|
“Breathe: A Life in
Flow”
By
Rickson Gracie
Rev.
by Robert Drysdale
June
26, 2022
|
Breathe: A Life in
Flow
|
"Jiu-jitsu needs an undefeated hero.”
|
The
story of Rickson’s life through jiu-jitsu in many ways parallels the
story of a mythical hero. From an aggressive youth surrounded by other
warriors who saw in warfare a means for status and turf dominance; to
the trials of maintaining this dominance through war; to the political
landscape as it develops alongside the hero’s victories; from the
heights of popularity to the trials of the falls the hero must undergo;
and finally, to the calm that follows the end of every storm.
Continue here. |
|
The
ADCC Blind-Spot
and
how to fix it
Robert
Drysdale
June
18, 2022
"Different
Rules, Different Game."
ADCC made its debut in 1998 on the coattails of the Royce Gracie and UFC
revolution of 1993 as well as the initial growth and interest in BJJ lead
by Royce and the same revolution that shortly after took shape in the
hands of CBJJ/IBJJF.
The story of how H. H. Sheikh Tahnoon came to be
introduced to BJJ is a real-life reenactment of Eddie Murphy’s “Coming
to America
” where life did indeed seem
to imitate art. A curious story to which jiu-jitsu as a whole owes much
to. I know I do. This story has been told elsewhere so I won’t rehash it
here. What Sheikh Tahnoon did was essentially to
give birth to one of the most prestigious and popular grappling events in
the world.
Continue
here.
|
|
How
to Win at Jiu-Jitsu
while
Keeping it Real
Robert
Drysdale
“Winning takes care of everything.”
--Kevin
Randelman
June
9, 2022
As anyone familiar with sports well knows, once you create a rule-set,
the first thing seasoned competitors will do is to figure out ways of
winning by minimizing risk and effort. A reality that Brazilians happen
to be particularly good at in terms of figuring out where these thin
lines are, as well as treading them carefully enough.
Continue
here.
|
Creonte:
Loyalty
versus Self-Perfection
in
Jiu-Jitsu
"a crime once
exposed, only finds refuge in audacity."
Robert
Drysdale
May
24, 2022
Having
recently been promoted to brown-belt by Paulo, I was well aware that the
competition was about to be a lot tougher and training with white-belts
and blue-belts wasn’t going to be enough for the level I was aspiring to
win in. Couple this with the fact that guys like Fernando Terere and
Demian Maia (at a time when Terere was making Marcelo Garcia tap in
competition) were personally calling me to invite me to train with them.
It was all too tempting and despite having deep respect and admiration for
Paulo and everything him and his team did for me, I don’t regret
making the selfish choice I made.....
Continue
here.
*
|
桜庭和志
Learning to Lose
Roberto Pedreira
Posted May 21,
2022 (JST)
|
"We are all
ready to win, just as we are born knowing only life. It is defeat
that you must learn to prepare for." --Mr.
Han
|
Mr. Han expressed
Oriental pessimism, or some would say, realism. Williams, being a veteran
of the US Army in 'Nam, didn't buy it. Losing wasn't part of his game plan. He
didn't even think about it. There was no plan B. Defeat was
unacceptable. Looking good was his game, which was logical; often it's easier to look good than to overcome a formidable obstacle.
The Gracie Family agreed with Williams and 1960s American self-esteem
theorists. Defeat is not OK. Being less than the best is
intolerable. Death is better than losing. In fact,
losing is an illusion. Any outcome is a victory, at least in some sense.
Not losing is winning, losing is winning, everything is a victory, if not
for yourself personally, than for your style, your team, or your teaching
method.
Sakuraba, being
Japanese, believed (some would say he knew) otherwise. Sometimes someone
has to lose. 負ける時負ける,
死ぬ時死ぬ.
When it's time to lose, or die, one will lose, or die. 負けるは負ける
(losing is losing). That was Sakuraba's
mentality. Some would call that pessimism, even tragically low
self-esteem. Others would call it undeluded
objectivity.
Continue here.
|
|
Coolness
versus Efficiency
The
Crisis in Jiu-Jitsu
Robert
Drysdale
Posted
May 18, 2022
The term
“jiu-jitsu” has been under constant change since it was first
introduced in the West in 1892 and remains devoid of any clear definition. Yet,
for the purpose of this article, I will stick to my own
definition, which I believe isn’t too far from a universally accepted
definition: Jiu-jitsu is that the purpose of jiu-jitsu
is to practice combat as
realistically as possible and within measured boundaries that allow for
efficient learning on one end, while minimizing serious risk of injury on
the other and with entertainment only as a side benefit.
Continue here.
|
|
American Jiu-Jitsu's
Most Devastating Weapon
足緘
Roberto Pedreira
Posted May 13, 2022
(JST)
As everyone has
read or heard, the Gracie family of Brazil, Carlos and Helio in
particular, improved and Brazilianized the inefficient and power based
jiu-jitsu that Carlos learned in his lessons with a student of Maeda
Mitsuyo (Conde Koma) named Jacyntho Ferro.
Gracie jiu-jitsu proved
to be efficient for real fighting in the first two and the
fourth UFCs. Or at least, Royce won his fights using something he called
"Gracie Jiu-Jitsu" that looked like a combination of rugby and
judo. (It was unclear what UFC 3 proved except possibly that
winning and losing are matters of degree and interpretation, as discussed here.)
Rorion later admitted that it actually was judo here,
with possibly some minor modifications.
But there was plenty of room for
improvement.....
Continue here.
|
|
To
Gi or not to Gi?
Robert Drysdale
Posted
May 4, 2022 (JST)
It has been a widely discussed topic
among jiu-jitsu practitioners in
gyms and on forums, the merits and differences between practicing
jiu-jitsu in the gi and in no-gi as well as their purposes for competition, the
reality of combat as well as for the future of the sport. Truth be told,
the debate is far from new but
that, nonetheless, lingers in our contemporary practice.
Continue here.
|
|
The Americanization
of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
What
Went Wrong?
By
Robert Drysdale
Special
to GTR
April 20,
2022
The
2019 edition of the ADCC event was unique in the history of Jiu-Jitsu,
but not due to the evolution of competitors and their techniques, There
was nothing “unique” in that because technical evolution is normal
whenever impediments are not in place to stifle it.
What was so unusual was
that for the first time in the history of Jiu-Jitsu, there was an
attempt at creating a rift between practitioners of different countries.
