered in thisbook is a fourth classification of the art knowngenerally as “self-defense.” The self-defenseclassification of Brazilian jiu-jitsu includes amassive array of specialized techniques andtactics used for defending one’s self on thestreet. These include one-on-one empty-handself-defense techniques, techniques for defend-ing against multiple attackers, and techniquesfor defending against weapon attacks bare-handed.)

To be a well-rounded jiu-jitsu fighter, it isimportant to train in all four classifications.Training with the gi, for example, teaches thestudent how to deal with clothing during afight. This is important because clothing can beused as a weapon on the street.

In addition, it appears that training withthe gi will add something to your no-gi game.According to Royler Gracie, there is significantevidence that training hours spent wearing thegi translate into improved performance in no-gimatches. “The overwhelming success ofBrazilian jiu-jitsu fighters in competitions suchas the ADCC, Grapplers Quest, Arnold’s, and

NAGA is the best proof for training with a gi.From 1998 to 2001, 75 percent of the ADCCwinners were from jiu-jitsu backgrounds,”Royler states.6

Training without the gi is equally importantbecause it teaches you to react more quicklyand to use positional holds for leverage ratherthan relying on cloth. This will also give youthe skills necessary for dealing with attackerswearing sleeveless shirts, shorts, swimsuits, orsome other type of flimsy attire.

NHB training is also essential in jiu-jitsufighting because it adds the element of strikingfrom a standing position and from a groundedposition to the ground fighter’s game. AsCarlson Gracie said, “No martial art can main-tain its claim as a real-life fighting art withoutbeing able to prove its efficiency in the field ofno-holds-barred.”7

Remember, striking from a prone position isentirely different than striking from a standingposition. Power, leverage, angle, reach, andother elements of the striking game changeradically when you are on the ground.

Techniques, Tactics, and StrategiesDictionary.com defines techniques, tactics,

and strategy in the following language: Techniques: The systematic procedure by

which a complex or scientific task is accom-plished.

Tactics: The military science that deals withsecuring objectives set by strategy, especiallythe technique of deploying and directingtroops, ships, and aircraft in effective maneu-vers against an enemy.

Strategy: The science and art of militarycommand as applied to the overall planningand conduct of large-scale combat operations.

Novice jiu-jitsu practitioners typically con-cern themselves with techniques exclusively.There are hundreds of submissions and sweepsin the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but while thesetechniques are important to be sure, techniquesalone are not sufficient.

Intermediate jiu-jitsu fighters include tac-tics in their bag of jiu-jitsu tricks. For them,


Figure 1-7. Stephen Smith works a sweep from the guard.

knowing techniques is just the beginning. Theyrecognize the importance of being able to com-bine techniques for attacking, counterattack-ing, and defending. They are skilled at execut-ing well-timed maneuvers to gain advantageor avoid danger.

Advanced jiu-jitsu practitioners know lots oftechniques and are able to formulate tacticsbefore the fight and on the fly. Advanced playersalso realize that techniques and tactics don’twork in the same way against different oppo-nents. They know that each fight and each fight-er will provide unique challenges. Advancedfighters understand that a point advantage ordisadvantage can alter the dynamics of a match.Advanced competitors know the value of plan-ning ahead and, therefore, much of their train-ing time is devoted to strategy.

If I always appear prepared, it is becausebefore entering on an undertaking, I havemeditated for long and have foreseen whatmay occur. It is not genius which reveals tome suddenly and secretly what I should do incircumstances unexpected by others; it isthought and preparation.

—Napoleon Bonaparte

It might be helpful for you to consider theconcepts of techniques, tactics, and strategy byway of a simplified military analogy. Generalscreate the plans for battle (strategy). Lieutenantsdevise appropriate maneuvers on the field ofbattle (tactics). Privates execute orders, such asshooting the enemy (techniques). Advanced jiu-jitsu players are like generals who shoot. Theyplan, they maneuver, and they execute.Advanced jiu-jitsu fighters are equally con-cerned with strategy, tactics, and techniques.From this book you will learn all three.

