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Raf's Recollection | I'll give you a full write up later, but all you need to know right now is Garry Tonon returns and gives us an interview for the ages.
Let us know what you guys think of it!
Viewing entries in
Metamoris
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Raf's Recollection | Metamoris recap shows are always my favorite episodes.
Always.
Not only do we dedicate an entire episode to breaking down the techniques, production value, and implications of the big event, but we also get a chance to catch up with some of our favorite friends (new and old), as they help us analyze these matches from every possible angle.
Following in the tradition of our previous Metamoris recaps (Metamoris 4 and Metamoris 3), we enlist a team of six to help us take a look at the card and break down each match.
Joining us this go round...
Kit Dale - Leading us off on this podcast is our good pal Kit Dale. When looking to analyze the explosive match-up between Garry Tonon and Zak Maxwell, we figured: who better to speak on the match than a guy who not only had some of the best seats in the house, but also happened to commentate on the match as it was going on (not to mention: who knows a thing or two about competing against Tonon at Metamoris). In addition to his observations about the match, Kit also hooks us up with some great details about the behind the scenes nature of the show, reveals what Kenny Florian was too scared to do, and Kit and I discover where our jiu-jitsu venn diagrams intersect.
Ruben Avila 
- As one of of the more prolific BJJ writer/bloggers on the circuit, we decided to turn to the guy behind BJJGrappling.com, Ruben Avila, to help us try to make sense of the lengthy (and ultimately underwhelming) game show that was "Submit Vinny Mahalhaes for $10,000!" More importantly, we ask if this is a format that Metamoris should continue to use in future installments going forward. That and he gets Kevin to inadvertently support the use of WWE-esque rules in order to make a match like this more interesting (slick move, Ruben. He never even saw it coming!).
Jim Lawson - It only makes sense that we enlist the help of our friend Jim Lawson of The Warrior's Club to help us break down the epic rematch between two exciting BJJ warriors. Jim makes his second appearance on the show detailing the finer points of Keenan Cornelius' and Yuri Simoes' respective games and attacks. As the lone gi match of the card, Jim tells us how the match stacked up against the five other bouts (and even describes how the fight looked like in person at the Long Beach Convention Center that night).
Travis Newaza - Very few people can refer to themselves as the "sweetheart" of Brazilian Jiu-JItsu and get away with it. Yet somehow the distinction doesn't seem too far off when you get around to talking about Travis Newaza. As one the owner of one of the coolest BJJ brands out on the circuit (Newaza Apparel) Travis has made a name for himself as a brand owner who doesn't just make clothes for the BJJ community, but who also takes a great deal of pride in being immersed in the culture of the sport. On this podcast, Travis helps us measure the shock value of the Metamoris "secret match," it's overall impact, and even discusses the finer points of Ed O'Neil's head.
JT Torres - In order to get the most objective account of the match-up between JT Torres and Rory MacDonald we decided to ask JT himself to take an objective look at his match against Rory MacDonald. Just kidding. No part of our conversation is objective in the least. Instead, JT gives us the inside scoop on what it was like to compete against an opponent who outweighed him by close to 40+ pounds, outlines the game plan he used during the match (and describes the adjustments he had to make), and even takes a minute to respond to the comment that Rory was prepared to let his arm get broken on the Metamoris mats.
Rob Acree 
- And finally, closing out the podcast, is one of Kevin's training awesome partners from BJJ and MMA Training Center out in Chantilly, Virgina, Rob Acree. Rob uses his black belt acumen to properly contextualize the match between Renzo Gracie and Kazushi Sakuraba, navigating us through not only the historical significance of this highly-anticipated rematch, but also giving us a detailed breakdown of the techniques and strategies utilized by both Renzo and Sakuraba. Additionally, he helps me get in some great digs at Kevin's expense, so I seriously can't complain about that.
A damn good podcast from start to finish. Thanks to everyone who participated and helped us breakdown this monumental event. And keep an eye out real soon for episodes of Around the Mat to start popping up all around.
And get ready guys. Kevin touches down in LA in just a few days and we've already got big plans for our 100th episode! Get ready folks!
If you want to send us a message on our social media, merely hastag #VerbalTapTurns100 with a twitter message, Instagram meme, video or Vine to send us a message (we might just talk about it on air)!
Oh Yeah, Check This Out
I got the chance to shoot the shit with Garry Tonon this week. Good times were had.
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[buzzsprout episode='222389' player='true']
Raf's Recollection | I'll never forget the time I discovered Mac Danzig and I had a mutual set of friends. Years ago I discovered that Mac and I were only a couple degrees of separation away from each other all thanks to my best friend Bobby.
And when you're in good with my long-time best friend (and future best man at my wedding) and his family, in my book, it means you've already been vetted and that you're good people.
