Tag Archives: MMA
Sumo Wrestling: Practical Techniques for the Martial Artist
Written by: Andrew Zerling
Originally published in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts – Volume 21 Number 1 – 2012
All photos courtesy of Aikido Centers of New Jersey – Manasquan Dojo, except where noted. (more…)
Ronda Rousey and the Power of Gameplans
In case you were hiding under a rock, Ronda Rousey fought Liz Carmouche last night at UFC 157. She both validated her UFC Women’s Bantamweight title, and made history by being in the first-ever women’s match in the the UFC.
And just in case you were under that aforementioned rock, despite a very spirited fight by Liz Carmouche, Ronda won the match with an armbar at 4:49 of the first round. (more…)
BJJ in Singapore, a White Belt's View
When I first faced BJJ black-belt, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Mundial and regional champion Zorobabel Moreira on the mat in Singapore last year, I thought I had signed up for a personal self-defence trial. I had no idea what BJJ was and had never worn a “gi”. (more…)
Draculino talks about the Evolution of BJJ (Interview)
Recently I managed to catch up with Vinicius ‘Draculino’ Magalhães and pick his brain about the ongoing evolution of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.
Draculino started training in Rio in the 1980′s, back in the days when many of the big names in BJJ were just young kids with blue and purple belts around their waists. (more…)
The Sakuraba-Style Standing Kimura
The first time someone showed me the standing Kimura attack I was pretty skeptical…
I was like, “yeah, that would never work, not in a million years!” (more…)
How Not to Break Your Neck Doing Takedowns
There’s no getting around it, all contact sports are inherently dangerous. And it’s hard to have more contact in a sport than in MMA.
Now it’s true that MMA might not be the most dangerous contact sport – that dubious title could arguably go to boxing or pro football – but in the past few years there have still been been some very, very serious injuries in MMA related to takedowns… (more…)
Is BJJ still relevant in MMA?
A while ago I had the honor of interviewing Ricardo Liborio. Liborio is a famous Carlson Gracie’s black belt who is known for his incredible depth of understanding of BJJ. He’s also the head coach at American Top Team, which is literally one of MMA’s most successful champion factories. (more…)
In these photos Marc Laimon shows some of the techniques he used to defeat Ryron Gracie at Grappler’s Quest in Las Vegas, November 6th, 2004. (more…)
Arm Behind the Back Guard Pass
Getting a handle, or a grip, on your opponent in MMA is not always easy. Here Denis uses an unusual grip both to control his opponent and remove one of his potential weapons from the equation. (more…)
Marc Laimon, the Bad Boy of Jiu-jitsu*
Marc Laimon is ripping it up. On November 6th, 2004, he defeated Ryron Gracie in a superfight at Grappler’s Quest in Las Vegas. His school, which had been open for less than a year, placed first in the same competition. As if that wasn’t enough, he is also the grappling coach on the UFC reality TV show.
This interview was conducted on November 13th, 2004
Jiu-Jitsu Cross-Training for NHB: A Denis Kang Profile
by Stephan Kesting
Originally published in Grappling Magazine, September 2003
Denis Kang debuted in Grappling Magazine after his Pancrase match against the very experienced Minoru Suzuki in Japan. (more…)
The MMA Formula: Striking + Takedowns + Groundwork
Mixed martial art (MMA) competition has come a long way from the early UFCs, where Karateka faced off against streetfighters, and Jiujitsu practitioners battled Kung Fu stylists. (more…)
An article by Ryan Pratt
(www.royharris.com)
The whole MMA game has evolved quite a bit from the early days. It is now a distinct sport with its on style, tactics and strategies. To think and train as though it is merely a combination of several arts would, in my opinion, be a mistake. (more…)
Action vs. Reaction in Grappling (or why Yogi Berra was right)
An article by Jeff ‘Wombat’ Meszaros
When Yogi Berra said, “half of this game is ninety percent mental”, he was talking about hitting a ball with a stick and running around an empty field. He wasn’t talking about rolling around with some sweaty dude who’s trying to tear your arms off. (more…)
Vitor 'Shaolin' Ribeiro on Top of the BJJ World An interview with a grappling legend
by Stephan Kesting
Vitor ‘Shaolin’ Riberio is ranked the number one fighter in the world under 155 lbs, and has multiple prestigious grappling titles. This interview was originally published in Black Belt Magazine (August 2004). He currently teaches at his academy in New York City. (more…)
The Ancient Vale Tudo of India: Vajramushti
by John Will
Prior to his training in Brazil in the late 80’s, author and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, John Will, travelled to and trained in some of the most exotic places in Asia and the sub-continent.
Unorthodox Positions and Attacks
There are six major positions in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts and Submission Grappling. If you learn these positions you’ll be off to a great start, but you’ll also be a bit predictable…
Get Up, Stand Up!
Why getting off the ground is a critical skills in grappling!
(originally published in Black Belt Magazine)
When mixed martial arts competition exploded in North America, martial artists quickly learned that most fights end up on the ground. And for years the prevailing wisdom was that groundfighting was inevitable, and if a fight went to the ground it would most likely stay there. (more…)
Leglocks In MMA, Some Lessons For The Rest Of Us
A fan recently posted a great question on the Grapplearts Facebook Fan Page (click here to visit the Grapplearts Page).
Q: “Hi Stephan. Will you analyze Palhares’ sick heelhooks and combinations or is it more thanks to his bull strength that he’s so successful. (more…)
Pulling Guard in MMA
Q: Hello Stephan,
I’m a big fan of your website – I’ve been following it since 2009. I compete in BJJ and No-Gi submission wrestling.
I’ve also been training MMA with hopes of having my first amateur fight within the year. (more…)
Frank Mir's Kimura on Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 140
UFC 140 last Saturday night was one of the best MMA shows in recent memory.
There were lots of exciting matchups, but THE fight of the night was the much-anticipated rematch between heavyweights Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir. (more…)
The First-Ever Grapplearts Q & A Podcast!
Hey guys!
Here’s something different: in November of 2011 I answered questions from my newsletter readers (sign up for free here) on the first ever Grapplearts Q & A Podcast. (more…)
How To Stop Someone From Passing Your Guard
A reader writes: Hi Stephan,
Thank you for the newsletters! I started training BJJ and MMA about 5 months ago – it’s been life changing for me. (more…)
Sarah Kaufman, Top Female MMA Fighter, Reveals All!
Sarah Kaufman is one of the top fighters in women’s MMA.
And she is officially amazing!
Here’s an in-depth interview and podcast with Sarah. (more…)
Is GSP on his last legs?
I just wanted to pass on a well written article taking a look at some really interesting questions…Are MMA fighters doomed to decline after 9 years in the sport (regardless of what age they started at, or how many times a year they fought)? (more…)
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