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My BJJ Year in Review 2012

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Few days before the end of the world 2012, what a year that was! I personally had a blast with all the things I learned from the 12 months of training. Comparing my 2011 version to my present self, I would have definitely outclassed my former self if we rolled today.

Credits to thecandyfactorymanila.com for the awesome action photo!

Winning Despite Losing

Of the many things I learned from competing actively this year is that you can get a lot from what you experience on the mats especially during competition. Aside from the fee that you pay for the competition, you are actually gaining something. Whether it’s a friend you hugged smashed throughout the duration of the 5 minute match, the guy you choked out (or who choked you out), or the guy who outclassed you in every position you hated to be in; there is always something you can pick up from these interactions. Heck, even a referee making a bad call can be a blessing in disguise to comeback stronger!

I won 8 out of 11 matches this year. With 4 tournaments, bagging 2 medals, one of which is bronze and the other is gold; I couldn’t ask for more considering I fought on two of the most stacked division in the local Philippine Brazilian jiu jitsu scene. The medals came two weeks apart first winning gold then winning bronze. I started the year playing on leve and pena for the rest, I met and fought some of the most interesting practitioners from different teams.

Here is my favorite match of 2012. This match took place in the Kalasagan Asian Jiu Jitsu Open 2012.




Credits to FilipinoMartialArtis Channel for uploading this video!

I also made it possible to have a company that makes gis! Last May, I opened Manila Kimonos. I am starting to see people cut less during competitions wearing the dream lightweight gi that was only on my mind a year ago!

Oh by the way, I also gained some stripes on my white belt! LOL!

PS: None of these things will be possible without my coaches, team mates, friends and loved ones. Thank you all. (insert dramatic music here)

OSS and Roll!! 

Buchecha x Rodolfo Vieira Epic Mundials 2012 Match

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We just had the 2012 Mundials in the books. Though the absence of Andre Galvao was something I really cringed about, it was overall a memorable open. We saw the Pan-Asian 2012 rematch between Cobrinha and Rafa Mendes and we also saw the return of Romulo Barral into the podium. But what made this year’s Mundials really amazing was the match Rodolfo had against Buchecha Almeida in the absolute division. 
 

The weight disparity is really big between these two men. With Buchecha having the size advantage, I really thought Rodolfo got careless in the last minute which made Marcus Almeida exploit the double leg opening.   It was a great performance for both men. Rodolfo ended up wining his division against Xande the next day and Buchecha won the ultra-heavy division. 



Thanks to Budovideos for doing a great job filming this epic encounter between two elite grapplers



Now Oss and Roll!

Post Mortem: 2012 Pan Asian BJJ Gi and No Gi International Open

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Last weekend, I joined the 2012 Pan Asian BJJ Gi and No Gi International Open held in Mall of Asia. I signed up for the Gi draw and went down one weight class . 23 of us played in the Pena (featherweight) division alone. From Leve (-76kg) last January, I headed south  to Pena (-70kg) just to worry less about the size of my opponents and concentrate on techniques. This made me feel good because of the fact that the opponents were roughly within my frame.The bad side,  it would still take at least 3 wins to have a medal and 5 to have the gold.

It was a fun weekend for me and the rest of the team. No one got injured on our team which is really good plus some of my teammates bagged the medals. 

But of course, you don’t need to win any medal just to gain anything from a BJJ tourney. I had a lot of realizations most  particular about size, stamina and shape. I need to be stronger and bigger for my weight if I want to keep up with this stacked weight class.

Techniques-wise, I still have a lot of work to do from the guard to passing to sweeps to submission finishes to many other aspects of the game. Honestly, I still find a hard time finishing opponents from my back and I also have to admit that I still have a lot of work to do becoming a Rodolfo Viera-like guard passer.  

Aside from the techniques and physical attributes that could win you the whole tourney, I also think that the pairing system can also give you an edge.   Opponents coming from byes could drain you a LOT. Winning 2 matches and losing the third round, I faced two consecutive opponents who received a bye during their first round. A fresher and stronger guy could always dictate the game given that your skills are at par with each other.

With these things in mind, I’d still love to improve and adjust for the next competitions to come.

Now, Oss and Roll boys and Girls!