Interview by: Dave Contreras    Photos by: Mike Poeschl

Gracie Barra is one of the top schools in all of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and their alumni includes a list of who’s who in the world of BJJ and MMA including Renato “Babalu” Sobral, Ricardo Almeida, and of course the Gracies themselves. Bringing their legendary techniques to Southern CA in 2004, Gracie Barra set up shop in Irvine (located 40miles south east of Los Angeles) with the help of Marcio Feitosa, Marco Joca, and Flavio Almeida (Ricardo’s brother) and quickly established that school as the premiere location for all Gracie Barra academies within the US.  In the following interview head instructor, and multiple time world BJJ champion Marcio Feitosa gives us a rare glimpse into what sets the Gracie schools apart from the rest.

Article & Photos by: Martin Rooney

Impenetrable:  Incapable of being penetrated or pierced; not admitting the passage of other bodies.

Article by: “The Fight Professor” Stephen Quadros

Even with seemingly unstoppable and successful entities like the Ultimate Fighting Championship, who are hitting home runs every time at bat, the business of professional mixed martial arts is a volatile, high stakes affair that is not for the feint of heart. UFC president Dana White best summed it up when he once said (something to the effect of) ‘whoever can take the most pain’ wins. Whether or not one rolls the dice or plays blackjack in actuality, figuratively the MMA fight promotion game is one for gamblers, specifically high rollers. And the highs can be statuesque while the lows can be damning.

Technique: Gokor Chivichyan    Article by: Kevin Howell   Photos by: Dave Contreras

The open guard is a very dangerous position with regards to leg attacks. With your opponent’s legs just hanging in the air, a swift leg submission can end the fight in an instant. While the guy on the bottom will try to stop you from passing his guard, sometimes you don’t even have to pass but you can go straight for the submission. This is just one of the many techniques that Gokor teaches on his new “Leglock Encyclopedia 5 DVD Set” available from Budovideos.com.

Interview by: Jake McKee    Photos by: Dave Contreras

Gokor Chivichyan was born in Armenia and has been training in the grappling arts since the age of 5. With decades of experience in wrestling, judo, and sambo, Gokor is a wealth of experience to rely on. He’s been training world class Judoka and MMA fighters at the Hayastan MMA Academy since 1991 and is always innovating, improving, and refining the art of submission grappling.

BV: Many people in the MMA world know you as the coach of such fighters as Karo, Manny, and Roman. When you watch these fighters in the ring we’re usually guaranteed to see strong leg attacks, and some good throws. Are these two things emphasized more strongly than other things at your school?

Even those of us who train at the gym or academy three or four times a week can sometimes feel like we’re simply not doing enough to perfect our game. Maybe you’ve just picked up one of the latest instructional books or DVDs from Budovideos.com, and you’re eager to drill these new techniques at home with a friend?

The fact of the matter is that for many of us, it is impossible to be out there on the school’s mats every day. Now, the solution is simple: Bring that same tatami mat home to you!

Technique: Leo Vieira    Article: Kevin Howell    Photos: Dave Contreras

The following technique section originally appeared in Vol. 5 of the Budovideos magazine (now called Martial Generation Magazine). Below, multiple time BJJ World champion, and ADCC champion, Leo Vieira demonstrates some of his favorite half-guard techniques. The half-guard is a great position to attack your transitions.  The reasoning is simple - oftentimes when passing the half-guard, your opponent will go for a single leg takedown or simply try to bridge you over on to your back.  The trick here is to go for your pass, but to be ready for his proper escape with a transition of your own.  As with all of the techniques that I teach, I always show a few options based on an intelligent opponent’s defense.  When you are small like me, your best option is to have a deep bag of tricks!

Interview by: Kevin Howell    Photos by: Dave Contreras

The following interview was previously featured in Vol. 5 of the Budovideos magazine (now called Martial Generation Magazine). Multiple time BJJ world champion, and ADCC champion, Leo Vieira shares his thoughts on opening his new school (located in La Habra, CA), the current state of competition, and what it’s like being a new father.

Tell me a little bit about your academy here in La Habra, California.