For the first time, this attempt at division was obvious for everyone to
see, and what had originally been a cohesive effort in the name of the
growth of Jiu-Jitsu, was now being crafted into a game of “us” vs.
“them.”
Continue reading
here. |
|
BJJ’s
Closely Guarded Secret Weapon
The
Matsuba-Gatame (松葉固め)
Roberto
Pedreira
Special
to GTR
April
12, 2022
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu representatives seem to have a fondness for
triangles. Maybe it's mostly the Gracie family. Their preferred
logo design is triangular. Inside may be various images with
perhaps esoteric meanings or aggressive animals. Reyson and Ryan
liked Tasmanian Devils. Carlson liked Bulldogs. The Machados liked
triangles but preferred seeing them in a circular frame, the
circle perhaps indicating "inclusiveness" which they
endorsed. They were happy to learn from their wrestler
students, tweak wrestling techniques, and incorporate them into
Machado Jiu-Jitsu. It may have had something to do with not trying
to promote "pure water" jiu-jitsu as created and
perfected by a particular individual "master."
Before
we get to the deadliest weapon, a brief historical review is in
order. There are valuable
lessons to be learned from the past.
Continue here.
|
|
Available for a limited time! In
both new-wave digital and old-school print editions. Unabridged
and unadulterated.
The Forbidden
Fortress of Professor Pakchang Tong
by Roberto Pedreira, author of Jiu-jitsu
in the South Zone, Choque 1-3, and Craze 1-3. |
|
Keeping it for Real with BJ
Penn
Posted February 26, 2022 (JST)
BJ
Penn is a legendary BJJ artist and MMA champion. Does he have
what it takes to be a winner in the brutal, cut-throat,
free-for-all that is American politics, which honestly, makes the
UFC look like Disneyland in comparison?
Robert
Drysdale comments below.
*
"On
October 5th 2021, former lightweight and welterweight UFC champion
BJ Penn announced that he is running for Governor of Hawaii in the
upcoming October 2022 elections."
Continue here.
|
|
BJJ
Destroys Judo!
Roberto Pedreira
November 9, 2021
Roughly
fours year ago, on November 27, 2017, GTR reported on a bizarre
incident in which a judoka won a local BJJ tournament by defeating
some BJJ stylists. It was provocatively titled Judo
Destroys BJJ.
Obviously there was a catch. The BJJ
representatives were recreational blue belts. The judoka (wearing
a blue belt) was a two-time Olympic Judo gold medallist.
Now the tables have turned.
Continue here. |
|
Redbelt
rev. by Jake Jacobs
September 13, 2021
There are some
neat fights in Redbelt, though fewer than in most films of the genre. I
have a
question for BJJ experts. Imagine you are
standing behind your opponent, choking him into submission. Suddenly, he
runs up a handy wall, and does a back somersault over you, ending up
right behind you. My question is: which breaks first, your grip or his
neck?
Continue here.
|
|
Craze 3,
1915-1934
available September 1, 2021
Summary and information here.
|
|
Worth
Defending:
How
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Saved my Life
by
Richard Bresler with Scott Burr
Rev. by Robert Drysdale
July
01, 2021
Why
do people train Jiu-Jitsu? It is physically exhausting, hard on
the body, can be full of frustrations, and expensive. Is it the glory?
The self-confidence? Fitness? The social prestige that
comes with the gained respect? At its core, “Worth Defending:
How Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Saved my Life" tackles these
questions, with Richard’s memories as Rorion Gracie’s first
student in the U.S. in 1979, jiu-jitsu in the U.S. in its infancy
and also the story of the UFC as backgrounds. But more than this,
the book is the story of a man who, above confidence, self-defense
and social ranking, was after something of far greater
significance: meaning.
Continue
here. |
|
Lost Pictures
of George Mehdi
By Robert Drysdale
April 26, 2021
Continue here.
ブラジリアン柔術
セオリー＆テクニック
(Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and
Techniques)
By Renzo Gracie and Royler Gracie
assisted by John Danaher and Kid
Peligro
Rev. by Roberto Pedreira
Posted December 16, 2020 (Japan
Time)
Serendipity recently
brought Renzo and Royler's book[1] to Roberto's attention. It was published
in Japan in 2003 and is mostly old news but contains a few points of
current interest. Hence this review. The original English version was published in
2001. The Japanese edition includes an introduction by Yuuki Nakai 中井祐樹,
who at that time was the head (会長)
of the Japanese
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (日本ブラジリアン柔術連盟.)
Renzo and Royler
need no introduction. John Danaher is described in the book as a graduate
of the Columbia University Philosophy Department and a student of Renzo
and an
instructor (指導員)
at the New York Academy. Kid Peligro is described as a MMA journalist and
jiu-jitsu black belt. All are obviously well-qualified to write about some
aspects of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Apparently none of them are historians or
can read the Japanese language fluently. Where did they get their
historical information? Read on if you dare.
Continue here.
|
|
Closely Guarded
Secrets
By Roberto Pedreira
October 19, 2020
"Do you want
the power to easily defeat any human aggressor under any
circumstances?" Hell, yeah, what American adolescent male wouldn't want
that. The power can be yours. All you have to do is learn some "closely
guarded secrets." Fortunately they aren't that closely guard.
Anyone, literally, can possess them for mere pennies a day.
Does that sound
like an ad for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu? It should because it is, at least it was
back in 1998. In its defense, the Gracie family needed to pay the rent and
ads like this were the way everyone sold their VHS tapes and books.
(Actually the most successful ads were even more ludicrous, suggesting that
their target demographic was 13 year old English speaking boys who were
interested in pressure points and delayed death touches. See any
martial arts magazine from the 1990s for examples.)
Continue here.
|
October 17, 2020
|
Opening
Closed Guard
by Robert
Drysdale
Rev. by
Roberto Pedreira
If
you were wondering how much money Rorion Gracie would want to be
interviewed for a documentary about the factual history of BJJ,
you will find out in this book. If you were curious about how much
Reila Gracie would demand for the same, you will also find out
here. It will reveal the answer to the jealously guarded secret
about why they aren't in the documentary. And more. Much, much
more.
Continue here.
|
July 20, 2020 (JST)
|
The Man
who Defeated Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
(グレイシー柔術を倒し男)
Masahiko Kimura
木村政彦
Discusses
Judo and Life with
Yasuhiro
Yamashita 山下泰裕
Translated
with notes by Roberto Pedreira
Exclusive
to GTR
April
18, 2020 (JST)
Updated
July 20, 2020 (JST)
Continue here. |
July 20,
2020
|
The Greatest Gracie?
