January 2009 - News Archives
Legendary master Helio Gracie died at age of 95 years old this morning, January 01/29, at his home in the mountain region of Rio de Janeiro.
In preliminary information, Master Helio had not been well for the past two days and likely passed with complications from a general infection.
The burial of one of Gracie Jiu Jitsu's biggest legends is scheduled for 5:00 PM today in the Petropolis cemetery.
RIP, Mestre.
More info coming up soon...
Renzo Gracie Visits RABJJ. 01/29/2009
Mestre Renzo Gracie stopped by RABJJ this week to overlook his students' training for his upcoming fight. Prof. Almeida has already signed his next UFC bout, and the date should be announced soon.
Also with Renzo, a very special visitor, long time friend and Gracie Barra Black belt, Prof. Sergio Ignacio.
Always an honor!
Our monthly report is in:
Blue Belt Promotions for January! 01/29/2009
Congratulations to the following students on receiving their much deserved Blue Belts:
Max Bohanan Hector Mendez Chris Matakas
Left: Hector, Max, Prof. Bongiorno, Prof. Almeida, Prof. Rivera, Chris.
We'd like to formally welcome the newest members of our family:
Jose Leiva
Ryan Nutt
Mateusz Kolodziejski
Douglas Hollo
Anthony Yanucil
Lisa Yanucil
Michael Yanucil
Danielle Ewashko
Lisa Ewashko
Artur Bujar
Christian Alvarez
Nicole Pangia
Dale Jones
Nikolas Skopas
Peter Skopas
Hugh Oberholtzer
Alexandra Stillitano
Brianna Taylor
Alexa Taylor
Dominick DeAngelis
Miguel Ortiz
Carlos Sanchez
Ashley Tanz (welcome back)
Alex Yang
Noah Griffis
Sammy Griffis
Daniel Gladney
Jeanette Hackett
Richard George
Derrick Wilson
William Fauci
Anthony Canosa
Richard Rogers III
Peter Bak
Alex Vasquez
Jenaro Vasquez
Kyle Clugston
Jason Kass
Louis Owens
Cornelius Crawford
Bryan Andersen
Michael Petruzzi
Nathan Patrick
We look forward to taking all of you to Black Belt! WELCOME!
01/23/2009
If you know anything about MMA you'll recognize this name: Josh Barnett. Barnett became the youngest UFC Heavyweight Champion after defeating Randy Couture in early 2002.
Barnett would also compete in both Pride and Pancrase in Japan. While in Pancrase, he won their open weight Grand Prix title. Winning this title put him alongside the likes of Frank Shamrock and Bas Rutten as one of the few fighters to be a titleholder in both Pancrase and the UFC.
We'd like to share with you a grappling match held in the ADCC Combat 2000 Absolute Tournament between Prof. Almeida and Josh Barnett, who weighted 289 lbs that day against an almost 100 lbs lighter Ricardo.
We wish you a great weekend. Enjoy the video! PS: Yes, Ricardo is the really blonde one.
01/21/2009
Check out the new face of RABJJ Academy. We hope you enjoy it!
Early Morning Classes! 01/18/2009
We couldn't wait much longer to finalize our latest arrangements and announce something that has been in the works for a very long time. After many requests, we have added to our very flexible schedule 2 early morning classes.
We will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00AM to 7:30AM. The classes will be Mixed, and you know what that means... all students from all levels come together to work on their fundamentals. The Basic curriculum will apply, but after the first hour, Intermediate and Black Belt students are welcome to stay for another 1/2 hour for live training.
There you have it, I know many students will be thrilled with these news!
All AM classes will be taught by recently hired Prof. Dante Rivera! But that deserves its own announcement!
Welcome to RABJJ's Staff Board, Prof. Dante Rivera! 01/18/2009
We are very happy and proud to announce that long time RABJJ student, multiple times grappling champion, UFC veteran and RABJJ Black Belt, Prof. Dante Rivera, is now officially a part of our staff board.
For those of you who don't know Prof. Rivera, you're in for a treat. He is a very accomplished practitioner and competitor, and also well known for his fantastic personality. For those of you who know him, make your way to our AM classes and take your Jiu Jitsu game to the next level.
Welcome Dante!
Congratulations Renee and Frankie Edgar! 01/18/2009
We couldn't be happier to make our next announcement:
Francesco Annese Edgar
has been born and is in perfect health! After all of these months of expectation, we had to ask for a picture of the happy family so we could share it with all of our RABJJ family.
Weight 5lb 7oz Thank you so much for allowing this huge moment to be shared with so many of us, Edgars! Congratulations and may God Bless your beautiful family!
Awesome Article About Prof. Almeida, Austism and his next Seminar. 01/18/2009
Brazilian tackles his toughest challenge.
 Sharon Robb | Sports Columnist January 18, 2009
Click Here for the Full Article.
