The ADCC of each

O ADCC 2011 was the ADCC of Gabi Garcia

Gabrielle Garcia fought through the pain of having lost a brother who was only 23 years of age, just a week before opening day of the tournament. Worse, when the tragedy struck, the she was in New York, training hard, far from her family and close friends – those who are so important at such unhappy times. Who could blame her, call her weak if she’d have decided to drop everything and rush home to mourn? But Gabi was strong, filled with a strength that comes not from the muscles lining her nearly two-meter-tall body. She was bolstered by a unique emotional strength, of one seeking to pay one last tribute that could lend some sort of meaning to the tragedy. There’s no way to, but it does provide some comfort and support during her time of need. The strength, almost always invisible to the eye, was apparent when the 10-minute overtime period ran out in the over-60kg final, with Gabi winning by 2-0 over Hannette Staack. It gushed out in Gabi’s tear-filled eyes and from deep in her throat, in a mournful howl blending triumph and loss. A medal, a few thousand euros – that’s what led Gabi to Nottingham, but she’d trade it all for a trip back in time, to a little before a week ago, when she hadn’t yet gotten word of that heart-wrenching news.

ADCC 2011 was the ADCC of Toquinho

Of course he wasn’t there to be friendly with people; he was there to compete, to win, to make a living; after all  – competing is what he does. Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares is a natural. He’s strong by nature and by occupation – his muscles developed by plowing fields, spade in hand, ever since he was a boy. He’s good at what he does for natural-born talent and plenty of dedication to training. Less than a month ago he stepped into the octagon at UFC Rio to fight, win, and set his MMA career back on track. When he arrived in Nottingham last Thursday he had a lot on his mind; his mother was sick back in Brazil, he’d just come off hours upon hours of travel, and he was over the 88kg weight limit for his division. On Friday, at weigh-ins, he didn’t make weight. He was out of the running, even this reporter posted so. But wait. His coach, Murilo Bustamante, announced over Twitter that he would be given a second chance: “He will compete tomorrow, that’s for sure,” and added, “And he’s going to make things rough on his opponents.” On Saturday, he set about giving his opponents a hard time, enchanting the crowd. Every time he stepped onto the mat he greeted everybody, from the opponent to the referee, going down the line at the judges table. On his way out, the three times he won and after his loss in the final, he did the same – good-naturedly, happily. But it was while swapping pummels, takedowns and locks that Toquinho drew the most attention. In his first match, he hoisted his opponent up over his head and on the way back down sunk an ankle lock, his weapon of choice. His first two opponents, prey to the same hold, ended up needing medical attention. Only in the final did he fail to sink the fatal hold and ended up getting tamed, taking silver but still a hero to everyone in the gymnasium – a hero for what he did, how he did it, and for the way he treated everybody. Someone posted on Twitter: “Every time Toquinho goes by the stands the crowd rise to their feet and applaud him.” Another who witnessed it wrote: “The athletes are requesting photos with him.” Need I say more?

ADCC 2011 was the ADCC of Marcelo Garcia

Four-time champion – only Marcelo Garcia has that distinction. Since 1998, when it all began, only Marcelo has managed to win the same division four times. Were it not for Pablo Popovitch’s grit and technique in 2009, he would have made it five titles in a row since 2003. And when you look at him you don’t see a super-athlete – one with bulging muscles, who spends all his time doing super-elaborate workout routines! Marcelo trains by teaching his students in New York, at most getting together with teammates a few weeks before the competition, sometimes even just days before it. If you ask Marcelo, “What’s the secret to such success?”, he’ll reply, “I just go for the submission, the pretty Jiu-Jitsu. That’s my essence and no one can change it. I tell my students, ‘If you want to get good at Jiu-Jitsu, train Jiu-Jitsu.’” Things were no different in Nottingham. He had four matches and came up with three submissions. Only Kron Gracie escaped – and was also the one who put Garcia in the most danger he had to deal with in England: “Kron almost put me to sleep!” he said, referring to the guillotine that came close to postponing his celebrating a fourth title. Even so, nothing changed and Marcelo went through to the final, where he faced off with another legend, Léo Vieira, a former teammate. That one was wrapped up quickly with a swift triangle that cemented his fourth gold medal at weight. Until 2013, he’s the only four-time champ. It’s that simple.

ADCC 2011 was the ADCC of Kyra Gracie

Those who don’t like her say Kyra Gracie is more name than Jiu-Jitsu, that she cares more about showing up on magazine covers than at training. Those who don’t like Kyra tend not to know her. “I was born doing Jiu-Jitsu and I’ll die doing Jiu-Jitsu,” she said this Sunday after winning her third ADCC title. The win meant several returns. Kyra hasn’t been in the event since 2009, when she won her weight group but injured her knee in her first match of the absolute. In 2009, she didn’t even compete, due to injury. She returned to the top of the ADCC ranks after beating Michelle Nicolini, the one who beat her at the recent Jiu-Jitsu World Championship. She was finally back at the top of the podium. And she did so by getting three submissions in three matches. On Saturday she caught an arm. On Sunday she caught a second arm. Then in the final, first she was the one defending her arm. Nicoini launched a barrage of armlock attacks. In time, though, her efforts turned from defense to attack and, near the end, Kyra twisted Michelle’s shoulder, avenging her loss in Long Beach. Her third ADCC title! To wrap up, she, however indirectly, provided a rebuttal for those who accuse her of caring more about her image than her results – unfounded criticism given the number of titles she has under her belt: “It is possible to do Jiu-Jitsu, train a lot, win, and even still be feminine. You don’t have to be a man to be a champion.” I, who know Kyra, agree. What about you?

ADCC 2011 was the ADCC of Rômulo Barral

Rômulo didn’t have any more to prove. Albeit a cliché, the statement defends all that which the brilliant Minas Gerais native has done for Jiu-Jitsu and in Jiu-Jitsu. His losing on the very first match of the ADCC to the unknown Kyle Griffin was more than an upset, a suprise, a fluke; it, and only time will tell for sure, was the last act in Barral’s competitive career. Hours later, in a post on Facebook, the two-time world champion was blunt, “I no longer have what a competitor needs to have to win.” The comments of support came in by the dozen, but they couldn’t quell the sensation that a beast of the gentle art is being beaten by his own body. The medium heavyweight final of the 2010 Worlds, when he twisted his knee against Tarsis Humphreys, was the opening act in a drama that played out till today. The hard-nosed Rômulo of the 2009 Worlds, when he only stopped at the unbeatable Roger Gracie; the Rômulo of the 2010 Worlds, when again he toppled a favorite to classify for a third absolute final with Roger Gracie, which didn’t end up happening – that Barral is no more. “Truth is, I keep competing to see if my desire returns,” he told reporter Marcelo Dunlop after Saturday’s loss. Perhaps it will come back, perhaps he’ll decide once and for all to dedicate himself entirely to conveying his vast knowledge to the fortunate students who frequent his academy in California and attend his seminars around the world. Either way, here’s my (and surely the readers’), “Thanks so much!”