Assessing Personality TypesPsychologists tell us that there are several

different personality types and that understand-ing these different types can help us communi-cate better and be more successful in life, sports,and in business. One of the most useful person-

ality assessment tools used in the businessworld today is the DISC (dominance, influence,steadiness, compliance) model, which is basedon the work of Dr. William Moulton Marston.He developed the Bisocial Theory of Emotionand Personality, and in 1926 published theresults of his research—and the DISC test—inhis book, The Emotions of Normal People.8

Through his research Marston identifiedfour distinctly different personality styles ortemperaments. These personality styles are:

• Dominance: assertive and domineering• Influence: fast-paced and highly social• Steadiness: amiable, conscientious, and

passive• Compliance: careful, with a tendency

toward perfectionism

These four main personality styles manifestthemselves in the mannerisms of martial artistsfrom all arts and have been described in slight-ly different ways by a number of authors andpractitioners, including Muay Thaifighter/trainer Pedro Villalobos, boxing writerMonte Cox, boxing expert R. Stockton, andkarate legend Karyn Turner, who says, “Afterfighting, coaching, and witnessing hundreds ofmatches I am still convinced that there are onlyfour main types of fighters . . . As simple as itsounds, if you can beat these four fighters youcan beat almost anybody in the world. Ninety-seven percent of all competitors use one of thefour styles of fighting almost exclusively.”9

In Brazilian jiu-jitsu these four personalitystyles can best be described as:

• Aggressive: Attacks and charges constantlyat full power.

• Deceptive: Uses timing, fakes, and quickmovements assertively to gain advantage.

• Defensive: Defends constantly, stalls a lot,avoids submissions, escapes danger, andattacks rarely and only when it is safe todo so.

• Interceptive: Sets traps and uses counterat-tacks frequently.


In general, the aggressive and deceptivefighters are more proactive, and the defensiveand interceptive fighters are more reactive.Deceptive and interceptive fighters are, by andlarge, more dynamic in their approach to fight-ing. We believe that every fighter has a naturaltendency toward one or two of the stylesdescribed above. Every fighter also has thepotential to adapt his way of fighting to anyone of the four styles or some combination.

Understanding the four types of fighters andbeing able to adapt your style to accommodatefor each type is an important element of strate-gy. We will cover this in detail in Chapter 11.

To Become a ChampionWhat does it take to become a gi, no-gi, or

NHB jiu-jitsu champion? How many hours oftraining must you commit each day, week, andyear? Relson Gracie said, “In order to be worldchampion, you’ve got to be like a Brazilian;train morning and afternoon, five days a weekto be at top level, and you’ve got to have agood teacher for sure.”

The exact number of hours required tobecome a champion is a matter of opinion, buteveryone agrees that it takes a lot of heart, a

ton of hard work, lots of mat time, and plentyof competition experience. An understandingof the techniques, tactics, and strategies of thegame is vital.

Mastery of the mental aspect of training isalso critical. The point of this is to emphasizethat the mental element of the jiu-jitsu game isjust as important as the physical element. Inone study, two men practiced free throws eachnight for a month, while a third only visualizedshooting the ball. The first man visualized andpracticed free throws, while the second manjust shot the ball without visualizing. At theend of the month the most improved playerwas the one who both visualized and shot freethrows. Coming in second was the man whosimply visualized, and coming in last was theone who shot without visualizing.10 To begreat—really great—you must give 100 percentof yourself, body and mind.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

Jiu-jitsu, literally “gentle art,” was born inJapan and evolved over a period of many cen-turies. Many versions and variations of jiu-jitsu


Figure 1-9. From left, Luis Eduardo, Fabio Gurgel, ElijahGardner, and Cavalcanti.

