The tournament is being held April 15^th, 16^th, and 17^th, and has a total prize value of $150,000. This is one of the largest purses in any Jiu Jitsu event in the world. The absolute champ will take home $12,000. Sure beats working in an office.

The event has the full support of the Abu Dhabi government and is supported personally by his Highness the Supreme Prince and Commander In Chief of the United Arab Emirates National Army, H. H. Sheik Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.  The tournament is being promoted as the largest in the world. Also new this year, there will be a womens division. It is great to see that women practitioners are gaining the same recognition in the sport as men.

Papa John will be attending with Gilson Fernandes .  One of the reasons they are going to Abu Dhabi is to support Jiu Jitsu International, and our Jiu Jitsu organization,  and discuss its participation amongst other countries. Sylvio Behring, president of the Jiu Jitsu Internationale Black Belt Council, will be there coaching Anderson Silva who is competing at a UFC event April 10th.

Also attending is Johnny Ramirez, who is a member of the USAJJ Black Belt Council and operates a successful Jiu Jitsu school in Los Angeles. As you may know, Johnny won the Abu Dhabi West Coast Trials which took place in Santa Cruz, CA on January 24th

The tournament will be open to everyone. Participation in the trials is not mandatory; however the winners of the trials have an all expenses paid trip to Abu Dhabi for the tournament.

This is a huge event featuring combatants from around the world. We all envy Papa John for his chance to take part in this amazing tournament.  Good Luck to Papa John and ALL the competitors, and have fun!

Jordan Military during troop maneuvers

Here is some exciting news. “Papa” John Gorman has been honored with an invitation by King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein of Jordan to visit his country!

The official invite came on behalf of the kings military. There, Papa John is planning to discuss the Modern Army Combatives Program with the Jordanian military.

The goal of Modern Combatives is to build real combative ability by teaching realistic training methods and growing self sustaining indigenous Combatives programs within units and organizations. It is focused on hand to hand combat, and Jiu Jitsu is a fundemental part of the system. It was developed by Matt Larsen, a member of the USAJJ Black Belt Council.

Papa John is also going to invite members of the Jordanian military to come to Fort Benning in Georgia to train. Fort Benning is the home of the United States Army Combatives School, started in 2002.

The school offers four levels of instructor certification, and it would allow Jordanian soldiers to learn here in the States, then return home and pass on the instruction. Also, instructors from the USACS could travel to Jordan, allowing for a mutually beneficial cross cultural training exchange.

And possibly even more exciting, Papa John is going assist in founding Jiu Jitsu Jordan, which will be yet another national organization under the Jiu Jitsu Internationale banner. Every country that joins our Jiu Jitsu organization brings us one step closer to our dreams of participating in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

So good luck Papa John and have a safe trip!

Grand Master Sylvio Behring

Master Behring will be teaching a seminar at the NTC on Monday, March 22nd and Tuesday, March 23rd from 6 PM to closing time. The best part is the price of the seminars: They’re FREE! That’s right, free. You can come learn from one of the greats of our sport for free. This is an unbelievable opportunity to learn Master Behring’s own style of Jiu Jitsu.

Master Behring is the President of the International Black Belt Council. He is a 7th degree Black Belt. He is also the man who awarded former UFC fighter and BJJ World Champion, Fabricio Werdum his black belt. One of Master Behring’s many activities also includes coaching current UFC Middleweight Champion, Anderson Silva.

Master Behring was honored as the Best BJJ Coach in Brazil in 2003 and is currently regarded as one of the BEST BJJ instructors in the world. And next week he will be teaching at one of the best Jiu Jitsu organizations in the world.

Do not miss this seminar. Master Behring will be explaining his personal Progressive Guard System, which he has been invited to teach to the U.S. Army. This is your opportunity to learn this style from the man who invented it.

This seminar is open to everyone who has a love of Jiu Jitsu. If you can make it, it’s going to be an event that you’ll talk about long after it’s over. And of course, it’s FREE. Really, there is no reason for you not to attend. We’ll see you there.

Luis Carreno and Team Legacy In Bogota, Colombia

Part of USA Jiu Jitsu’s mission is to support the Jiu Jitsu community. We recently talked about the children at risk in the favelas in Brazil. Today we want to ask for your help with needy children in Colombia.

The election of Alvaro Uribe in 2002 has drastically reduced the number of guerrillas and armed conflict in Colombia. But while the situation in Colombia has improved significantly for the better in the last decade , it is still not completely safe for these children. Colombia is still home to a large number of child combatants. Children are also often forced to live as refugees abroad or are displaced within their own country, and many take to the streets as a means of survival.

While the past was a time of sadness and violence in Colombia, the government and citizens are trying to bring about a much brighter future. One man who is trying to make a difference is Luis Carreno. Luis is a USA Jiu Jitsu certified Purple Belt for Team Legacy under Christiano Bertolucci, and he is a certified Level 1 instructor. He has started the Fundacion Arte Suave/Gentle Art Foundation to help and educate the youth in Colombia in ethics and morals that would help shape their character through martial arts. The Foundation will target a community of blind kids and teenagers in Bucaramanga. The program starts today.

