Ronda Rousey | photo: UFC.com / Getty Images

Who is the number one pound-for pound female mixed martial artist in the world? Survey says … Rowdy Ronda Rousey. And so do MMARising, MMAWeekly, and a host of other publications – including ours. She is, at this point and until somebody beats here, number one in women’s mixed martial arts.

The UFC women’s bantamweight champion improved her professional mixed martial arts record to 7-0 in her first title defense against Liz Carmouche, making this the seventh straight professional fight that she has won by first-round arm bar submission. Rousey’s three amateur fights ended with first-round arm bar victories, as well, a record that is shared by her with, well, no one. Not even fighters who are widely regarded as among the best mixed martial artists in existence have been able to match this feat. Neither Fedor, GSP, Anderson Silva, Matt Hughes, nor BJ Penn have won their first seven fights the same way in the first round. Even boxing’s Mike Tyson didn’t knock out his first seven opponents in the first round. The total elapsed time for all Rousey’s time in the ring, cage, or Octagon is less than the length of one three-round fight. But it was years on the mats as a Judoka, thousand of matches, 71 of which were contested at a world-class level, topped by her 2008 Beijing Olympic bronze medal (making her the first woman to ever win an Olympic medal in Judo), that began the development of the fighter that has become the first women’s bantamweight champion in the UFC.

The Rowdy one has been known to stir the pot, kick the bees’ nest, and otherwise rile things up a little. Some may hold the opinion that she talked her way to the top of the rankings, but she definitely let her actions do the talking in her UFC women’s bantamweight title defense. She exhibited a high level of poise and composure midway through the round when Carmouche was able to take her back. Unable to slip her arm under Rousey’s chin for the Mata Laeo, Liz took full advantage of the dominant position, and turned the hold into a neck crank that she applied with true gorilla-like torque and intensity. Neck cranks have ended many grappling matches and fights alike, but not this fight. Rousey was able to sustain, escape, recompose, and move on. She moved on and moved herself in position to end the fight with her now signature submission.

Ronda Rousey celebrates her UFC Bantamweight Title over Liz Carmouche. (Jeff Gross / Getty Images)

So what does Rousey do when she is not in the cage breaking arms (and hearts), or calling out the larger, more physically intimidating bully in the next weight class up? Well, she trains to break arms and faces and spirits. Excellence of this magnitude does not come by talent and heart alone. It is earned, over and over again. It is earned six days a week, at five different gyms. It is earned through sixteen-hour days. It is practiced and drilled and honed until it is second nature, until every movement is muscle memory, engrained on a cellular level on the fibers themselves. It is earned through sacrifice. It is earned through dedication and devotion. It is paid for in blood. It is done in such prestigious places as 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu and Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu. It is done at the Hayastan MMA Academy, the Glendale Fighting Club, and the Summit Gym. At the latter, she was not only the first woman allowed to train there, she was the first UFC fighter allowed to train there.

One might wonder why Ronda Rousey fights. Only she knows for sure. But one can speculate, looking from the outside in, by the way she has dedicated herself to this sport. She fights because she was born to do this. Because from the first time she stepped on the mat as a Judoka, every workout, every match, brought her closer to her current success. She does it because every one of her more than forty Judo medals, earned on the world stage, have been used to pay a little more of the dues that need to be paid if one wants to become number one. Because the intensity and competition of her past life in Judo, contested in tournament format, conditioned her mind, body, and spirit for this undertaking.

Rowdy Ronda Rousey sits atop the female mixed martial arts world, holding the UFC bantamweight championship, and she has been training mixed martial arts for less than three years. She is improving and growing every day. Who knows what the future holds for Rowdy Ronda Rousey. Maybe, one day, we will look around and say that she is no longer the best pound-for-pound female mixed martial artist in the world. Maybe one day, we will look around and say that she is the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artist in the world, period.

HOUSTON, TX, December 5, 2012

Originally founded in September 2009,  Girls in Gis (“GIG” for short) was created to bring together a community of girls and women who train BJJ and provide a safe, fun environment for training. Since its inception and largely through the efforts of GIG organizer Shama Ko and many others on the scene, the GIG community has grown to put on women-only open mats in cities all across Texas.

Their growth has clearly been evident and as they’ve grown, so too has the women’s BJJ competition scene at tournaments all across the state – which has been absolutely awesome to watch!

GIG’s Ashley Nguyen and Shama Ko

Girls are fierce!

This past Saturday’s GIG anniversary event included 74 girl and women BJJ enthusiasts from all over the state (and a few from beyond) who all showed up a day of fun, rolling, and celebrating friendships old and new.

Girls in Gis founder Ashley Nguyen did a remarkable job organizing the action on the mats. Aside from technique, the group went through some fun games and contests as well. In short, it all looked really awesome and any Texas Female BJJ’ers who weren’t able to make it sadly missed out and should make one of these events soon (they do a women’s open mat almost every month).