Before I had a podcast, or even really knew I'd take up jiu-jitsu, I was just a UFC fan who enjoyed Mac's work in the Octagon. Perhaps it's my knowledge of how reality shows work and get spliced together, but even when I sat at home watching his time on The Ultimate Fighter I always thought he got a bum wrap on the way he was depicted. It's not entirely surprising, it's just the nature of the beast known as reality TV.
But as someone who doesn't tend to get caught up in that sort of thing (even then), I just knew I liked his fighting style and thought he had a promising future (in retrospect, I can see that I have a long history of rooting for the jiu-jitsu guys). Naturally, I was stoked to see him go on to win the show and have a solid run in the UFC.
After years of hearing great things about him and the way he teaches from our mutual friends, I was pleasantly surprised a few months ago when I heard he was holding a Striking for Submissions seminar down here in LA. I packed up the gym bag and made it down.
Before the seminar, I got the chance to meet and exchange pleasantries. We talked about our mutual connections and BS-ed about a number of MMA and BJJ topics, all the while Mac lived up to all of the great qualities our mutual friends had come to say about him.
By the time we got around to the seminar and I saw him demonstrate his first BJJ transition, I realized something I had long since forgotten: Mac was one of the first people I watched and learned how to do jiu-jitsu technique from.
While I had watched a number of fights before his tenure on The Ultimate Fighter, I never really paid attention to the science of it all. For whatever reason, his style just clicked with me and, while I may not have understood the exact reasoning behind every grip or underhook, I remember finding myself interested in the craft and wanting to learn how to break it all down.
And on this day, on these mats, there he was telling me to stop doing the technique so wrong and try to get it right for a change.
He didn't actually say that, but you're all familiar with how I roll by now.
Nonetheless, it was just a cool moment in my training journey and all the more reason his appearance on the show was so cool for me personally.
On the podcast this week, Mac (37:20) drops in to provide a little more insight about the actual production of The Ultimate Fighter, the awesome connection he has to the world of animation, his interest in photography, what its like to transition out of fighting, and even describes what it's like to be on the other side of the cage as a referee.
It's a fantastic first conversation with a guy who's been a friend of podcast long before we even had him on. We look forward to having him back on some time soon.
In the meantime, check out his work at http://www.macdanzigphoto.net/.
As an avid photography fan, I'm not one to put over work if I don't find it really good. But his stuff is awesome and I strong encourage you all to give it a gander.
But Wait, There's More!
Our pal, Alex Perez returns on this week's podcast to find out if he beat Kevin in our UFC 180 edition of Over/Under Kevin.
In addition to finding out the results, Alex helps us recap all of the awesome (that sick main event), the disgusting (Ultimate Fighters taking a #2 in the cage), and the really disgusting (the worst PSA for Cauliflower ears ever) things that made one of the shortest UFC PPV's in recent memory a fun and unpredictable night of fights.
Metamoris 5: The Game Show
Because no Metamoris card is complete without at least three match-up changes, we had to get creative with our latest Around the Mat preview series. We always like to record these things a week out of the show as to try and get you a preview that's the most up-to-date possible, but when the news hit that Kevin "KO" Casey was out of his match-up (prompting the BJJ equivalent of American Idol to take place) as I was editing the latest installment of our Metamoris Preview Series, I had to do something.
This was that something.
The following is a sneak preview of our show that's coming out a little later tonight. Hope you all enjoy it!
EDIT: And here's the entire full length episode for your viewing pleasure:
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Raf's Recollection | We all know Garry Tonon [46:54] as one of the most exciting grapplers on the planet. With an aggressive style on the mats that relentlessly goes after submissions, Garry has made a huge name for himself in the world of competitive jiu-jitsu as one of the most reliable "sure bets" for an exciting match.
Even when if it means putting himself in terrible positions. And that's just part of what makes his matches so unpredictably exciting.
The guy has a gas tank that puts a great number of us to shame (despite a number of well-documented accounts of how much fast-food the kid ingests). But, as I came to find out last week, even interviewing Garry Tonon can be a workout.
Not because the guy is a difficult interview (our conversation is a lot of fun), but because he just has so much energy, you have to match his level of intensity during the interview. Even in the moments we spent talking with Garry off-air, before our interview officially began, Kev and I found ourselves having a great time comparing notes and jokes. As I overheard the rapid-fire cadence in his voice, it began to make complete sense:
Garry Tonon doesn't do anything slow.
With that in mind, I encourage you all to give a listen to a dynamic interview we do with Garry, as we touch upon all the bases: his match at Metamoris 5, what his expectations of his opponent Zak Maxwell, if his eating habits are truly as terrible as some Metamoris preview videos lead us to believe, what it's like to train with Rory MacDonald, and what he really thought of my interpretation of his BJJ game at Metamoris 5.