ADCC 2011 was the ADCC of André Galvão

Imagine you’re a two-time world champion, one of the best-known Jiu-Jitsu stylists around, boasting a career replete with unforgettable conquests and a name respected by your opponents and admired by your fans and students. Now imagine that even with all that, there’s still a championship you haven’t managed to conquer yet – and always just missing on minor details. To make matters worse, imagine that the defining image for the last installment of the event has you there getting submitted by your opponent in spectacular fashion – your teeth grinding, arm crossed over in front of your face, defenseless, with your other arm gesturing the tapout in the grand finale. If you imagined all that, you came close to fathoming what was going on in the mind of André Galvão just before stepping onto the mat for his first match of ADCC 2011. “From 2009 I learned to never enter a championship without proper training. That’s why I sat out the 2011 Worlds,” he said on this very blog just days before flying out to Nottingham. As this Sunday came to a close, after tweaking Popovitch’s foot in the absolute decider and outpointing Toquinho in the final of the under-88kg division, he pointed out what everyone had already seen: “I had eight matches but had gas in the tank for a lot more.” So imagine all the conquests of the past remain… but to them are added these two perfect days in Nottingham. Can you imagine how for the next two years, any time the ADCC pops into your mind you will inevitably remember how the big name of the last event, the winner at weight and open weight… is you? Imagined it? Well André Galvão need not imagine any longer, he’s living it.

ADCC 2011 was the ADCC of Zé Mário and Renzo

Do you ever wonder if being a legend, a myth, is a good thing? Would you feel comfortable being watched all the time and treated like an icon? How far can a legend go without risking tainting their aura of perfection? Wouldn’t it be best to protect it, preserve the memory everyone has of the great moments of the past, those remarkable achievements that were the building blocks for the legend itself? I’m certain neither Renzo Gracie or José Mário Sperry thought about the aforementioned reservations once during the lead-up to their match, throughout their preparations to the moment they were face to face. Renzo didn’t mind the dangers inherent in facing someone 20kg heavier than he was. Zé Mário didn’t waver because of the risks involved with losing to someone so much lighter, however well regarded the Gracie was. The reason why the two didn’t think about protecting their reputations is the same one that led them to legend status: love. Renzo and Zé Mário love competing and showing that love in the form of dedication to training and deliverance when match time comes, always looking to put in their best. For that reason, winning or losing doesn’t matter. Years from now, when the story of the number-two supermatch of ADCC 2011 is told, I’m positive everyone will recollect much more clearly the crowd’s silent reverence for the display of love of competing from the two of them than the 5-0 score in Sperry’s favor. Renzo, 44, made a statement that exemplifies this love perfectly: “This match was a warmup for my MMA return, which will happen soon.” Can anyone doubt him?

ADD 2011 was the ADCC of everybody

It’s was the ADCC of Bráulio, who broke his fast snacking on Jacaré. It was the ADCC of Cobrinha, the runner-up who was most happy about the training partners he had in preparing for the event. The ADCC of Rafael Mendes, who maintained his hegemony over the lighter weight competitors. The ADCC of the rubber-limbed Vinícius Pezão, who doesn’t tap to footlocks or armbars, and that’s why he made it to become champion. The ADCC of Dean Lister, who in returning to the mix submitted Rodolfo Vieira, the absolute world champion of Jiu-Jitsu. The ADCC of Leo Vieira, who was comfortable at a new weight and displayed his famed technique. The ADCC of Jeff Monson, who was late to the mat on Saturday and slicked his body up on Sunday and got disqualified.

ADCC 2011 is now history. In 24 months a new installment will come around for us to write new chronicles about. Tales of wins, losses. Dramatic stories and others rousing laughter. Until then!

By Ivan Trindade. Photos: Dan Rod, John Lamonica

PS: The article above is not a report, it is simply a compilation of chronicles. It is not meant to report on everything that transpired at ADCC 2011 but to transmit the author’s impressions on the most impactful occurences. If the campaign of your favorite fighter, your friend, training partner or idol didn’t make it in here, that’s simply because your perspective on the event was different from the author’s. For a strictly journalistic approach, check out the complete coverage of the event in the posts below and on GRACIEMAG.com. Best regards!

ADCC: results from day two

Supermatch
José Mário Sperry versus Renzo Gracie
With a friendly mood between them, the two legends of the sport put on a great exhibition match for the crowd, with Sperry winning by 5-0 by way of a takedown and guard pass.

Men’s Absolute
Final
André Galvão catches Pablo Popovitch’s foot, cementing his place as the big name of ADCC 2011.

Third Place
Xande earns his second bronze medal of ADCC 2011, beating Murilo Santana on points.

Semifinals
Pablo Popovitch defeats Xande Ribeiro via judges’ decision;
André Galvão defeats Murilo Santana on points.

Quarterfinals
Pablo Popovitch ekes out a points win over Victor Estima;
Xande Ribeiro escapes a guillotine by Gunnar Nelson and wins on points;
André Galvão defeats Sérgio Moraes on points;
Murilo Santana defeats Vinicius Magalhães on points.

Bracket A
Victor Estima goes past João Assis on points;
Pablo Popovitch goes past Janne-Pekka on points;
Gunnar Nelson eliminates Frazatto on points;
Xande Ribeiro goes past Jeff Monson, who was disqualified for slicking his body with vaseline.

Bracket B
Vinicius Magalhães defeats Bruno Bastos on points;
Murilo Santana defeats Marko Helen on points;
Sérgio Moraes submits Antônio Braga Neto via ankle lock;
André Galvão chokes Shinzo Anzai out cold.

WOMEN
Under 60kg: Kyra Gracie vs. Michelle Nicolini
After escaping repeated armbar attempts in Nicolini’s always dangerous guard, Kyra was spot-on with an omoplata attack, winning her third ADCC title.

Over 60kg: Gabi Garcia vs. Hannette Staack
In a 30-minute match, Gabi Garcia scored 2-0 over Hannette Staack in becoming champion. She was overcome with emotion and paid tribute to her adoptive brother Renan, who recently passed away.

MEN
Over 99kg: Fabrício Werdum vs. Vinny “Pezão” Magalhães
A well-placed omoplata forced Werdum to give up the sweep and two points that cost him the title. Before he was able to celebrate, though, Magalhães had to defend an armbar that was all the way in.

Under 99kg: João Assis vs. Dean Lister
The same ankle lock that secured Dean Lister his spot in the final against Rodolfo Vieira was also the undoing of João Assis in the final. Great return for Dean Lister, absolute champion of 2003.