Check out a more detailed recap of the Girls in Gis Three-Year Anniversary here and enjoy our photos of the event below!

Three-time National Judo gold medalist and World Sambo Bronze medalist will represent the USA in the Sambo World Cup

AUSTIN, TX, November 28, 2012 – Nina Cutro-Kelly’s Martial Arts and Wrestling history and record speaks for itself. She is undoubtedly the real deal. Cutro-Kelly started training Judo in 1992 and has been studying with the 1992 Olympic Coach, Jim Hrbek of Universal Judo, in San Antonio since 1999. During high school and college, Cutro-Kelly also wrestled freestyle and folk style and then tried Sambo, (Sombo in English) on a whim in 2011. She says it was supposed to be a one-time experience, but after medaling in the World Championships, Cutro-Kelly decided to stay with Sambo and went to represent the USA in Sambo internationally.  

Cutro-Kelly has placed third in 2011 Sambo Worlds, second in the 2008 Judo World Cup and second in the 2012 Sambo Moscow Super World cup. Cutro-Kelly says she came very close to qualifying in 2012 Olympics, but was unable to qualify internationally due to tearing her ACL. Despite her injury, Cutro-Kelly went on to compete for a year with no ACL.  It was an injury that set her back quite a bit. Cutro-Kelly’s current goals are to finish rehabbing her knee which was operated on in June of 2012.  

In 2013, Cutro-Kelly intends to make the Judo World Team in a lighter weight class and do some damage there. Her goal is to win the Sambo World Championships.  Cutro-Kelly plans to compete several times in Europe for Judo, as well as in Kazakstan and Russia for Sambo.  When Cutro-Kelly isn’t training for competitions, she does seminars and helps coach her teammates at Universal Judo in San Antonio.  Cutro-Kelly’s most immediate goal is to win the 2013 World Cup in Kazakstan this January. Cutro-Kelly will be conducting a women’s only seminar on December 2^nd at the Austin Center for Martial Arts to raise funds to help with expenses related to her representing the USA in the 2013 World Cup.

Cutro-Kelly gives us the rundown of how she got started, explains Sambo and provides advice to young female martial artists. Hear about what she has to say about former teammate Ronda Rousey signing with the UFC and thoughts on fighting MMA herself.

Interview – Nina Cutro-Kelly

How did you get started in both martial arts? What was it that got you hooked?

I was a hyperactive little kid.  My Dad got tired of being called to pick me up from sports I misbehaved at and so he put me in judo, since I wouldn’t get in trouble for knocking over the kids there.  I got hooked in 1999 when I changed to my current club and started working with an elite group of girls who all went on to be National Medalists.  I was only a green belt and very inexperienced and clumsy, but after a lot of hard work; I was able to qualify for the Junior World Team in 2002.  I think what hooked me on judo was that I had always been so clumsy off the mat and on the mat things seemed to make sense movement wise.  I don’t know how else to explain it, but the moves seemed logical.

What are the differences and similarities between Judo and Sambo? Has your background in Judo helped you in Sambo?

Sambo is pretty much a Russian crossbreed (designed for the Soviet army) of judo and wrestling, both sports which I had done before doing Sambo.  The sambo jacket is like judo, the rules are like judo and wrestling together, and the mat and shoes are like wrestling.  There is also the matter of the short shorts.  I hate those shorts.  My background in judo definitely helped me in Sambo.  In fact, the first time I did Sambo was the 2011 World Championships and I got a bronze medal.  It sounds ridiculous but Sambo is so close to judo and wrestling that most sambo players were judo players first. 

What would you say to encourage girls to try Sambo or Judo? What are the benefits?

 They are both great forms of self-defense and keeping/getting in shape.  You meet like-minded people and can work together towards common goals.  You also gain self-confidence.  And, it is fun to choke people and arm bar them. They respect you more after it.

In your career you’ve collected an impressive collection of medals. Which one means the most to you? Why?

I’d have to say I like my World Sambo bronze from 2011 and my 2008 Birmingham Judo World Cup Silver medal the most.  I have gotten Gold medals at other events, but those two days stick out the most in my head.  In Birmingham, I beat two girls I’d never beaten before to make it to the finals and in the 2011 World Sambo Championships, I was so terrified that I’d get killed by these huge Russian girls, that I fought well and was able to overcome my inexperience with a completely new set of rules.

As a professional competitor in Judo and Sambo, what advice do you have to women and young girls in martial arts to keep them motivated? What helps you get through the ups and downs of training?

I’d say this first:  NEVER miss practice.  My coach said this to me when I was a teenager and it stuck in my head.  Every minute you aren’t training, someone else is, and they will win.  Also, make a plan for each year and stick to your goals.  Try to integrate a new technique every couple of months, try it in practice for a month before you try it in competition.  Finally, try to train with people who are better than you, go to practice hoping someone beats you with something and trick you with something else.  Then, figure out what they did and how to do it to them or how to do something to get around it.  I have had ups and downs in training and what keeps me going is that I love to fight, I love the rush that it gives me, and I love making techniques I trained work in a live fight. 