Yep. This one.
It should be noted that a running joke at my gym has been how when I played Garry, my jiu-jitsu was way better than normal. Leaps and bounds better. So while I'd love to base my game entirely on Garry's movement, I will remind you that too is an exhausting endeavor (the guy never quits moving).
Be sure to give Garry's episode a listen and then let us know what you think!
Peace Out, JEvans
Last week, we said goodbye to our pal, John Evans who is forging ahead with his journey to open out his own jiu-jitsu school. Mind you, he'll still be here in the Valley, but he's going to be opening up his own place for BJJ instruction very soon.
As one of the most influential people in my BJJ career, I can't thank John enough for his patience and his help with my game. Any gains I've made over the past few years are due in part to his superb coaching abilities.
And because no goodbye is without it's hardships, allow me to post the video of the way we closed out John's experience here at VMAC.
[embed]http://instagram.com/p/vE4UiBj6r5[/embed]
Be sure to follow him on Twitter at @BJJBreakdown and look out for more updates about his school at BJJBreakdown.com.
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[buzzsprout episode='216302' player='true']
Raf's Recollection | Man, oh man, did we pack an episode worth of great content for you this week. We've got interviews with JT Torres (28:52) and Shakib from Submission Fight Co. (1:01:31) and we also recap who won on the UFC 179 installment of Over/Under Kevin with our pal Marcus Kowal.
But let's start with our friend JT Torres.
It's harder to find a nicer more terrifying human being on our guest list.
I had the pleasure of meeting JT back at an Metamoris 2 afterparty and was completely impressed with his polite and friendly demeanor. Despite being a killer on the mats, JT is of of the nicest BJJ competitors I've had the pleasure of running into. That night, he was kind enough to talk with me about his match, exchange some fun jiu-jitsu stories, and even give me some words of encouragement about my own BJJ practices (at one point saying my jiu-jitsu couldn't possibly be as bad as I was describing... that's when you truly know someone is nice).
On the podcast this week, we get JT to talk a little bit about his prep for Metamoris 5, his time training at ATOS, his love of video games, why he decided to attack Andre Galvao on the beach of that one Metamoris preview video thing, and even get him to participate in the very first podcast version of our trademark 2 Minute Drill of rapid fire questions at the end of his interview.
Looking forward to seeing this (polite) killer back on the Metamoris mats in the coming weeks in his upcoming match with UFC fighter Rory MacDonald. This may be one of the few times an American will out-polite a Canadian post-match.
Maybe.
RevGear and Marcus Kowal
One of the things I like about Marcus Kowal is how random he can be. For example, while it's not uncommon to see him at an event like the RevGear BJJ League Tournament, it's another thing to just happen to see him coach and then immediately compete right thereafter.
But that's Marcus for ya.
My compliments to RevGear for attracting some of the coolest folks I know on the BJJ circuit to compete this week.
It's always a blast running into so many of these awesome BJJ competitors and many of their fights did not disappoint. I'm hoping we'll see them with another tournament here in SoCal soon enough!
We talk a little bit about Marcus' competition at the tournament (as well as what it was like competing against one of Josh Barnett's beastly wrestling students) and then we find out who won this week's installment of Over/Under Kevin: UFC 179.
Submission Fight Co.
We then close out this stacked episode with an interview of the owner of Submission Fight Co.
Over the past few months, a lot has been printed about the brand. And rightfully so.
Earlier this year Submission Fight Co. discovered that products that they believed to be hemp-based were discovered to contain no trace of hemp. Discussion threads were dedicated to it, blog posts written, videos conducted with many customers expressing frustration with the company.
Rather than speculating on the issue, we decided to go straight to the source to ask him what events transpired, how the company discovered the problem, and what practices Submission Fight Co. intends to partake going forward.
We invite you to give the interview a listen and decide for yourself.
More World Jiu-Jitsu Expo Videos This Week
Trying to edit these as fast as possible, but here's a few more interviews for ya to take a look at. Hope you enjoy 'em!
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Raf's Recollection | Vinny Magalhaes {13:29) is the MMA version of a workaholic. It seems like every time he finishes a fight or a grappling match, he's already lining up the next fight (or two).
You might even call him a fight-aholic. It's like the guy's addicted to competing.
Lucky for us it results in some amazing fights to watch both in the cage and on the mats.
Shortly after walking us through his sick light heavyweight title win at Titan FC 30, Vinny talks to us about his next Metamoris 5 match-up against Kevin "KO" Casey (... only to work on creating a match for himself at Metamoris 6).
That's right. A month before Metamoris 5 even happens, Vinny's already offering himself as available and ready to fight at Metamoris 6.