Figure 1-8. Roberto Traven (top) and Dave Berry battle in theUFC in 1996.

were practiced during Japan’s long feudal peri-od. The systematic practice of jiu-jitsu began inJapan’s Edo period, the years between 1603 and1868.11 In 1882 the art experienced a major evo-lutionary breakthrough when Jigoro Kano for-mulated a new style of jiu-jitsu that he calledKodokan judo. Kano wasn’t the first to use thename judo; it had been in use at the jiu-jitsuschools where he studied before he made theword famous in the late 1800s.12

After many years of study with a variety ofmasters, Kano observed that each teacher pre-sented his system as a collection of techniquesrather than explaining the underlying principlethat made the techniques work.13 Eventually,Kano identified the principle by himself andlater came to call it the principle of maximumefficiency. “With this principle in mind, I againreviewed all the methods of attack and defenseI had learned, retaining only those that were inaccordance with the principle . . . The resultingbody of techniques, which I named judo to dis-tinguish it from its predecessor, is what I taughtat the Kodokan.”14

Kano’s Kodokan judo represented a radical-ly new approach to the ancient art of jiu-jitsu. Itwas new in part because it was based on theprinciple of maximum efficiency and in partbecause it was among the first styles to be prac-ticed with rules that enabled trainees to sparand to compete without excessive injuries.Kano was a martial art revolutionary, and hisnew jiu-jitsu sparked a major change in theway that martial arts were trained. His contri-bution to jiu-jitsu was huge and his influenceon all the martial arts was enormous.

Kano’s jiu-jitsu was an amalgam of existingstyles and techniques. Originally he put greatemphasis on throws and takedowns. Later headded a well-rounded regime of ground fight-ing techniques, including more joint lockingtechniques, choking techniques, holding tech-niques, and ground techniques. Author GeneSimco says, “With friends from other jiu-jitsusystems, among them being Fusen Ryu practi-tioners, Kano formulated the Ne Waza (groundtechniques) of Kodokan Judo.”15

In 1897, Mitsuyo Maeda (sometimes citedas Esai Maeda), who later became known asCount Koma (or Konde Koma in Portuguese),began training with Kano. In 1904 Maeda trav-eled to the United States with another of hisinstructors, Tsunejiro Tomita. Tomita andMaeda went to West Point and demonstratedtheir art. They also traveled to the White Houseand performed demonstrations of Kano’sKodokan judo for President TheodoreRoosevelt.

The Gracie FamilyLater, Maeda went to San Palo, Brazil, on a

mission to help establish a Japanese colony. Itwas here that Maeda met Gastao Gracie.Gastao helped Maeda establish the colony and,to return the favor, Maeda taught Kano’s newform of jiu-jitsu, Kodokan judo, to GastaoGracie’s son, Carlos. (There is some questionabout the name that Maeda used to refer to hismartial art. No one seems to know for sure, butin a 1994 interview with Nishi Yoshinori, HelioGracie said that he believed Maeda referred tohis art as jiu-jitsu rather than judo.)

So it came to pass that young Carlos Gracielearned Master Kano’s new form of jiu-jitsu/judo from Maeda beginning in 1916,when he was 15 years of age, continuing untilhe was 21. It is important to note that this train-ing took place at a time when it was consideredimproper, and perhaps even illegal, for aJapanese martial arts instructor to teach a non-Japanese person.

When Maeda left Brazil and returned toJapan, there were no other instructors availablefor Carlos to turn to. From that day forward,young Carlos Gracie was completely on hisown. This turned out to be an event of majorsignificance. Kid Peligro, who has coauthoredseveral books with members of the Gracie fam-ily, says, “With no one to rely on but himself,Carlos began to develop the art in a way thatnever would have been allowed by the tradi-tion-bound Japanese. He also found that otherswanted to learn this effective martial art, andhe began to teach private lessons from his


house. These proved so popular that he soonopened a school, the first Brazilian jiu-jitsuacademy in the world.”16

Carlos was a fighter. He continually testedhimself and his art in no-rules matches. Hetook on all comers regardless of size or weight.He spread the word everywhere and actuallytook out a newspaper ad challenging anyone tostep into the ring with him. According to theGracie Web site, “Even though he was a mere135 pounds, his style was so effective thatCarlos Gracie was never defeated and hebecame a legend in Brazil.”