Women like Ronda Rousey, the first female signed with the UFC, has led the way for women in MMA to a whole new level. Have you considered MMA? What are your thoughts on the sport and women being in the sport?

Ronda’s background in judo has made her the fighter she is today in MMA, there is no question about it.  And she is the real deal.  She got signed to the UFC because there are very few women’s MMA players with 20 years of mat experience under their belt. When this begins to happen, there will be more Ronda’s and the competitiveness of Women’s MMA will increase.  I have considered MMA but, with my lightest adult weight being around 170lbs, there isn’t currently a weight class for me.  Right now, the sport needs to grow and get more visible, and when this happens, I’m sure we will see more weight classes.  So, who knows, I might fight.  As of right now I think I could definitely be competitive skill wise in women’s MMA, even if I’m too big!

About the Author

Shama Ko has actively been a part of and contributed to the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community in Texas for close to a decade. She is a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu purple belt at Gracie Humaitá Austin, a champion competitor, a photographer/owner of Mean Streak Photography, a community/event organizer for Girls in Gis and Austin Women’s Open Mat, and most recently a contributing writer to TXMMA. Follow Shama’s endeavors online through any of the links above or through any of these sites: Twitter, Facebook, The Adventures of Shama Ko, ShamaKo.com, and SKOphoto.com.

Gracie Grappling Cup hosting the first female Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black belt super fight

Relson Gracie | photo: Mike Calimbas

SAN ANTONIO, TX, November 7, 2012 – The Gracie Grappling Cup will host the first female Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt super fight in the state of Texas on November 10, 2012. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts, Christy Thomas from Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Austin and Fabiana Borges from Gracie Barra San Antonio, will be making history at this event by being the first women to participate in a female black belt super fight in the state of Texas.

Thomas has been a black belt for a year, and has been competing for eleven years nationally and internationally. She is the first and only female black belt under Master Relson Gracie. She fights in the heavy weight division. Her accomplishments include: 2nd place No GI IBJJF Worlds, several 2nd and 3rd place wins at the IBJJF Pan Ams and Gi Worlds, 1st Arnold World Gracie Championships and many more.

Borges has been a black belt for five years and is an accomplished competitor fighting in the leve (light weight) division. Borge has also been competing for close to eleven years and has won several championships over the years including 2x IBJJF Pan Ams Champion, 2x IBJJF National Champion, 2^nd place and 3^rd place IBJJF World Championships and many more.

Thomas and Borges are both avid instructors with their own academies in Central Texas and their day-to-day lives are filled with Jiu-Jitsu.

This is what Fabiana Borges has to say about the upcoming super fight, her thoughts on the significance of this event and how she hopes they will make an impact on women and girls.
 

Interview – Fabiana Borges (Gracie Barra)

Fabiana Borges | photo: Mean Streak

You and Thomas will be making history at the Gracie Grappling Cup with the first female black belt open weight super fight in Texas. How does it feel and what does it mean to you to be a part of this?

I feel honored to be a part of this. I have been in Texas for a year and a half.  Everyone here is so welcoming and makes me feel at home. It is always good to be the first. At Gracie Barra San Antonio, our doors are always open for others. In Texas we have a large number of girls training and competing. I believe they need some motivation and if Thomas and I can do it, it will be great.

There is a considerable size difference between you and Thomas. Does a size difference matter when it comes to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

It does matter when your opponent is the same level as you, but I am training a lot and this will not be an issue.

Have you tailored your training specifically for your opponent, because of the size difference?

Sure, this is the good thing about knowing who you are fighting. You can strategize against your opponent.

Christy Thomas | photo: Mike Calimbas

It wasn’t that long ago that there wasn’t any opportunity for female super fights. The fact that tournament promoters are supporting super fights like this are a testament to the changing of the times. What sort of impact do these types of female super fights have? What are the benefits?

Everyone needs motivation and goals to keep them consistently training, especially women and girls that have a busy life with their husbands, kids, school, and so on.  I hope when girls see us fighting it motivates them to go back to their schools and keep training. Now-a-days we have a large number of girls training and I hope it keeps growing. BJJ is an awesome martial art that you can use as self-defense, fitness and a way to bond with your husband, friends and kids. I truly hope that more girls start training.

About the Author

Shama Ko has actively been a part of and contributed to the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community in Texas for close to a decade. She is a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu purple belt at Gracie Humaitá Austin, a champion competitor, a photographer/owner of Mean Streak Photography, a community/event organizer for Girls in Gis and Austin Women’s Open Mat, and most recently a contributing writer to TXMMA. Follow Shama’s endeavors online through any of the links above or through any of these sites: Twitter, Facebook, The Adventures of Shama Ko, ShamaKo.com, and SKOphoto.com.