Under 88kg: Rousimar “Toquinho” vs. André Galvão
After defending three dangerous foot attacks from Toquinho, Galvão imposed his two-time world championship-winning game to achieve the coveted ADCC title that eluded him in 2005, 2007 and 2009.

Under 77kg: Marcelo Garcia vs. Leo Vieira
In a quick match, Marcelo made history by becoming the first-ever four-time champion of the ADCC, finishing Leo Vieira with a triangle in the final. Prior to that, though, he overcame Kron Gracie by a takedown.

Under 66kg: Rafael Mendes vs. Rubens Charles “Cobrinha”
In another battle from 50/50 guard, a penalty point handed Rafael Mendes his second ADCC title. Unlike in 2009, though, the final with Cobrinha was a monotonous one.

Third place matches
WOMEN
Under 60kg: Luanna Alzuguir submitted Hashi Takayo via armbar.
Over 60kg: Ida Hansson submitted Penny Thomas via kneebar.

MEN
Over 99kg: Roberto Cyborg submitted Gerardi Rinaldi via ankle lock.
Under 99kg: Xande Ribeiro defeated Antônio Peinado via judges’ decision.
Under 88kg: Pablo Popovitch defeated Rafael Lovato by 3 to 0.
Under 77kg: Kron Gracie submitted Claudio Calasans Jr. via guillotine.
Under 66kg: Jeff Glover submitted Robson Moura via guillotine.

ADCC 2011: semifinalists defined, Braúlio wins

Bráulio Estima put an end to a taboo, achieving his first win ever over Ronaldo Jacaré, who holds several past wins over him.

The supermatch brought opening day to a close with a lively affair, where Carcará went on the attack from start to finish and Jacaré took to defending, surely feeling the effects of his MMA fight at Strikeforce 20 days earlier.

In overtime, in a tangle worthy of Rafael Mendes, Bráulio shot to Jacaré’s back and put in his hooks, scoring 3-0 and pocketing the 40,000 dollars for the win.

“I trained a lot of takedowns with Popovitch, and that caught Jacaré by surprise. I want to thank him for showing up even after his MMA fight,” said a smiling Bráulio.

Jacaré kept up the cordial climate, adding; “My fight at Strikeforce was so rough that I peed blood afterwards. I’m not at all ashamed of losing to a champion like Bráulio.”

Under 66kg – Favorites live up to billing

With the absence of Rani Yahya, who didn’t make weight, Jeff Glover took the post of fourth favorite to make the semifinals. The Ricardo Miller black belt didn’t disappoint, getting past Tom Barlow and submitting Marko Ramos. He will now take on Cobriniha, who didn’t give his opponents a chance, making it past David Marinakis and winning a strategic encounter with Barret Yoshida.

At the other end of the bracket, Robson Moura put on a fine display against Greger Forsel and Ryan Hall. In a bona fide battle of generations, he will clash with Rafael Mendes in the semifinal. The current champion first overcame his teammate Bruno Frazatto and then put on a clinic against Justin Rader, swiftly finishing with a rear-naked choke.

Semifinals:
Rafael Mendes vs. Robson Moura
Cobrinha vs. Jeff Glover

Under 77kg: Kron, Leo Vieira and Calasans in Marcelo’s way

Marcelo Garcia is going strong in his bid to win his fourth ADCC title. This Saturday, Garcia first went past Davis Hart and then submitted Victor Estima with a guillotine early in their match. He will face Kron Gracie in the semifinal, a repeat of their showdown in 2009. Rickson’s son beat Jason Mainly and Murilo Santana.

The other semifinal will be yet another of the ADCC’s characteristic inter-generational battles. Showing himself to be comfortable in the division, Leo Vieira is through to the semis with authority, having outdone Enrico Cocco and JT Torres. Now the CheckMat kingpin will face off with Claudio Calasans, who defeated Daniel Strauss and submitted Tanquinho.

Semifinals:
Marcelo vs. Kron
Calasans vs. Leo Vieira

Under 88kg – Toquinho makes weight and goes to town

Yesterday afternoon Rousimar Palhares was pretty much scratched from ADCC 2011, having missed weight. The Brazilian proved the organization was right in giving him a second chance, though, as today Toquinho submitted Dan Schon and David Avellan with his unfailing foot attacks, making it through to the semifinals. Rafael Lovato is next in his way, having made it past Jeon Doo Kwong and then Kyle Griffin, who was responsible for the upset of the day by beating Rômulo Barral.

The other semifinal will be comprised of Pablo Popovitch, who had an easy run in the division thus far. The current under-77kg champion played it safe in beating Zbigniew and then Sergio Moraes, who he outpointed by a takedown. To make it to the final he will have to beat André Galvao, who went past Don Ortega and Gunnar Nelson.

Semifinals:
Toquinho vs. Lovato
Galvão vs. Popovitch

Under 99kg – Xande proves he’s still the man

Xande Ribeiro’s rear-naked choke over Lúcio Lagarto was the highlight of ADCC 2011 day one. The two-time champ left his opponent unconscious and proved to everyone that he’s still got what it takes to capture a third ADCC title. In the semifinal he will meet João Assis, who overcame Braga Neto with a footlock, in another great match.

Rounding out the semis is Rodolfo Vieira, who went past Lee Baize and Antônio Peinado, and ADCC veteran Dean Lister, who beat Augusto Ferrari and submitted Radek Turek.

Semifinals:
Xande Ribeiro vs. João Assis
Rodolfo Vieira vs. Dean Lister

Over 99kg – Werdum wants third

Fabrício Werdum is another two-time champ who allowed no room for upsets. First he went past newcomer Alexander Trans, then overcoming Jeff Monson, who showed up in the nick of time to avoid being disqualified for a no-show. Next up for Werdum is Roberto Cyborg, the runner-up from 2009, who made it past Sekine Hideki and Glover Teixeira.

Rouding out the quartet of semifinalists, Vinícius Pezao, who again used his trick of baiting his opponent by offering his foot to good effect, against José Jnior. Gerardi Rinaldi, who made it past Jenna-Pekka, proved his good showing in 2009 was no fluke.

Semifinals:
Fabricio Werdum vs. Roberto Cyborg
Vinícius Pezão vs. Gerardi Rinaldi

Female div – No surprises

With each athlete only having one match, there were no surprises as the semifinals materialized. At under 60,g, Luanna Alzuguir will face off with Michelle Nicolini and Kyra Gracie will take on Hashi Takayo. Over 60kg, Gabi Garcia will face Penny Thomas, who got revenge on Talita Nogueira for her loss at the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship; and Hannette Staack forges ahead on her path to a third title by facing Ida Hansson.

Under 60kg
Luanna Alzuguir vs. Michelle Nicolini
yra Gracie vs. Hashi Takayo

Over 60kg
Gabi Garcia vs. Penny Thomas
Ida Hanson vs. Hannette Staack

This Sunday, ADCC 2011 will continue at full throttle in defining the grand champions. The absolute and supermatch between Renzo Gracie and José Mario Sperry are yet to come.