But that's the spirit of the fight in Vinny. He's a goal-oriented fighter who's not just content holding MMA gold around his waist. It seems like he's ready to fight any time, any where, any place.
On this week's podcast, Vinny describes his Titan FC 30 fight camp, what his training partners think of his workaholic tendencies, and even gives us some insight into the fighter psychology that takes place inside of the cage.
Then Vinny switches gears to answer some BJJ questions, including his thoughts on Keenan Cornelius' performance at Metamoris 4, what it's like to film one of those Metamoris preview videos, and even starts walking us through some of the competitors he'd like to have a rematch with.
Also, he fields a question thrown our way from Renato Laranja and then is informed about Kevin's poor attempt to recreate Vinny's match from Metamoris 4.
So Vinny, if you're watching. Here's the video of the terrible re-creation and I will be happy to provide you with Kevin's address once you finish watching it.
EBI Dos!
A
lso on the podcast, I talk a little bit about what it was like to watch the Eddie Bravo Invitational 2 in person.
I don't want to go too much into detail (as the show has yet to be televised and we're working on a cool side project here as part of our coverage), but it was a cool experience that was a blast to attend.
I just wanted to take a moment to thank the wonderful participants (a number of whom are friends of the podcast) who did an exceptional job that evening. And also, my thanks to Alex Perez for the fantastic work helping us with fight coverage through the night.
Are You Going to the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo?
If so, don't be afraid to stop by and say hello. I'll be covering the event live in Long Beach all weekend and would love to run into you guys while we're there.
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And FINALLY...
Check out our latest installment of Around the Mat, where we break down the Metamoris 4 match between Dean Lister and Josh Barnett.
We love hearing what you guys have had to say about our other installments, so keep them comments and likes comin'!
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Raf's Recollection | We always seem to catch Rafael Lovato Jr. [28:06] at incredible junctures in his career.
Our first conversation with Lovato took place a little over a year ago (Episode 24; yeesh, time really flies), just shortly after he became the first non-Brazilian to win the Absolute division at the Brasileiro. Since then, we've had the good fortune of running into him several times around the jiu-jitsu circuit and were even granted the opportunity to cover one of his awesome seminars out in Vegas a couple of months ago.
Always polite, willing to give us a few moments of his time, and extremely supportive of our crazy dog and pony show we call a podcast, Lovato has been one of the biggest champions of our show (and a good friend to us both on-and-off air).
Which is why when we heard a rumor that our pal would be making his way into the world of Mixed Martial Arts, we knew we needed to hear directly from the source about this new major milestone in his fighting career.
On September 26th, we get the opportunity to see Rafael compete in the Legacy FC cage (alongside his supremely talented BJJ phenom, Justin Rader, who will also be fighting at the Hard Rock Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma that night). For some, this is a chance to see how a storied BJJ competitor, known for his aggression and exciting finishes, fares in the world of MMA.
But for Rafael this fight isn't just the culmination of a six week training camp. It's the chance to test a lifetime's worth of work as a martial artist in an entirely different way.
Just because Rafael is best known for his incredible work as a BJJ competitor, doesn't mean he's ignored other fighting disciplines all these years. Unlike other BJJ practitioners who make the transition to MMA, the integration of other disciplines is something that was instilled into him at an early age (and has been maintained in-between BJJ sessions at his own gym for some time). Now Lovato has an avenue to show us another dimension or two of his MMA game.
And it's a challenge that is reinvigorating him.
On this week's podcast, Rafael speaks candidly about his training regimen, his expectations, and the difficulty of putting away the gi to concentrate on his stand up game. We hear more about the impressive array of talent coming to help him get ready for his fight and even get to hear Rafael's thoughts about the most recent Metamoris card.
Two weeks out from fight night, there are certainly more questions than there are certainties on how it will all go down (how will Lovato transition to the cage? what kind of game will he bring to the table on fight night? what if the fight never goes to the ground?). And yet, despite the uncertainty, there is one thing you can take to the bank:
Win or lose, we got his back.
With far and few athletes really carrying the banner of jiu-jitsu in the world of MMA, we root for a guy who has consistently given his all on the mats. Who has inspired others to play an aggressive game and make history every time they go out to compete. And, perhaps most importantly, we root for the guy who has a conviction to represent the jiu-jitsu community when he enters that cage.
For all those reasons (and so much more), we are eagerly anticipating this fight.
Check his appearance out on the podcast and hit us up on our social media to let us know what you think!
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But Wait, There's More!
Oh yeah, in case you haven't been keeping up with us on the YouTube, check out our latest installment of our BJJ panel talk show, Around the Mat. On our latest episode we breakdown the match between Kit Dale and Garry Tonon (complete with exclusive footage from the event). Let us know what you think!
