Tag: mundials 2012

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"It's Science" Videos

It's Science: Gianni Grippo

Full Article In The Next Issue Of Jiu Jitsu Style Magazine

Gianni1

Notable Study Stats:
• 100% of passes were of a leg drag variety
• No sweeps or passes occurred from half-guard
• Won 80% of his matches
• Submitted his opponent in 50% of wins
• Scored first in every match he won
• His average match length was 8 minutes
• 75% of sweeps came from De La Riva or Reverse De La Riva

Abstract: All matches observed of Gianni Grippo, used in this small sample, occurred at IBJJF events, inside his weight division, and in the years 2012-2014. Only techniques, occurrences, and outcomes that were recorded are displayed in the data below (i.e. if no butterfly sweeps occurred, there will not be a representation of that in the sample data charts). Matches were selected at random based on freely available matches online – selected using a random generator from 20 total total IBJJF matches that occurred in in the study timeline. This is a limited sample – but given the estimated amount of matches in this time period – it is well above the percentage necessary to create a scientifically validated trend sampling.

The Breakdown: Gianni Grippo is the youngest competitor we have ever studied. In fact, he has been a black belt competitor for only 1 year so far. It’s a credit to his diligence as a competitor that there is actually a large enough sample to conduct a breakdown. With that in mind, Gianni already displays the characteristic we tend to see in all of our top-competitor breakdowns. Grippo has an incredibly defined tournament strategy and gameplan. This leads to a high winning percentage (80%), and a strong submission percentage (50%).

Gianni is well known for his De La Riva and reverse De La Riva guard game. It’s easy to see why this happens to be the case. This is the foundation that Grippo’s primary strategy is built around. 75% of all of his sweeps that we recorded occurred from DLR or RDLR guard, and he uses these sweeps and attacks to setup his passing and submission techniques. In fact, you could argue that the broadest approach Grippo takes is from the guard. In our study Grippo used 4 different sweeping positions and 4 different sweep-types to attack his opponent from the bottom. As the game further unfolds, Grippo becomes more and more defined in his approach. The only type of pass we recorded Gianni executing in the study was a leg drag pass. What’s more, this leg drag passing strategy led to two separate roads to the back. These roads included a back take from the pass it self, or a back take from an attempted escape once he was able to establish side-control.

Grippo’s submission game was even more defined. The only submission we recorded during the study were chokes from the back. It becomes clear upon reflection that Gianni Grippo has become an expert in walking each of his opponents into a very familiar fate. He has one of the most defined strategies of any competitor we’ve studied; and it all starts from the DLR or RDLR guard.

Taking everything into account, it is obvious that Grippo’s end-game involves the back, and he reverse engineers it from his strongest and most diversified position, open guard. The only downside to having such a defined game is that it paints a very clear picture to opponents as to what your comfort zone is. However, Gianni has seemed to understand this. Recently, in a post on his brand new blog, GianniGrippo.com, ….

Read the rest of this article in the next issue of Jiu Jitsu Style

grippo stat sheet

 

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"It's Science" Videos

It's Science: Royler Gracie (Legends Edition)

royler its science

 By: Tyler Bishop
(stats located below)

Foreword:

Thank you for making It’s Science one of the most popular jiu jitsu pieces on the internet and inside our little community. As many of you may already know, the full length articles, stats, etc. of all our competitor profiles are featured in every issue of Jiu Jitsu Style Magazine. This particular one will be released in the upcoming issue of JJS next month.
This particular episode kicks off our new series of statistical breakdowns featuring legends of the sport. Hopefully this new series can help us further paint a picture as to how jiu jitsu is evolving, by taking a closer look at where is has come from – competitively of course. I found no place more fitting to start than with the Gracie families most decorated sport jiu jitsu competitor, Master Royler Gracie.
This piece was of particular interest to me, as I viewed Royler’s style – from the outside to be different from many modern competition approaches, and I thought that an analysis of his game would prove to be a stark contrast to many past studies. I was both right and wrong. While his game does differ from many of past profiles, the results that he achieved were surprising in light of the results. His ability to play the top and achieve success is primarily where my attention goes in this breakdown, but I don’t think we should stop at that. Royler’s game is as clearly defined as any of the others we have observed in times past. I hope you will enjoy observing the results as much as I did collecting them.

