| Last month, I sat down with a group of friends to | | | | his sons. Maeda only had a few months with the boy |
| watch the latest pay-per-view Ultimate Fighting | | | | so he started with the basics and stressed |
| Championship (UFC) event. | | | | groundwork rather then the more complex standing |
| The host of the party was a major fan, and he laid | | | | techniques. |
| out a nice spread for us with plenty of food and cold | | | | Helio Gracie loved Judo and continued his training and |
| beer. The fights started and all seemed to be going | | | | teaching. While it is unsure why he began calling it Jiu |
| well until my host started acting as if he knew | | | | Jitsu, every takedowns, throw, and submission were |
| something about fighting. | | | | all things he learned from Maeda. |
| Oh, he knew plenty about the UFC athletes, but not | | | | Helio's only defeat (most matches were draws) was |
| much about an actual street fight. | | | | to Japanese Judoka Masahiko Kimura who broke |
| For him, the be-all-end-all was Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). | | | | Helio's arm and won the match. To Helio's credit, he |
| He raved about how the Gracie family had invented | | | | didn't tap out, but Kimura completely dominated the |
| the sport and how their fighting style dominated | | | | match throwing his lesser skilled opponent to the |
| anything else out there. | | | | ground at will. |
| I tried to keep quite, but you can only listen to | | | | The family continued to teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and |
| someone spout the wrong information for so long. | | | | even brought back "old-school" judo leg-locks and |
| I explained to him that the Gracie's did not invent | | | | lower body submission. When they brought it to the |
| anything, and that everything they taught they | | | | United States through the UFC, its popularity grew |
| learned from Judo. Sure, they were tough and were | | | | greatly. |
| a great bunch of athletes (and some of the nicest | | | | While the BJJ guys preyed on wrestlers, boxers, and |
| guys you'd ever meet) but they did not do anything | | | | other martial artists who had never even been |
| new. | | | | choked before, the judo community continued to |
| To fully understand BJJ you must first must look at | | | | focus its efforts on the Olympics. |
| the evolution of jujutsu into the pre-WWII Judo | | | | When retired judo Olympic champ Yoshida entered |
| curriculum developed by Jigoro Kano in the late 19th | | | | the "Pride Fighting Championships" (Japan's UFC), he |
| century. | | | | handily bested any BJJ practitioner who stepped into |
| Though supporters of BJJ say Kano considered | | | | the ring. - including UFC champ Royce Gracie. |
| ground fighting unimportant, they couldn't be more | | | | I can't even imagine the damage he would have done |
| wrong. Kano simply stressed standing techniques | | | | in his prime to today's mediocre mixed martial arts |
| because it took ten-times longer to learn then ground | | | | fighters. |
| work. | | | | Listen, I have no problem admitting that Brazilian |
| In fact, in Japan the saying is "One year to learn | | | | Jiu-Jitsu works well in a ring, cage, or octagon. While |
| ground, ten years to learn standing." | | | | an Olympic caliber judoka would destroy them in |
| One of Kano's students Mitsuyo Maeda, a veteran | | | | competition, BJJ still seems to be a useful skill for |
| Judo instructor who had already taught in a number | | | | today's MMA fighter. |
| of countries, seemed like the perfect choice to go to | | | | But don't you dare think that BJJ is the answer on |
| Brazil after World War I. | | | | the street. |
| Maeda showed what Judo could do when he | | | | When you hit the deck, there are way too many |
| defeated many wrestlers and boxers with pins, | | | | variables to consider. Including being stomped on, |
| armbars, and throws. He even allowed one challenger | | | | bitten, gouged, or slammed into concrete. |
| to use a knife and still quickly defeated the man. | | | | While judo is still technically a sport, at least its |
| These exhibitions made Maeda one of the first mix | | | | training is symbolic of real combat. Throw a man to |
| martial artists. He became very popular in Brazil and | | | | the ground with force, gain dominant position, THEN |
| impressed Gastao Gracie, a wealthy businessman. | | | | finish him off if necessary...otherwise be on your feet |
| In exchange for financial help, Maeda agreed to train | | | | and ready for your next opponent. |