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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TOMIXED MARTIAL ARTSUntitled-2 19/30/08 1:40:59 PM
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TOMIXED MARTIAL ARTS
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TOMIXED MARTIAL ARTSCompiled by Jon SattlerEdited by Raymond Horwitz,Jeannine Santiago, Jon Sattler and Jon ThibaultGraphic Design by John BodineFront Cover Photos:Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and Bas Rutten by Rick HusteadB.J. Penn by Sara FoganMatt Hughes by Fernando EscovarRickson Gracie and Tito Ortiz from the Black Belt ArchivesBack Cover Photo:Dan Henderson by Greg Wetzel 2007 Black Belt Communications LLCAll Rights ReservedManufactured in the United States of AmericaLibrary of Congress Control Number: 2007928718ISBN-13: 978-0-89750-290-0Electronic Edition Published 2012WarningThis book is presented only as a means of preserving a unique aspect of the heritage of the martial arts. Neither OharaPublications nor the author make any representation, warranty or guarantee that the techniques described or illustrated inthis book will be safe or effective in any self-defense situation or otherwise. You may be injured if you apply or train inthe techniques illustrated in this book and neither Ohara Publications nor the author is responsible for any such injury thatmay result. It is essential that you consult a physician regarding whether or not to attempt any technique described in thisbook. Specific self-defense responses illustrated in this book may not be justified in any particular situation in view of allof the circumstances or under applicable federal, state or local law. Neither Ohara Publications nor the author make anyrepresentation or warranty regarding the legality or appropriateness of any technique mentioned in this book.
FOREWORDYou can’t teach someone to want to fight. He has to like fighting.—Chuck “The Iceman” LiddellIf you’re reading this book, chances are you like fighting. Perhapsyou live for the intoxicating rush of combat and revel in modern-daygladiator games. Or you derive countless hours of pleasure from contemplating the more esoteric aspects of the sport: the beauty of a wellexecuted armbar from the guard, the serene, glazed-over expression of afighter slipping into unconsciousness as his neck and carotid arteries aresqueezed like a wet ham.Or maybe you just like punching people in the face. Which, one supposes, has its own innate beauty.The mixed martial arts aren’t for everyone. The sight of trained combatants striving for supremacy in a bloodstained octagon often causeslesser men to look away in shame and self-loathing. But you’re different.You understand both the elegance and horror of the cage.You’re the reason we made The Ultimate Guide to Mixed Martial Arts.—Jon Sattler
CONTENTSFOREWORD.5WHO IS RICKSON GRACIE, AND WHY DO PEOPLE THINKHE’S THE BEST FIGHTER IN THE WORLD?An Interview With Royce Gracie’s Big Brother .10HOW TO APPLY AND ESCAPE FROM THE GUILLOTINE CHOKEDon’t Lose Your Head When Your Neck Is on the Line .16MODIFYING BRAZILIAN JUJUTSU FOR THENO-HOLDS-BARRED WORLD OF VALE TUDO.21WHICH STYLE WORKS BEST IN MIXED-MARTIAL ARTS COMPETITION?The Stats Are In! It’s Wrestling, America’s Martial Art .28NO-HOLDS-BARRED CHAMP BAS RUTTEN:The Dutch Star of Japan’s Pancrase Circuit Is Making HisAmerican Debut in the UFC.36RISE AND FALL OF WRESTLINGThree Methods for Resurrecting the Winning Ways of the Grappling Art.47RICKSONThe Legend of No-Holds-Barred FightingSpeaks Out on the State of the Grappling Arts Part 1.53RICKSONThe Legend of No-Holds-Barred FightingSpeaks Out on the State of the Grappling Arts Part 2 .60VITOR BELFORT‘The Phenom’ of No-Holds-Barred Fighting Speaks Out!.67FIRE AND ICEFour Surefire Grappling Techniques,Courtesy of Chuck ‘The Ice Man’ Liddell.75ULTIMATE BATTLE PLANFour Tremendous Takedowns From UFC Bad-Boy Tito Ortiz.81WILL THE REAL BAS RUTTEN PLEASE STAND?.87FRANK SHAMROCK SHINES IN THE RING AND ON CAMERA.90LEADER OF THE PACKIn the UFC’s Lightweight Division, Pat Miletich Rules!.92
