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Winners and Losers – Post-Metamoris III

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By: Tyler Bishop
So the latest installment of Metamoris has finally happened, and the promotion delivered their largest and most anticipated event to date. The event was hyped from the beginning, selling out live attendance on the first day tickets were publically available. But did it live up to the hype?
The events success  depends on who you ask, and what their opinion is about jiu jitsu competition. The facts are as follows; the live experience, stream, and production were more successful and more dynamic than the previous two shows, even though Jeff Glover had many moments that likely had audience members burying their hands in their faces. The updated and streamlined production with little filler between matches provided a well-organized, no-nonsense display for fans. The event appeared professional and provided an adequate stage for top competitors while allowing true fan to appreciate the performance.
While only 2 of the 6 matches on the card finished in submission, many of the matches maintained a high-level of excitement despite the matches finishing in a draw. In fact, the most exciting match of the entire night, the headliner, resulted in a draw; however, it is now being heralded as one the most exciting matches in recent history online. The rule set itself is still not perfect. Some of the  competitors still have not adjusted to the proper way to compete in these matches, and the end result is often a strange series of events (see Lister/Sobral). However, quite subjectively, I can say that this card was more exciting than the past two, and that seems to be the general consensus among popular online jiu jitsu destinations as well.
To improve future shows, Metamoris will likely need to improve the rule set and evolve and build upon current models, but all-in-all Metamoris III appears to have been a success (in terms of execution). Once stream purchase numbers are tallied, I’m sure the organizers will be able to tell you one way or the other if the show was truly a success.
To improve action in the future, perhaps future events should consider four 5 minute rounds, or perhaps two 10 minute rounds. I often advocate this approach based on the success of the old Rickson Budo Challenge event (one of the greatest ever held). Many have never heard or seen of this event, but it provided some the most exciting matches in history. Metamoris and others would be smart to evaluate this extraordinary past event for future ideas.
Using staggered criteria, I think it’s fair to say Metamoris and the fans watching were winners on Saturday evening, but among the other parties involved, who were winners and who were losers? I do my best below to breakdown the events beneficiaries below. Enjoy!
 

Winner: Zak Maxwell, and Guard Passing in Sub-Only events

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While the Sean Roberts/Zak Maxwell match ended in a draw, the last 10 minutes were a great display of cat and mouse between Zak and Sean. With so many lighter competitors developing dangerously dynamic guards, it has become difficult for those with a guard passing-style in those lighter weight classes. While the start of this match was a reflection of this construct – with both competitors attempting guard work – Zak made the decision to play the top position about halfway through the match. What was so interesting about this was the strategy that I believe he revealed to all future Metamoris competitors.
Although Zak had to weather the early storm of guard attacks from Sean – fending off multiple omoplatas and armlocks – he was eventually able to find his stride and pass the guard and secure several dominant positions and very close submissions. The final minutes were all Maxwell. What future competitors should glean from this is the flexibility that the Metamoris rule set allows. Typically competitors fear playing against another top guard player due to the threat of being swept or submitted; however if the you can get past the fear of being submitted – under Metamoris rules, competitors can gain a new level of comfort. Let me explain. Let’s say Zak determined that he could avoid the guard submissions. If that’s the case, then all he has to fear are sweeps. Well, there are no points for sweeps and if the opponent wants to play guard it’s likely they will not follow-up on the sweep if they land it. Basically, if you can stay out of submissions you are granted unlimited guard passing attempts. Zak exposed this in the rules and the current dynamic, and almost secured several submissions for his efforts.
It will be interesting to see if others employ this method of attack in the future. In my opinion, both Sean and Zak come out looking very well in this match, but Zak’s display of jiu jitsu exemplified an interesting dynamic about guard passing under these unique circumstances.
 

Loser: Rafeal Mendes

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Rafael Mendes is anything but a loser. However, in this event he did not grow the brand of the Rafa Mendes legend.  Our site has routinely featured Mendes for his dynamic style and dominance, but his performance in this event was a little uninspired.
Although Rafa displayed just how smooth and beautiful his berimbolo attack can be, he was unable to get it to find it’s mark against a very skilled Clark Gracie. It is not my intention to take away from Clark’s performance in my critique of Mendes, rather a critique of Rafa’s approach to the match. Even after 15 minutes of solid berimbolo defense from Gracie, Mendes refused to try a different strategy. Now, I realize I am now calling for a top competitor to play outside his game (something against our scientific analysis’), but Rafa is being debated as one of the best grapplers on the planet. Surely, he could have tried to showcase himself in another area in which he is dominant. Those that watch his AOJ rolling videos were waiting for those flashes of pure domination seen on film. But Mendes seemed determined to stick to a plan that was doomed from the start. The frustration from many seems to really stem form the conservative approach this seems to be from someone who is being debated as one of the best in the game right now. Fair or unfair, a draw wasn’t good enough for Rafael Mendes.

