GREAT MATCH! Jay is one of the toughest guys I know and Jonatas has a very slick half guard game. great match.
mt
good match, Novaes saved up that sweep for the end. Valko was doing a great job from the top until then.
great job jay!
ttt
Man I was frustrated in that half guard. We're both guard guys but he pulled guard before I could. Swept each other, 2-2, then he swept me again and stood instead of being in my guard. The video cuts out when I double leg him. 4-4 me winning by advantage, then he nailed that sweep at the end. He won 6-4.
First thing I did when back in the gym was start using his half guard grips (near side arm hold the leg in place). First time I've competed in a while, wanted to do a warm up to the Chicago International Open (if that even happens), looking forward to rolling with Jonatas again.
Nice job Jay.
That looks like an annoying Half-Guard to be in!
Great match. I wish time hadn't run out, would have liked to see more. I like to play that game too.
^ Do you use those same grips...?
^I use the grip that Jay mentioned, where you control the very end of his pants on the leg that you have in half guard. I use the other hand on his lapel or sleeve depending on the situation.
Anyway, it was the grip on the leg that gave him the most trouble. That grip is a bitch for the guy on top & has to be broken to pass. You can't break it coming forward though. You need to sprawl the leg. It's very difficult to maintain the grip when the opponent sprawls. I've ripped pant legs with it because of the sprawl.
Anyway, I really liked how Jonatas would switch to the sweep when Jay stood up on that foot. Sorry Jay, I was rooting for you bro. Sorry for the long post too.
^ Hmmm... that's very interesting. Never knew that. Thanks.
^I think Cyborg shows it a little on his dvd. He's the one who taught me that grip. I like it alot because it keeps that arm safe from being dominated and I can stay on my shoulder where I want to be.
its the same as the tornado grip. i havent used it a ton this way, seems like if you lose control of your opponents sleeve with the other hand your top arm will be in trouble no?
seems like by going to this grip instead of blocking a cross face, you would allow the opponent to crossface and pressure in w/ this free hand. Thus you potentially could be fighting from flat off your back, which could present problems. No ?
dbl
The good thing about that grip is that you don't have to keep your legs figure four or ankles crossed. You have a free leg which is used to control the distance between you and your opponent so that he can't attack your arm or crossface you. I invert from this position a lot.
If he does get head control he still needs to break the grip before he can pass. Jay had head control in the clip posted and it didn't do him any good because as soon as he came up on the foot of the trapped leg his opponent swept him.
I'm not saying the position can't be killed. Like any other position it has pros & cons.
Amazing that in 10 years of training I've never encountered that grip before. Always so much to learn!
If you watch old videos of Jamelao (the guy Jonatas got his blackbelt from) you will see he uses it a lot. (Also, funny story, Jamelao used to be out all night partying....show up at the tournament in the morning and go to sleep in the venue....guys would wake him up minutes before he went on the mat to fight, and he would win tournaments with little or no sleep...unreal stuff.) Sounds like a real character. He used to be flat on his back in the half guard a lot. Very effective with this grip. It is also good to switch your grip from the leg in the half guard to the other (free) leg when looking for sweeps in this type of half guard.
Jonatas is very good with his half guard flat on his back and even is very effective in this position no gi (BELIEVE ME I KNOW!)
Great match. Also, props to Jay for beating Red Schafer earlier that day.
I have been watching Jonatas Novaes's matches on Youtube for several years now. Where does he train?? I would love to do a private lesson with him. He uses the Bridge Concept - greatly.
^ believe he trains under comprido at FLO MMA..