Get the inside scoop here at the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC Blog and at GRACIEMAG.com.

Over 99kg: Will this make three, Cavalo?

The heaviest weight division is up in the air. In 2009, Fabrício Werdum competed pretty much at home, in Spain, where he taught and lived and where he enjoyed the support of a true legion of fans. In going for his third divisional title in the ADCC the Brazilian won’t have the same level of backing. Furthermore, he has dedicated the last few years almost entirely to MMA, without appearing in any Jiu-Jitsu or submission grappling tournaments. However, talent doesn’t just disappear and no one can doubt of what Werdum is capable; after all, not just anyone makes it to two ADCC titles. The Brazilian has already stated that in Nottingham he’ll be going after weight and absolute and wants the two titles before returning to MMA in December. Although he won’t be in the fire pot of fervent support, with a fan club and his own drum section, that was Barcelona, there will surely be the odd shout of “Vai Cavalo!” every time Fabrício steps up to compete. He’s the favorite!

In Werdum’s path, 2009′s runner-up Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu is back and, according to him, much more mature, to this time make it to the top of the podium: “I’ve really matured a lot in my game over these past two years. Now I feel confident I can win at this weight. This is no man’s land and I don’t feel there are any favorites with so many talented fighters involved. Anything can happen and I guarantee I’ll give 250% to make my dream come true and take this title home,” said Cyborg.

Also in the mix, Bruno Bastos makes it to ADCC 2011 confident in the training he put in, having worked with a number of other high-caliber stars: “My preparations went great. Between Dallas and Rio, I trained with guys like Zé Mario Sperry, Rodolfo Vieira, Augusto Tanquinho, Robson Moura and Travis Lutter.” Bruno remembers the sacrifices he made in getting there: “I really want this title, even while competing one weight group above mine – that’s why I trained so much. This is the result I need to give me satisfaction for having made such an effort, gone so long away from my wife, Thais, and my students. I want the title!”

Uma olhada na lista de inscritos revela que a categoria não tem tantos nomes famosos como outros pesos, mas quem pode desprezar as presenças de Jeff Monson, terceiro colocado em 2009, quando derrotou Saulo Ribeiro. Isso sem falar em Gerardi Rinaldi, revelação em Barcelona,a lém de Glover Teixeira e Vinícius “Pezão” Magalhães, outro que surpreendeu em 2009.  Para fechar, é bom ficar de olho no novato Alexander Trans, que dominou a faixa-marrom no Jiu-Jitsu em 2011 e com certeza vai dar trabalho em Nottingham.

A look at the sign-up list reveals a roster without as many famous names as the other division but who can overlook the likes of Jeff Monson, the bronze medalist from 2009 who beat Saulo Ribeiro, not to mention Gerardi Rinaldi, the revelation in Barcelona, and Glover Teixeira and Vinícius “Pezão” Magalhães, another who turned heads in 2009. To wrap up, it would be a good idea to keep an eye on Alexander Trans, who dominated the brown belt division in Jiu-Jitsu in 2011 and will certainly be a handful in Nottingham.

We’ll just have to wait and see.

Over 99kg division

1. Fabricio Werdum. Brazil

2. Janne-Pekka Pietiläinen. Finland

3. Jarrod Bunch. USA

4. Mick Wilson. Australia

5. Sekine Hideki. Japan

6. Alexander Trans. Denmark

7. Rodrigo Artilheiro. Brazil

8. Mateusz Juskowiak. Poland

9. Jeff Monson. USA

10. Roberto ”Cyborg” de Abreu. Brazil

11. Bruno Bastos. Brazil

12. Luke Costello. England

13. Jose Fereira Junior. Brazil

14. Gerardi Rinaldi. USA

15. Glover Teixeira. Brazil

16. Vinny Magalhaes. Brazil

Under 99kg: Intruders in Xande’s house

Alexandre Ribeiro hasn’t been competing all that much the past two years. Following ADCC 2009, he competed at the 2010 Worlds and only returned to the big stage last April at the 2011 World Pro, where he snatched gold in the over-92kg No-Gi contest. In Nottingham, Xande will be looking to win his weight class for the third time in a row and also have another stab at his dream of winning the absolute title that eluded him in 2005, 2007, and in 2009, when his shoulder let him down in the final against Bráulio. To bring his divisional tally to three, Xande will come up against the stiffest of competition in a group stacked with submission aces. And there could have been even more in the mix, had Roger Gracie and Robert Drysdale not pulled out. But for a two-time absolute and five-time weight world champion, there is no challenge too great.

If Xande is the divisional institution, with his two titles, Rodolfo Vieira is the new thing. The title snatcher of 2011 bears the responsibility and shoulders the challenge of confirming in no-gi competition what he already established at the Pan and Worlds, where he didn’t give his opposition a chance and ran roughshod to titles at both weight and absolute, becoming the gentle art’s biggest name of the year. So for Rodolfo, are the results he has attained added pressure or incentive? “To me it’s just further incentive. I’m trying not to think much about the pressure. I don’t feel it’s my obigation to win, since I’ve won in the gi and now it’s a whole different animal. I’m a newcomer but I hope to have great matches.” Although a newbie, is Rodolfo going in there to win both at weight and open weight? “I go into every tournament aiming to win weight and open weight, and it’ll be no different at the ADCC. I’m here to win, but if I don’t manage to there’ll be another one two years from now. It’s already been a perfect year for me; I’ve nothing to complain about.” And what about his preparations? “I started in Brazil, training a lot without the gi. Then I went to Houston, where I trained with Alberto Rodriguez, an awesome Cuban who helped me out big time. To wrap up I trained for six days with Bruno Bastos in Dallas. My preparations went great. Now it’s all about getting in there for the real thing.” His performance at the last World Pro, when he won the No-Gi absolute – and the Gi one, as well – may be a great letter of introduction, however, when it comes to No-Gi competitions the ADCC is one rung up. It’s not a rung that Rodolfo will have too much difficulty in climbing, if we take into account the mountains the Carioca has made it over in the last few months.

Lúcio Lagarto is up front about the spirits he’s in during the lead-up to the ADCC: “I feel this is going to be the greatest ADCC of all! And I’m in it!” As a favorite or underdog? “Well, I don’t feel anyone is a clear favorite. That makes it kind of weird, doesn’t it? But it’s also a leap to call anyone in there an underdog,” he responds with a grin and his confidence at a high from the titles he won at the European Open, World Pro tryouts, and that very World Pro over-92kg division. And he’s had first-rate help in preparing to dive into the mix: “Shoot, I’ve been learning so much every day, from Roger, Bráulio and Victor Estima, Popovitch… They’ve helped me a lot and taught me all kinds of things. The more I train Jiu-Jitsu the more I understand what Greek philosopher Socrates meant with, ‘All I know is that I know nothing.’ And the coolest part isn’t even the technical knowledge I’ve gained but the friendships, which we’ll all have forever!” he says in closing.

