Mucho props to Royce Gracie for havING the common sense or lack of balls by finally shedding his gi.
After a decade of competing in every event he entered wearing a gi he left the security blanket at home when he stepped into the ring with Yoshida.
In the end this move gained him a draw and prevented his ass from getting kicked bad. Hell, Royce would have become the first white satellite.
Yoshida now stands at 1-0-1 vs. Royce.
Man, Yoshida weighed in 30 pnds heavier thant Royce and still got tooled. To bad he didnt have the ref in his pocket this time.
1-0-1 Advantage Yoshi. Check any record book in the world.
Tooled? He dominated the first round, even after getting ball-shotted.
Additionally, by Yoshi utilizing the turtle so successfully against Royce it would seem to debunk the notion by bjj stylists that if a bb in bjj gets your back you are as good as submitted.
LONG LIVE THE FREAKIN' TURTLE!
I have to say that not wearing the gi was smart. I wouldnt wear a gi against Yoshida either..
I wouldn't wear a gi either if I had to fight Yoshida. Unless of course it was some type of badge of honor to wear it against anyone.
Truly I am disappointed with Yoshi using the turtle for the entire 2nd round. There must be a reason for that. Maybe he was gassed but that is hard to believe. I am not suprised he turtled but it should have been an attacking type of turtle not a defensive one. I have to see the fight.
Also, I wish Royce elected to wear the gi for that truly would have been more interesting to see a classic mma fight between two great jacket fighters.
I think he was using the turtle because the ballshot took more out of him that we knew
I have mulled that over also. We will have to wait and see what comes out in the wash.
I really have to think that after Royce stating he'd always fight with the gi (a ufc interview a few years back) that he lost the nerve to wear it against Yoshida....all the talk about Yoshi haveing no bushido is very laughable after royce sheding the gi after wearing it for over 10 years in mma. I'd love to have seen another Gi MMA match with those two.
I also find it funny that everyone is claimming it a victory for Royce...who by his own wishes of having no judges gets a draw!
Chris,
I feel the same way.
I'd also like to ask Yoshida why he elected to turtle in round two. I can't figure that out.
OMG this is ridiculous. I can't believe you guys are acting like Royce did some cowardly, unsportsmanlike act by not wearing the gi. What about all the threads where people ask if Judo is ineffective without the gi and most judo guys would say that its still effective, just have to adjust etc etc. BJJ guys have to deal with their opponents not wearing gis, Judo guys should be able to do the same.
Ths sad thing is, this isn't just guys like Circus or pdeking who I would expect this from and wouldn't even pay attention to them, but respectable guys from the judo forum that are saying these things.
Yoshida was tooled....physically and mentally.
JCT, Those are some good points. Come on now though the reason Royce did not wear the gi was because it increased his chance of winning, aye?
and it worked too
judo does wotk no gi. it doesnt work as well, but it can work. what nobody is putting into the equation here is that every-single person who has fought yoshida has had a gameplan to more or less run away from him when he gets a grip or to outright stop him from getting one that will allow for the throw.
if you want to know if it can or cant work just look at the karo match in the last UFC. throws can and do work, the only question is how prepared is your opponent to deal with them.
royce was well prepared, so was silva. thats all there is too it. likewise, yoshida was well prepared to defend the submissions. does that mean royce isnt any good at them?
-resnick
Osaekomi,
Of course the reason he didn't wear the gi was to increase his chance of winning. I hope everything he and Yoshida did regarding that fight was to increase their chances of winning.
The thing I disagree with, is the way this tactic is being spoken of as if its some cowardly bitch move.
JoshuaResnick,
I don't doubt that judo can be effective without the gi, I was just responding to all the talk implying that Royce not wearing the gi to thwart yoshida was indicative of having a "lack of balls."
As far as yoshida having to deal with guys running from him when he gets a grip etc, that's something that all fighters who are especially dominant in one area compared to other areas have had to deal with. BJJ fighters all the time have to deal with guys that are trying to avoid the ground game at all costs. Guys that are pure strikers will get taken down immediately etc. The only way to stop this is cross training to be more well rounded.
JCT, The point is by not wearing the gi he was admitting he was not as good as Yoshida is with the gi, aye? That was special because it is the very first time Royce has ever competed without a gi in anything. Props to Yoshida.
Question, was the groin shot intentional? If so that was cowardly.
Correct me if i'm wrong....Royce has worn a gi when competing because he wanted everyone to grab the gi. That gave him an advantage against most of his MMA competitors, right?
Now he decides not to wear a gi. doesn't that give him the advantage?
jt