Eddie Bravo out to change the game once again

Building another bridge between jiu jitsu and MMA, Eddie Bravo introduces combat jiu jitsu.

Julien Solomita | Staff Writer/ Journalist

    MMA is growing at a pace consistent with the sport’s ever improving talent pool. With so many different aspects of a mixed martial artist’s game coming into play in every bout, the ability for a fighter to utilize his or her strengths in a fight is what separates success from frustrating failure in this intricate sport. Many ground specialists that have made the switch to MMA find certain roadblocks that prevent them from playing their game in a fight. While it is difficult for MMA fighters to bring fights into their comfort zone and attack with their strengths, it is very possible in almost every scenario. The founder of 10^th Planet Jiu Jitsu and creator of an unconventional no-gi style of jiu jitsu designed for fighters, Eddie Bravo is now bridging the gap from jiu jitsu to MMA in attempts to revamp a sport within a sport.

    Bravo joined me on Fighting Solo Radio and we discussed his new project. It is called combat jiu jitsu and it is simply a grappling match with strikes allowed once one fighter has gone to the ground. Elbows and punches to the head and body, kicks and knees to the body, and up kicks are all permitted as long as one competitor is on the ground. Until the fight reaches the ground it is purely wrestling with takedowns and no striking. Bravo believes this new sport will serve the purpose of filling a void that exists between MMA and pure grappling.

    “There is a hole in between MMA and grappling,” Bravo said. “The hole is combat jiu jitsu, right there in the middle. It’s not quite MMA but it is way more brutal than standard jiu jitsu.”

    Making the leap from jiu jitsu directly to MMA is no easy task, in fact many grapplers turned fighters struggle with having to begin fights vulnerable to strikes. Bravo thinks that not only will the sport serve as a middle ground for grapplers transitioning into MMA, but that seeing world class grapplers compete in jiu jitsu with punches will test them in a way that 10^th planet has built its style off of.

    “There are so many amazing grapplers out there that will never do MMA,” he said. “Before combat jiu jitsu we would never see how [these grapplers’] jiu jitsu looks when someone is trying to smash them.”

    For Bravo, the objective for this new concoction is simple.

    “The goal is to have a sport thrive that will prepare grapplers better for MMA than regular grappling does,” Bravo said. “It is also a sport for people that don’t want to do MMA at all but do want to punch on the ground.”

    A prime example of a jiu jitsu expert failing to employ his grappling in an MMA fight was on the first live fight of The Ultimate Fighter season 15. Cristiano Marcello, a fourth degree BJJ black belt under Royler Gracie, fought against Black House MMA’s striking specialist Justin Lawrence, and was unable to employ his ground game. Bravo mentioned this fight to highlight the importance of a grappler knowing how to effectively pull guard in a fight.

    “Obviously Cristiano is amazing at jiu jitsu but he couldn’t get the fight down, so he was left to strike with Lawrence,” he said. “Pulling guard is not mastered enough by jiu jitsu guys. Most guys aren’t willing to pull guard, but you have to pull guard, you have to have faith in your guard. [As a grappler] if you don’t have that third option you are going to hit a (expletive) wall.”

    Now fully sanctioned under the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) with the help of U of MMA (a popular southern California amateur MMA promotion) president Turi Altavilla, combat jiu jitsu is set for its debut. On May 20 at the Nokia Center for U of MMA’s ‘Tomorrow’s World Champions’ event, combat jiu jitsu will share the stage with three matches to take place in the MMA cage. Bravo envisions the sport moving from the cage to an open mat (similar to the venue of grappling tournaments), in hopes that the sport will become it’s own entity.

    “When you put combat jiu jitsu on an open mat, that is where it is going to shine,” he said. “This is just the beginning, we are just testing it out.”

    Until then, Bravo is simply aiming to get his new sport off the ground.

    “Right now we are just trying to get it through the door, just to have some matches and some history,” he said.

Three 10th planet grapplers are set to christen the combat jiu jitsu canvas. Brown belts Jeremy Shields and Justin Milos, and blue belt Jared McCourt are all awaiting the announcement of their opponents for May 20.

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Johnson making best of rough situation

After going through the weirdest possible scenario for a fighter, Demetrious Johnson has set his sights on the future.

It was just a few short weeks ago when Johnson was told he was victorious in the inaugural UFC flyweight bout against Ian McCall, and had his hand risen in front of the Sydney crowd. Only he hadn’t won the fight, and later on in the night, Dana White famously told the fighters a draw was the correct decision and the wrong outcome was announced in front of millions.