CheckMat provides the third intruder. João Assis may not be as well-known an entity as his counterparts in the bracket yet but anyone who’s ever gone up against him knows how facing the heavyweight is rough sailing. In 2011 alone he beat Antônio Braga Neto, Ricardo Demente, Roberto Tussa, Otávio Souza and others. All set for the ADCC, Assis addresses what it is that gives him confidence: “I believe in hard work, and I worked hard for this ADCC. The quality of training I put in is what makes the difference, and it’s what makes me confident about competing.” And what does he make of having the likes of Rodolfo, Xande, Lagarto and other stalwart grapplers ahead of him? “There isn’t much I can say. They’re big names, serious guys who come to win, just like me. Anything can happen; you can’t even blink.”

Antônio Braga Neto was called up for this ADCC more or less at the last minute. But that doesn’t diminish the current ultraheavyweight world champion’s enthusiasm one bit. Coming off an MMA win – submitting Maiquel Falcão at Amazon Forest –, Braga will surely be wielding his well-known grit, technique and desire to win every match he’s in. Is there any doubt he has what it takes to take everyone by surprise?

Antônio Peinado rounds out the list of Brazilians likely to rough up the competition in the division. Upon receiving his call-up, he spoke to GRACIEMAG.com: “I always wanted to be in this event. I remember helping Marcelo [Garcia] train for his first ADCC when I was still a blue belt. At the time, I told him it was my dream to be there,” said the current Brazilian national No-Gi champion. Part of Fábio Gurgel’s stable, Peinado did his preparations for the ADCC with the likes of Marcelo Garcia, Cobrinha, Lucas Lepri and Gabi Garcia in New York, and he’s still in the hunt for that big result that will put him in the black belt hall of greats. Who knows, maybe it’ll happen in Nottingham?

There are other threats to Xande’s reign, though, like submission savants James Brasco, Dean Lister, Radek Turek and Augusto Ferrari. What is clear now the brackets have been released, though, is that capturing a third title in the division will be no walk in the park for the two-time champion.

Over 99kg roster (at the time this article was posted)

1. Xande Ribeiro – Brazil

2. Kari Peltola – Finland

3. Joseph Lee Baize – USA

4. Igor Praporshchikov – Australia

5. Animal Anzai – Japan

6. James Poupolo – USA

7. Augusto Ferrari – Brazil

8. Kamil Uminski – Poland

9. James Brasco – USA

10. Rodolfo Viera – Brazil

11. Dean Lister – USA

12. Antonio Peinado – Brazil

13. Joao Assis – Brazil

14. Radek Turek – Poland

15. Lucio Rodrigues – Brazil

16. Antonio Braga Neto – Brazil

Under 88kg: No man’s land

Wielding his notorious reverse triangle, Bráulio Estima captured under-88kg gold at the 2009 ADCC. The submission hold got him featured on the cover of GRACIEMAG and made him the poster boy of the last chapter of the event, in Barcelona. Two years on, Bráulio is focused on winning his supermatch against Ronaldo Jacaré and won’t be there to defend his title. That leaves the under-88kg division looking like a town without a sheriff, a true no man’s land. And the handful of “strangers” who will be dueling it out for the gold medal are awesome. However, not one of them can be tipped as firm favorite. Let’s get to them.

We begin with the current runner-up, André Galvão (pictured above). A two-time black belt world champion, Galvão is still pursuing his first title in the World Cup of submission wrestling. Being the forthright fellow he is, he doesn’t hide what he learned from his loss to Bráulio: “I must confess that I wasn’t well prepared for that ADCC. I decided to compete at the last minute. I feel I learned something from that: never show up ill prepared for a competition. That’s why I sat out the Worlds this year. No one can compete relying solely on their name; one has to put in a lot of dedication and effort. For 2011 I trained a lot and I’m satisfied with the results. Now it’s all about getting in there and competing.”

Another world champion looking to capture his first ADCC title is Rafael Lovato Jr. (pictured above). The American was stopped in the 2009 semifinals, losing to eventual champ Bráulio Estima himself. Twenty four months later, his quest continues: “I see this competition as an opportunity to feel the glory of making the dream I’ve pursued through  a lifetime of hard work and dedication a reality. I gave all I have to give to be in my best shape and I feel I have the skill to win. The best in the world will be there, and to me that’s the way it’s got to be,” said Lovato in summary, saying a great deal with two short sentences.

And what can you say about Pablo Popovitch? The Brazilian who’s lived in the USA for ages now holds the ADCC as the competition dearest to him. A teacher with a successful academy in Florida, Pablo does a good job of picking and choosing where he puts in appearances. In 2009, he managed to beat Marcelo Garcia (pictured above) to capture the under-77kg gold medal, after having just missed in 2007 and 2005. Why, then, would he forsake a shot at winning the division a second time and tying the score with his old rival? Popovitch calmly answers that question: “One of my black belts, Vagner Rocha, is in the under-77kg division; that’s why I moved up a weight class. Also, I don’t want to have to diet, since I’ve been competing at medium heavyweight and winning since the last ADCC.” And how can one address Pablo without remembering the landslides that took his mother from him and severely injured his father in the mountain region of Rio de Janeiro state  in January of this year? He touched on the matter in a GRACIEMAG cover story: “The thing my mother was most proud of was that I was as good at Jiu-Jitsu as I am. It’s heartbreaking to lose her but it will give me a lot of strength to overcome the hurdles that await me. I will dedicate all my wins to her.” Popovitch has already stated that he intends to compete in the open weight class. Will he only be truly satisfied by winning two golds? His response: “First my weight class, then I’ll think about the absolute. My division is really tricky and winning it would be very satisfying to me.” And to increase his chances of winning, Pablo decided to cross the Atlantic and train with the man who won the division in 2009. How much has that helped him? “No one in the division has a guard or pass quite at Bráulio’s level. He helped me a lot to improve my top and bottom game, not to mention how much pressure and strength he wields, as well. We’ve had three weeks of grueling training and now it’s all about having a good day at the ADCC.”

Next on the list of co-favorites? None other than Rômulo Barral, a two-time world champion and three-time world absolute runner-up at black belt, having lost only to Roger Gracie. Barral, who in 2009 received a last-minute invitation and ended up eliminated by Saulo Ribeiro, says bluntly that he considered turning down the invitation this year. “I changed my mind because I knew I’d regret it. I’ve always been called up at the last minute, but this time there was enough warning to put in proper preparations.” Rômulo also admits that he’s not at his best at the moment: “I know it but I’ve dedicated a lifetime to winning competitions like this one. So many people dream of competing in and winning an ADCC, and it’s my dream, too.” To wrap up, Barral recalls his 2009 defeat (pictured above): “I lacked a strategy in that match. Saulo is really experienced and an excellent athlete. I messed up at the end and it cost me the win, but that’s how it is; compete and learn.”

