Pictured: Renzo Gracie demonstrates how to begin a guard pass at his seminar in Fife, WA last Saturday.

There are a few figures in the MMA world which require no introduction. Fewer still are all but universally admired.

He’s quick to deflect any such praise, instead casting favor to his family and their art which has changed the martial arts world — but Renzo Gracie, who enjoyed his first visit to the Seattle area last Saturday to conduct a jiu-jitsu seminar, may just stand alone to many of us.

After the seminar, the legend smiles his way through requests from area fans — everything from autographs, to questions about technique, to a request for a chokeout. In a brief Total-MMA interview, Renzo laughs as he’s reminded of some of his vintage MMA battles — including a win over the man who helped put the Seattle area on the MMA map, Maurice Smith. In the 1990’s, Bellevue’s Smith had won titles in UFC and Battlecade, and actually released instructional videos marketed as the solution to the Gracie family’s dominance. They eventually met in 1999 in Japan’s RINGS organization.

“He made those videos, ‘How to Beat Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,’ to tell everybody how it’s done!” Renzo laughs. “And, I armlocked him! (laughs) But I love the guy. He’s a great competitor and we were very fortunate to have him in the game.”

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Pictured: Enson Inoue prepares for training last week, from his official blog at http://blog.goo.ne.jp/enson-inoue/

Tonight (well, actually it’s Sunday in Japan, or early morning US time)
ASTRA launches its first MMA show ever, at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. Headlining the event is the retirement bout of Hidehiko Yoshida, against his former pupil Kazuhiro Nakamura and also the return of Enson Inoue, in a bout against New Zealand kickboxer Antz Nansen. Also on the card are the likes of Ryo Chonan, Jorge Masvidal, and a co-main event with Micah Miller against Michihiro Omigawa. The whole show sounds like a heck of a good time, but unfortunately, you’ll have to be in Japan to see it.

While it was initially reported that J-ROCK would offer a webcast of the event (by Sherdog and others), it appears those plans fell through.It would seem a great show for an HDNet to carry here in the US, but sadly all MMA seems overshadowed by ZUFFA, who are offering a WEC PPV. Sadder still, Dave Walsh of HeadKickLegend reports that the event is getting short shrift from Japanese media as well. Seems a lot of us take for granted the massive impact Yoshida had on the MMA scene there — even me. The biggest story for this show to me is the return of Enson Inoue, and if you’re reading this, you’re probably thinking the same thing.

So we’re out of luck regarding watching this event. But Enson’s fans got a big treat this week from Jaser Davari of Swedish MMA site Kimura.se. Davari has assembled the most in-depth English interview to date with the legend, and has published the video in four parts — with a fifth still to come.

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The reigning four time world Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion talks about preparing for the BJJ Pan-American Games this Saturday, his supposed retirement, and whether MMA is in his future or not…

Pictured: Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles (right) wins his fourth BJJ World Championship against Bruno Frazzato in 2009. Photograph by Ivan Trindade.

Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles’ jiu-jitsu is exactly what one would expect from a man whose nickname is Portugese for “Cobra” — quick and flexible, with no wasted motion; and always looking for the finish.

If you’re not familiar with his mastery of the “gentle art,” do yourself a favor and watch a highlight video of his achievements, including four world championships in the Mundials., Two are available online: one which I believe originated from his official site, and another from a guy who guys by the nick “Josh K”. In particular, it’s Charles’ guard game which his peers call the best in all of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Still, in a brief interview last Friday at Marcelo Alonso’s academy in Seattle, the legend from the Alliance camp implies he has even more highlights to come…

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Sam Sheridan’s first book, A Fighter’s Heart, has become a favorite of MMA enthusiasts since its 2007 release. It chronicled Sheridan’s travels around the world, training and talking with many of the fight games’ biggest names, on a quest for insight on what drives them to win — and to find his own “fighter’s heart.” Along the way were stops with Brazilian Top Team in its heyday, a stint with Fairtex in Thailand, where he fought a Muay Thai bout, and a time in Iowa, including an MMA bout, under the tutelage of Pat Militech.

Last month, Sheridan released his follow-up, A Fighter’s Mind, where he turns his focus on the mental game of the world’s fighters and trainers. He describes it as “a gift back to the fighters who gave me so much in the first book. A book for fighters, and we are all fighting something.”

Sheridan spent a few moments with Total-MMA to talk about the book last week.

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Pictured: Saulo Ribeiro (right) demonstrates an escape during his Fife, WA seminar last month.

As his seminar comes to a close, three time world champion Saulo Ribeiro takes a few minutes to drive home a message.

“Nowadays, everybody tries to own the identity of jiu-jitsu,” he begins. “But it’s bigger than all of us. Nobody can be the face of jiu-jitsu. We’re all the face of jiu-jitsu. You look in the mirror, you see what’s wrong, and you change. You’re using jiu-jitsu. When things get tough, you look inside yourself, and see who you really are. You face the fears.

“Jiu-jitsu is a humbling journey. Every time you think you’re there, you’re not. You open yourself. But you have to make the decisions, and jiu-jitsu helps with this. I’m so blessed this is my work.”