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Also, if for some reason you don't see our Buzzsprout player embedded up above, you can also listen to this week's episode of our podcast right here on Stitcher.
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Raf's Recollection | Following in the lead of our most popular episode ever (our Metamoris 3 recap, Episode 66), we enlisted the services of a host of guests who know far more about the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu than we do to help us review all things Metamoris 4.
That's right, we cover it all: the shocks, the surprises, the missing championship belts, the streaks that came to a halting end, the "secret match" that was hardly a secret to anyone, the fashion, the beards, the Nevada Athletic Commission, the drum circles critiques. It's ALL here!
Also, how have we not discussed the official promo poster to the right here looking like the worst direct-to-Redbox movie cover to ever hit the scene (are they athletes or aliens)?
But I digress, let's carry on:
Allow me to introduce you to our all-star panel for this episode:
Amechi Akpom - Our brotha from the mighty BJJ Training Journal ap (now available for droid users!) kicks things off for us with his review of the high caliber match between Garry Lee Tonon and Kit Dale. Not only was Amechi there to see the event live, but he also got the chance to run into Kit and Garry later that evening post-match (because that's the kind of in-depth reporting Amechi brings to this podcast). Amechi tells us a little bit about the behind-the-scenes action and breaks down how he saw this fast paced match.
Jim Lawson - Now I hear you asking, "Hey Raf, why would you put a rival BJJ podcast host on your show?" And I'd tell you the answer is simple: he threatened me. Yep, literally called me out to come train with him and I've yet to do so (I've been busy, lay off). Nonetheless, Jim from the amazing The Warrior's Club podcast brings a true black belt perspective in helping us break down the match between Saulo Ribeiro and Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros. And although he's a "rival" podcaster in this crazy saturated world of BJJ chat shows, we here couldn't be happier The Warrior's Club is back on air.
Brandon Mccaghren - Since the day we stumbled upon the guy behind the hilarious "I Dominated Eddie (The Gracie Filter)" show, Brandon has become a beloved staple here at the podcast. His giant goofball nature has fit in perfectly with us and we were stoked when he agreed to talk about the epic encounter between Keenan Cornelius and Vinny Magalhaes. But that's not all, Brandon pulled double duty for the podcast this week when he premiered the very first song written about our show (that's right, we have a song written about us!). Not since the days of Eagle Eye Cherry have I heard lyrics and guitar work that poignant. Thank you, Brandon. Thank. You.
Eric Medina - Eric made his Verbal Tap debut on our last Metamoris recap show and gave us some great insight into Eddie Bravo's training regimen. This time he ups the ante as he gives us a play-by-play account of how he figured out the highly guarded Metamoris 4 "secret match (well, most of it)," then talks about the crazy exhibition put on by Baret Yoshida and Jeff Glover. We are also stoked to hear that Eric will be participating at the next Eddie Bravo Invitational and look forward to seeing him do his thing on that stage again.
Brent Burniston - 
If you've been listening to the podcast lately, you've likely heard me speak about the excellent experiences I've had training with Brent and his crew over at SubconsciousBJJ. With the historic result of the match between Josh Barnett and Dean Lister, we needed the kind of expertise and analysis that only a Jean Jacques Machado black belt can provide. Brent not only does a great job breaking down the match, but also gives us some much-needed perspective on what's next for bothBarnett and Lister. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Brent's instruction is top notch. There's a reason why everyone at my viewing party turned to him to help make sense of this match. Lucky for us, he was happy to give that same analysis and insight for the podcast.
John Evans - It's not a true Metamoris review show without John Evans. There's a reason why John Evans is one of the most popular guests on our podcast. His love of jiu-jitsu is infectious. One only needs to watch a few minutes of his detailed insight on his BJJ Breakdown youtube page to really see how much jiu-jitsu and the practice of teaching the art are in his soul. Which is why we asked John to help us break down the final match between Andre Galvao and Chael Sonnen. We talk about what surprised him in the match, the drama leading up to it all, and even break down the hilarious promo that left many of us cheering for Chael (even if we didn't really understand what the hell any of it actually meant).
Metamoris cards always bring the best out of us here on the podcast and that is due in great part to our panel. I want to thank these guys for taking their time to walk us through a great event and can't wait to hear what you all think about it.
Hit us up folks. You know the places to give us feedback.
Facebook: /VerbalTapCast
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And stay on the lookout for a new installment of our Around the Mat YouTube series. Word has it, we've got a Metamoris 4 Review show that's worth your time. Look for it over on our YouTube page right here in the next few days.
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Raf's Recollection | More about our conversation with our pal Mike Jasper coming soon!