Abstract:

All matches observed of Royler Gracie used in this small sample occurred in his respective weight division between 1994 and the present day. The sampling includes a mixture of both gi and nogi competition. Only techniques, occurrences, and outcomes that were recorded are displayed in the data below (i.e. if no butterfly sweeps occurred, there will not be a representation of that in the sample data). Matches were selected at random based on available matches – selected using a random generator from available matches. This is a limited sample, and one without many of our normal controls such as; unified rules, time limits, etc. This makes the data a little more skewed than what we would normally like to see. However, the data collected did end up accurately representing insightful trends that we can use to draw logical and rational conclusions. As jiu jitsu grows, so does that data.

Breakdown:

Royler Gracie, his name alone bears a connection to the sport itself. As the most decorated sport jiu jitsu competitor of Helio Gracie, Royler, is known for his flexibility, mysterious pressure, and fierce competitiveness. In fact, Royler recently competed once again at the age of 48 against Eddie Bravo in a thrilling match at Metamoris. It’s hard to deny the strong competitive will Royler possess. In fact, the famous picture above almost encapsulates Roylers mystique in-of-it-self. But, what techniques, strategies, and gameplans makeup the Royler Gracie style?
Let’s begin our review of the statistics below with a breakdown of the start of the match. Royler, like many of his generation, proved to be primarily a top game player. He displays a dynamic and smothering style of passing that he has leaned on heavily throughout his career, and the best way to execute that strategy is to start on top from the start. Roylers initial takedown of choice was the ankle pick and a wrestling style double or single leg attempt. It’s fair to mention that because many of these matches occurred in ADCC that many of these takedowns could have been specifically tailored to that format, thus giving them higher incidence than if this study was of only gi competition. These techniques accounted for approximately 78% of all of his initial takedowns.
Another strategy often used to arrive at the top position was a basic sacrifice throw in which he would drop his opponent down quickly into a butterfly style sweep in an attempt to gain the top position. Even if the throw did not work initially, Royler’s butterfly guard proved to be one of his “go to” assets on bottom. His flexibility, combined with his mastery of the technique, allowed him to secure quite a few sweeps from this position. In fact, nearly 42% of the sweeps we observed in the study were from butterfly guard. The nest most common position that he would sweep from was a simple collar sleeve open guard variation (best way to define it) – in which Royler would use butterfly hooks and scissor style sweeps to overtake his opponent. This style of play accounted for approximately 25% of his sweeping positions.
Once on top, there is a reason why many in the jiu jitsu community still refer to the knee through style of pass as the Royler Pass. Of all the competitors we studied, none averaged a higher pass rate than Royler Gracie. Royler passed the guard on average 1.6 times per match. Our next closest competitor was Gui Mendes with 0.78. Royler passed the guard more than twice as much as many of the modern competitors we have recently studied.
Royler’s guard pass of choice was  his signature knee through (or knee cut) style pass. 11 of the 24 guard passes we observed in the entire study were classified in this style (45.8%). However, Royler also utilized leg drag, torrendo, and reverse sitting half guard style passes with a high degree of success as well. Royler executed the majority of these passing sequences from his knees or from the half guard – which is very much juxtaposition from where we have seen it with the majority of the other competitors we have studied. In fact, no other competitor had the majority of their passes start from a kneeling position.
Royler recorded 88% of the submissions we observed from either the back or mount position. 50% of the submissions were chokes from the back while armbars and collar chokes made up the rest. 53% of the matches we observed ended with Royler finishing his opponent by submission.
In the matches we observed he was victorious in 13 of them. He has shown the type of spirit throughout the course of his career that you would expect from a decorated legend like himself. However, the numbers do reveal something very interesting. The dynamics of his style are unique qualities that – in many cases – we have yet to see replicated by any other competitor. In his last match against Eddie Bravo you could still see architecture of his proprietary game. And, while it’s likely we have seen the last of Royler Gracie in the competitive jiu jitsu world, it’s likely there is still a lot we can learn from the matches and legacy he has left behind. This is only a start.