Carlos taught jiu-jitsu to many family mem-bers, including his brothers, Jorge, Gastao,Osvaldo, and Helio. In time, each of the broth-ers became a champion of the art in his ownright. It was Helio, however, who gainednational fame through a series of high-profilefights. One of these famous fights took place inJuly 1951 when a 5th-degree black belt judofighter named Kado accepted Helio’s challenge.Helio dominated the fight and eventuallychoked Kado into unconsciousness. HelioGracie was declared the winner and became anational hero of Brazil.17

The defeated Kado had traveled to Brazil aspart of a three-man team. His teammatesincluded a famous and very powerful judo

fighter named Masahiko Kimura and anotherjudo black belt named Yamaguchi. A short timeafter his victory over Kado, Helio, who hadbeen the Brazilian champion for the previous20 years, challenged the team again. Yamaguchideclined, but the infamous Kimura accepted.After a long and grueling battle in front of20,000 fans, Kimura broke the 34-year-oldHelio’s elbow with an ude-garami arm lockthat is now widely known as “The Kimura.”According to Chen, “Even with the brokenelbow, Gracie still refused to give up, so hiscorner ‘threw in the towel.’ Kimura wasdeclared the winner by TKO. Although Kimurawon the actual fight, it was acknowledged thatGracie had great fighting spirit and will.Kimura later applauded Gracie’s tremendouswill to win.”18

Although not a victory, Helio’s brave fightwith Kimura served to advance his reputationeven more. The Gracie family’s jiu-jitsu gainedgreater notoriety, and the Gracie name becameeven more famous in Brazil.

Later, Carlos Gracie taught jiu-jitsu to hisson, Carlos Jr., who in turn trained his children.When Helio eventually retired from vale tudocompetition, it was Carlos Jr.’s son, CarlsonGracie, who became the family champion.


Figure 1-10. From left to right, Carlos Gracie Jr., Rorion Gracie,Helio Gracie, Richard Bressler, Cavalcanti, and Rickson Gracie inCalifornia in 1980 after a morning training at Rorion’s garage.

Figure 1-11. From left, Helio Gracie, Ursula Cavalcanti, andRomero “Jacare” Cavalcanti.

Carlson opened a school of his own inCopacabana, which is a district of Rio deJaneiro. Carlson won many high-profile match-es and, in so doing, did much to advance thereputation of jiu-jitsu in Brazil. Carlson wasalso responsible for opening jiu-jitsu up to thepublic, thus causing the art to flourish at anexponential rate.

Promoting Brazilian Jiu-JitsuIn 1993 the Gracie family introduced the

United States and the larger world audience toBrazilian jiu-jitsu by way of the UFC (UltimateFighting Championship). According to authorRoberto Pedreira, it was Rorion Gracie whooriginally conceived the idea of marketing jiu-jitsu in America by using a no-rules fight fea-turing Brazilian jiu-jitsu. “Rorion’s cousinCarlson had been one of the top champions ofthe vale tudo (no-holds-barred) ring. Rorionhimself and most of his brothers and cousinshad also participated in vale tudos. Rorion sim-ply promoted one in the United States. Hecalled it The Ultimate FightingChampionship.”19

Before the first UFC in 1993, it was commonfor traditional stand-up-style martial artists inthe West to argue that their students need notworry about the ground because their superiorstand-up techniques would ensure that theywould never end up there. They were verywrong. The martial arts world got a wake-upcall when Royce Gracie, who weighed only 180pounds, entered the fenced fighting arena nowknown as the octagon and demonstrated theamazing effectiveness of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Heshocked the world by showing that a skilledground fighter can almost always take a stand-up-only fighter to the ground and keep him onthe ground whether he wants to go there or not.

Royce Gracie used his ground fightingskills to defeat many larger and strongeropponents in UFC competition. He won threeof the first four UFC contests, beating kung-fufighters, boxers, kick boxers, wrestlers, andother martial arts champions. His amazingvictories sparked a revolution in the martialarts. “Unlike the American no-holds-barredcontests of today, Royce had to fight severaltimes in each tournament. There were noweight classes and Royce was usually thelightest, sometimes being outweighed by 80lbs. or more. There were very few rules: noeye gouging, no biting, and no time limits,”says Simco.20

Since that time, virtually all of the NHBcompetitors include extensive groundwork intheir training routines. These days it is com-mon for fighters to combine elements fromBrazilian jiu-jitsu, Western wrestling, MuayThai boxing, and other proven styles whentraining for NHB matches. Today, these blend-ed styles are collectively known as mixed mar-tial arts (MMA), but in effect this is just a con-tinuation of the vale tudo (NHB) traditionadvanced by Carlos Gracie Sr. in Brazil back inthe 1920s. “During the mid-1900s while ValeTudo (free-style fighting) was developing inBrazil, there were experts of Judo, wrestling,capoeira, and boxing, mixing together in theseno-rules contests,” Simco said.21


Figure 1-12. Cavalcanti, left, with Carlson Gracie.