Luis is asking for your help, your donations or your time. They need jiu-jitsu uniforms (GIs), your time helping teach or some donations that would help the instructors keep the program running. This program is 100% FREE for these kids, and it will stay that way. The kids have one only requirement to be able to participate and that is to stay in school.

So please, if you can, help Luis make a difference in a kid’s life in Colombia. This is a great chance to give back to the Jiu Jitsu community. You can find more information about the children in Colombia here, and also make sure to look at Luis Carreno’s site. If you can help, you can email Luis directly.

2nd European Jiu Jitsu Championship in Switzerland Coming Up

There’s exciting news from across the pond:

The Second European Jiu Jitsu Championship is being held on September 18th and 19th!

The tournament will take place in Morges, Switzerland.

The event is being organized by Henri Straehler, the head of Switzerland Jiu Jitsu and also a member of Jiu Jitsu International.

This is a big event, and will draw Jiu Jitsu practitioners from around the world. It is an excellent opportunity to see what’s going on in the world of Jiu Jitsu, and see techniques and training styles from across the globe.

Ticket prices are €60 Euros through August 20th and €80 Euros through September 10. That’s about $80 and $108 dollars respectively. There is no fee for competitors.

Henri is working with local hotels to arrange for discounts on accommodations. He also suggests that groups who are interested should make contact as soon as possible, so he can arrange for the best price. The event location is close to the airport, train station and highway, so travel is a non-issue.

This event is sure to be a lot of fun. As we get closer to the date, we’ll post more information as it becomes available, so check back soon!

Picture of Rio de Janeiro's Favela

Between December of 1987 and November of 2001, 3,937 residents of Rio de Janeiro under the age of 18 died a violent death. That is over eight times the number of minors who died in the West Bank (between Jordan and Israel) in the same time period. Being a child is hard enough without fearing for your life from gangs and drug lords. The only option for most of these children is to join with the drug lords and become a soldado, which only perpetuates the circle of violence. This is the life of several children in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, the slums.

However, USA Jiu Jitsu is trying to help change things for these unfortunate children.

Working in tandem with the BOPE, a special task force of the Rio police force that is feared by criminals and highly respected by everyone else, USAJJ is providing assistance trying to get kids into Jiu Jitsu, not drugs.

Gilson Fernandez, 3rd Degree Black Belt

“Papa” John Gorman has partnered with Gilson Fernandez who is a member of USAJJ and Jiu Jitsu International. Mr. Fernandez is not only a Jiu Jitsu trainer and BOPE special agent, but is also a 3rd degree Black Belt and trains Jiu Jitsu referees.

The mission of the program is to encourage children to set positive goals and then reward the students when they are reached. The goals that are set include things like learning English and going to school. The children are taught Jiu Jitsu in the same training center as the BOPE, which is one of the safest places in Rio de Janeiro.

USAJJ has been helping to provide gis and equipment. Papa John feels this is a chance to give back to the nation that founded our sport. They really do need our help, and we are proud to support the BOPE cause.

If you have a gi that is too small, or you just want to help, please contact us.

Papa John with Gilson Fernandez and the Favela Kids at BOPE

Papa John has made a deal with a manufacturer of gi’s to provide them at $25 each for these kids, so any kind of donation you make can contribute to keeping a fellow Jiu Jitsu practitioner off the streets and in school.

Maybe with the help of USA JJ, today’s favelas children will be tomorrow’s Jiu Jitsu Olympians!

You can read more about the terrible conditions in the favelas here

GM Flavio Behring & Chris Stolzman at KnuckleUp Atlanta

On January 24th and 25th, “Papa” John Gorman and Chris Stolzman attended a seminar held at USAJJ affiliate KnuckleUp Fitness Atlanta featuring Grand Master Flavio Behring.

Flavio Behring is a 9th degree Red Belt in Jiu Jitsu, a rank he achieved under GrandMaster Helio Gracie himself. He shares that in common with the other three Grandmasters members of the Red Belt Council.

Grandmaster Behring started practicing Jiu Jitsu in 1947 at the age of 10. Training under the tutelage of Helio Gracie, Grandmaster Behring battled childhood illness and at 14 was chosen by Carlos Gracie to represent the school in an international match.

Grandmaster Behring has done technical demonstrations at universities, the Naval Academy in Annapolis and for the FBI to name a few.

Grandmaster Behring has also studied Judo extensively to further strengthen the potential of Jiu Jitsu. In November of 2009, Grandmaster Behring was made a member of the International Red Belt Council, cementing his place at the forefront of the Jiu Jitsu community.

GM Behring and some of the attendees at KnuckleUp Fitness Atlanta

The seminar was a resounding success. Over 100 people attended; it was a full house.