Winner: Eddie Bravo (and his No-Gi techniques), Royler, and the fans

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Most fans, myself included, saw the Royler-Bravo matchup as a one-sided affair waiting to happen. As the match began, it looked like that was exactly what it was going to be. However, Bravo showed a lot of heart dealing with the unrelenting pressure passing of Royler early on (someone who made that style of passing famous). Bravo was then successfully able to execute several of his patented sweeps and submission attempts to one of the greatest of all time. The match was back and forth, and ultimately Bravo proved to be more than just a  game opponent. He showed that he belonged in that environment, and that many of the techniques he has often been criticized for hold legitimate application. Bravo did exactly what he was trying to do for years, prove that he could compete with Royler, and that his first win wasn’t some kind of fluke.
Royler and Bravo both come out looking very good after such a great fight. It was the most exciting of the night and included two competitors with a combined age of 90! Both should inspire the next generation on a series of different levels. While I think everyone on the planet would be excited to see a third match, I am quite sure that will be the last time either fighter competes ever again.

Loser: Those that didn’t purchase the live stream

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I’m sure many will now complain that we are schilling for Metamoris, but the truth is we’re not…at all. For those that are podcast listeners, you know that Jena and I have never advocated sub-only events. We have also both criticized past events as well. However, this event was a great event to watch, and ended up being a very entertaining production. It was far from perfect in just about every faucet, but it was good enough for anyone that is a fan of jiu jitsu to enjoy. As the rules and production quality evolve, it should be expected that this type of entertainment should continue. It still isn;t to level that the average person could enjoy, but we are fast approaching that era in my opinion.
Most of all, those that missed out on Gracie-Bravo II will never be able to duplicate the intensity of watching that match live. Although the video is widely available online right now, watching the event live felt historical. It was a throwback to the early legendary matches of jiu jitsu that live in todays history books. If you missed it, you truly missed out.

Winner: Kevin Casey

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Many only know Kevin Casey by reputation only. Casey is famous for several jiu jitsu controversy’s, including but not limited to; the Spencer Pratt fiasco. However, to take a grappling match on that huge stage against one of the best in the world on only a few hours notice is incredible. It showed true bravery and very little ego. Kevin performed very admirable at the start of the match, and although he faded in the second half, he showcased good technique and was able execute some initiatives against Keenan that few others would have had success with.
Ultimately, I’m not sure it was simply a win-win opportunity by choosing to take the match. Had Casey gone out there and gotten tapped in 2 minutes or less, the crowd would have felt cheated, and Casey himself would have looked like a chump for thinking he could compete with someone of Keenan’s caliber on short notice. However, he competed very well and ended up looking as good as anyone else on the card.
 
What are your thoughts on M3?
 

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10 Things Learned At The 2013 Jiu Jitsu World Championship

By: Tyler Bishop
The 2013 Jiu Jitsu World Championship is in the books. History was made once again, and we want to congratulate everyone who stood atop the podium at the event. For everyone that competed and suffered defeat, keep your head up and keep striving towards your goals. The competition is fierce, and the stakes are high. The World Championship is the most prestigious event in jiu jtsu history, and will likely maintain that title for a long while – due to the incredibly high level of competitors that attend the event.
Just like every year, there is a lot that we can learn from this event. The BishopBjj.com team was in attendance every day of the event, and we did not miss a beat. We wanted to share with you a few of the important pieces of material that we learned at the championship, and hopefully you can share with us some of the things you may have learned watching at home.