The larger-than-life UFC fighter from Brazil and student of legendary Renzo Gracie searched for answers after doctors told him that his 6-year-old son, Renzo, named after his mentor, would need special care. "I always felt something was out of place, not wrong, just different," Almeida said. "In the beginning, we really felt lost."
For one of the UFC's most well-respected fighters, the questions just seemed to tumble out, he said. "What do we do? Where do we go? How do we go about this?"
It's those people Almeida hopes to share his story with by using his mixed martial arts stage to bring attention to autism, a brain disorder that often makes it hard to communicate and relate to others.
Almeida will be in South Florida on Saturday, Jan. 31 for a gi, no-gi and mixed martial arts seminar from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Weston. Almeida has given several seminars since his son was diagnosed.
"People see a UFC fighter, someone raised and living in a cage. They let me out of the cage every once in a while and here I am talking about autism. I want to do whatever I can. Now I am now finding out other fighters have children with autism. I am not alone."
Almeida, 32, took five years off from fighting to focus on family and his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Hamilton, N.J. He is a four-time Brazilian national champion, 1999 Pan American champion and two-time silver medalist at the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships.
A month before his son was diagnosed, Almeida signed a contract with the UFC. "I felt having a chance to fight in the UFC would impact people one way or another, to help raise awareness," Almeida said. "Our son still has many difficulties that he is coping with but he has developed tremendously. It's a tough challenge and process.
"You see stickers on cars that read My Student Is On The Honor Roll. We celebrated when my son started calling me Daddy. It's been a journey but a very fulfilling one."
The first half of Almeida's local seminar will be gi and second half no-gi and mixed martial arts-oriented. It's open to Gracie Academy students and non-students. Cost is $75 for students and $85 for non-members.
Some of the proceeds will be donated to Autism Speaks, a charity that raises funds for research into the causes of autism to improve the quality of life for those living with the condition.
After the seminar, Almeida will host a meet-and-greet and autograph session at the Carolina Ale House in Weston and watch UFC 94 featuring B.J. Penn and Georges St. Pierre at 10 p.m. For more information call 954-384-2862 or email academy owner Stan Beck at stanbeck@renzogracieflorida.com.
RABJJ Associated Schools. 01/19/2009
Guys, please take some time out to check out the RABJJ Associated Schools on our Associated listings page. Prof. Almeida endorses each one of these Academies out there representing our extended family, so if you have a family member in any of those areas, don't waste any time. Bring to them what could become one of the greatest experiences of their lives: The chance to be introduced to Jiu Jitsu.
Also Prof. Almeida is regularly at the Associated Schools welcoming new members. Here are some of the pictures of his latest visit to South Jersey BJJ (Steven Bongiorno) and Ocean County BJJ (Tom DeBlass). Also we'd like to take the chance to announce the date for his next visit to Brunswick BJJ (Haz Ibrahim):
February 14th (Valentine's Day) Time: 11:00 - 1:00 PM
Ricardo at South Jersey BJJ:
Ricardo at Ocean County BJJ:
RABJJ Teens. 01/18/2009
Congratulations to all of our Teen Program students for such commitment and hard work. Collectively they have been exploring a whole new world, staying focused and doing what they truly enjoy!
Coach Pete can't stop talking about your progress, and we look forward to so many more exciting moments on the mats!
If you have a little one at home and are looking to introduce to him/her not only the best self-sefense method available but also the most in-demand martial art in the country, please bring them in for a free intro lesson!
Visiting RABJJ Academy... 01/18/2008
It was a great week of training at the school, and we had the great pleasure of hosting Renzo Gracie Black Belt, Prof. Pat Cooligan, owner and Head Instructor of OAMA (the biggest and most successful Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy in Canada) as well as some of his top students, who also happen to be preparing for their upcoming MMA bouts.
As always, training was really hard and it also hosted many more guests, such as Rolles Gracie, Igor Gracie, Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro as well as our very own warriors who are here every single week taking their training to a whole new level.
Thank you for visiting, guys!
Ring of Combat XXIII Coming Soon! 01/18/2009
Another battle for our MMA stars is scheduled to happen on the 20th of February at the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City, New jersey.
From RABJJ Academy and Team Renzo, we have the main fights of the night. Bret Kohan will be fighting Joe Abouata for the Heavyweight Belt and Rafael "Sapo" will be fighting Alexandre Moreno for the Middleweight Belt.
Earlier that night you will be seeing our own Roger Mamedov battle it out in the Lightweight pision and Jim Tomczuk in the Middleweight pision.
Also in the same card you'll have the opportunity to watch 5 bouts with fighters from our brother Matt Serra's Academy. What a night!
Let's show support to our team mates and watch a great night of exciting fights. The guys have been training hard for their matches and they couldn't be feeling better! For tickets, look for someone in the office. For more info, go to www.ringofcombat.com
Rene Petrovic, Croatia (tiny guy in black).