Ribeiro’s own humbling journey includes a visit to Rio to make a pitch to include jiu-jitsu in the 2016 Olympics to the president of Brazil, a cup of tea in Abu Dhabi with a sheik, and a few rounds with a Thai boxing champion off the Las Vegas strip…

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Pictured: Five time World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Saulo Ribeiro enjoys a break during his Fife, WA seminar on 18 October 2009

Part One: Saulo Ribeiro on his love for the art of jiu-jitsu — and preparations for his student Diego Sanchez’s bout against BJ Penn next month

If a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Hall of Fame were to be created, there is no doubt that one of the first honored would be Royler Gracie’s most decorated disciple, Saulo Ribeiro.

The native of Manua, Brazil has recorded a staggering record five first place finishes at the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships, two at the Abu Dhabi World Submission Championships, and a gold medal at the world no-gi jiu-jitsu championships. Having retired after the World Submission Championships in Barcelona last month, Ribeiro continues to attract attention as a top-flight trainer whose MMA standouts include Diego Sanchez — who contends for the UFC lightweight title next month against Ribeiro’s fellow world jiu-jitsu champion BJ Penn. Ribeiro’s instructional book, Jiu-Jitsu University, is also hailed as the best of its genre.

It’s been a diverse career by any measure. But after conducting a seminar in the Seattle area, when Ribeiro is asked about his life — from his early days training in the Amazon, to his stellar competition days, to his current role as trainer — the same words flow over and again, in a strong Brazilian accent:

“For me it’s a blessing.”

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Two weeks ago, Total-MMA had the pleasure of visiting two of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s legends at a seminar at Marcelo Alonso’s Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Seattle. We enjoyed the wisdom of Carlson Gracie Jr. in part one. Today we turn the focus to Ricardo “Rey” Diogo.

You might not expect it from a man who goes by the Portugese word for “King,” but asked about his recent victory at the 2009 BJJ Pan American Championships, Ricardo “Rey” Diogo sounds more humble than boastful. To hear him describe it, the victory sounds like just another day at the office, not unlike appearing at a seminar:

“I felt very good,” he begins in his strong Brazilian accent. “But mentally I prepare myself for all events I go through.. Proper training, proper rest, proper conditioning. You have to do all these things right. It’s what I try to do when I compete, have total confidence in myself. I have a few movements in my game that I have total confidence in, and that’s what I want to show in my seminars.”

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Pictured: Carlson Gracie Jr. (left) and Ricardo “Rey” Diogo at their Seattle seminar last weekend

Part One: Carlson Gracie Jr talks about his life in jiu-jitsu, his thoughts on his most famous black belt Miguel Angel Torres, and how a guy from Rio finds himself in Chicago anyway…

Total-MMA had the honor of meeting two more Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legends last Saturday, as the art’s “Crown Prince,” Carlson Gracie Jr, came to town for a seminar, assisted by Ricardo “Rey” Diogo, the 2005 and 2009 Pan-American BJJ champion. The two were hosted by Gracie’s childhood friend, Marcelo Alonso, at his Seattle academy. All three proudly wear black belts awarded them by Gracie’s father, the late Carlson Gracie Sr.

In a brief interview at the seminar’s conclusion, Gracie offers a few surprises. He has a reserved and even modest manner as he describes the seminar’s success, as well as his own career in “the gentle art,” with a quiet confidence.

“The seminar was great,” he begins, in his characteristically mellow tone. “It was even better than I expected, because lately everybody does seminars everywhere. All great fighters, they travel all over the world and do seminars. I’m not saying I’m not one of those!”

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Pictured: Ivan Salaverry (left) looks on as Eddie Bravo instructs at a seminar at Salaverry’s academy in Seattle.

It’s impossible to miss the passion Eddie Bravo brings to training students in his unique system of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

He exitedly yells to students at today’s seminar at Ivan Salaverry’s academy in Seattle, alternating partners as they try their hands at Bravo’s take on the art. “Over to Mission Control! To New York!” goes one guard sequence which he has adapted. The students each would eventually walk off the mat all smiles at the seminar’s conclusion. Many would return moments later with one of the three jiu-jitsu instructional books that Bravo has authored, looking for an autograph. While always controversial, Bravo’s innovations has clearly won him many fans.

But what lurks beneath the surface is that Bravo’s real passion has nothing to do with his unique setups for triangle chokes and shoulder locks that have earned him his fame.

“My music is what really drives it,” the founder of “10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu” says. “The jiu-jitsu is what took off first. Now I’m trying to get into the music industry through the backdoor.”

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The classy veteran discusses UFC & Pride, jiu-jitsu & catch-as-catch-can wrestling, and MMA & cockfighting (!)

Click here for part one of our interview, where Salaverry describes his roots in MMA, the glory days of Pacific Northwest MMA, and what is still to come.

Pictured: Salaverry instructs a wrestling class at his academy

In addition to losing some of the region’s top names, some believe that the death of the PRIDE organization may have had a particularly negative effect on the Pacific Northwest. A PRIDE amatuer circuit was being established in Washington, with the aid of AMC co-founder Matt Hume, when PRIDE was bought out by the UFC.

“It’s very tragic,” Salaverry laments when asked about PRIDE’s demise. “It has affected the Northwest for sure; there’s plenty of fighters that would have benefited tremendously from having PRIDE continue.”

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