Capping off our list, ADCC newcomer Sérgio Moraes (pictured above) is another two-time world champion – but one who will be testing himself on the big No-Gi stage for the first time. In a recent interview on the O Lutador, Sérgio remarked on what it felt like to get invited and what he hopes to achieve at the competition, as well as how he has trained for it: “I recognition for the work I’ve done, because all the best in the world at No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu will be there. So I’m totally obligated to putting in the effort and training hard, to get there and do what it takes to be sure I always get invited. Ever since the Worlds, I’ve put off training in the gi and have made No-Gi training mu utmost priority with the backing of the guys at Cohab, Alliance and with Fabio Gurgel correcting positions. I’ll be in the best shape of my career for sure.”

Wasn’t enough for you? Of course not. But if it was, keep in mind that there’s also Paulão Filho, an MMA legend; Rousimar Toquinho, a rising star in the UFC who wields a sick kneebar; Icelandic Renzo Gracie student and self-described Viking Gunnar Nelson (pictured above), the bronze medalist in the 2009 absolute; and the always game Marko Helen and David Avellan – the latter winning bronze in the division back in 2009.
Did we forget anybody? The comments board is open!
Under-88kg roster (at the moment of this post)
1. Andre Galvao. Brazil
2. Marko Helen. Finland
3. Kyle Griffin. USA
4. Cameron Rowe. Australia
5. Jeon Doo Kwang. Korea
6. David Avellan. USA
7. Rafael Lovato. USA
8. Zbigniew Tyszka. Poland
9. Pablo Popovitch. USA
10. Dan Schon. Mexico
11. Rousimar Palhares. Brazil
12. Romulo Barral. Brazil
13. Sergio Moraes. Brazil
14. Paulo Filho. Brazil
15. James Harbison. USA
16. Gunnar ‘Viking’ Nelson. Iceland

Under-77kg: Everyone against Marcelo

The champion moved up a weight class to under-88kg in vying for his second title. With Pablo Popovitch out of the running, who will now be the heir to the under-77kg throne? Anyone scanning the list of the 16 names signed up in the division so far will automatically stop at number 11, which is followed by the two words that bring chills to the spines of the other 15 in the division: Marcelo Garcia (pictured above).

The three-time under-77kg champion of the ADCC – and five-time world middleweight champion of Jiu-Jitsu – is without a doubt the firm favorite. To back up such a statement, all one needs to do is remember how, with or without the gi, only three competitors have managed to beat Garcia in his weight division since the tryouts for the 2003 ADCC. They are, Fernando Tererê in the middleweight final of the 2003 World Championship, Daniel Moraes in the aforementioned qualifier, and Popovitch, who outdid him in the final of the last ADCC, in 2009 in Barcelona.

Not one of the three being there to face him in Nottingham next weekend can mean one of two things: Marcelo is a shoo-in because he almost never loses; or having lost to those three, he may lose again. It’s surely with latter assumption in mind that the rest of under-77kg division will be stepping into the match area in England.

Black belt Jorge Britto, who teaches in Toronto, Canada, and qualified for the event at the Portuguese tryouts, states why he has a chance of winning: “I have a chance because I’m a warrior, I compete with my heart and have nothing to lose. Once I’m in there I don’t care who I have ahead of me, it’s kill or be killed. I’m going to be a handful for a lot of folks.”

Whereas Britto sees himself as a sharp-shooter looking to snipe his way to the gold, Augusto Mendes wants to stick with the same element that yielded him his fair share of success in 2011: surprise. At this year’s Jiu-Jitsu World Championship, Tanquinho overcame Cobrinha in getting to the featherweight final, where he gave Rafael Mendes a run for his money. Prior to that, he surprised the very Mendes himself in Abu Dhabi at the World Pro (photo above). And it’s the element of surprise he’ll be falling back on at the ADCC, not to mention the painstaking preparations he’s been putting in training: “I don’t usually compete at this weight, and that could give me the upper hand, seeing as none of my opponents know my style first hand. It could get me to the top of the podium!”

Now Victor Estima is aware of the precious a gife he received less than two weeks before the event, when he was invited to take an injured Gregor Gracie’s place. Training with a fresh batch of training partners – Popovitch among them – fuels him with extra confidence: “I’ve got all aspects of the game up to speed – takedowns, guard, passing, and submissions. I had the opportunity to train with people I’d never trained with before, like Pablo, who switched up the way I train. And, what’s more, I have two arms and two legs, just like everyone else in the division.”

From Lloyd Irvin’s talent-production line, the big non-Brazilian title contender in the mix, Jonathan Torres (pictured above against Celso Venícius at the 2011 Worlds) is looking to be the one to break up the dominance competitors from the South American nation have exerted on the tournament since 2009. To JT, desire may pan out as the determining factor: “I feel I can win because I’m young, hungry to win, and totally dedicated to training. My family, my team, and I, myself, believe I have what it takes be ADCC champion.”

While Marcelo is heavily favored to win, Kron Gracie is not one to be overlooked. The son of legend Rickson was one of the stars of what was deemed the best match of ADCC 2009, against the very Garcia himself (pictured above), and he’s still pursuing the first major title of his career as a black belt. In a post on  Kid Peligro’s website, Kron guarantees he’s in it to win it: “I’ve had fantastic preparations and training. I’m ready!” he said, as sparing of words as ever.

And with another sweep of the list, the name of another ADCC legend catches our glance. Two-time under-66kg champion Léo Vieira has stated that Garcia is the athlete to have impressed him most in the history of the ADCC. At 35 years of age, Leo decided not to go through the arduous process of shedding weight to make 66kg. Anyone thinking the leader of CheckMat will be less of a danger for being up against heavier opposition may want to think again after watching his battle with Mark Kerr (in the video above), which to many is the greatest match from the event of all times.

Claudio Calasans (pictured taking down Roger Gracie at the 2009 Worlds above) is yet another on the list of competitors with real chances of clinching the title. The absolute champion of the 2010 World Pro will show up in Nottingham in pursuit of the conquest that will definitively place him in the first team of champions, which only a world or ADCC title can do. To make it happen, he set about pushing the limits already in training: “I trained like I’ve never trained before! I overcame a number of obstacles in training. I always hear the saying, ‘May the best man win,’ and I train to be the best in every aspect of the game. To me the best is the most well-rounded, and if I need to play guard, pass or swap takedowns I won’t hesitate to do so.”

To wrap up, we caught up with Clark Gracie. Not yet that well known an entity to the public, the son of Carley Gracie and grandson of Carlos Gracie hopes to honor his family’s tradition: “I trained my entire life for events like this one. We’re all very privileged to have an opportunity to compete at the ADCC. I feel that at this level of competition everyone has a shot at winning. I’m representing my team; my family; my father, Carley; and my grandfather, Carlos.”

