For many people, passing the closed guard in no gi is a difficult task. With the gi, you have so many handles and grips to use, that it is with a bit more ease to perform. But when the gi comes off, it is hard to get that guard  pass. You have to know the […]

As a BJJ practitioner, I have an affinity for Judo takedowns. Not that I do not enjoy or see the usefulness of Wrestling takedowns, but I have more experience with takedowns from the Judo arsenal. With all of the big and crowd pleasing throws, one of the takedowns I enjoy most is the ouchi gari. […]

The omoplata can be an awesome technique. Of course, it’s a shoulder cranking submission but it also can be used to get some pretty easy sweeps. Unfortunately there are also easy defenses to the omoplata. Posturing up, rolling over the shoulder, and also stepping over are all ways that people defend the omoplata. But there […]

Mata leao, also known as the rear naked choke is probably the highest percentage finishing technique in all of Jiu Jitsu. No matter how big, bad or tough someone is, they all will fall to the rear naked choke sometime in their lives. Because it is a high percentage choke, you will need to know […]

The flower sweep is one that you will keep coming back to in your Jiu Jitsu journey. It is simple, yet highly effective. The fact that it can be done both gi or no gi just adds to that power that is the flower sweep. When it comes to the closed guard, this is one […]

I am a huge proponent of rashguards. Rashguards are essential if you are a no gi grappler, and can also benefit you even if you wear it underneath a gi. Much like spats, they provide a lot of the same advantages, due to the fact that it is a piece of compression gear. Why should […]

One of the great passes in BJJ that you can learn is the leg drag pass. When done correctly, it is a pass that will put pressure on your opponent and let you have total and tight control. The leg drag also allows for some interesting options such as back takes, and some submissions. But […]

Spats are something you see in almost every Jiu Jitsu school or MMA gym. They are primarily worn by grapplers. They can be worn by themselves, underneath fight shorts or under gi pants. Besides looking pretty cool, they serve actual functional purposes. That’s right. They are not just another piece of gear to get just […]

Jimmy Pedro is one of the best Judoka’s that the United States has ever produced. Currently a sixth degree black belt in Judo, he is a former Olympian who has taken the bronze twice at the Olympic Games. He is also a three time World Judo medalist, taking home gold one of those three times. […]

Dean Lister. He is one of the first black belts to show the importance of leg locks in Jiu Jitsu. He was innovative with his set up’s and in his technical finishing of leg submissions. Dean is a submission artist that can hit a leg lock from almost anywhere. If you give him an inch, […]

Being stuck in the turtle can be pretty demoralizing if you don’t know how to defend it properly. If you can defend the position long enough, you can escape it and get into a more advantageous position. Possibly even an effective attack off the escape. But before the escape, learn the points of defense. While […]

Jose Varella, a Jiu Jitsu black belt from GF Team in Rio is known for his foot lock attacks. But unlike most other foot lock masters on the scene, he only really uses IBJJF legal leg locks. What does that mean? That means that he does not use any knee reaping entanglements. You will rarely […]

Ever hear of the Von Flue choke?  This is a choke that has become popular due to its use in MMA fights that is executed on an opponent that stubbornly holds onto a guillotine choke even when they are in bottom side control.  It’s a highly effective and unorthodox technique that many practitioners don’t even […]

Matt Arroyo, is an black belt in BJJ under Rob Kahn, from Florida. Matt has had stints on the Ultimate Fighter, as a fighter in the UFC and has competed in many Jiu Jitsu tournaments, particularly in no gi. While primarily known as a back attack specialist, with a great deal of knowledge in leg […]

Felipe Pena, lovingly nicknamed Preguica is one of the best Jiu Jitsu competitors in the world. His dominance in the light heavyweight divison has taken him far. He is a multiple time Abu Dhabi Grand Slam champion, a Worlds champion and Copa Podio champ. His style is one of the reasons of his dominant nature. […]