HOUSTON, TX, November 2, 2012

Amidst all the stars of the sport, a solid team of Texas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu representatives are making the trek out to California with the goal of establishing themselves as world champions in the sport. Included among them is Houston’s own Gabriela Muller. Known simply as “Gaby” to her friends in the sport, she has been an integral part of the local scene as wife to perennial competitor Raul Jimenez and as a competitor herself.

We recently caught up to her prior to her flight out to LAX to talk about her start in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, what she loves about the sport, and what her goals are in competing this weekend.

Interview – Gabriela Muller

First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Everyone calls me Gaby, I’m 34 years old, I was born in Ecuador but grew up in Florida. I have two boys, one 12 the youngest 6 and I’ve been married to Raul “Gacho” Jimenez for 13 years.

How did you get into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

I’ve been around it for years, ever since Raul started. When he started training we lived in Ecuador and I wanted to start training but back then it was still a “guy sport.” He didn’t feel comfortable with me grappling with other guys. It wasn’t until about a year after we opened the gym that I started training. In February it will be 3 years on the mats for me.

Was it something you instantly enjoyed or something you grew into?

I loved watching it, but I grew into it. The first time I was grappling a guy’s sweat fell into my mouth and I thought I was going to vomit! You get used to it though.

So tell us a little bit about what it’s like having your whole family involved in the sport.

It’s awesome! Tournaments are our family outings. Roberto, my oldest, has gotten so good in the last year and Matias finally enjoys it too. Roberto still gets competition jitters but Matias is a natural and he loves to win. For the whole family it’s definitely a lifestyle. We talk about Jiu-Jitsu and watch videos together. We try techniques on each other at home. It’s just a big part of our lives.

You guys attend a lot of tournament. Is it serious business all the time? How do you prepare?

It’s just fun to compete. I try not to take it so serious. My kids also enjoy competing and if Raul could he would compete every weekend. We just do our regular training with everyone else. Towards a big tournament we try to cross train and grapple with other people that are not in our school normally. I wish Raul would give me privates, but unfortunately since I go to school and work full time I don’t have time.

What’s your motivation for this sport? What goals do you have for yourself?

My kids, I love it when they are proud of me for competing or winning or just training in general. I would like to win a big tournament, like Pan-Ams or Worlds, and of course keep training hard a get a black belt someday.

 Are you ready for this weekend? What do you hope to come away with at the 2012 No-Gi Worlds?

Yes, I am ready and excited! Just being in the pyramid is an amazing feeling. I’ve trained hard and even though I prefer gi over no-gi, I am aiming for the gold.

Any last words before you head off to California?

Just excited to be heading back to Cali… I want to say good luck to all the Texas grapplers making the trip. I hope to bring back a Gold to Spring, TX and I know we’ll bring a lot of medals back to Texas too. Oss!

photo: Hans Gutknecht

OCTOBER 24, 2012 – “Never say never..” is a phrase often uttered in sports and couldn’t hold truer than it does today when it comes to eventually seeing Women’s MMA taking place in the UFC octagon.

UFC President Dana White let the cat out of the bag in talking to SI about the possibility of seeing female fight action in the Octagon yesterday, saying “It’s absolutely going to happen…. [It] could happen tomorrow, it could happen a year from now…. The point is I’m committed to this.”

That’s quite the about-face for the UFC’s highly-visible front-man.

Despite the women’s division being ever-present in fellow Zuffa-owned MMA promotion Strikeforce, White has long stated that the UFC just wasn’t the place for it –due to depth of competition and other concerns.

When it comes to what’s changed his perception of the sport, the primary driver may be the performance of Judo Olympian turned MMA star “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey – currently the Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion after starting her mixed martial arts career off at 6-0.

“I absolutely would bring her into the UFC,” he’s been quoted as saying about Ronda, quick to say she might possess the necessary combination of skill, charisma, and bona fide star power to put women’s MMA on the map for good.

As with all things UFC, If they were to make an introduction of this magnitude they’d want to do it with a bang.

Perhaps there would be no bigger way to introduce Women’s MMA to the UFC masses than a “superfight” between Rousey and exiled star Cris “Cyborg” Justino, who is eligible to apply for reinstatement with the CSAC after a one-year suspension for the use of n performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs)..

Similar to boxing stars Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., the two female stars have verbally sparred in the media with neither wanting to back down from their demands regarding a potential bout between the two. For these two champions it’s a matter of what weight they meet at amongst other issues but then again, money can change a lot of things.

While there’s no timetable set for a potential bout between the two female champions, or the introduction of a UFC female division for that matter, we wouldn’t be surprised it happened sooner rather than later – and maybe even here in Texas as part of a supercard featuring another marquee matchup that could break records at Jerry Jones’ Dallas Cowboys Stadium come early next year.

Only time will tell but we’ll keep you updated here at TXMMA.com if and when the time comes.