CHUCK LIDDELL WRESTLES HIS WAY TO THE TOP.99MARCO RUASThe King of the Streets Is on the Road Back.101MARIO SPERRY ON THE STREET EFFECTIVENESS OF JUJUTSU.110RICKSON GRACIE’S FIGHTING PHILOSOPHIES.113KAZUSHI SAKURABA IS THE KING OF THE WORLD!.115THE ULTIMATE GRAPPLER AND THE ULTIMATE STRIKERGene LeBell and Benny Urquidez RevealHow They Became Martial Arts Legends.118TAO OF FRANK SHAMROCKThe Evolution of a No-Holds-Barred Champion Continues.127THE NATURALFavorite Fighting and Training Strategies of UFC Legend Randy Couture.133THE DEMANDS OF COMBAT.139THE JUJUTSU EFFECTThe Grappling Art Catapults B.J. Pennto the Top of the UFC Welterweight Division .141CHUCK LIDDELLThe UFC’s Heavy Hitter Weighs in on His Favorite Ranges,Techniques and Strategies for Winning.146WARRIOR YOGAFrank Shamrock Harnesses the Power of the Ancient Artfor Modern No-Holds-Barred Competition.154WANNA BE THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER?Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell Will Take You to the TopJust Like They’re Doing on Their New Reality-TV Show!.160MEET THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER!Diego Sanchez, Poster Boy of the Mixed Martial Arts.176THE TWISTEREddie Bravo Speaks Out on His Signature Technique, Grappling Withand Without a Gi, and His Victory Over Royler Gracie .187
ARMLESS ARM LOCKSOn the Mat With Gokor Chivichyan.194SHOOTFIGHTING VS. MIXED MARTIAL ARTSMMA Fans Should Know the Difference!.198NO BARRIERSRandy Couture’s Prescription for Peak Performancefor Middle-Aged Martial Artists.204THE PRIDE OF PRIDEThe Techniques, Tactics and Trainingof Welterweight Champion Dan Henderson.208
BLACK BELTWHO IS RICKSON GRACIE,AND WHY DO PEOPLE THINK HE’STHE BEST FIGHTER IN THE WORLD?An Interview With Royce Gracie’s Big BrotherInterview by Dr. Stephen V. Hoyt and Jim Coleman September 1995Martial artists have heard plenty in recent months about Brazilianjujutsu stylist Royce Gracie, who has won three Ultimate FightingChampionship titles and was named Black Belt’s 1994 Competitor of theYear. But the name Rickson Gracie is also popping up with increasingregularity—and for good reason.Rickson Gracie, Royce’s older brother, is considered by many martialarts pundits to be the best fighter in the Gracie family, if not the world. Thestocky 34-year-old has collected 110,000 in prize money by winning thefirst two Vale Tudo Fighting Championship tournaments in Tokyo, and hehas been approached by promoters of American no-holds-barred events.But, for reasons he explains in this interview, the 5-foot-9-inch, 185-pounderhas yet to compete in the United States.Black Belt: Last April, you won your second consecutive Vale Tudo Fighting Championship title, which is a virtually no-holds-barred event in Tokyo,similar to the UFC in the United States. What does vale tudo mean?Rickson Gracie: “Vale tudo” is a Portuguese and Brazilian word meaning “everything goes.” The tournament brings back the spirit of doingeverything you want.BB: What are the rule differences between the UFC and the Vale Tudoevent?Gracie: The UFC fights have time limits. In the Vale Tudo, there areeight-minute rounds. You go for eight minutes, then you go another eightminutes until one fighter taps or passes out. And we wear gloves, moreto protect the fighter who wears the glove than the guy who receives thepunch, because you can get infected or break your hand. The glove is notthat thick; it weighs maybe 8 ounces. And with this glove, you can hold,grab or punch.BB: Are you allowed to bite at the Vale Tudo?Gracie: No.BB: Can you gouge the opponent’s eyes?Gracie: No.BB: Head-butt?10
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO MIXED MARTIAL ARTSGracie: You can use head butts on the floor. You can basically do whatever you want. You can choke, punch, elbow, or use your knees.BB: How did you defeat Japanese wrestler Yoshihisa Yamamoto, thefirst of your three opponents at the Vale Tudo tournament?Gracie: The match went for about 20 minutes because he held theropes for the first two rounds. Then, in the third round, I moved back, Iwaited for him to exchange punches with me, then I took him to the floorand finished the fight.Many people consider Brazilian-jujutsu stylist Rickson Gracie to be not only the best fighter in the Graciefamily but in the entire world.11