Papa John was honored to provide the introduction for Grandmaster Behring and spoke about the need for strong leadership and how the masters and grandmasters are an integral part of the sport. Grandmaster Behring then talked about the fundamentals of Jiu Jitsu. He demonstrated the specifics of chokes and why they are misunderstood, and also discussed arm bars.

Afterwards, Papa John was able to sit and speak with Grandmaster Behring about the future of the sport, Olympic participation and the role of USAJJ in these endeavors. Hopefully their conversation will lead to new and exciting things in the near future.

If you missed this opportunity to learn from Grandmaster Flavio Behring in Georgia, make sure you see his son Master Sylvio Behring at the NTC in Washington D.C. Master Sylvio Behring is president of the International Black Belt Council and this is a learning experience you shouldn’t miss.

GM Flavio Behring and GM Alvaro Barreto give Sylvio Behring his 7th Degree Black Belt

Here is some exciting news:

Master Sylvio Behring will be visiting the U.S. March 22nd, 23rd and 24th.

As you may recall, Sylvio Behring was elected president of the International Black Belt Council in November of last year. One of the reasons for this trip is to meet with the US Black Belt Council and provide assistance with their endeavors.

It has been quite some time since Master Sylvio Behring has been in the US and this marks the first time he has visited since he was elected to the IBBC.

And even more exciting, Master Behring will also be teaching a seminar at the USA Jiu Jitsu National training Center.

He will be introducing us to some of his own Jiu Jitsu techniques with a focus on sweeps. Master Behring has also developed a unique set of warm-ups that he will be demonstrating, which he calls the progression system. This system is more fluid and more akin to actually sparring.

This is a perfect opportunity to learn from a highly skilled practitioner of Jiu Jitsu and meet one of the leaders of our sport.

Keep an eye on our blog: as more information becomes available closer to the date, we’ll keep you informed.

Grandmasters Joao Alberto Barreto and Flavio Behring

Jiu-Jitsu International is a non profit organization created to grow Jiu-Jitsu into an amateur sport and a well managed martial art governed by Grand Masters who have legitimate rank with the experience and knowledge to guide the development of Jiu-Jitsu.

Jiu-Jitsu is a word that has many meanings and definations. Here we are specifically talking about Jiu-Jitsu that evolved as a result of the teachings of Jiguro Kano as he taught his student Mitsyou Maeda.

It was Maeda that came to the United States, opened schools in New Jersey and ultimately turned to MMA in the early 1900′s in order to earn a living.

He traveled the world proving the effectiveness of his art and skill. Ultimately he moved to Belem, Brazil, where he established his schooland lived the remainder of his life in this Brazilian city.

Grandmaster Alvaro Barreto

When Jiu-Jitsu, as it is defined by way of the Brazilian experience, exploded upon the world via the rapid growth of MMA, (which in-turn resulted from excitement generated by the UFC), many martial arts enthusiasts began to embrace the concept of Jiu-Jitsu.

The problem was that many of these individuals had little experience specially in Jiu-Jitsu.

Their background was in other “kindred” forms of martial arts and fighting skills. And while they were often able to establish themselves as Jiu-Jitsu figures by acquiring a few skills and/or simply tying on Black Belts, it is time to bring order and discipline to Jiu-Jitsu.

Until now there has not been an international non-profit organization to organize and further Jiu-Jitsu.  JJI was formed with that very mission, as an all-inclusive organization. And while free enterprise efforts are to be encouraged, it is time for an organization that is truly non-profit, oriented toward establishing an accurate ranking system, standard competition rules and that serves as an organization providing a voice for everyone in the sport.

JJI Grandmaster Francisco Mansur

That is the mission of Jiu-Jitsu International.

To establish Jiu-Jitsu as an Internationally recognized amateur sport.

That goal requires a non-profit governing organization, scores of member organizations in countries around the world, and acceptance by the world of Amateur Sports.

Ultimately, of course, it is the goal of Jiu-Jitsu International to establish Jiu-Jitsu as an official Olympic Sport.

(lendo por RSS? assista o video da Jiu Jitsu Internacional agora)

Neste video, assista ao Presidente do Conselho Mundial de Faixas Pretas, Sylvio Behring, explica o objetivo da organizacao Jiu Jitsu Internacional (JJI) e, junto com o Diretor Executivo “Papa” John Gorman, passa a autoridade e a responsabilidade da organizacao aos Grande Mestres Faixas Vermelhas.

O Conselho De Faixas Vermelhas e composto de todos os faixas vermelhas de 9 graus, e atualmente se compoe dos Grande Mestres Joao Alberto Barreto, Alvaro Barreto, Flavio Behring, e Francisco Mansor.

Assista o video para saiber mais sobre eles e visite o site da organizacao JJI para ficar a par dos nossos objetivos e ajudar-nos nessa empreitada Olimpica!j