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Raf's Recollection | Joey Diaz is a real motherfucker.
There's an old adage that says "never meet your heroes." The saying implies that you'll only set yourself up for disappointment when you finally meet the person you admire.
In entertainment, that saying consistently true. But not with Joey Coco Diaz.
I've always been a fan of his style of comedy and over the past year I've had the pleasure of getting to know Joey as both a stand up comic and a BJJ training partner.
On stage or on his podcast (The Church of What's Happening Now), Joey is ferocious, uncensored. A beast. He has this great old school energy that is severely lacking in this PC sensitive world.
Off stage, Joey is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. The dude's selfless and has gone out of his way to do nice things for his friends on numerous occasions. He's offered to do my talk show, he did this podcast, and he even offered to help me out with a new project that I'll be sharing with you all very soon.
On the podcast this week, we ask Joey about his training in BJJ, why MMA audiences gravitate toward his sense of humor, and get some fun stories about his time working with Robert DeNiro in the movie Grudge Match.
It's a great conversation that is truly an extension of the great vibe that Joey brings to my gym, Valley Martial Arts Center. And I can honestly say that our gym is all the better having him there. Our thanks to Joey D. for one of our favorite conversations.
Subconscious Jiu-Jitsu
Last week, I had the chance to train over at Subconscious Jiu-Jitsu over in North Hollywood. Friend of the podcast Brent Burniston teaches a hell of a class.
At the end of the podcast, I talk a little bit about what it was like to watch an instructor teach the counter to one of your go-to's (and love every second of it).
I was stoked to finally get to train there and I look forward to visiting Brent's academy sometime soon again!
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Raf's Recollection | More to come about Metamoris 3.
Raf and Kev compare notes between seeing it live and the webcast, and the guys invite an all star group of BJJ friends to help us breakdown each match.
Give a listen right here.
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Raf's Recollection | Coming Soon, more on our exclusive interview with Clark Gracie.
Plus, we chat about last weekend's UFC Fight Night from Brazil, discuss our Metamoris 3 predictions, and then I talk a little bit about my recent engagement (because Kevin can't stop bringing it up).
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Raf's Recollection | Perhaps the coolest thing about this week’s podcast was gaining insight into the two very different paths of Metamoris 3 participants Samir Chantre and Zak Maxwell.
By now, many of us have seen the preview videos, we’ve heard the stories, but few of us actually know
how the Metamoris match-ups come together. On this installment, Zak tells us the way he was approached to compete at the tournament, while Samir gives us some insight into the training practices and strategies that go into preparing for this unique 20 minute, submission style match up.
Not only that, but Samir also tells us what it’s like training with Caio Terra, what competitive activities jiu-jitsu rock stars do on their days off, and even gives us some insight on how the hell this photo came together.
This photo may also help to explain the sense of humor Samir exhibits when we ask him about the possibility of forming a tag team partnership with Clark Gracie to take on the Mendes Brothers.
Meanwhile, we talk with Zak about the awkward wording on his BJJ Heroes profile, the way he studies tape for upcoming jiu-jitsu matches, and gives us some fantastic detail about his training sessions with Royler Gracie (his wording about Royler should be put on a t-shirt and sold immediately).
And as we get closer to Metamoris 3, it’s listening stories like Samir’s and Zak’s that help us better understand the mentality of two different, but widely respected jiu-jitsu practitioners as they prepare for such a highly anticipated event.
But Wait, There’s More
Not only do we do a summary of last week’s UFC Fight Night in London, we also call upon our friend Marshal D. Carper to participate in our latest installment of Over/Under Kevin: UFC 171 edition.
Normally, I surprise Kevin with the folks he takes on in this segment, but this marks the first time I was ever surprised by one of our guests who brought a guest of their own.
Marshal’s not one to take things lightly, so he definitely put in a lot of time into his picks—which is such a wonderful contrast to Kevin’s CliffNotes preparation.
You can follow Marshal at one of this twenty writing things on the internet. Try these:
Or you can read his book.
For the observant among you, you may notice that Marshal left a note on my copy of his book with an inscription to me.
And just because I know you're begging for it...
Here is that inscription.
Well played, Marshall. Well played.
[buzzsprout episode='146436' player='true']
Raf's Recollection | It is always a good time when John Evans stops by the podcast. This week, I surprise my slow witted co-host in our latest installment of Over/Under Kevin with the return of John Evans to help us preview UFC 169.
It seems like it’s been forever and a day since we last had John on the podcast, but we get a chance to catch up on what the very busy jiu-jitsu badass and all-around-good-guy has been up to.
And man, has this guy been busy.
Last week, John hosted the very first BJJ Breakdown Blue Belt, Submission Only invitational. It was a live event that John organized and streamed that featured some great match-ups among some of the most respected blue belts around our community (and ultimately won by the awesome Kyle Buena).