World renowned BJJ black belt Hannette Staack throws in her twenty-five on the State of  Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Photos: Shama ko, Mean Streak

Hannette Staack is a rare combination of a no-nonsense woman that can balance both toughness and warmth. She is one of those people that light up a room with her smile and touch your heart with her warm embrace when she greets you. She’s also a strong woman that isn’t afraid to speak her mind.

Her roots in Jiu-Jitsu span over a period of fifteen years. Staack’s record includes 3x Brazilian National Champion (2x Absolute), 7x World Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Champion, World Champion (No-gi World Championship) and 3x ADCC Champion (2x weight division, 1x absolute).

Hannette Staack is considered to be one of the most accomplished women in the history of the sport. She was recently recognized for her accomplishments by being inducted into the IBJJF Hall of Fame, alongside legendary women like Leticia Ribeiro, Kyra Gracie and Gabriel Garcia. Along the way she has played a huge role in shaping the way women are seen in the sport and in paving the way toward change.

Last month, Staack was in Dallas Texas for a Women’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu seminar at RCJ Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy. We hope that this will be the first of many of her Women’s seminars in the Lone Star State. Forty-four women from all across Texas came together for this amazing opportunity to learn from one of the best female black belts in the art. Staack’s keen attention to detail and deep rooted understanding was impressive but most noticeable was her big heart and unconditional love for Jiu-Jitsu.

Read about Staack’s most recent seminar, how we can grow the sport even, the obstacles women faced in the past, how to make jiu-jitsu better and her mission to make champions in life.

Interivew – Hannette Staack (Brazil-021)

You just finished up your first Women’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu seminar in Texas. Can you describe that experience?

I had a great time in Texas, a lot of women came and participated and that was great. It’s good to see more and more women in the sport, representing the art. There is a huge community of women training BJJ in Texas and it’s very nice to see the growth of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu among the women.

More women are training now than ever before. What do you think is the driving force behind the increased number of women in the sport and art? What is the key to continue to increasing these numbers?

I think more women are training now because they can see the benefits of BJJ. Before it wasn’t very clear, a lot of people associated Jiu-Jitsu with the UFC and many of them didn’t want to train because they didn’t understand the principals of the art. They didn’t know that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the art where a small person can defeat or survive a bigger opponent, which is great for everybody, especially women. More women are getting involved because they are spreading the word and I think that is the best way to get more people to join the art, by word of mouth.

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, do you think females have more opportunities now than they did in the past? How so? What has changed?

I think so. When I first started they didn’t have all the weight divisions that they have now. There was only two, light and heavy, and purple to black belts all fought together. Now we have one division for each belt, the weight divisions are bigger. In the past we used to compete on the first day with the blue belt divisions and now we fight on the same day as the male black belts. There were no sponsors for women in Jiu-Jitsu. With time we have proven that we could fight hard and give a great show to the public, even more than the guys sometimes. Because, no matter what we always fought with heart and passion.

I think the biggest difference between men and women was we had to prove to everybody that we were capable of overcoming many situations to stay in the sport.

Competing, was the easy and fun part, the hardest part was, training in a completely “manly” environment and facing the comments from people that didn’t know what the sport was about while splitting our time between work, studying, taking care of the house and still having a life outside the mats.

Most of the time we were misunderstood because most of the guys at the gym associated our presence with the fact we might want to find a date and not train BJJ. So, they didn’t give us attention. And in fact we sure had a lot of women coming to the gym to find a date, but there was also a great amount of women, like me, who wanted to train hard and become a champion, like I did. I am very grateful that I persisted even with all the difficulties at the time.

What else do you think needs to change?

There are still many things to change. There is a huge difference in the prizes for some tournaments. For example, the ADCC prizes between men and women. I think we still need to have more weights division, like the guys. I know with time and more women getting involved in the sport we will make these changes. For example we now have one division for brown belts and a separate one for black belts. This is great. At least in the IBJJF tournaments we are seeing the progress of the sport.

Another essential change is the rules. Brazilian Jiu-jitsu for me is much more than competition, a 10 minutes match and a win by advantage or points doesn’t show who the best is. Grand Master Helio Gracie said: Jiu-Jitsu is all about submission, which is the way to see who the best is. We need some improvements in our rules, because we cannot allow people to go to the tournaments and compete for one advantage match. This is unacceptable. Also the steroids in the sport, it’s a shame to the entire community. Something must be done.

Where do you see the future of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

Now people can live only doing Jiu-Jitsu, because we have tournaments paying cash prizes for the winners and if you are a good professional, you can teach and make a living from it. But I still see many people going into the MMA business, because of the popularity of the sport these days, with the UFC and other big shows. I am sure in the future we will have more people coming back to Jiu-jitsu, because everybody needs Jiu-Jitsu to go to the “cage”, but the real BJJ can go to the “cage” without anything else.