Rolls GracieRolls Gracie, the person to whom this book

is dedicated, was the son of Carlos Gracie andClaudia Zandomenico. Rolls was born onMarch 28, 1951. He died in a hang gliding acci-dent on June 6, 1982, at age 31. In his brief lifeRolls made major contributions to the art ofBrazilian jiu-jitsu.

As a child Rolls trained privately withHelio and became extremely proficient in theuse of leverage and technical execution. In

other words, Rolls learned the unique skillsthat had enabled Helio to overcome much larg-er opponents. When Helio moved to RuiBarbosa, Rolls stayed in Copacabana and con-tinued his training at Carlson’s academy.“[Rolls] was one of those students that wasalways looking for the essence, the full knowl-edge of everything,” says Carlson. “. . . To mehe was the best fighter in the family.” 22

After some time, Rolls established a follow-ing. Eventually, he opened a “school within theschool” where he taught the highly technical,leverage-rich style of jiu-jitsu that he learnedfrom Helio. Despite branching off, the brotherscontinued to share the location.

The innovations that Rolls Gracie made tothe art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu were due in part tohis open-mindedness. He was a continuouslearner and was always seeking to push thelimits of the art and introduce new elements.One of his contributions was the advancementand evolution of the open guard as a fightingcondition.23 Another of his contributions wasin the area of leg locks and ankle locks. Yetanother area where Rolls expanded and addedto the art was in throws and wrestling-styletakedowns.

To improve his throwing game, Rolls spentmore than a year perfecting his stand-up skillsby training with judo instructor Osvaldo Alves.Soon after, Rolls became notorious for his take-downs. “He was famous for his uchimata. Hewould take his opponents down with the uchi-mata then arm lock them or put the knee onthe stomach to choke for the submission,”according to Peligro.24

Rolls was also a competition wrestler, andon many occasions he swapped techniqueswith one of the world’s top wrestling coaches,Bob Anderson. Anderson is famous for coach-ing many champions in his career, includingRulon Gardner, Dan Henderson, RandyCouture, and Darrell Gohlars. Rolls andAnderson “quickly developed a strong bondand spent hours adapting wresting moves tojiu-jitsu and vice-versa . . . From their friend-ship and exchanges came several move varia-


Figure 1-13. Rolls Gracie.

tions now standard to Brazilian jiu-jitsu,including the now famous ‘Americana’ lock,”according to Peligro.25

Rolls Gracie was a powerful force in com-petition. A true champion, he won manyBrazilian jiu-jitsu events, NHB fights, Sambomatches, and wresting matches. Peligro says,“He would enter every tournament there was,whether it was Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Judo, Sambo,or Wrestling. He especially liked Sambo, aRussian martial art that involves many kneeand foot submissions that Brazilian jiu-jitsulacked at the time.”26

Rolls also won a considerable number ofstreet fights and high-profile school challenges.Some of his school challenge fights are docu-mented in the Gracie in Action video. One of hisvictories, against a karate instructor, was tele-vised on Brazilian TV.