For those who missed the live stream, John just put up the first match from the event up on his YouTube page. I’d highly encourage you to check it out and keep an eye out at BJJBreakdown YouTube page for even more awesome fights.
Verbal Tap Covers RFA 12
So, not only do we preview who will win UFC 169 with a game of Over/Under Kevin between Evans and Kevin, but we also talk about the awesome time we had covering Resurrection Fighting Alliance 12 last Friday.
The fights did not disappoint. Not only did we get to see our friends from Systems Trianing Center pull off a hat trick’s worth of submissions at the event (Dmitry Gerasimov, Terrion Wear, and Pedro Munhoz), but the entire fight card from start to finish provided a set of spectacular finishes, knock outs, and battles inside that cage. It’s no wonder this organization has sent 8 fighters to the UFC recently; the caliber of the fighters involved is nothing short of spectacular.
My eternal thanks to our pal Octavio Villanueva for his fantastic work helping put this all together. In addition to being an awesome BJJ practitioner, Octavio also put together this fantastic RFA 12 highlight reel that deserves your attention and your likes.
Starting a Rukus
We also speak with Fight Music producer Mikey Rukus about his upcoming music tour. If you’re not familiar with Mikey just yet, chances are you’re already familiar with his work—as he’s provided the walk out entrances to some of your favorite MMA athletes.
Mikey’s about to embark upon a music tour that will be touring alongside the next series of UFC events across the country, so definitely go check him out if you get the chance!
Thank You, Readers (and BJJ Reddit)
We also talk about the first entry about my BJJ Training Journal series (Shouldn’t You Be a Blue Belt by Now?) and describe how blown away we were by the community’s support (especially the great folks over at BJJ Reddit).
My mind's still blown that an introspective piece about my own experiences would resonate with so many people, but I'm humbled and encouraged by all of your kind words. It's moments like this that remind me I am involved in the right support and prove why the jiu-jitsu community is the best in sports. As such, I will continue to keep you updated on my progress through humorous essays and recaps. Again, thank you all so much. I can't wait for you to read the next one.
Also, feel free to throw topics and ideas at me. I'll be happy to write essays and jokes about prompts that you guys throw at me, so feel free to do so over at @VerbalTapCast.
In Case You Missed It
Check out my interview with Ralek Gracie from RFA 12, where we talk about Metamoris 3, why it’s so hard to make money in jiu-jitsu, and why you should buy the live stream of Metamoris 3.
And, don’t sleep on my post-fight interview with recent Verbal Tap guest, Dmitry Gigapet.
Or is it Gerasimov? I can never remember.
That's all for now folks. We'll see you back here next week with another thrilling installment of Verbal Tap.
Raf's Recollection | Allow me to be entirely forthcoming: Metamoris II was the first time I’ve ever attended a grappling tournament.
Over the years, I’ve covered and attended dozens of UFC’s, Mixed Martial Arts competitions, and boxing matches, but last Sunday marked the first time I’ve ever attended a grappling-only tournament.
Yes, I, too, have no idea how I’ve never been to a single grappling-only tournament; No, I don’t get out much.
Now that’s not to say I’m completely oblivious to the competitive world of competitive jiu-jitsu. I’m familiar with the athletes, I regularly watch the matches, and have an above average recollection of the trends in the sport. But it’s also why I thought it best to bring along a strong jiu-jitsu technician (and all around good guy), John Evans, to properly contextualize the event for all of our dedicated grappling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu fans (you can read his excellent summary of the event right here).
Having said all that, I came to Metamoris with high expectations. This is, after all, an event that prides itself on being the alternative to the oft-criticized world of elite jiu-jitsu. The format, the rules, and the first-rate caliber athletes involved display a thoughtful and measured response to the “point” and “advantage” system that some argue ruin the essence of modern jiu-jitsu competition.
And with just that concept and design, the event gave us plenty to talk about this week: On our podcast here, we touch upon all of the individual matches (good and bad) and have a thoughtful discussion about type athleticism that was displayed on the Metamoris mats.
But I’d like to take a moment to talk specifically about my own experience and the concept of “spectacle.”
To begin, you could tell there were a few looming ghosts from inaugural event. After the event started over an hour late last year, everything seemed rushed at the pace of a runaway freight train. I’m a stickler to keeping things prompt, but I can also understand the difficulty of keeping things on time for a PPV, when you have matches that can go anywhere from one to twenty minutes (especially when five of the six matches go the distance). However, from a production standpoint, if the audience feels like you’re rushing, chances are it’s because you’re rushing. There is a certain effortlessness the event has yet to find that can easily make the production value of the event come off as more assured.