Who was he
or she?
Carley
Gracie Reveals the Answer
Roberto
Pedreira
A GTR
correspondent writes: [According to Carley Gracie] "from 1969
to 1972, he was the most highly regarded fighter in the Gracie
family and was undefeated even among the Gracie fighters. He says
that no Gracie ever beat him. Do you know if Carley had this fame
among the members of the Gracie Family? Is there any evidence that
no Gracie ever beaten him or were afraid of him?"
The
correspondent poses the following specific questions about
Carley's claims and asks if Roberto knows of any evidence as to
whether they have a foundation in fact and reality, or rather are
(or were) simply Carley's subjective impressions and wishful
thoughts.
1. Was
Carley Gracie the first Gracie to teach BJJ in the United States
(invited by the American marines)?
Continue here. |
May 12, 2020 (JST)
May 11, 2020 (JST)
|
山下泰弘闘魂尾柔道：必勝
Yamashita Yasuhiro
Tōkon no Judo:
Hisshō no Waza to Kokoro
1991 東京:
ベースボールマガジン社
Rev. by Roberto Pedreira
Continue here. |
May 1, 2020 (JST)
|
Interview with George Foreman
George Foreman talks about Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, the Gracie Family, MMA,
Brazilian boxers, barbeque, and more.......
Gracie Magazine # 83, Dezembro 2003, Ano VIII, pp. 14-16
By Raphael Noguiera
Translated by Roberto Pedreira
Vovô Chapa-Quente
Introduction by Raphael Noguiera
"I'm going to quit soon," says Mister Foreman, about his
retirement as a fighter of boxing.1 His declaration smells like
marketing. Now 54 years old, the 125 kg former heavyweight champion has
just signed a large (400 milhðes de dolares) contract with a company
that makes barbeque grills (churrasqueiras). In other words, why would an
out-of-shape rich man return to the ring? Mister Foreman answers,
"In order to show people over the age of 50 that they can still
live their dreams. My return to boxing will serve as an example to
people who have lost their motivation for living." So said the 1.90 m Big Man (grandalhão) on his
final day last month in São Paulo where he was introducing his
line of grills (grelhas).
Continue here. |
April 28, 2020
|
The History of Gracie
Jiu-Jitsu
From
Part 2
Section
3 pp. 31-32: Mitsuyo Maeda's judo style for real fighting
[前田光世の実戦柔道スタイルそのもの]
There are undoubtedly many
people who have the feeling that current jiu-jitsu and judo are
rather different. So, where did that style come from? The roots of
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu are said to be heavily influenced by Conde Koma,
or Mitsuyo Maeda. Mitsuyo Maeda's accomplishments were introduced
in various sources including 世界横行柔道武者修行.
and 世界横行第二新柔道武者修行
and others (など
). Inquiring about the story
of Maeda's fights everywhere is very interesting. For
example, like this: ”Well,
a question was what were the rules of a fight with judo. The
first rule was the opponent had to wear a training uniform. And,
there was rule for how to surrender. Judo striking techniques and
kicking were not used. ...... There were some foreign wrestlers
who wrestled naked...... Maeda was not afraid of losing to naked
wrestlers but it wasn't easy to win. It was difficult to throw
them because they were naked. So the only options were naked
strangle (hadakajime) or hugging neck strangle (daki kubishime)
Continue here. |
April 25, 2020
|
Vitor Belfort
Critica de Vitor Belfort
Gracie Magazine Ano III, N0 16
1998
Translated by Roberto Pedreira
Instead of
punching him out as people had by that time come to expect, Vitor
decided to out-grapple Joe Charles in Ultimate Japan Super Fight in
1997. Eddie Goldman didn't like that. Vitor explained why he did what he
did.
Continue here. |
April
18, 2020 (JST)
|
Interview with
Masahiko Kimura
木村政彦
The Man who Defeated
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
(グレイシー柔術を倒し男)
With Yasuhiro Yamashita
山下泰裕
Translated with notes by Roberto Pedreira
A
taidan ( 対談) is a
formal, public conversation on a circumscribed topic for the benefit of audiences, readers, or
reporters. Such a taidan took place
between Kimura Masahiko （木村政彦) and Yamashita Yasuhiro
(山下泰裕)
in 1981 sometime shortly after the Maastricht 12th World Judo Championship (第十一回世界選権). Judging
from Kimura's references to Yamashita's match with Saitō
Hitoshi ( 斉藤仁),
parts of the taidan must have taken place after the Japan International Championship (日本国際大会)
in November.
It, or some part, of the taidan was initially was published in the November 1981
issue of the magazine Kindai Jūdō
(近代柔道, Modern Judo), and
was later included as a supplement to Kimura's second memoir 我柔道
(My Judo, originally published in
1985 and 1988).1
Continue here. |
April 15, 2020 (JST)
|
Q & A with
Rickson Gracie
Rickson Lays it Down
From Gracie Magazine
Ano III, No 16
1998
Translated with
notes by Roberto Pedreira
April 15, 2020 (JST)
After his resounding triumph
over the pro wrestler Nobuhiko Takada on October 11, 1997, at the Tokyo
Dome, Rickson began preparing for a rematch. Takada had not performed up
to the fans' expectations. Rumor had it that Takada "was not at
full strength" for the fight. The rematch was set for October 11,
1998. Despite his rigorous training schedule, Rickson found time to go
to Hawaii to watch the IV Pan-Americano de Jiu-Jitsu, held at Kaiser
High School in Honolulu on February 7-8, 1998.
After the tournament Rickson
held a Q & A, attended by
various jiu-jitsu black belts,
brown belts, blue bets, and others without belts. They included Saulo
Ribeiro, Bruno Severiano, Eduardo 'Velho', Tatá, Vinicius
Draculino, Fernado Vasconcellos, Mauricio Mariano, Barret [Yoshida],
Rockson Gracie, Shaolin, Pascoal, Ryan Gracie, Sarruça,
Carlos Soneca, Hideki Azaoka, Yuki Nakay [Nakai], and Rumina
Sato.