If you teach the real principals of the art then you will have students forever, because Jiu-Jitsu is much more than “rolling” and doing techniques. It makes you a better person in many ways, and that’s why I think the only way to go is up. Progress always, that’s what BJJ is all about.

What’s on your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu bucket list and how do you want to make an impact to the future of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

My goals now are to help kids get more from the sport, as I did. I want to not only make Champions in Jiu-jitsu, but in Life as well. We have a project in Brazil and we are starting it in the USA as well.

I want to get more women involved in the sport and empower them through Jiu-Jitsu. A lot of women don’t know their inner strength and they don’t have confidence in themselves. Once they know what they are capable of, they became better as a person not only in the BJJ world, but in their normal life. I know many women who were afraid to be themselves before Jiu-Jitsu and after they stared doing it, they changed for the better, they are more confident and stronger physically and mentally.

My goal is show the other benefits, besides the athletic ones.

About the Author

Shama Ko has actively been a part of and contributed to the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community in Texas for close to a decade. She is a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu purple belt at Gracie Humaitá Austin, a champion competitor, a photographer/owner of Mean Streak Photography, a community/event organizer for Girls in Gis and Austin Women’s Open Mat, and most recently a contributing writer to TXMMA. Follow Shama’s endeavors online through any of the links above or through any of these sites: Twitter, Facebook, The Adventures of Shama Ko, ShamaKo.com, and SKOphoto.com.

Tara Arrington’s varying roles leads to lasting bonds and friendship

photos: Mean Streak

SEPTEMBER 3, 2012 – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu may not be considered to be a girly activity, but grappling has caught the interest of several females around the globe. Over the past year, more female Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu organizations, women’s gi companies/brands, programs and tournaments have surfaced. Companies are now spotlighting/sponsoring BJJ female idols and role models. More marketing campaigns are centered on women in the sport. Media outlets are featuring women in jiu-jitsu with photo shoots, interviews and videos. Women in BJJ and MMA have become the next hot thing.

Meanwhile, as the number of new females in the sport rises, some of the more senior women in the community are evolving and growing by taking on additional responsibilities outside of the traditional roles of a student and competitor. By taking on these roles, they are raising the bar and changing the way women are seen in the industry. Women are becoming instructors, business owners, writers, photographers, referees and promoters. Among these women is Mohler MMA purple belt Tara Arrington.

Arrington’s roles in the past few years have also extended beyond the traditional reach. She is a student, competitor, instructor and referee. In the last six years, Arrington has spent the last two years teaching kids classes and the past year teaching women’s classes and refereeing. Arrington is also studying to get her master’s degree in chemistry.

This is the story of how she got started in BJJ and where she is now.

Interview – Tara Arrington

How did you find BJJ? What got you to start training?

In 2006 I was into body building and some of my male lifting partners mentioned taking classes at a local BJJ school; we all agreed that we were going to start together but in the end I was the only one that signed up.

Of all the roles that you take on, which is your favorite (competitor, referee or teacher)? Why?

Teacher because that is the role that resonates with me the most.

When did you begin teaching? How did you get started?

I started helping teach beginners and kids at the end of 2009 and I then began a women’s class every Sunday in August 2011.

When did you start refereeing? What was it that inspired this progression?

I began refereeing in the beginning of 2011. I felt like becoming a referee was the next logical step for me after my years of ring coordinating and score keeping. I wanted to give something back to the sport of BJJ and take the opportunity to learn the game from a competitive perspective. I was very involved with tournaments for several years and was actively seeking and attending rules meetings, through IBJJF and NAGA, as often as I could. I developed my skills in understanding the rules through a team of coaches which gave me the confidence to step on the mat as a referee.

Has refereeing and teaching benefited your training? How so?

Yes. Refereeing has exposed me to a large amount of jiu-jitsu from talented competitors, giving me the opportunity to see first-hand, different games and identify what has historically been successful. It has also helped me to put the pieces of the game together along with giving me an appreciation of tempo and timing.

Teaching has definitely helped me the most. Having to break it down for someone else and lay down the technique has helped me. I have to understand why my foot is where it is, where my hands go, all the fine details.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve gotten from BJJ? Why?

Friendships; I have met some of the most amazing people through the sport of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and have created long-lasting bonds with some of these wonderful people.

We recently spoke to Christy about her feelings toward reaching such a great milestone in her development and what she sees as her future in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world.

Interview – Christy Thomas (Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu)

Christy congrats from all of us here at TXMMA.com on your recent promotion to black belt. How long have you been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

My sincere thanks to everyone who’s ever been involved in my progression to this point!! I’m excited after almost 11 years to become the first and (for now) only female black belt ever awarded by Relson Gracie to represent his standard and lifestyle through Helio Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. I’d like to express my appreciation for the support my Instructors, peers & training partners, students, friends & family have shown me as I continue to grow with them and share life along our Jiu-Jitsu journeys.

What originally got you into the sport?