BLACK BELTBB: How did you finish him?Gracie: I choked him out. I choked out all three of my opponents.BB: Who was your second fight against?Gracie: Koichiro Kimura. That match lasted about three or fourminutes.BB: Who did you defeat in the championship bout?Gracie: A Japanese shootwrestler named Yuki Nakai. He’s a light guy,about 165 pounds. It was over in about four minutes.BB: How did the predominantly Japanese fans feel about you beatingthree of their fighters?Gracie: I felt the whole crowd was against me from the moment Ifought Yamamoto. He’s a famous pro wrestler over there. The crowd wasall for him.BB: Are you pretty popular in Japan—except when you’re fighting aJapanese opponent?Gracie: I think so. The Japanese give me very special recognition.They really respect tradition, and they love jujutsu. I’m becoming a newsensation over there.BB: Why haven’t you competed at the UFC? The championship purseis about the same as the Vale Tudo tournament.Gracie: I don’t see why I should get involved in the UFC if Royce isalready taking care of business. The idea was to put Royce in the UFCto give him some exposure. And I think it’s been very good for him. I’mhappy for him.BB: Would you consider competing in NHB events in the United Statesif the price was right?Gracie: I’m open for any event. It all depends on the business aspect,the prize, and the level of the participants.BB: Do you think the skill level of the competitors at the UFC has beenhigh?Gracie: I think the level is OK. They’re good fighters.BB: Many people think you are the best fighter in the Gracie family.Do you agree?Gracie: I don’t consider myself to be the best. Other people consider me.BB: Some people have gone so far as to suggest you are the best fighterin the world. Have you heard those claims?Gracie: Yes.BB: What do you think when you hear that?Gracie: [That I better] keep training hard. To keep this kind of reputa12
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO MIXED MARTIAL ARTStion is a very heavy load on my back. I’ll try my best to stay with it.BB: What is the difference between traditional jujutsu and your brandof Brazilian jujutsu?Gracie: Traditional jujutsu focuses on hip throws and wrist locks. Wefocus on real fighting situations, looking at punching, kicking, head butts,elbows, throws and finishing holds, both with a judo gi and without a judogi. We focus pretty much on no-rules situations, with a lot of realism.BB: If you always trained completely realistically, you wouldn’t havemany students left. Where do you draw the line between realism andtraining?Gracie: The realism is in the way you approach the maneuvers, not inthe violence with which you execute the techniques. You can train veryrealistically, trying everything you want, but you don’t have to be mean andtry to hurt somebody. We can train at a slow pace and still do everythingwe want to do. Our training is different than a boxer, who just exchangespunches, either fast or slow. But we cover all the different aspects of realfighting; there’s no limitations. And any time we get close to a dangeroussituation, we let the opponent tap out.BB: How many hours per day do you train?Gracie: I teach and train from eight to 10 hours a day. I have my ownpersonal fitness program that I made up. It combines breathing, flexibility,strength, speed, cardiovascular endurance, muscle toning, balance andcoordination.BB: What do you focus on at your jujutsu seminars?Gracie: I try to teach a balance of training hard and being gentle. I alsohope to teach seminar students to love each other. Because everything wetry to do must have some love in it. I believe the martial arts should havefeelings. Toughness is not the way you act, but how you do something. Ialways try to be as nice as I can be, and I try to teach this same approachto the students.BB: Why do you sometimes refer to your style as “Gracie” instead ofjujutsu?Gracie: In Brazil, there is no such thing as Gracie jujutsu. The onlysource of jujutsu there is from my family. My family learned jujutsu froma Japanese guy in Brazil and developed it from there. But once we movedto the United States about 15 years ago, we started calling it Gracie jujutsu,just to distinguish it from other styles of jujutsu.BB: Do you incorporate any of the Japanese jujutsu philosophy ortechniques into your system?13
BLACK BELTGracie: No.
templating the more esoteric aspects of the sport: the beauty of a well-executed armbar from the guard, the serene, glazed-over expression of a fi ghter slipping into unconsciousness as his neck and carotid arteries are squeezed like a wet ham. Or maybe you just like punching people in the face. Which, one sup-poses, has its own innate beauty. The mixed martial arts aren’t for everyone. The .