Continue here.
|
|
Interview
with Gracie Jiu-Jitsu 9-grau Red-Belt
Armando
Wriedt
9-grau
faixa vermelha
(October
17, 1924--August 29, 2018)*
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Black
Belt Armando Wreidt talks about people and places in the history of
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Interviewed and with
notes by Roberto Drysdale
April
11, 2020
|
|
|
From
left to right: Fabio Takao, Jay
Coleman, Armando Wreidt, Robert
Drysdale, and Steve Jeter.
|
The
following is the transcript of an informal interview between
researchers and the late Armando Wriedt, one of Helio Gracie’s
earliest Black-Belts. The interview took place at his ranch in Brasilia,
where he lived his last days.
Continue
here.
|
April 9, 2020 (JST)
|
What
is Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Part
1
By Roberto
Pedreira
Rorion
Gracie went to the USA to be a movie star. He ended up begging on
the streets [according to his 1989 Playboy interview with Pat
Jordan]. But only temporarily. Unexpectedly, his family's
"jiu-jitsu" turned out to be very popular (thanks in no
small part to Art Davie, Morishita Naoto,
and a few others). It didn't happen suddenly or without some
random luck.
One
of the pieces of good luck that aided jiu-jitsu's rise to global
dominance was tangsudo karateman/movie actor Chuck Norris's
meeting with certain members of the Gracie clan in Brazil. Chuck
was an open-minded guy with some judo background and was impressed
with the Gracie's application of Brazilian common-sense to certain
martial arts puzzles, such as, how do you win a fight, or avoid
losing, to a large aggressive assailant who wants to beat you down
with rapier-quick, devastating punches or back-alley Irish boot
kicks? The Gracies had a solution. Chuck invited Rorion and a
bunch of his brothers and cousins to explain what it was.
Continue
here.
|
February 27, 2020 (JST)
|
Prof. Kano's Villa in Abiko
Continue here.
|
February 19, 2020 (JST)
|
Yamashita Yasuhiro (山下泰裕)
talks about Judo and the Spirit of Olympism
Gendai (ゲンダイ), February 14,
2020, p.
26
By 春日良一 (Kasuga
Ryōichi)
Translated with
notes by
Roberto Pedreira
JOC Chairman Yamashita's Mission
should be to Spread Olympism, rather than to Win a Certain Number of Gold Medals (山下JOC会長の使命はメダル数よりオりンピズム普及だ)
Continue here.
|
January 1, 2020
Craze 2
(The Life and Times of Jiu-Jitsu 1905-1914) is now (Jan. 1, 2020) available in Kindle.
2019
November 6, 2019
(JST)
Remembering George
Kastriot Mehdi
By Robert Drysdale
It
is difficult to credit the impact and depth of influence of someone who
did so little in regards to his self-promotion during his lifetime, and
yet did so much in furthering the growth of martial-arts in Brazil in a
responsible and ethical manner. George Kastriot Mehdi was the prototypical
martial-arts Master whose teaching went well beyond throws and
submissions. He witnessed and helped kickstart a revolution that would
ultimately culminate in MMA and BJJ, yet he never wanted anything to do
with any of it, let alone to take any credit for it.
George Mehdi moved to Rio de Janeiro as a teenager where he would initiate his martial-arts practice there. The late Armando
Wriedt tells the story:
“Hey
kid, have you got the courage? You said you’re a fighter and so on."
After all, he was really a strong kid. He would dance that ‘yeah,
yeah, yeah’, he could dance that pretty well, he was good! Well, one
day, he accepted, saying he wasn't afraid of anyone because he was
strong. So, they took him
over there. Getting there, the poor kid. Soon he faced off with Carlson
[…] So, Carlson did what he wanted to George, and George didn’t know
what to do. So, Helio asked him, ‘Kid, you said you just arrived in
Brazil’ […] ‘Come stay with us’. They didn’t have a guy to
take care of the clothes. Valdemar [Santana] had already left, and so
they put George in charge of the clothes. And George trained. He was strong.”
Continue
here.
**
Posted October 22, 2019 (JST)
Updated November 6, 2019 (JST)
Top 20 Myths about Mitsuyo Maeda
By Roberto Pedreira
Rorion Gracie
reintroduced jiu-jitsu to the world partly by skillfully hyping his dad,
Helio Gracie (for four early examples, see here,
here, here,
and here). He was criticized for favoring
his dad at the expense of his uncle Carlos (most volubly by Reyla
Gracie). And by Eduardo Pereira
and others for ignoring Carlson, Robson, and numerous other legends. But
what Rorion did was neither unusual nor new.
Hype and obfuscation have always been part of the business of martial arts, and
jiu-jitsu in particular. The founder of Kodokan Judo, and indirectly BJJ,
Jigoro Kano
(嘉納冶五郎) himself pointed it out in 1889 and he wasn't immune to its
attractions (here). In fact, Kano innovated
many of the methods that are still used today to promote martial arts.
Moreover, Kano's own jûjutsu/judo odyssey began when he was attracted by
choreographed martial arts shows not unlike the pro-wrestling and
jiu-jitsu stage shows that followed. Possibly without even realizing,
Rorion was following in the footsteps of the ultimate "Asian
master". The methods were tried, they were true. And as we can see,
they worked and are still working (here).
Not exactly by design, the Gracies, and even more
so, their followers,
over-hyped a Kodokan judoka named Mitsuyo Maeda (aka Conde Koma), who, they say,
taught Carlos Gracie "real jiu-jitsu" which he, Carlos, improved and
Brazilianized. Maeda's jiu-jitsu, although real, was not real enough for Carlos
Gracie. Either Maeda neglected to teach his best student
(according to Carlos, himself), about leverage, or Carlos forgot about it when he Brazilianized and
improved jiu-jitsu. Along came Carlos' younger brother Helio, who added the
leverage that had been missing.
Actually the Gracies have had relatively little to say about Maeda. None of them
met him, with the possible but by no means certain exception of Carlos, who was
an unreliable source of information about virtually anything and everything. Most of the
misinformation floating around the internet and in popular UFC-inspired
mass-market books about Maeda comes from other people, including researchers,
martial arts teachers, academy owners, and anonymous forum posters. Following are the
18 Top Myths about
Mitsuyo Maeda.
Continue here.