Notable Stats

  • Highest average pass rate per match of any competitor studied so far (1.6 per match)
    • Passed the guard twice as much as the next closest in this category (Gui Mendes)
  • 88% of submissions came from the back or mount
  • Knee through style of pass was used to pass in 46.8% of successful attempts
  • 1/2 of total submissions he secured were chokes from the back
  • Scored first points (when applicable) in every single victory
  • 45% successful passes started from opponents half guard

royler stats graphic

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BishopBjj News

Jiu jitsu Podcast #14 : Inside Story World Pro Jiu Jitsu

pan jiu jitsu 2016

4-28-2014
Check out the latest edition of out podcast featuring the inside story on Abu Dhabi World Pro, and much much more!

 

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"It's Science" Videos

It's Science: Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-qsrivMmew&w=560&h=315]
Welcome to another episode of “It’s Science”. We  continue our 2013 season with a look at Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles (2010-2013). Now on to the fun stuff…
 
Abstract: All matches observed of Cobrinha used in this small sample occurred at gi IBJJF events, inside his weight division, and between 2010-2013. Only techniques, occurrences, and outcomes that were recorded are displayed in the data below (i.e. if no butterfly sweeps occurred, there will not be a representation of that in the sample data). Matches were selected at random based on available matches  – selected using a random generator from 20 total available IBJJF matches matches between 2010-2013. This is a limited sample – but given the estimated amount of matches in this time period – it is well above the percentage necessary to create a scientifically validated trend sampling.
Breakdown: Some things simply get better with age. Cobrinha may be a perfect example of this mantra. While Rubens Charles once reigned as king of the featherweight class, it’s in the last few years where he may be at his most dominant. We decided to only study the past 3 years of competition to keep techniques and styles relevant, in doing-so we leave out a lot of the bulk of Cobrinha’s career. Fortunately, he has remained competitive and strong. In fact, one could argue that today, in 2013, he is at his very best.
Most impressively, Cobrinha submitted his opponent in 9 out of the 14 matches we observed. That’s a 75% submission rate in all of his tournament wins. You would be hard pressed to find many other active competitors doing the same, much less one that is over the age of 30. His average match length was very short because of this – roughly 6:15. When matches are short, it allows you to be aggressive, fast, and dynamic. Cobrinha does exactly that. He pulled guard in almost all of his matches, and used a slick combination of De La riva Guard and Sit-up guard to score first by sweeping his opponent. His opponents often made the mistake of fighting the sweep and giving their back. This was the beginning of their untimely end. In our observation, Conbrinha did not lose the back once. Once he got to your back, you were finished!
It’s not often you find a competitor who not only stands the test of time, but improves as they get older. Cobrinha is likely to join the ranks of top competitors like Saulo and Xande Ribeiro, Royler Gracie, Pe De Pano, and Megaton – to name a few – that have been a force at their weight well into their master and senior years.  This was truly one of the most fun studies we have done.
Notable stats:

  • Submitted 75% of his opponents in winning matches
  • Scored first 58% of the time
  • Pulled guard 79% of the time
  • 56% of his sweeps came from the Sit-up guard
  • He averaged 1.12 sweeps per match
  • He finished a choke from the back in 5/5 matches in which he achieved the position
  • 83% of his passes were a “knee-through style” pass
  • His average match length was approximately 6:15 (almost the length of a blue belts full match)

 