Competition. Originally, I was dating a local MMA fighter & I met Relson through him. We were at all the tournaments (very few at the time). Watching the matches convinced me that I could compete & probably beat all the other girls I was saw (ha!). I got on the mats, into training & realized how intricate it was. Almost immediately I got into tournaments. Being competitive, I flourished and fell in love. Relson is passionate about competition so wanting to impress him motivated me as well.

Looking back, what would say GJJ has done for your life? How has it molded you as a person?

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu has molded me as a competitor, instructor & leader. It’s given me competence and confidence. It’s shown me my strength and my illusions of my own self. I’ve learned a lot about life, people, and being a woman in a male dominated lifestyle. But really, it’s made things very real. I’ve broadened my horizons and lived a lot of life that wouldn’t have been happening otherwise.

It’s well-known in BJJ circles that it’s pretty difficult to attain a black belt from Relson and now you’re the first woman ever to accomplish that feat. How does it feel?

It feels great!! I’ve always felt 100% support from Relson and my team. I really think the belt changes the way other people look at me – whether they knew me before or meet me now. I never thought that I could ever stop training – even throughout personal conflict. I’ve always had Relson closely in my life. I run a strong academy and I’ve long time lived in what I call ‘boy world’. Black belt comes after brown belt so I had to meet Relson’s standard which is totally reasonable. He told me what he wanted. He forced me to go to Hawaii  and train and vacation. After a ton of work – He said I was approved. I was with my peers in Hawaii all working for the same goal and some reviewing and receiving degrees on their black so that moment happened there, with the guys, the night on the mats before I flew back home. It felt great. It’s amazing.

Did you have any challenges that stand out most on this jiu-jitsu journey? How did you surpass them?

A challenge was dealing with personal relationships over time. Some people will spend years with you, take and take and at some point turn on you w/o explanation. Finding a coping skill to let them go even though that personal investment always hurts when it’s disrespected was a skill set to be built for use. Another was when you teach over time, it’s easy to lose your selfish training time and fun time as just a student on the mats. I have to make a serious effort to make time for myself. It shows when other people let themselves get bored resting or getting stagnate. I want to make sure I avoid that. Thankfully, my academy keeps a line waiting for everyone. They won’t let me settle!

Who has helped you the most in your jiu-jitsu career? Anyone you want to credit?

Relson, Richard Giberson, Joshua Lauber, Rhalan Gracie, Stuart Ramos. The strength, patience & love of my Family, my non-JJ friends, my team and my students – THANK YOU!!

Now that you’re a black belt… what’s next?

Now I want to focus on my academy & team, competition and furthering the exposure and reliance on the self-defense curriculum. I want to reach more women & kids. I’d like to show everyone that they can train and be proficient in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu!

What advice would give others that have been on the same path, blue belts, etc. as far as what they need to do to get to black belt?

My advice is talk with your instructor to get goal ideas. Also, training is not easy. Don’t quit. The better you get, the harder people will try to beat you. Push through the mental/emotional frustrations and set small goals to show yourself progress before moving to bigger goals (the worlds isn’t the ideal 1st tournament). Identify your weaknesses in your game so you can communicate with your instructor & adjust along the way. Don’t worry about belts!

What about somebody who may be considering BJJ but haven’t started yet? Any advice for them?

My best advice for anyone open to start a new activity is to realize that Jiu-Jitsu takes over your entire life. Check out options in your area, take many free classes if you can. Don’t over-train and be aware of training with previous injuries. Be honest to your instructor about your health, goals and do your best as a student.

We look forward to seeing you around at competitions but any last words for now regarding your accomplishment or anything else you want to say to the community at large?

I’m looking forward to competing in the near future and I’m stoked to get to witness Relson Gracie’s upcoming belt promotion to Grandmaster – Red belt in early 2013. Thanks Everyone!

(video: Chris Spicer)

Women’s Camp with Leticia Ribeiro is set to kick off June 29th at Alvarez BJJ in Arlington, Texas.

Leticia Ribeiro is among one of the most influential and accomplished women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She is not only known for her seven World Championship titles and her place in the IBJJF Hall of Fame, but also for being the head coach of one of the most successful women’s team ever known in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: the Gracie Humaita Women’s Team.

As a team the Gracie Humaita women’s team has earned multiple first place wins at World Championships and is comprised of several top level world champions, including Penny Thomas, Bia Mesquita, and Carol Vidal.

Last year Ribeiro, Thomas, and Mesquita traveled to Northern California and then to Southern California for their first series of open door women’s camps in the United States. Both of which were a huge success. A record number of sixty women attended the San Francisco women’s camp. They traveled from as far away as Hawaii, Canada, Michigan, Texas and Arizona. The camp was soon followed earlier this year by Ribeiro’s Los Angeles Women’s Camp which included seventy participants.

Having previously instructed seminars in Texas, Ribeiro has taken note of the fast growing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community in Texas’s. Ribeiro will return on June 29th to Texas for her first camp in the Lone Star state.