I had a chance to chat with Demetrious on ‘Fighting Solo Radio’. Soon after Dana White called him in, Johnson suspected the post fight meeting to regard something entirely different.

“The first thing that went through my mind was when we were fighting, someone in the crowd booed us and then Ian flipped him off,” Johnson said. “Next thing you knew we were called in the office, and I thought Dana was going to take away our Fight of the Night Bonus.”

Johnson was fully concerned with the possible repercussions of McCall’s post fight behavior, and remembered the importance of representing MMA and the UFC internationally.

“We’re trying to be great ambassadors for this sport, and the last thing we need is someone out there flipping off the crowd on national television,” Johnson said.

After losing a decision to Bantamweight Champion, Dominick Cruz, the AMC Pankration wrestler has cut down to 125 pounds hoping for this weight to be his new home. In testing out the waters of the UFC’s newest weight class, Johnson has learned from his mistakes and is preparing for improvements in his return to the octagon.

“I came in really light (two pounds over) and after weigh ins, I didn’t carb back up. My body wasn’t running right, and as you could see in the third round (against McCall) I could move, but I had no juice on my punches,” Johnson said. “I’m going to get my diet correct and be a different fighter June 8.”

As a fighter who has relied heavily on his overwhelming speed for his whole career, Johnson is now at a weight where he will be matched more evenly in the strength department. Johnson is happy with the new weight but knows what skill remains most important.

“I’m blessed with a little power, but I’m gifted with a lot of speed,” Johnson said. “Speed is my power.”

Rebounding from this has been just another speed bump for “Mighty Mouse”, who is now in full preparation mode as the rematch with McCall nears.

“I’ve been working on my overall game,” Johnson said. “You got to be ready for everybody you can’t just sit there and focus on one thing. If you improve your whole game you’ll be ready for the next opponent. “

UFC on FX on June 8 is when the two flyweights will go at it again, as they headline the free card. The winner will be awarded a title shot against Joseph Benavidez who took down Yasuhiro Urishitani. A location has yet to be announced.

Evans can win his long awaited second title shot

As the date approaches, it has become more and more evident that nobody wants this fight to finally happen as much as the two light heavyweights headlining UFC 145, especially Rashad Evans. It has been a long and difficult road for Evans who was pitted against his teammate forcing him to change training camps. Evans moved his life to Boca Raton, Florida, and to make the move even tougher, he separated from his wife. Greg Jackson, Evan’s longtime mentor, friend and head coach will corner Jon Jones in the big Atlanta scrap, giving Evans yet another tough break in his quest back to the top. Jones has done his talking, and Evans is tired of doing his. Come April 21, Evans is entering the Philips Arena looking for nothing other than some payback and UFC gold.

As much as this matchup has grown a bit stale with all the waiting for title shots, injuries and team drama, come Saturday there will be one really exciting fight for the 205-pound UFC strap.

While the champ has proven himself time and time again against the world’s best with vicious submissions, deadly striking and an overwhelming presence in the octagon, he has his toughest test awaiting him. ‘Bones’ will have the reach, and striking advantage over virtually all of his opponents, his wrestling is top tier and his submissions are crisp. But in Atlanta’s blue corner, there will stand a superior wrestler. ‘Suga’ possesses proven knockout power, and an athletic ability that competes closely with that of the menacing Jones.

The former champion showed the world how athletic, explosive and powerful he really is when he kneed Tito right in the heart, yet his performance against Davis seemed lackluster after following such a dominant display, like having to give a speech in class right after the valedictorian finishes his. I believe that the reason for Evans not finishing Davis like he did Tito is simply that it was a wrestling stalemate, and Evans barely resorted to his takedowns in that fight because he knew he could outstrike the Penn State alum. This lack of utilization of his wrestling and more importantly not mixing and rotating of different techniques and dimensions of his game, is what granted this fight five long, exhausting to watch rounds.

When Jones stands across from his former training partner in two weeks, he will again be advantageous in the stand up department, but Evans will be successful if he can create a concoction with each of his refined attributes coming into play in a harmonious rotation. Winner of the second season of Ultimate Fighter as a heavyweight, Evans has never been submitted, and has always been able to escape difficult ground wars with his skillset learned at Michigan State. If this Blackzilian can get out in front with his wrestling, he will be able to dictate the pace, and work his ground and pound like he did against Forrest. And if he doesn’t do exactly that, we can almost be sure to witness another title defense from the youngster.