What about you, dear reader, who do you think will be crowned champion of the under-77kg division?

Under-77kg lineup (up until the moment this article was posted)

1. Daniel Strauss. U.K
2. Jorge Britto. Portugal
3. Vagner Rocha. USA
4. Davis Hart. Australia
5. Sanshiro Nakakura. Japan
6. Enricco Coco. USA
7. Murilo Santana. Brazil
8. Victor Estima. Brazil
9. Leo Viera. Brazil
10. Jason Manly. USA
11. Marcello Garcia. Brazil
12. Kron Gracie. Brazil
13. JT Torres. USA
14. Augusto Mendes. Brazil
15. Claudio Calasans. Brazil
16. Clark Gracie. Brazil

Under 66kg: Who can beat Rafael Mendes?

The lightest weight class kicks off the series of analyses on the different divisions to feature at ADCC 2011. It was once dominated by Royler Gracie, the three-time champion of the weight group. Then there was Léo Vieira’s reign, winning both in 2003 and 2005. Rani Yahya took gold in 2007, and Rafael Mendes cemented his rise to the top of the Jiu-Jitsu ranks by winning it in 2009, overcoming Cobrinha in the final.

Two years have gone by now but a glimpse at the 16 signed up for the 2011 installment, to take place on the coming 24^th and 25^th in Nottingham, England, still indicates that Rafael Mendes still remains the firm favorite.

Rubens Charles “Cobrinha”, Robson Moura, Rani Yahya, Jeff Glover and Justin Rader look to have the greatest chances of toppling the Atos prodigy, but Rafael’s most recent performances have made it clear that they’ll have their work cut out for them. Since September of 2009, the São Paulo native has won the World Championship and the European Open twice, the Pan-American, the Brazilian Nationals, and the World Pro. His only loss came at the hands of Augusto “Tanquinho” Mendes at the 2011 World Pro, in an evenly-matched contest with a controversial outcome.

Robson Moura, with all the experience that comes with winning five Jiu-Jitsu World Championships, admits: “Rafael has some advantages over the rest, being younger and having competed a great deal in recent times.” Robson says there’s a caveat, though: “I trained to face everyone, not just Rafael.”

And so what does the big favorite think about the challenges he has ahead of him in notching his second title? In an exclusive interview with the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC blog Rafael addresses his adversaries, training, looks back on 2009, and guarantees he’s still far from making his MMA debut.

Blog: To you, who are the black belts who present the most danger in the under-66kg division?
Rafael Mendes: All of them present danger. I’m not going in there underestimating anybody, and I’ll be thinking the same way regardless of who I’m facing. We have to worry about everyone, since any of the opponents can surprise us if we underestimate them.

Cobrinha vsn Rani in 2009

Blog: Among your soon-to-be opponents, the names Cobrinha, Robson Moura and Rani Yahya stand out most. Can you tell us your thoughts about them?
Rafael: Robson is a super champion and I grew up watching him compete. He has a lot of experience and excellent technique. His Jiu-Jitsu is unbelievable! I never imagined I’d get a chance to face Robson, since when I started, when I was 11, he was already a black belt and world champion. However, we’ve already faced each other before [Rafael won their match at the 2009 World Pro].

As for Rani, he’s already competed at the ADCC a number of times, has won the event, and I feel he’ll show up raring to make up for what happened at the last ADCC [Rani tapped to an armbar against Cobrinha in the semifinal and was unable to return for the bronze medal-deciding match.].

Cobrinha is excellent, a great competitor and always an extremely tough opponent to beat. Because of that, having him in my division has helped evolve as a fighter in all respects, since him being there motivated me to train, raised my desire to win and my competitive spirit. He makes it so I push my potential to the max. I think when he decides to stop competing I’ll miss our rivalry, since it made me exceed my limits.

Blog: Are you still thinking about doing the absolute at the ADCC? If so, what would be a good outcome to you?
Rafael: I really want to do the absolute. I love the feeling of challenge, of stepping onto the mat to compete, seeing someone double my size there and knowing I can rely on my Jiu-Jitsu and my instincts. The only reason I didn’t do it last time was because my final was really long and so I wasn’t going to be at 100% for the absolute. To me a “good outcome” is winning, being the champion. So, if I sign up for the absolute, it will be because I believe I have a real chance at making it to the top of the podium. I don’t fight to lose, I’ve never been and hope I never will be content with second place.

On Leozinho's back in 2009

Blog: What was the best part of your training for ADCC 2011? What about it makes you the favorite going into the tournament?
Rafael: I don’t feel there are any favorites, since the victories of the past don’t guarantee wins in the future. I believe we need to be prepared to capitalize on opportunities, all the opportunities that arise in life, the ones God gives us, because sooner or later they knock on our door. And what happens if we’re not prepared? That’s why I did my best, did my all to learn from everyone around me, helping at every training session, day in day out. I also learned from myself, learned to overcome obstacles, to not give up. However, even knowing how much I train and how well I’m prepared, it’s impossible to predict results, as there are a lot of things involved that determine whether you win or lose. Even so, I have great faith in God and faith that when opportunity knocks I’ll be prepared. One saying I like to quote is: “By forgetting the deeds done and advancing towards those ahead, I move forward to the target.”

Blog: Two years later, what’s your greatest memory from ADCC 2009?
Rafael: That was a year of new experiences. It was my first year as a black belt, the first time I competed at an ADCC, the first time I went for 40 minutes straight in a competition, the first time I felt I’d reached my maximum potential, which that moment allowed me to do. There I broke a barrier so that I could continue to evolve, so that I could continue exploring my limits. That’s the greatest memory and my greatest conquest at that ADCC. It wasn’t money or a trophy but breaking through my own barrier.

The 2009 final against Cobrinha

Blog: Is succeeding in No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu halfway to making your MMA debut?
Rafael: To me, no. I still have greater goals in Jiu-Jitsu. I just turned 22 and want to win at least another four world times before going for it in the octagon.

Check out the list of competitors in the under-66kg division so far:
1. Rafael Mendes. Brazil
2. Greger Forsel. Finland
3. Marko Ramos. USA
4. David Marinakis. Australia
5. Tetsu Hadairo. Japan
6. Jeff Glover. USA
7. Bruno Frazzato. Brazil
8. Timo-Juhani Hirvikangas. Finland
9. Ryan Hall. USA
10. Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles. Brazil
11. Tom Barlow. U.K
12. Barret Yoshida. USA
13. Rani Yahya. Brazil
14. Robson Moura. Brazil
15. Justin Rader. USA
16. Jeremy Umphries. USA

E para você, leitor, quem pode derrotar Rafael Mendes? Os comentários estão abertos.