*
Craze 2
The Life and Times of
Jiu-Jitsu
1905-1914
By Roberto
Pedreira
Available October 14, 2019
In January 1905,
Mitsuyo Maeda,1 Kodokan 4-dan, and
Prof. Tsunejiro Tomita 6-dan, arrived in New York by way of San
Francisco and began attempting to plant the seeds of judo in the USA. They
were following in the footsteps of Prof. Yoshitsugu Yamashita, Kodokan 7-dan,
teacher of the American president. They were sooner or later joined by
other Kodokan representatives, (acting on their own behalf), Akitaro Ono
3-dan, Nobushiro (aka Shinshiro) Satake 4-dan, and Tokugoro
Ito 4-dan.2 Their rseults were small
compared to those of jiu-jitsu promoters whose backgrounds were
questionable at best, namely Irving Hancock, Katsukuma Higashi, and Yae
Kichi Yabe.3 On the other side of the
pond, Sadakazu Uyenishi, Yukio Tani, Taro Miyake, and Ernest Régnier,
were exposing the public to jiu-jitsu in England, Wales, Scotland, France,
Spain and Portugal. Jiu-jitsu representatives and self-proclaimed
champions soon emerged in Australia and New Zealand.
Continue here.
*
September 4, 2019 (JST)
QT Meets Bruce Lee
Rev. of Once
Upon a Time in Hollywood
By Guest Reviewer Jake
Jacobs
I know, I
know! You are dying to find out the scoop on the Bruce Lee scene in Once
Upon a Time ... In Hollywood. I have you covered.
The action takes place during a flashback, as Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt),
erstwhile stuntman, ponders why a certain stunt coordinator won't hire
him. After begging for work (backstory, which you don't need) he
gets a chance on a Green Hornet. A bunch of production people are
hanging around while Bruce Lee, in costume as Kato, expounds. He says
something along the following lines.
Bruce: "Cassius Clay and Sonny Liston, and Joe Louis - the black Joe
Louis, not that white kickboxing asshole - they are warriors. I respect
that."
Continue here.
*
July 7, 2019 (JST)
The US Marines versus UFC Fighters?
Who
is More Badass?
GTR's take on this Perennial Question
By Roberto Pedreira
No, Dana White didn't
dream this one up. The UFC is not going to go lock-and-load toe-to-toe with the
US Marines. This a serious question that deserves serious consideration.
Continue here.
*
Short Book Notices
July 6, 2019
Gene Lebell,
Marcelo Garcia, Larry Hartsell, Dr. Pitisuk Kraitus, Udo Moenig....Udo
Moenig? And others. The only thing they all have in common is that they
wrote books about martial arts. Some are old, some are newer. All
have something to offer, if only food for thought, but some much more than
that.
Continue here.
*
June 27, 2019 (JST)
Recovery
The Secrets of
Taking Your Game to the Next Level
By Roberto Pedreira
Book Notice
Most, many, or
at least some, people who train UFC, BJJ, MT, or other
performance-focused, reality-oriented combat sports would like to take
their game to the next level, or to put it in regular English, to
increase their knowledge and skills, to improve, to get better. One way
to do that is to train more and harder (and better). Unavoidably, we are
limited in how much and how hard we can train by the wear and tear of
the training itself. So training must be broken into sessions, with
"Recovery" determining how long, how often, and how intense
the training can be. Everyone therefore is or should be interested in
the subject of recovery. The problem is, what is the best way to
"recover"? There are plenty of people who would like you to
purchase their products and services and will give you their advice
trying to point you to their online shopping cart. There are many
opinions, and personal anecdotes on the internet, along with plenty
of plain unadulterated old-school BS. What does
SCIENCE have to say?
Continue here.
*
June 1, 2019 (JST)
MMAで戦うのなら、いますぐギ
を焼き捨てろ!
(If you are going to fight MMA, burn and throw away
your gi right now!)
--Eddie Bravo
Eddie Bravo Interview
(The original interview was conducted and
published in 2004 in the Japanese Mook, 柔術王, pp. 43-47. English
translation and commentary published June 1, 2019)
Rubber-Guard,
Transforming MMA (ラバーガードがMMAを変える)
Introduction:
-The man who
submitted Royler Gracie.
-An
"ordinary man of his time" whose great accomplishment at Abu
Dhabi in May 2003 [actually it was the Abu Dhabi Tournament in Brazil] and
at the same time introduced a revolutionary technique called "rubber-guard" and
became known to billions of people [probably not literally billions].
-And, his face
became familiar as an interviewer and commentator in the UFC and KOTC
broadcasts.
-His radical
remarks often caused ripples.
-He is the
revolutionary kid of the American MMA world.
-He is a man who
shook things up.
-We paid a visit
to his new dojo in the heart of Hollywood, where he shared his thoughts
with us.
Continue here.
*
BJJ
Goes to Cuba
"Training is training
everywhere"
By Robert Drysdale
May 22, 2019 (JST)
Cuba
has always been an article of curiosity to me. I had the opportunity to
visit the island for the first time in 2005 for a 10-day vacation in the two cities of Havana and Habana-del-este.
The possibility of a second visit was originally suggested by a friend and
Cuban National who suggested I treat my injuries in Cuba. His friends
would take care of me: “Just go and have a good time. Relax a bit.”
In exchange for the help and connection, I offered to teach a BJJ seminar
where a friend of my Cuban friend held classes of traditional jiu-jitsu (a
style founded by a Japanese called Morita who migrated to Cuba in 1947 and
created his own local lineage) at a municipality just outside Havana. They
promptly accepted the offer and the seminar got booked immediately after
the new year’s celebration.
Continue here.
*
Why
Rickson Gracie Doesn't Like Rubber-Guard
By
Roberto Pedreira
May 11, 2019
(JST)
In the early 90's Rickson
Gracie marketed himself as Brazil's greatest vale tudo fighter, undefeated
in ten years. (Helio Gracie, who did pretty much the same, did not take Rickson's PR seriously,
but certainly understood why it was necessary. If you want people to pay
to see you rolling around on the floor with another man, you have to give
them feuds, back-story, and drama). It was not totally a phony story. There was a grain of truth
to it. But it was grossly and deliberately misleading (see interview with
Yori Nakamura). Gullible Americans (the types who read martial arts
magazines, and some others, but few or no Brazilians) ate it up. In the process Rickson
boxed himself in with his own subterfuge. He could not afford to risk
losing for less than top dough (see interview with Morishita
Naoto).
Continue Here.