Top Competitor Cobrinha
Successes Sit-up guard
Avoided… Takedowns
Top Technique 1 Sit-up guard to Single Leg
Top Technique 2 Choke from the back
Number of Matches Observed 14
Submits Opponent 9
Wins by Points 3
Minutes of footage watched 84 minutes
Scores First 10
Total Wins 12
Total Loses 2
Sweeps (Position)
De la Riva Sweeps 5
Spider Sweeps 2
Sit-up Guard 8
Sweeps (Type)
Ankle Pick sweep 5
Scissor 2
Sit-up to single leg 8
Total Sweeps 15
Passes (Position)
Half-Guard 1
Standing 5
Passes (Type)
knee through 5
knee up, from hg to mount 1
Total Passes 6
Taking the Back
from passing the guard 1
guard 4
Total Back-Takes 5
Submissions (Position)
Back 5
Side Control 2
Closed Guard 1
Half-Guard Top 1
Submissions (Type)
choke from back 5
armbar  2
omoplata 1
cross collar top 1
Total Subs 9
Start of Match
Guard Pull 11
Pulled on by opponent 3
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BishopBjj News

2013 World Jiu Jitsu Championship Preview

world jiu jitsu preview image

By: Tyler Bishop

Every year towards the end of May and beginning of June, the greatest grapplers on planet earth gather in Long Beach, California. This west coast city has become the home of the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) World Championship. The IBJJF World Championship is the most prestigious Jiu Jitsu tournament in the world, and features thousands of adult competitors from around the globe.

The event features blue through black belt adult-only divisions – with a special novice tournament for white belts the day before – and attracts some of the most well-known grapplers in the world as competitors and as spectators. Every year attendance and enrollment in the tournament increases, and so does the level of talent in every division. So who will be a black belt world champion this year, and what competitors should you keep your eye on?

First, if you haven’t looked at the competitor list yet check out the current list here (www.ibjjf.og). One of the great features of the IBJJF World Championship is the ability to see all competitors in each division. The brackets for each division are made available on the IBJJF website ahead of the tournament (so you will want to stay tuned to see some of the potential match-ups). This year is no exception to years past, the 2012 champions will all be in attendance to defend their crowns. So who will rise to the top?

We will start our evaluation by weight class in the men’s divisions:

ROOSTER

The rooster weight division will likely result in another classic showdown between Bruno Malfacine and Caio Terra. Malfacine is the reigning champion, but Terra recently bested him at the 2013 Pan-Am’s. Other notables in the division include Brandon Mullins, Koji Shibamoto, and perennial mainstay Felipe Costa. It’s hard to imagine anything but a Malfacine/Terra final once again.Get the cameras ready!

Prediction: Terra

LIGHT-FEATHER

The light-feather weight class has been recently dominated by one man, Guilherme Mendes. I expect that trend to continue as there appears to be no stand-out contenders that have recently threatened his crown. However, if Ary Farias was to compete against Guilherme in the finals the results could get interesting. Farias has been a strong contender the last few years, and has the athletic accumen to give Mendes trouble. They are both from team Atos, so they would have to choose to fight in the finals. Recently the team has stated they will fight for championships, so hold on to your hats. Laercio Fernandes has been in the mix, but has never looked like he was able to take the match away from someone. There is at least a formula fora possible upset here, but it seems like a bit of a stretch at this point.

Prediction: Guilherme Mendes

FEATHER

The feather weight division is one of the most talented in recent history – which makes the reigning 3x champion all the more impressive. Rafael Mendes has remained unbeaten for over 2 years in an extremely difficult division. And while “Cobrinha” Charles and Augusto “Tanquinho” Mendes always seem to push Mendes to the limit, the current champion always finds a way to reign supreme. But don’t sleep on Tanquinho his stock has been rising quickly since the beginning of the year – with a recent win over Cobrinha at the 2013 World Pro. Mario Reis is always a longshot as well. I would not do my family justice without mentioning that my instructor JW Wright will be competing in this division as well, and certainly possess the knowledge and skillset to do some serious damage. It seems incredibly likely that the final four will be Mario Reis, Cobrinha, Rafa, and Tanquinho.