Rolls Gracie was a man of action to be sure,and he finished many fights, yet he was a trulygood and generous person. Through his teach-ing and his example, Rolls influenced many oftoday’s best—and best-known—jiu-jitsu fight-ers and coaches. “Rolls later passed his person-al developments on to his brothers and cousins,giving the younger generations a great pushforward. His influence on Rickson and Royleris unmistakable. He also taught Carlos Jr.,Rillion, and Crolin,” according to Peligro.27

Before his death, Rolls Gracie promoted sixindividuals to the rank of black belt. One ofthose fortunate few is the coauthor of thisbook, Romero “Jacare” Cavalcanti. The follow-ing list shows, in alphabetical order, the lineageof black belt promotions from Helio to Rolls toCavalcanti:

HELIO GRACIE’S BLACK BELTS

Armando WriedtCarlos Henrique EliasFlavio BehringFrancisco MansorGuillherme ValentePedro Hemeterio Araujo de CastroPedro S. Valente

Pedro Valente Sr.Relson GracieRickson GracieRobin GracieRolker GracieRolls GracieRorion GracieRoyce GracieRoyler Gracie

ROLLS GRACIE’S BLACK BELTS

Mario TalaricoMarcio MacarraoMauricio Motta GomesNicin AzulayPaulo CondeRomero “Jacare” Cavalcanti 28

In 1985, three years after Rolls was killed,Cavalcanti and his top students created thenow world-famous Alliance Team. Since thattime, Alliance fighters have been a major forcein the jiu-jitsu scene.

ROMERO “JACARE” CAVALCANTI AND THE ALLIANCE TEAM

The formation of the Alliance Team tookplace at a time when the art was in transition.In 1994 Cavalcanti, coauthor of this book, andhis top students—Roberto Traven, FabioGurgel, Fernando Gurgel, Alexandre Paiva,Leonardo Castelo Branco, and ViniciusCampelo—collaborated with the intention ofbecoming a force in competition and a force forthe advancement of the art.

The mission of the Alliance Team was, andis today, to carry on the legacy of RollsGracie. Today, the Alliance Team is home to alarge number of the world’s top jiu-jitsu com-petitors and coaches, many of whom weretrained by Cavalcanti himself, includingFabio Gurgel, Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros,Felipe Neto, Ratinho Terere, Roberto Traven,Ryan Ellison, Leo and Rico Vieira, MarcelloGarcia, Ricardo Medeiros, Chris Moriarty,Fernando Soluco, Fabio Clemente, Ricardo


Miller, Paulo Sergio Santos Sarruco, MarceloMendes, Leandro Borgo, and GiGi.

After several years and much success withthe Alliance Team in Brazil, Cavalcanti moved

to the United States. He taught for a short timein Miami then moved to Atlanta. Today heowns and operates two Alliance Martial ArtsCenters in the Atlanta metro area. He overseeseight satellite schools and many affiliateschools at various locations in the UnitedStates, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Finland,Germany, and Venezuela.

Cavalcanti is the hand-to-hand combat con-sultant/instructor for the U.S. Army Rangers atFort Benning, Georgia. He is also the founderof the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, the presi-dent of the Georgia State BJJ/SubmissionWrestling Federation, head coach of the inter-national Alliance Team, and a referee for theBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. In 2004 theInternational Fighting Federation elected himCoach of the Year, and in 2005 he was inductedinto the Grappling Hall of Fame.

Cavalcanti is widely regarded as one of thetop Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructors in the worldtoday. After many years of teaching, Cavalcantihas promoted 29 black belts. These individualsare listed below in alphabetical order.


Figure 1-14. Cavalcanti at his first academy in Brazil.

Figure 1-15. Cavalcanti holding Bud World Cup team trophy.

ROMERO “JACARE” CAVALCANTI’SBLACK BELTS

Abdul MutakabbirAlexandre PaivaAlfredo “Pouca Telha” AraujoAllen MohlerAnderson “Sarruco” XavierBull ShawCarlos “Pinduca” CarvalhoClaudio “Toti” LinoEduardo “Jamelao” ConceicaoFabio Gurgel Felipe “Zicro” NetoJ.D. ShelleyJose Luis “Sucuri” TognoLeonardo Alcantara “Leozinho” VieiraLuis Felipe “Mentirinha” CostaMagrao Gurgel

Marcelo “Telo” MendesMichele da MataOctavio Henrique “Ratinho” Couto daSilva, Jr.Pat HarveyPaulo “Portuga” BodasPaulo Sergio SantosPericles LaudierRicardinho VieiraRicardo “Franjinha” MillerRoberto “Spider” TravenRoberto WerneckRodrigo “Comprido” MedeirosRoger Patrick Brooking