*
Science
and Sanity in BJJ
by Guest
Contributor Robert Drysdale
Posted January 17,
2019 (JST)
One
of my earliest experiences in Grappling was meeting a senior black-belt
named Roberto Lage. He would have been in his late 40’s when I met him
in the city of Itu where I grew up as a child and where I first began
training. After rolling, Lage went on to compliment my skills (which
boosted my moral and ego since I was an eager beginner) and went on to ask
for my age, I told him I was 16, which seemed to surprise him. He said he
thought I was 13 (I was a small teenager) and in a joking friendly manner
said that the compliment should be cut in half (placing my ego right back
where it belonged). Lage followed this with some advice that, although I
remembered, I never took too seriously: “Take care of your body.”
Continue here:
*
Smiles
and Tears at Rizin 14
By Roberto Pedreira
Posted January 1, 2019 (JST)
Rizin decided to do without the Gracie
family in 2018, and maybe from now on. The decision was probably not
motivated exclusively by short-term cost-cutting considerations, judging
by the size of Floyd's check (especially in relation to what he had to do
to get it).
Rizin's plan seems to be to invest
minimally in new, cheap, young, local talent, with a few affordable
foreigners to spice things up from the fans' POV.
Was there anything of interest to the
knowledgeable MMA fan?
Not much, but something is more than
nothing so here it is.
Continue here.
*
Is
The Oswaldo Fadda Lineage a Non-Gracie Lineage?
By guest contributor Robert
Drysdale
Posted January 1, 2019 (JST)
In recent articles
and internet forums much attention has been given to Oswaldo Fadda and his
students as members of a non-Gracie lineage. Fadda was a student of Luiz França
(aka Luiz França Filho, Luis França) who claimed to have learned directly from Mitsuyo Maeda
(aka Conde Koma). For example, one of França's students, Antonio
Vieira, testified that "O
Luiz de França falava que aprendeu o que ele sabia com o Maeda
que usava o pseudonimo de Conde Koma. O Conde Koma morreu em 41, então
ele ficou sem professor" [Luiz de França said that he
learned what he knew from Maeda, who was also known as Conde Koma. Conde
Koma died in 1941 so after that he [França] was without a
teacher].
Continue here.
*
Mitsuyo
Maeda Promotes Five Brazilians
By guest contributor Robert Drysdale
Posted
November 26, 2018 (JST)
On
June
19,
1920
in the Northern Brazilian
city of Belém
do Pará, Mitsuyo Maeda promoted five of his students
to the rank of
primeiro galão”.
The
students were
Jacyntho Ferro, Guilherme de La-Rocque, Dr. Matheus Pereira, Waldemar
Lopes,
and
Raphael Gomes. The promotion of these five Brazilians
is significant in that it is the only documented
promotion ever made by Maeda. This is interesting because in 1928 Maeda reportedly
claimed that he “never awarded a black belt to any student in Brazil.”
Continue
here.
*
Posted November 7, 2018 (JST)
Updated December 9, 2018 (JST)
Floyd
Mayweather vs. Nasukawa Tenshin
Japan was all abuzz Tuesday morning November 6, 2018 with the news that
retired, undefeated, and fabulously wealthy, five-weight class world
boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. will return to the ring December 31,
2018. His opponent will be a 20 year Japanese kick-boxer named Tenshin
Nasukawa (那須川天心). Tenshin will give up 10 kg and 11 cm to Floyd.
In compensation, he has (some) ground skills and MMA experience. (Tenshin
weighs in at 58 kg and stands 162 cm. Floyd is 68 kg and 173 cm).
Continue here.
**
Posted October 30, 2018
The Day BJJ Lost
In which Masahiko Kimura proves
that judo is the strongest kakutōgi
by crushing Helio Gracie
By Roberto
Pedreira (Special to GTR)
October 30,
2018
Everyone knows
Helio Gracie fought Masahiko Kimura. Helio's first born son, Rorion, made
it the centerpiece of his campaign to deify his dad, incurring Reyla
Gracie's ire as a consequence.
Everyone also knows that Helio lost (more accurately, was annihilated),
and also that he didn't believe that he "really" lost
because he didn't give up (instead he let his brother throw in the towel
for him).
That's ok. Rorion
wasn't writing a history dissertation. It's what Brazilians call
"marketing."
Tokyo will host
the 2020 Olympics. It's the second time for Japan. The first was 1964 in
which judo was introduced as an Olympic sport. Japan of course dominated.
Since then other countries have had good success in judo. Japan wants to
stay on top. Most Japanese people, contrary to stereotype, don't train
judo and don't really care that much, but they like it when Japan wins.
They also like to see good, classical judo no matter who does it, but
especially when a Japanese judoka does. Anyway, the various martial arts
groups in Japan are now working to arouse enthusiasm and support.
One manifestation
of that is the comic book series devoted to Kimura's life and career
published in the magazine Budo (武道).
Kimura of course was born too soon to participate in any Olympic events,
but he did something that resonates even more with ordinary people here:
He beat Helio Gracie. The July 2018 issue describes how the event came
about.
Craze 1
The Life and
Times of Jiu-Jitsu, Vol.1, 1854-1904
Available October 10, 2018
Information here
Order here
Kindle
Edition available from October 23, 2018
*
Did
Oswaldo Fadda's Teacher Luis França Learn Jiu-Jitsu from Conde Koma?
By guest contributor Robert
Drysdale
September
1, 2018
The
initial inspiration for this article came after some mild flak I
received after an interview I gave for a podcast in regards to the
“Closed-Guard” documentary film about the origins of Jiu-Jitsu in
Brazil. During this interview I made a comment about it being my
personal suspicion that Luis França, Oswaldo Fadda’s teacher,
was mostly self-taught given the lack of evidence available in regards
to his apprenticeship under Mitsuyo Maeda the famed “Conde Koma.” The notion seemed to upset some people who, perhaps, felt I was being
disrespectful to that lineage. In fact, much to the contrary, one of our
goals is precisely to shed some light on the neglected and under-known
history of Oswaldo Fadda and his important role in the development of
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) as an art. More to the point of the article
however, it is my opinion that all practitioners are, at least to some
extent if not mostly, self-taught.
Continue here.
*
Roberto Drysdale Reflects on
the Evolution of BJJ
By guest contributor Robert
Drysdale
August 2018
Based
on my research, Carlos and Helio Gracie did not advance the
evolution of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)
technically. Instead, they preserved a niche style that was
ground-oriented as opposed to its Judo mothership that was becoming increasingly
more stand-up oriented. That was what later became known as BJJ.