Prediction: Rafael Mendes

LIGHT

The light weight division is always filled with talent. Some of the best in the world find their way into this division each year. Lucas Lepri and Leandro Lo could likely battle for supremacy once again this year; however, a contender such as JT Torres, Micheal Langhi, Zach Maxwell, or Roberto Satoshi could certainly find a way to upset one of these two at any point. In fact, this may be one of the most wide-open divisions in the entire tournament. This seems like the kind of year that we could be surprised by the lightweight champion. How much longer can the Lepri and Lo hold off these young bucks?

Prediction: Leandro Lo

MIDDLE

The middleweight division is filled with powerful athletes. Some of the quickest and most athletic men from around the world find themselves in the 181.5lb division. The lineup includes notable competitors such as Claudio Calassans, DJ Jackson, Clark Gracie, Marcelo Mafra, Otavio Sousa, Victor Estima, and Tanner Rice – to name a few. Will the Gracie name reign supreme, or will one of the others finally claim his thrown? Fresh of a great performance at the Pan, one would think Gracie stands a strong chance, but Calassans has been dominant in the division over the last few years. The only exception was the upset by Otavio Sousa last year, who will likely return as the divisional favorite this year. This is another division that could hold a few surprises due to such a heavy talent pool. I could see a final four of any combination of the above names, but I would put my money on Calassans, Gracie, Sousa, and Estima as a likely final four (brackets pending).

Prediction: Otavio Sousa

MIDDLE-HEAVY

Prepare for war! The light-heavy weight class features several of the most dominant competitors in recent history. With notable competitors such Andre Galvao, Romulo Barral, Braulio Estima, and Gustavo Campos all signed up in this division, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will take home the medal this year. Barral is back from a  knee injury suffered just months earlier at the World Pro. The big question will be if he is in fact 100%. If so, he has all the ability to become champion of the division. However, if he is at any less than full steam he will have to watch out for the Atos team members, Campos and Galvao – who closed the division out at the Pans earlier this year. Braulio Estima is a last second edition, and must be considered an elite threat to take the division. Hold on to your hats, this could be getting good!

Prediction: Andre Galvao

HEAVY

One man reigns supreme in the heavy weight division, Rodolfo Vieira. Viera will once again face stuff competition with the likes of Rafael Lovato Jr., Xande Riberio, Yuri Simoes, and Lucas Leite inside the division. The pressure against these game opponents will be great, and with the aura of his dominance fading with recent loses to Buchecha one can only imagine that this is the prime time for an upset. Is it possible that the 23 year old king could be uncrowned this year? Lovato Jr. and Xande Ribeiro will certainly make it a tough test for the upcoming GF team fighter this year.

Prediction: Rafael Lovato Jr.

SUPER-HEAVY

The super-heavy weight class is usually dominated by teammates from Alliance, Bernardo Faria, Antonio Carlos, and Leo Nogueira. However, someone like Leo Leite or Joao Gabriel Rocha could provide an interesting upset. Gabriel built a name for himself at brown belt as an absolute monster. Will he be able to translate that to the black belt level, on the worlds biggest stage in such short time?

Prediction: Leo Nogueira

ULTRA-HEAVY

The ultra-heavy weight division is much like the heavy weight division. One man has recently stood miles above the rest. Marcus “Buchecha” Almaeda is in a  division filled with challenges from the likes of Orlando Sanchez, Alexander Trans, and Cyborg Abreu. Yet, I am more confident predicting this division than I am any other. That just shows how good Buchecha is right now.

Prediction: Marcus “Buchecha” Almaeda

ABSOLUTE

The absolute division is an inevitable clash. The world will again see the epic match between Marcus Almaeda and Rodolfo Vieira. It has been hailed in the past as the greatest match in history (although this is a little overdone). Expect the bracket-makers to line them up on opposite sides of the bracket as they tear through the competition to reach each other in the finals.