  1. Buchecha is the new king, and it is now unquestionable. Prior to this event, there was little doubt that Marcus Almaeda was the champ, but now he is “the man”. After last years epic battle and a close match earlier this year, the Buchecha/Rodolfo rivalry still seemed close. We watched the absolute final match intensely. We wanted to see if today would be the day that Rodolfo took back the crown. Unfortunately for Rodolfo, June 2nd served as the exact date that Buchecha became the far-and-away better competitor. Buchecha simply dominated the match from start to finish. I  honestly wonder what Rodolfo was thinking. I can’t imagine anyone has done the things Buchecha  did to him in a very long time. It’s always a little off-putting when you recieve an unexpected beating in BJJ. I’m sure that goes double for Rodolfo. Welcome to the Buchecha dynasty.
  2. Blue belts take it seriously! The level of competition at the blue belt level this year was the best I have ever seen it. I remember being a blue belt 6 years ago, and the competition was not at this same level. Many of the competitors are training with the same enthusiasm and commitment that the brown and black belt competitors are. In fact, the other blue belts all know who the other top guys are… at blue belt. What does this hold for the sport in the future, and how should the average jiu jitsu competitor feel about this? It is the World Championships after all, and everyone has to start somewhere.
  3. You don’t win until you win. We saw it twice in the finals this year. You can’t win the match until your hand is raised. Ary Farias cost himself a World Championship by carelessly walking off the mats. I feel for the guy ( I really do), but when the stakes are that high – and your match was as close as that one was – wait to get your hand raised before you celebrate. The rules are the rules, and you simply cannot pick and choose objectively when they will be followed (they are hard enough to enforce as is). Another example of this was Augusto Taquinho’s tenacity in finishing his match with Rafa Mendes. It looked from my perspective like Rafa was looking to coast out at the end. Augusto simply had more fight him at the end, and with seconds left he stole the match. The meal goes to the dog who is hungriest.
  4. Acai is delicious but should not be eaten in a cage. I love acai, and ate exactly two bowls at the Worlds. I enjoyed neither of them. When you force me to stand in a cage to eat it you might as well punch me in the groin while you’re at it. This is CSULB’s thing, not the IBJJF’s, but regardless it is a travesty. #freetheacai
  5. Points are hard to get. I’ll never forget a conversation I overheard at the 2011 World Championship, it went something like this…
    – Competitor (to referee): Why did you not give me points for passing the guard?
    – Referee: **Dead lifeless stare**
    – Competitor: I passed the guard and it should have been 3 points, I should have won the match!
    – Referee: No, you lose…. it fair
    – Competitor: (intensely)… But I should have won! Those points would have put me in the lead!
    – Referee: (long pause… smiling now) Points are hard to get …. (pats the kid on the shoulder and walks away)
    It had to be one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. The competitor was losing his mind, and the referee was on a totally different page. The point of the story is this – points are indeed hard to get. You have to earn them, and sometimes they are easier to get than others. Sometimes you might feel screwed, other times you might get lucky. When you are a top competitor you find a way to rise above it all. That’s why you consistently see the top names in every division.
  6. Gabi is busy getting stronger. Gabi Garcia wore a shirt on day 1 that read “I’m Busy Getting Stronger”. Meanwhile, all of the women in the black belt absolute grew even more fearful of what that might mean. How could she be any stronger! In all seriousness, Gabi simply is too much for any other woman currently competing in BJJ. She plows through her division just as easily as she does the absolute. She will be the champ of the absolute so long as she signs up. Fair, unfair, or any where in between, it’s the fact of the situation. She is a woman without any true competition.
  7. Atos has a bad day. The team that was stocking up on top talent, and seemed poised to showcase themselves this year fell flat. Galvao, the Mendes Bros., Calassans, and Keenan all fell short this past weekend. It could just been a fluke, but it seemed almost too much of a coincidence that the team performed to far below expectations. Again, it’s the World Championships, and everyone is good, but it was surprising to say the least that a team with so much fanfare underachieved to this degree. Maybe it really was as simple as a bad day.
  8. Braulio Estima is a bad man. Estima showed up on the competitor roster at the last minute on a whim, and dominated the competition – closing out the bracket with teammate Romulo Barral. He is truly a character as well. As Galvao attempted a footlock at the end of their match, Estima certainly hammed it up for the enjoyment of the crowd. Hopefully we will see more of him in the gi in the future.
  9. The gi-checkers took the day off. Remember how just about 50% of the gi’s were illegal at the 2013 Pan? For some reason the IBJJF did a 180 on this procedure. I witnessed very very few competitors being turned away for gi disqualifications. I even witnessed several gii’s in action at all levels that were noticeably outside of normal perimeters. I’m not sure if the IBJJF specifically lightened up or if it was simply some new employees, but this change was noticeable. I even thought about wearing a bath robe to test this policy, but alas I had no bath robe to wear.
  10. (Personal Note) It was an incredibly special day for me and my family. My wife, Jena Bishop, and close friend, Nick “Moose” Schrock, both added “world champion” to their resume. Jena took 1st in her brown belt division and 3rd in the absolute, while Nick took first at purple belt medium-heavy. It is an incredibly emotional experience to witness first hand all of the blood, sweat, and tears pay off. It’s easy to see why jiu jitsu is such a passionate experience for so many. This past weekend was one of my most memorable and enjoyable of my entire life. Part of jiu jitsu is living through the sacrifices and training with your teammates, and when they experience success you share in their victory.

That’s what I learned at the 2013 World Championship.
God bless.
 

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Jiu Jitsu Rewind: European 2013, WPJJ -SD

Keenan Cornelius and Magid Hage  W/ Sick Moves

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By: Tyler Bishop
Poor Miyao brothers. Unfortunately, they are both the source of incredible highlights this weekend. On the bright-side, most of what we are talking about wouldn’t even be a story if they both weren’t held in such high regard. I don’t know what’s more impressive – passing Paulo’s guard, or putting Joao unconscious. Obviously a lot more than this happened at the Euro’s, but these matches got the community buzzing. Another big story coming out of the European Championship is the resurgence of Fernando “Terere”. His comeback was cut short by a DQ in the finals against Claudio Calassans, but that doesn’t make his story any less impressive. His student “FinFou” actually bowed out to him earlier in the competition to give him back a black belt he had once sold him when he was down on his luck. We wish Fernando the best in the future. It is certainly exciting to have him back on the scene.
Also, it’s important to point out that Magid Hage came out of nowhere to win the WPJJ-San Diego trials this weekend. Most people know the likes of Zak Maxwell and Clark Gracie, but this fella came out of left field. And, he found a way to submit  both the aforementioned competitors with a throwback choke from the bottom.
What do you think the stories will be coming from the Pans, WPJJ, and Worlds this year?