The notion that Carlos and Helio improved or invented an art is unsupported by
reliable evidence. Unless we agree that they "evolved" ground-fighting in the same
way every practitioner on the planet does every evening: by making small
contributions to techniques. But nothing special there, since all practitioners
are responsible for evolution in this sense, with varying degrees according to
one’s time and effort on the mats.
Continue here.
*
Do Vale Tudo
Brasileiro ao "Mixed Martial Arts"
by João Alberto
Barreto
Rev. by Robert
Drysdale
Special to GTR
May
2, 2018
João Alberto Barreto was one of the original
"Heroes of the Rings" in Brazil. Recently he released a book
telling his story and explaining his philosophy of fighting. Robert
Drysdale reviews it here.
*
March 24, 2018
Rickson Gracie and the
Art of Thai Tae Tad
By Roberto Pedreira
Rickson Gracie believes in self-defense. Jiu-jitsu should be about self-defense, he
insists. Guys who want to devote their careers to 50-50s,
worm guards, and berimbolos are welcome to do that, he says, but
if the self-defense needs of ordinary non-super-athletes, are not
addressed, jiu-jitsu will "drown". And it is drowning, he
thinks.
Rear naked
chokes work very well, if you can get behind an aggressor without
getting damaged. Obviously, people who have done their training against
punchers and kickers will be able to do this with a reasonably high
success rate. However, based on Roberto's experience, not many BJJ
people actually do this sort of training, or not enough of it. So their
lethal rear naked will not avail them of much more than the TKD
stylist's deadly ax kick.
Train your rear
nakeds, by all means, but know that you need more. For beginners, the
ordinary people with self-defense needs that Rickson is worried about,
even rear nakeds or any other jiu-jitsu techniques, are not enough and
may not even be needed. Rear nakeds are not the answer to
every problem and are not without limitations.
Continue here.
*
Jiu-Jitsu in Action
How Jiu-Jitsu Can
Save Lives and Keep You out of Jail
Posted February
14, 2018
A drunk
Australian named Benjamin Robb, age 43, decided he needed to choke one of
the bar ladies, Roong-arun Sangsuwan. He grabbed her by the neck and
squeezed until "her face turned blue", according to
witnesses.
Instead of
letting the Thai staff and Thai police deal with it, Jose Manuel Polanco
Jr., decided to step
up and do the right thing, or play hero, depending on your point of view.
Benjamin objected. Jose punched him. Benjamin fell. He was transported to
hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Continue here.
*
Posted February 13,
2018
Who
was Oscar Gracie and who taught him Jiu-Jitsu?
By guest contributor Robert
Drysdale
Did
Carlos Gracie learn the gentle-art of “jiu-jitsu” under
the auspices and intimate “paternal
supervision” of Mitsuyo
Maeda, aka Conde Koma,
as he and his supporters claimed (and still do),
invariably without any substantiating evidence.
A
recent discovery throws important
light on the question.
Continue here.
*
January 1,
2018
A Judo Visit to France
Saiin
Shizuko 5-dan in France
Brest
Le
Télégrame
July 3, 2017 (January 1, 2018)
*
2017
Judo Destroys BJJ
By Roberto Pedreira
The age-old question has now been answered.
The question derives from the assertion that a BJJ blue
belt can beat a judo black belt in a BJJ competition.
Not many people would deny that other things being
equal, BJJ guys are better at ground, and judo guys are better at
stand-up. But what if other things are not equal? Suppose that BJJ guy is
a typical blue belt and the judo black belt is an Olympic gold medallist.
Merely hypothetical! Could never happen!
Wrong.
It happened Sunday November 26, in Samukawa [寒川],
Japan (a small town about 30 minutes south of Yokohama).
Continue here.
*
Posted November 6, 2017
The
Theory and Practice
of
the Jab
By Roberto Pedreira
Originally Published in 2003,
revised and updated November 6, 2017
Ringside
at the Mike Tyson vs. Tyrell Biggs fight (October 16, 1987) Sugar Ray Leonard
observed that "a good step-in jab can be very effective against Mike Tyson.
It remains to be seen if Biggs can keep this up.”
Tyrell
couldn't and was knocked out in the 7th round. But on February 11,
1990, Buster Douglas shook up the boxing world. Unintimidated by Iron Mike,
Douglas
confidently used his jab to set the champion up for power shots and ended up
stopping Tyson in the 10th round, capturing the sports world’s most
prestigious prize in the process.
Continue
here.
*
Posted September
1, 2017
The Art of Selling
Self-Defense
Guest Column
by Robert Drysdale
|
Robert
Drysdale's BJJ and grappling accomplishments are too well-known to
need retelling here. Below, he shares his opinions on
"self-defense" in the martial arts industry. |
Perhaps
the most overly debated topic within Martial Arts, as well as its biggest
financial draw, is the category of “Self-Defense.” It is virtually
inseparable from combat disciplines and are often bundled up into the same
category. People seek Martial Arts, for a number of reasons, Self-Defense
likely being the prime one. The possibility of acquiring skills that could
potentially save one’s life, or that of a loved one, has secured the
Martial Arts a role in the upbringing of millions of children and adults
worldwide as well as an entire industry that capitalizes on this. Fear is
indeed a powerful sales tool.
We should begin by defining and distinguishing the ends of the
spectrum between Combat, Martial Arts, Competitive endeavor and
practice....
Continue
here.
*
Posted August 27, 2017
Post-Fight Analysis of
GTR
Pre-Fight
Predictions for
Conor McGregor vs.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
August 25, 2017 Most of GTR's predictions
(here) for the
Floyd vs. Conor Fight of the Century turned out to be wrong.
Conor boxed better than expected for the first few
rounds, but being in shape for 12 rounds is part of the job. He fell apart
after round 7. But at least he tried to make it a real boxing match,
respecting the Noble Art. Floyd was Floyd, more so than usual.
Continue here.
*
Posted January 25, 2017
How Floyd Might Kill Conor
and Vice-Versa
Written August
25 (Japan time), 2017 (before the fight)
GTR's prediction for
Floyd vs. Conor is that it will end in a pro wrestling pandemonium
scene. Conor will do a MMA move. Floyd will object, everyone will spill
in and out of the ring. Someone will attack the referee, of course.
Conor will pay huge penalties (supposedly) if he does that, but so what?
He'll earn it back in the rematch.
Continue here.