Prediction: Marcus “Buchecha” Almaeda

Stay tuned, we will be providing our women’s preview in the coming days

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Live Technique and Perspective Videos

Omoplata To 50/50 Guard Armbar

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9mJc-kd0wY&w=560&h=315]
We don’t really put out a lot of “technique videos”, mostly because the internet is saturated with them, but the feedback we’ve been getting has been asking for a little bit more of this kind of stuff. So we’ve decided to put a few videos up here and there for those who are interested. We decided to keep it primarily focused on unique techniques that we have proven in competition. This 50/50 armbar from a failed omoplata fits the bill pretty well, so we will start with it.
This technique is actually pretty hard to get because 90% of it depends on your opponent. If he doesn’t react by grabbing your collar and pressing into you once you’ve established 50/50 you have to switch to a different technique. We hope you enjoy.

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"It's Science" Videos

Rafael Mendes Jiu Jitsu Study & Profile

rafa mendes bjj study

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDiuKxjurwo&w=560&h=315]

Rafael Mendes Jiu Jitsu Study & Profile

Welcome to another episode of “It’s Science”. We continue with a look at Rafael Mendes (2012-2013). Rafael Mendes is largely considered the best p4p BJJ competitor on the planet right now. We dig in to see what makes him tick.

Rafael Mendes BJJ Profile

All matches observed of Rafael Mendes used in this small sample occurred at IBJJF events, inside his weight division, and between 2012-2013. Only techniques, occurrences, and outcomes that were recorded are displayed in the data below (i.e. if no butterfly sweeps occurred, there will not be a representation of that in the sample data). Matches were selected at random based on available matches  – selected using a random generator from 20 total available IBJJF matches between 2012-2013. This is a limited sample – but given the estimated amount of matches in this time period – it is well above the percentage necessary to create a scientifically validated trend sampling.

What makes Rafael Mendes so good?

Rafael Mendes proved to be the most dominant and proficient competitor we have ever observed during his 2012-2013 performances. His game is very defined, and he is able to get into it with little resistance. This is largely due to the fact that he can play his De La Riva guard game whether he pulls guard or his opponent double-guard pulls along with him. 75% of his sweeps came from a De La Riva variation, but most would be defined as the berimbolo technique.
He used this position very effectively to take the back. From the back he was incredibly efficient – which is where he secured nearly 50% of his overall submissions. When it came to submissions, he seemed to prefer armlocks. Over half of all his submissions observed were armlocks.
However; he showed even less variety when it came to his passing game. Rafael Mendes obviously prefers to pass the guard one way, and he doesn’t care if you know it or not.
He leg drag passes from every position. Again he uses this position to setup back-takes and armlocks. there is an incredible fluidity to his game that is both dangerous and beautiful – which is why his match average less than 5 minutes in time.

Final Look

Overall, he is a very dangerous opponent, and deserves close observation. He is quickly defining a strategic blueprint for what an undefeated season looks like.

Notable Stats:

    • Won 80% of his matches by submission
    • Average match length was only 4.53 minutes long
    • Only scored upon 3 times in entire study
    • Scored first in 12 out of 15 matches recorded (In the 3 that he didn’t, it was because he submitted his opponent prior to a first score)
    • 85% of passes were leg drag variations
    • Approximately 57% of his submissions were armlocks
    • 75% of his sweeps came from De La Riva guard
Top Competitor Rafael Mendes
Successes DLR Sweeps, Armlocks
Avoided… Half-Guard Bottom, Mount
Top Technique 1 Leg Drag pass
Top Technique 2 Berimbolo
Number of Matches Observed 15
Submits Opponent 12
Wins by Points 3
Minutes of footage watched 68
Scores First 12
Total Wins 15
Total Loses 0
Sweeps (Position)
De la Riva Sweeps 8
Spider Sweeps 1
50/50 3
Sweeps (Type)
Ankle Pick sweep 1
Tomanagi 1
Sit-up and overtake opponent 4
Berimbolo 5
Omoplata sweep 1
Total Sweeps 12
Passes (Position)
Half-Guard 3
Standing 4
Passes (Type)
leg drag 6
Knee cut from HG 1
Total Passes 7
Taking the Back
side control 2
from passing the guard 1
guard 3
Total Back-Takes 6
Submissions (Position)
Back 5
Side Control 3
Closed Guard 1
Half-Guard Top 1
 Spider 2
Submissions (Type)
choke from back 2
armbar 7
neck choke (Guilitine, Brabo, etc.) 1
triangle 2
Total Subs 12
Start of Match
Double-Guard Pull 6
Guard Pull 6
Pulled on by opponent 3
Categories
"It's Science" Videos