Second, in what was perhaps the biggest conversation piece after the event: Match-ups are key. When they work (Galvao v. Lovato Jr., Dern v. Nicolini), they produce fascinating displays of jiu-jitsu between two equally matched opponents that, even if they don’t end in a finish, do more to advance the art. But when you get match ups that are a hard sell to begin with, you sometimes get what you pay for. My sincere congrats for Brendan Schaub for volunteering to be a participant in the event. Seriously. It’s a level of competition that is truly difficult and I don’t think anyone would fault him for wanting to be involved. Would I have like to see him engage more with Cyborg? Of course. Would I have like to have seen Cyborg calculate a new game plan when there was an opponent who was “running away?” Sure. But the fault isn’t so black and white. Did Schaub have an obligation to “fall into Cyborg’s guard?” Should a seasoned jiu-jitsu guy like Cyborg—who doesn’t typically have the problem of an opponent who is constantly backpedaling—be forced to dictate the pace and abandon his own game plan just because he “knows better?” Again, a tricky conundrum. It seemed both performers were implementing a game plan to “win,” which sadly came at the expense of anything remotely worth watching. So let’s take it a step further: With the very prevalent disparity between the participants, what was the expectation in this match? I’ve run this scenario a hundred times in my brain and have still yet to produce an answer, except to say that maybe next year we give Cyborg an opponent that’s at least on his level. I think there are few people who would question Cyborg’s placement on a Metamoris card, why not give him the type of opponent he deserves? Who knows, could produce something that’s fascinating for all the right reasons.
And I’m sure I can spend a lot of time discussing how the event would have been better served with more than a week after the Worlds (we can play this set of “what if” scenarios for days). But I take Metamoris President Ralek Gracie and team at their word when they say they plan to work around other jiu-jitsu competitions in the future.
Blemishes aside, Metamoris has more in its win column than it does in its needs improvement file.
The stage. The programs. The invitations. The promos. All things this tournament gets right. But it’s more than just all the small things, for me the thing that makes Metamoris so uniquely special is “the feel.”
The majority of the audience (when they’re not heckling Schaub) is quiet and respects the athletes. The mood is tense and ooh’s and aww’s come with every sweep and take down attempt almost instinctively, with the tempered politeness a reflection of an educated audience who understands how difficult many of these moves are to pull off. In some ways, despite the band, the big lights, and the large cheering crowd, the competition gives off a kind of “exclusive” vibe. At one point, the intimacy of the venue and quietness made it feel like we were given the opportunity to watch a match between two high level practitioners at a local academy that would otherwise be closed off to the lower belts and spectators. The kind of thing that in years past would have just been the subject of lore and storytelling. Pulling off that kind of thing isn’t easy and is certainly worthy of recognition.
So depending on what it is you consider ideal, I think when it comes to format, even the most impassioned jiu-jitsu fan would have to admit that the concept of a perfect system seems somewhat out of reach.
There will always be Brendan Schaub’s. Time limit draws. Audiences who may not “get it” or resist these kinds of events from time to time.
But that doesn’t mean we stop trying. Aside from all of the superb attention to detail and ethos the Gracie family loans this event, the strongest thing Metamoris may have going for it right now is zeitgeist. It is the right tournament at the right time.
Frankly, as a jiu-jitsu fan, we don’t have many large-scale options. There’s no other event that makes this sport come off like a spectacle. The athletes are treated like rock stars, the selection of venue is just right, and a majority of the players and participants are spot-on. For the time being, why not make this the exclusive home for competitive jiu-jitsu? Care less about giving us match-ups with marquee UFC fighters and care more about filling that spectacle void that so many of us jiu-jitsu fans crave and need.
And, in return, as fans of the sport, we should keep the following grim realities in check before we use our collective wit to troll the internet: we don’t live in an age where Nike sponsorships happen to the elite-level jiu-jitsu practitioner, we don’t have coverage on national prime time television, and the sport that closest resembles this one is currently fighting for its rightful place in the Olympics. At the end of the day, I think we need to ask ourselves: do we want to see something like this on a regular basis? And, if so, is there anything else out there like it? At least here, for better or worse, we have a collection of folks putting this event together who care.
The very figurehead of said organization caring so much he does something like this:
I’m not sure I share the look of grave concern expressed by Ralek here (I think the show was far from a disappointment and has more positives than his face lets on), but it is nice to know that going forward we’ve got someone who wants to give us the best kind of experience possible. But I also feel good in knowing that as long as he and his team are committed to giving us a first-rate event, they merit a strong consideration for an experimental format that puts jiu-jitsu on display for those people who love it.
And that’s why I, for one, was happy to call Metamoris II my first live grappling experience. And hope it’s the first of many to come.