Train hard, fight easy

There was a time when the big stars of the sport kept what they do in training under wraps like a state secret.

If they’re still careful not to let on about the weapons their wielding, new technology is making it a lot easier to get the skinny on the champions’ routines.

With less than two weeks to go till the contest kicks off in Nottingham, the athletes are well into the final phase of their training, and the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC Blog is here to give its readers an around-the-world tour of how the preparations of the stars about to shine at ADCC 2011 are going.

From Ribeirão Preto to São José dos Campos to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil; moving on to Miami, New York and Chicago in the USA; and ending in Birmingham, England – we dropped in on 11 of the biggest names in submission grappling at the moment.

And all without leaving the comfort of home. Thanks to the internet. Let the travels begin.

World champion Robson Moura is our host in a training session at the Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo state, branch of Nova União. Robson is signed up in the under-66kg division, where he’s on a collision course with the likes of current champion Rafael Mendes, as well as the hard-nosed Cobrinha, Ryan Hall and Bruno Frazatto.

Still in the state of São Paulo, we catch up with Rafael Mendes in São José dos Campos. The current under-66kg champ is charging full steam in pursuit of his second win in the event, and he’s already stated he’ll be trying his luck in the absolute, too. From the look of what’s going on in the video, Rafa wants to have all his bases covered in the physical conditioning department to let his well-known arsenal of techniques shine through.

The third leg of our Brazilian tour takes us to the City of Wonders. We are welcomed to Rio de Janeiro by none other than Rodolfo Vieira, the reigning world absolute champion. In nearly three minutes, we get a glimpse of Rodolfo practicing shooting for takedowns. Called up to fight in the under-99kg division, the Rio de Janeiro native has one of the thorniest tasks there can be ahead of him, with Roger Gracie, Xande Ribeiro and Robert Drysdale in the divisional mix as well.

Wrapping up the Brazilian tour, we hope the shuttle flight over to São Paulo City, where we find Gabrielle Garcia. The big name of female Jiu-Jitsu gives us a sample of the grueling routine she was keeping under the supervision of conditioning coach Edson Ramalho. After all the painstaking work, Gabi headed for New York City, where she’s finishing up her preparations with Marcelo Garcia and the other stars of Team Alliance, to get a first ADCC title on her CV, with two-time champion of the event Hannette Staack looking to keep that from happening in the over-60kg division.

And speaking of Hannette Staack, now we’re in Chicago, Illinoios, where the two-time ADCC champion is toiling away with the help of husband and coach André Terêncio. Hannette, who has let on that she likes facing larger adversaries in the past, knows she’ll have to get through Gabi to notch a third divisional title. In the video we can see Hannette putting in hard work in the gym and on the beach, and we also get a look back on the Carioca’s career highlights.

Kyra Gracie is the next host on our trip. The two-time champion is yearning for a return to the top of the grappling world, having sat out the 2009 installment of the event. With her name on the under-60kg roster, she’ll have ahead of her her greatest rival of recent years in Luanna Alzuguir, not to mention other aces, like Michelle Nicolini. The video narrated in first person shows Kyra training hard for the ADCC and addressing her hopes for the competition.

Back in the men’s division, we hook up with Pablo Popovitch in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to witness the arduous routine of the current under-77kg champion, who in 2011 will test the waters one weight group up, in the under-88kg class, as well as putting it all out there in the absolute. Following an exhausting period of training in the USA, Popovitch took off for England, where he’s sharpening up his claws with Bráulio Estima and co.

On the West Coast of the United States, André Galvão too is hard at it to shine in Nottingham. The 2009 under-88kg runner-up has his sights on the top of the podium in 2011. His friend Popovitch will be one of obstacles in the São Paulo native’s way. Not to mention Sérgio Moraes, Rousimar Toquinho, Rômulo Barral, Rafael Lovato Jr. and even Paulão Filho.

Xande Ribeiro is another who’s wasting not time in preparing for ADCC 2011. The under-99kg champ and absolute runner-up at the Barcelona chapter of the event, Xande guarantees he’ll be at 100% to put on a show for the queen. Here we catch up with him in Seaside, Oregon, training with ADCC newcomer James Puopolo.

He knows he’s got a name to protect. Zé Mario Sperry is back in the ADCC after having been the predominant force in the early installments of the event, at the end of the nineties and early 2000s. In Nottingham Sperry will star in one of the two supermatches, against another legend of the sport in Renzo Gracie. If there’s anyone out there thinking this will be a friendly encounter, they’ll think again after watching the video below. Does Zé Mario look like he’s training for an exhibition match? The video also features statements from Minotauro, De La Riva and others.

And to wrap up, Bráulio Estima opens the doors of his academy for our blog. In this video with all the trimmings of a super-production, we get to see Carcará preparing for a red hot supermatch against Ronaldo Jacaré and also addressing what he expects when the two finally meet. Over three and a half minutes, Bráulio looks back on past showdowns with Jacaré and reveals that he has some traps he’s setting up to spring on his rival.

Found a video of one of the stars heading into the ADCC that escaped us? Just post it in the comments field.

Stars of supermatch Jaca and Bráulio dish out diatribes

They’ll only really be face to face on the afternoon of Saturday, September 24, when the winner of the absolute contest at ADCC 2009 takes to the mat to face off with the winner of the supermatch at that very event in Barcelona, to bring a close to competition day one at the 2011 installment.

However, Bráulio Estima and Ronaldo Jacaré have already set about kindling the fire of a rivalry from way back, from their Jiu-Jitsu days.

While there are still two weeks to go till they exchange their first shoves and pummels, the verbal battle has already begun.

 

And it was Jacaré who drew first blood, speaking in an interview posted on the Portal do Vale Tudo website: “You already know the score. It’s a whole lot for me, zero for Bráulio – I think like 5-0 to me. ADCC to me is smooth sailing, and he’s got the obligation of at least wanting to fight. We’ll see if he starts stalling, because I’m going there to play submission wrestling, and I want to win. I want to see if he really wants to fight. I’m not obliged to win, I’m going there so people can watch me fight, to put some moves on, put on a show, like against [Ricardo] Cachorrão in 2003, when we won the best match of the ADCC award,” spat Ronaldo, who has indeed never lost to Estima. The correct score, however, is 4 to 0.

Bráulio obviously was none too pleased when he heard about the provocation, responding exclusively to the GRACIEMAG ADCC blog. “Jacaré was pretty disrespectful. I also feel his words reveal a bit of weakness, perhaps an attempt to take the weight off his own mind, by saying I’m obliged to win. He knows how prepared I am and that it will be the toughest match of his submission grappling career. I want to beat him, and I feel this win will open more doors for me in MMA. Now, if he’s worried about me stalling, it would be a good idea for him to review all my matches so far, mainly the ones from ADCC 2009.”

To heat things up even more, take a look back Jacaré and Bráulio’s highlights from past ADCCs.