*
Posted August 8, 2017
Planos de Pagamento
How much does it cost
to train in Rio? Answer not much, at least, not in 1999, which this is
from.
What kind of training
do Cariocas want to do? Answer: Almost everything.
What is a Carioca?
Answer: If you don't know what a Carioca is, check out Vocabulary
and Giria for the essential vocabulary and giria needed to training in Rio.
(Don't know what giria is!? It's there too).
Continue here.
*
Posted July 18,
2017
Rorion Gracie:
"The Gracie Family
Launched Luta Livre"!
A GTR reader writes:
One of the realizations
that I got from Choque, Vol 1, is how strongly pro-wrestling/catch
wrestling influence was part of Brazilian jiu-jitsu from the
beginning.
The pro-wrestling vs BJJ
modern debate which began with Sakuraba's wins over the Gracies,
continued with Rickson's victories over japanese pro wrestlers, and
currently continues after Josh Barnett's recent and easy victories
over eminent BJJ blackbelts, actually was the tip of an iceberg of a
close, historical relationship between both styles which goes deeper
than previously thought.
Choque was the first to
uncover this.
Continue here.
|
*
Posted July 7, 2017
Rickson
is Wrong about BJJ Innovations
Guest column by
Robert Drysdale
Rickson
Gracie doesn't like jiu-jitsu techniques that aren't designed to
finalize the opponent. A Jiu-jitsu match is like a hunter versus a
prey. Hunters don't try to get points, medals, or trophies. Why
should a BJJ fighter? Accordingly, Rickson scorns
such innovations as berimbolo and 50/50. (Read Rickson's views here).
Some
people agree with him. But not everyone. World BJJ champion Robert
Drysdale disagrees. Here, in an exclusive comment to GTR, he
explains why.
Continue
here.
*
Posted July 1, 2017
"I was Skeptical about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu History"
Guest Column by
Robert Drysdale
From time to time, ever since the
beginning in 2000, GTR's editorial offices receive letters with
questions, comments, and suggestions. Some of them form the basis
for GTR articles. Sometimes we revise articles based on corrections or
suggestions from readers. In the present case, the letter below, dated May
28,
2017, is interesting enough to justify reproduction (almost) in full,
with the writer's permission.
Continue here.
*
Posted June 12, 2017
Why
Rickson Hates Berimbolo (and 50-50)
By Roberto Pedreira
On July 10, 2015,
Revista Tatame asked Rickson Gracie for his thoughts on the
berimbolo. Tatame explained, for those who hadn't heard, that
berimbolo is a position that occurs when the guardeiro (the guard
player) turns and inverts and thereby attempts to desequilibrar (destabilize)
the opponent. Having done so, he will then have accomplished a raspagem
(shave, or sweep) and will have a chance to take the adversary's back.
Continue
here.
*
Posted June
5, 2017
Rickson's Favorite Fighters
"Rickson
Gracie cita lutadores que mais gosta de assistir em ação"
By Roberto
Pedreira
June 5, 2017
Rickson has
high standards. It is easy to disappoint him. Almost everyone has holes
in their game or what they are doing isn't his idea of real
"jiu-jitsu" or they are too focused on "winning
medals."
Is there anyone
Rickson likes? Actually yes. Helio Gracie is without a doubt, the best
and most technical BJJ fighter in history, Rickson believed in 1995, and
possibly still does. Rolls Gracie was technical and fast, and almost
equal to Rickson when he (Rickson) was 17. Royler was excellent
too.
Continue here.
*
A Conversation with Rickson Gracie
and Yori Nakamura (中村頼永)
Translated by Roberto Pedreira
May 22, 2017
The original
conversation took place April 6, 1994 at the Cheesecake Factory
in in the Marina del Rey Yacht Harbor, Los Angeles, USA, about 15 minutes by car
from the Dojo (Rickson's, apparently, but it's actually closer to the Inosanto
Academy, where Yori taught shooto and Jeet Kune Do), to promote the Vale
Tudo 1994 Japan tournament held July 29 at NK Hall in Tokyo. It was published July 8,
1994, and republished in Kakutōgi Striking Sprits (格闘数トライキングスピリッと) May 1, 2002.
It is presented here for the first time in English, with some comments by the
translator, Roberto Pedreira.
Continue here.
*
Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu versus Chinese Tai Chi
By Roberto Pedreira
May 6, 2017
Updated
May 12, 2017
Could Rickson
Gracie and his jiu-jitsu defeat a bona fide Tai Chi master? Probably, but
that is speculation. Until Rickson accepts the challenge, gloves up, and
climbs into the ring, we'll never know for sure. If a promoter comes up
with the money, the mystery will be solved. Make it happen, Dana!
In the meantime,
a somewhat similar test recently took place in China. (see here
for video, note that it will probably not be up long). It
isn't exactly BJJ but it's
close enough. An MMA guy needed no more than 10 seconds to wipe the floor
with a Tai Chi representative, proving that MMA is the best style. Right?
Continue here.
*
"Jiu-Jitsu
is Gonna Drown"
But Rickson Gracie plans to do
something abut it....
By Roberto Pedreira
Posted April 11, 2017
Roberto Pedreira's
first exposure to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, or BJJ as it's now called, was via martial
arts magazines featuring Rickson and the usual suspects. He was unimpressed.
Pictures didn't do the art justice. It didn't matter that much because he was
far away from any place where he could learn "BJJ", even if he wanted
to.
Continue
here.
*
Posted February 1, 2017
The Greatest
Heavyweight Champion
By Roberto Pedreira
According
to someone who would know, namely George Foreman, the
job of the heavyweight champion is to make as much money as possible without
losing the title.
Continue
here.
*
Posted January 1, 2017
|
Kron Gracie vs. Kawajiri Tatsuya
and other Rizin 3 Fights
The View from Japan
By Roberto Pedreira
Pride got into trouble, rumor has it,
by borrowing from organized crime. The former president of Pride
Nobuyuki Sakakibara is the founder of Rizin and evidently intends to
avoid needing to borrow, by keeping costs down.
Continue here.
|
*
2016 Articles
November 3,
2016
October 1, 2016
September 26,
2016
September 3,
2016
August 30, 2016
August 18, 2016
August 18, 2016
July 25, 2016
June 18, 2016
June 1, 2016
May 11, 2016
May 9, 2016
April
19, 2016
April 8, 2016
March
16, 2016
January
1, 2016
*
|