STATE OF THE ART

Brazilian jiu-jitsu in all of its classifica-tions—gi, no-gi, NHB, and self-defense—is


Figure 1-16. Cavalcanti, front left, with students.

evolving faster today than at any time in itshistory. New techniques, tactics, and strategiesare invented for each of the four classificationsevery day. This rapid evolution is due to anumber of factors, including the vastlyincreased number of practitioners and qualifiedschools and the fact that low, middle, and veryhigh profile gi, no-gi, and NHB competitionsare increasing in popularity. There are alsomore amateur, semipro, and professional com-petitors training and testing their jiu-jitsu skillstoday than ever before. The influx of tech-niques from other styles such as Muay Thaiboxing, Western wrestling, and Sambo is also atan all-time high. The leaders of the art continueto honor and encourage innovation, experimen-tation, and progressive changes.

At this moment, the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsuis absolutely electrified with a spirit of experi-mentation and innovation. Brazilian jiu-jitsucontinues to be a dominant player in the globalmartial arts scene while simultaneously experi-encing dramatic, exponential evolutionary


Figure 1-17. NHB fighter Darren Roberts moments after victory.

Figure 1-18. Cavalcanti teaching U.S. Army Rangers.

change. With so much energy and innovationat work, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is well positioned tomaintain its place as one of the world’s premiermartial arts through the foreseeable future.

ENDNOTES

1. Brian MacKenzie. “Levers.” Sports Coach.http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/levers.htm (accessed 2005).

2. “ASME Tools of Discovery.” AmericanSociety of Mechanical Engineers.http://www.asme.org/education/precol-lege/discovery/page13.htm (page discon-tinued).

3. Brian MacKenzie. “Levers.” Sports Coach.http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/levers.htm (accessed 2005).

4. Gracie.com. Official Domain of GracieUSA. http://www.gracie.com/ (accessed2005).

5. Ibid. 6. Royler Gracie and Kid Peligro. Brazilian

Jiu-Jitsu: Submission Grappling Techniques.Montpelier, VT: Invisible Cities Press,2003, p. 6.

7. Carlson Gracie and Julio Fernandez.Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: for Experts Only: ClassicJiu-Jitsu Techniques from the Master.Montpelier, VT: Invisible Cities Press,2004, p. 6.

8. Personality Assessment Solutions, [email protected]. “TheUbiquitous DISC Test and Lies.”http://www.testsonthenet.com/disc/ww-info.htm.

9. Karyn Turner and Mark Van Schuyver.Secrets of Championship Karate.Contemporary Books, 1991.

10. Montanha. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Mind Set:To Submit Your Opponent from Any Position.Walnut Creek, CA: Montanha Press, 2004.

11. Kano, Jigoro. Kodukan Judo. Tokyo:Kodansha International Ltd., Bunkyo-ku.1986.

12. Gene Simco. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The MasterText. Poughkeepsie, NY: Jiu-Jitsu Net,2001.

13. Kano, Jigoro. Kodukan Judo. Tokyo:Kodansha International Ltd., Bunkyo-ku.1986.

14. Ibid.15. Gene Simco. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Master

Text. Poughkeepsie, NY: Jiu-Jitsu Net,2001.

16. Kid Peligro. The Gracie Way: An IllustratedHistory of the Gracie Family. Montpelier, VT:Invisible Cities Press, 2003.

17. Chen, Jim. “Masahiko Kimura(1917–1993): The Man Who Defeated HelioGracie.” The Original Judo InformationSite. http://judoinfo.com/kimura3.htm(accessed 2001).

18. Ibid.19. Roberto A. Pedreira. “Then Came Rorion.”

Global Training Report: Academy Reports.http://www.geocities.com/global_train-ing_report/rorion.htm (accessed 2000).

20. Gene Simco. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The MasterText. Poughkeepsie, NY: Jiu-Jitsu Net,2001.

21. Ibid.22. Kid Peligro. The Gracie Way: An Illustrated

History of the Gracie Family. Montpelier, VT:Invisible Cities Press, 2003.

23. Ibid.24. Ibid.25. Ibid.26. Ibid.27. Ibid.


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