01/10/2009
We would like to share with all of you a very nice article written on one of the biggest MMA magazines in Japan by former Pride FC Champion and Ricardo's great friend, Kazuo Misaki. The latest issue just came out and our dear Prof. Kiyo Morie not only brought us the magazine, but also translated everything for us.
Enjoy the article!
" Right now I am preparing myself for the fight against Jorge Santiago. So, I'm supposed to write about this matter, but I don't feel like doing so. Before the fight, I fought against many men cowardly and I would rather not think about the coming fight.
Today let me tell you the story of Ricardo Almeida and I. He is a former King of Pancrase Champion and has a Jiu Jitsu school in New Jersey. I met him six years ago in January of 2003. I fought against Joe Darts and I won. But at that time, I was a punk and my attitude in that match made Ricardo mad. He said " I won't let him get away with this behavior. I'll go down in weight and beat Misaki up.'
His wish came true. We fought and he won. What I felt about Ricardo was his loyalty. His strong caring for his friends and his braveness are amazing. He is a man. He is also a superb technician in the ring. I have been fighting for over 20 years, but I haven't met anybody better than him.
Since then fortunately, his evaluation of me has changed. He happened to find out that I am a surfer. He said, 'I thought you were a punk, but a person who surfs can never be a bad person.' I had been wishing to learn from him. I begged him to allow me to join his practice. He said okay.
The first time I stayed at a hotel, but on the second visit, he invited me to stay at his home. I had no problem there, even though I can't speak English nor Portuguese. But I had one critical issue: I couldn't eat cilantro at his dinner table. His whole family looked at me and asked me "isn't that shrimp stew good?". I was so afraid of hurting their feelings that I couldn't tell them about the cilantro. But on the second visit to his home, I told him with redoubled courage, 'I can't eat cilantro'. He said ' why didn't you ust say so?' and that was it.
My three times of practice at a Gracie Jiu Jitsu school was a fresh and very valuable experience to me. I also joined Ricardo's regular classes. Over there, they start with a bow and finish with a bow. We practiced basic techniques over and over again. Defending jabs, double punches, takedowns, guard pass and positioning. In Japan, we start immediately, but according to Ricardo, 'that is just a sport, not Jiu Jitsu'. Through practice, I learned the Gracie family group's Jiu Jitsu tradition, culture and way of life and they have sincere desire to hand this down to the next generation. That is why Ricardo had left MMA for a while, to devote himself to teaching at his school.
When I was in the USA, I always stayed with Ricardo and practiced three times a day from morning until night with him.I started to feel tired and a little bit stressed out. One day, Ricardo told me, 'let's take the day off tomorrow''. I said to myself, 'how nice. I can sleep all day!' When the next day came, Ricardo said, 'today is off. Let's play with Jiu Jitsu'. I said to myself, 'what?! That is not a day off!'. Then I realized I am the one who still doesn't understand what Jiu Jitsu is all about. To him, Jiu Jitsu is an ocean where he can play, work and live 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. His ife is Jiu Jitsu.
On the first day of practice, I was asked what I would like to learn from Gracie Jiu Jitsu. I replied that I wanted to learn techniques and strenght. If I had just learned the techniques from him, there would not be much value. I experienced the thoughts and devoted heart of Gracie Jiu Jitsu people towards Jiu Jitsu. That adds so much to my strenght now.
Ricardo gave me this chance. I can't thank him enough."
Misaki wins against Denis Kang
Gracie Magazine Special! 01/10/2009
It doesn't get much better than this. Gracie Magazine is running a super special. If you subscribe to the magazine, you get a free copy of the amazing and recently released documentary 'Renzo Gracie Legacy'.
As you probably know by now, Prof. Ricardo Almeida was the very first student to ever receive a Black Belt from Mestre Renzo's hands (back in 1999), so not only you have the chance to see the past 10 years of history of one of the biggest MMA legends, but you'll also see tons of extra footage, some even taped inside our own Academy over the years.
Look for Ally in the office and ask for your Gracie Magazine subscription. Not only you'll save a lot of money subscribing to the pioneer Jiu Jitsu magazine in the world, but you can't miss out on this opportunity to own your Renzo Gracie Legacy DVD!
Limited offer, first come, first serve.
Enjoy the trailer:
One More Challenge! 01/10/2009
Quick note: Prof. Almeida will be fighting again very soon! The fight has been signed, and you'll know when, where and who the opponent will be as soon as the UFC releases the official announcement.
Stay tuned, it will be awesome!
Happy New Year!
The Academy is now open and we have so much planned for 2009!
We can't wait to see you back on our mats and we also can't wait to start working on everything we planned over the Holidays!
It is going to be a huge year for RABJJ, and we are honored that you are a part of our growth.
Professor Almeida is back from Brazil and ready to continue to guide, teach and inspire each and every one of us.
We leave you with a few great motivational quotes and wish you a spectacular 2009!
"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."
"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves."
"Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink and swore his last oath. Today, we are a pious and exemplary community. Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever."
"We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential."
and finally...
"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas."
We'll be soon with January's first news!
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