i dont do any bjj and have the slightest familiarity of it
is marcelo still a top bjj guy these days, alongside with all these young guys making waves (rituolos, etc)?
he is so effortless and relaxed and didnt breathe heavy at all, unlike eddie lol
He’s 41 or 42 now and just survived cancer treatment, but apparently got a contract with One.
He’s amazing, but it’s hard to predict how well he is going to do… I actually do think his style is very dependent on conditioning (he is just so good at it that he makes it look effortless against lesser opponents).
To clarify, I mean against whoever they choose to be his opponent.
If you put him against Tackett or Ruotolo or Mica, I don’t think he’d do well, but I’d like to think he’d at least be able to make them work for it.
How can you not be in awe of Marcelo Garcia? Eddie Bravo schools most elite black belts and it looks to me like Marcelo took it easy on him while passing and getting good position at will.
Eddie did quite good too
Marcelo is what the Gracie’s describe themselves as.
Eddie stole my rubber guard. That son of a bitch!
I started doing it in the day around 2000-2002 after having to do it out of necessity.
Because my training partner and best friend was much bigger and stronger than I am.
He was such a good guard passer I would get exhausted trying to keep him from passing my guard.
Then one time I have a high guard on and reach over and grabbed my foot and realized it would lock him into place and allow me to stall for 30 or 60 seconds to get my wind back.
Then realized it was easy to go to an oma plata or arm bar from there and so started using it a lot.
Then one day I hear about this Eddie Bravo guy and his rubber guard and realize I didn’t invent it.
So I added in the things Eddie Bravo did to make it more effective.
It’s been my favorite guard to use ever since.
The other favorite is using a Half Guard/De La Riva Guard/Reverse De La Riva guard system when the opponent is standing and trying to keep a distance.
There sentimental reasons for using the De La Riva guard since I trained on the Carlson Gracie team under a couple of De La Riva black belts.
Those were good times.
Marcelo is the master of the Butterfly Guard but I’ve never liked using it because it’s my favorite guard to pass.
But the way Marcelo uses it is amazing.
I know, cool story bro.
But when I see these videos the memories of days gone by start to flow.
I remember the day I thought I discovered armbar off the triangle. Everybody laughed when I excitedly told them about it.
TBF, the rule is, the guy on the bottom will always have to work harder than the guy on top.
Marcelo is going about 20% here
Knowing One Championship they will feed him some unknown Russian sambo guys. They have to build him up since they lost Mikey.
Marcello would get wrecked this new generation and there’s no shame in that
Had to stop at 10:37 when Eddie was talking. He’s cringe.