It's Science: Rafael Lovato Jr.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VDZXnFdEmw&w=560&h=315]
Welcome to another episode of “It’s Science”. We are going to continue our 2013 season with a quick look at Rafael Lovato Jr.
Abstract: All matches observed of Rafael Lovato Junior used in this small sample occurred at IBJJF events, in his weight division, and between 2009-2013. Only techniques, occurrences, and outcomes that were recorded are displayed in the data below (i.e. if no butterfly sweeps occurred, there will not be a representation of that in the sample data). Matches were selected at random based on available matches via YouTube – selected using a random generator from 20 total available IBJJF matches matches between 2009-2013. This is a limited sample – but given the estimated amount of matches in this time period – it is well above the percentage necessary to create a scientifically validated trend sampling.
So what did we learn?: Rafael Lovato Jr. is a tale of two different approaches. One trend that we have noticed when doing these “It’s Science” studies is that most players have a very defined game. There are usually a small set of techniques that tend to crop up over and over again. In the case of Lovato, he both reinforces and bucks that trend. From his guard,  Rafael Lovato showed greater variance in techniques that were executed than any other player we’ve seen. He applied multiple types of guards and sweeps successfully. He never stuck with a particular guard that wasn’t yielding positive results very long before he would switch to another variation. However, when passing the guard he executed the direct opposite strategy. All of his passes in this small sample occurred from the half guard, and from the half-guard only 2 different passes were used. The other real difference we noticed in Lovato’s game – from others – was his lack of attention to first points. His opponents pulled guard on him in over 2/3 of his matches, and often he was not the first to score (only scored first in 60% of matches won). This did not largely effect his results. As out studies have shown over and over again, most of the time scoring first directly correlates with winning (Kron Gracie was the only outlier). Rafael Lovato seems to be heading in the same direction. It will be interesting to see how this trend develops.

Notable Stats:

  • 6 of 10 sweeps observed came from different positions
  • He submitted his opponent in 40% of his wins
  • 100% of his submissions occurred from mount
  • His opponent pulled guard on him in 69% of matches
  • 57% of his passes ended in mount, rather than side-control
  • His average match length was 8.50 minutes
  • Scored first in 60% of matches
Top Competitor **Rafael Lovato Jr.**
Successes Guard Versatility
Avoided… Pulling Guard
Top Technique 1 Half-Guard Pass To Mount
Top Technique 2 Collar Chokes From Mount
Number of Matches Observed 13
Submits Opponent 4
Wins by Points 6
Minutes of footage watched 113
Scores First 6
Total Wins 10
Total Loses 3
Sweeps (Position)
De la Riva Sweeps 1
Spider Sweeps 2
Closed Guard 2
X-Guard 3
Butterfly 1
Sit-up Guard 1
Sweeps (Type)
X-Guard 3
Tomanagi 2
Scissor 1
Sit-up and overtake opponent 1
Omoplata sweep 2
Collar Drag/Arm Drag 1
Total Sweeps 10
Passes (Position)
Half-Guard 7
Passes (Type)
knee through 3
knee up, from hg to mount 4
Total Passes 7
Taking the Back
Guard 1
Total Back-Takes 1
Submissions (Position)
Mount 4
Submissions (Type)
collar choke  top 2
neck choke (Guilitine, Brabo, etc.) 1
triangle 1
Total Subs 4
Start of Match
Pulls guard 2
Executes A Throw 1
Pulled on by opponent 9
Taken down 1
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"It's Science" Videos

Romulo Barral Jiu Jitsu Stats, Info, & Matches

romulo barral

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGPvcT0NjNA&w=560&h=315]

Romulo Barral Breakdown

Welcome to our second season of “It’s Science”. We are going to kick off  with a quick look at Romulo Barral. The recently “retired” Barral is one of the most accomplished competitors of all time. Let’s dive deep into what makes him so successful.

