This past weekend, Danaher Death Squad black belt, Gordon Ryan returned to his winning ways. After a disappointing loss at the end of 2016 at the hands of Felipe Pena, Gordon has rebounded in a big way. Last weekend, Ryan competed at the sixth edition of the Sapateiro Invitational. The tournament was stacked with great […]

This past weekend was a huge one for Leandro Lo. Lo competed at the 2017 European Open, deciding to compete in both the 94kg and absolute divisions. What would occur can only be called domination. Leandro took first place not only in the 94kg division, defeating Tanner Rice by armbar, but also took first place […]

No gi guard passing can be difficult at times. Unlike passing guard in the gi, there are a severe lack of handles. Collar, belt, and pant grips all disappear which makes guard passing seem futile at times. Once you get familiar with how to survive in and then pass guard, you will become a top […]

The toe hold is a great, and painful leg attack technique. While most of the time, it is most available from a leg reaping position, it actually is possible from the ashi garami position. When people think of ashi garami, everyone thinks of the straight foot lock first. It is the first leg lock almost […]

Being stuck in the turtle position can be a very dangerous game. If you get stuck there, your opponent has many avenues of attack. Your opponent can work for crucifix. He can hit the truck. And if you’re competing in the gi, then he can hit some nasty collar chokes such as the clock choke. […]

The kimura trap is a popular way of attacking these days. While it is usually done from the half guard or knee shield position, it is also available from the good ole closed guard. While it does not use the leg over the shoulder as the half guard version, it is an awesome way of […]

The X Guard can be an excellent weapon. It is a high percentage sweeping guard, with submission possibilities. It is also one of the few guards that works even better when your opponent is bigger than you. If you do not know how to defend against the X Guard, then you will have a very […]

Claudio Calasans is a game competitor and a bad, bad man. Claudio has a high octane game where he constantly looks for the finish. He is aggressive, technical and feared both standing and on the ground. Claudio is a dual black belt, holding black belts in BJJ and Judo. He knows how to play in […]

The bow & arrow choke is one of the most battle tested choking techniques in all of gi grappling. When it comes to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or Judo, this is a deadly, and common sought after choke. This choke utilizes the kimono jacket to effectively put an opponent into a state of unconsciousness within six […]

For people who like to mainly play some type of guard style for their game, retention is important. At some point in your training or competition, you will get your guard passed. But if you know the tips for guard retention, having your guard passed will become less of a possibility. It doesn’t matter if […]

Wrist locks are definitely the black sheep techniques of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world. They haven’t caught on in popularity yet, but are undeniably effective. One competitor that has developed an awesome wrist lock game is the one and only Travis Stevens. The Danaher black belt, and Judo Olympian has seen the light. And that […]

The knee shield can be a frustrating aspect of Jiu Jitsu if you’re a top player and guard passer. People who like to play the knee shield game are great at keeping their opponent’s weight off of them, can use their energy efficiently and set up some cool sweeps and submissions. But there is a […]

Dean Lister is the godfather of leg locks here in the states. Back when leg locks were considered dirty, Dean was leg locking his way to championship titles. Starting with his straight foot locks at blue belt, he later developed a dangerous heel hook game at the higher ranks and soon was winning matches in […]