The Leticia Ribiero Women’s Camp with Ribeiro will be held at Alvarez BJJ in Arlington, Texas from June 29to July 1. Texas has a fast-growing community and a rising number of talented female athletes. And the anticipated turnout at the Leticia Ribeiro Women’s Camp will likely prove that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is most certainly gettin’ bigger in Texas.

Interview – Leticia Ribiero (Gracie Humaita)

This was your seventh time winning the Worlds; did you do anything different this time to prepare for the Worlds?

We (Ribeiro and her students) always do something different each year. I especially like to make changes to my conditioning training. This time we also trained Aqualogix with Jon Edge at Fit Athletic club in San Diego.  Aqualogix is good endurance training, but our base is the Bulgarian bag and a lot of other specific training.

What do you attribute your success to? What motivates you to keep winning these World Championship titles?

 A lot of training. We train hard and serious every day, all day. We breathe Jiu Jitsu.

My motivation comes from my students. I love to train hard for tournaments and they push me every day. They help me to feel ready and build my confidence. I am so lucky to have some of the best girls in the sport to train with.

I get pleasure from competing. I love to be there. I love the feeling before each fight and it’s the best feeling after the finals when you become a champion. It’s an incredible feeling and I love it!

You are the head coach of the Gracie Humaitá women’s team, a team which includes several other multiple time world champions such as Penny Thomas, Bia Mesquita, Ana Carolina Vidal and Margaret Aase. Though all of your hard work individually and as a team, the Gracie Humaitá Female team that has become one of the most recognized women’s team in BJJ. What makes your team so strong?

I am so lucky to have these talented girls on my team. What makes us a great team is we train together. It makes a big difference. Each of us has a different games and different ways to see each position. We exchange a lot of information during training and we study each other’s games. They are champions become they love to train hard and they love it when I push them hard. Each training is a battle, but in a good way.

Since your start as the head coach, what sort of growth have you seen in women training BJJ?

A lot has changed. I never imagine we’d be where we are right now or that we’d have this level of fighters, not just on my team, but all big teams. It’s an incredible evolution. It was so cool to watch the all the women’s division this year at the Worlds, especially during the brown and black belt divisions. I have to say congrats to all fighters. Great job everyone! Let’s keep up the hard work. Let’s show the world that we can do it…even better!

Why do you think it is important for women to train together? What benefits can women get from training together?

Two years ago, before the 2010 Worlds Bia, Penny and I were talking about how much better it was to train with women. It was then that we decided to do our first women’s only camp for the Worlds. It was a success.

In my opinion it is good to train with guys. Especially light guys because they usually play the same kind of game as us, but training with other women is different. It’s real and nothing compares to having the same type of body, strength and everything else. It’s perfect!

You recently had a camp in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Both of which had a phenomenal response from women around USA. Did you anticipate such a large turnout at these previous camps?

My first women’s camp was in Sweden and then I brought the idea to the USA. To be honest I didn’t expect that we could put over seventy women on the mats together. I was surprised at the first one, but now I expect more and more because each day the sport is getting bigger. I just want to open the doors for everybody that wants to live for the sport. Women can teach and teach well.

What sort of feedback did you get from the girls? Is there anything that you would do differently?

At each camp I learn something new and try to make it better the next time. I like that. The camps are getting bigger and it’s good that I can bring my students with me to enjoy the training and to learn.

The Leticia Ribeiro Women’s Camp will be coming to Texas June 29^th-July 1^st at Alvarez BJJ. This will be your first Camp in Texas. Do you feel that your camp is a good introduction for women with little to know experience in BJJ?

Training and learning from black belts, especially World Champions is always a good experience for everyone. It doesn’t matter what belt or level you are.

I’ve already done a lot of seminars in Texas, but this is my first camp. Texas will for sure be a part of my annual camp calendar. It is a state that has big potential in the sport. The women’s community is so big and the girls love to train and learn. I love to teach in Texas. I already know the camp will be great.

What do the girls in Texas have in store for them at your camp?  What can they expect?

This time I’m bringing my two black belts Beatriz Mesquita and Carol Vidal, two great athletes and teachers. As I said, it will be a great experience for everyone to share the mats with us and learn not just techniques but from our experiences as competitors too. Don’t miss it! Hope to see you all there! Big Hug and good training!

For more information on Leticia Ribeiro Women’s Grappling Camp, visit www.leticiaribeiro.com.

About the Author

Shama Ko has actively been a part of and contributed to the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community in Texas for close to a decade. She is a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu purple belt at Gracie Humaitá Austin, a champion competitor, a photographer/owner of Mean Streak Photography, a community/event organizer for Girls in Gis and Austin Women’s Open Mat, and most recently a contributing writer to TXMMA. Follow Shama’s endeavors online through any of the links above or through any of these sites: Twitter, Facebook, The Adventures of Shama Ko, ShamaKo.com, and SKOphoto.com.