Abstract of Romulo Barral Jiu Jitsu Study:

All matches observed of Romulo Barral, used in this small sample, occurred at IBJJF events, in his weight division, and between 2011-2013. Only techniques, occurrences and outcomes that were recorded are displayed in the data below (i.e. if no butterfly sweeps occurred, there will not be a representation of that in the sample data). Matches were selected at random based on available matches via YouTube – selected using a random generator from 20 total available IBJJF matches between 2011-2013. This is a limited sample – but given the estimated amount of matches in this time period – it is well above the percentage necessary to create a scientifically validated trend sampling.

So what did we learn?

Romulo Barral has a very defined game. My initial impressions of him were in many cases correct, but there were a few surprises. You will immediately notice in the 13 total matches observed that Romulo Barral limits his arsenal to just a few defined techniques. I have always perceived him as a spider guard player – and perhaps that is true – but one thing that is overwhelmingly obvious is how this game has evolved into a sit-up guard style system from the bottom.
In fact, 70% of Romulo’s sweeps came from the sit-up guard position. From there his passing style of choice is a very heavy half guard style of passing with 66% of his passes coming from half-guard. It was also very obvious that Barral’s end-game involved the mount.
All but one submission occurred from the mount position. So is this style of game successful? In short, yes! In the random matches we observed, he won 12 out of the 13. That’s pretty good.

Notable Stats:

  • Sit-up guard accounts for 70% of sweeps
  • Half guard passes account for 2/3 of all passes
  • 4/5 submissions were cross collar chokes from the top
  • 4/5 submission also occurred from mount
  • Barral scored first in 10/13 matches, and 10/12 that he won
  • His average match length was 7.23 minutes
  • He pulled open guard in over 50% of his matches

The Data

Top Competitor **Romulo Barral**
Successes Sit-up Guard, Half Guard Passes, Mount Chokes
Avoided… De La Riva, ButterFly Guard
Top Submission Utilized Cross Collar Choke
Number of Matches Observed 13
Submits Opponent 5
Wins by Points 7
Minutes of footage watched 94
Scores First 10
Total Wins 12
Total Loses 1
Sweeps (Position)
Spider Sweeps 2
X-Guard 1
Sit-up Guard 7
Sweeps (Type)
Scissor 1
Trips/Off-balancing 3
Sit-up and overtake opponent 3
Collar Drag/Arm Drag 3
Total Sweeps 10
Passes (Position)
On Knees 2
Half-Guard 10
Standing 3
Passes (Type)
leg drag 3
knee through 1
x-pass 1
Knee cut from HG 4
Reverse Sitting HG Pass 4
knee up, from half-guard to mount 2
Total Passes 15
Taking the Back
Guard 2
Standing 1
Total Back-Takes 3
Submissions (Position)
Mount 4
Half-Guard Top 1
Submissions (Type)
Armbar 1
Cross collar top 4
Total Subs 5
Start of Match
Open Guard Pull 7
Tight Guard Pull 1
Opponent Pulled Guard 4
Took Opponents Back 1
Categories
Live Technique and Perspective Videos

Jiu Jitsu World Pro Trials Short Film

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-FdqrDeCyc&w=560&h=315]
This is a short film we shot during the 2013 San Antonio Jiu Jitsu Pro Trials. We wanted to practice our skills and abilities in film making in preparation for some of the larger events this year. Let us know what you think. There is some great footage from the event. If you have never been to a pro trial before, this film certainly provides a unique insight into the inner-workings. We hope you enjoy.