Combat EBI

[Fabian Parker]

I recently saw on Instagram Eddie posting about combat EBI in 2017. While I'm interested to see this, will there still be tournaments with the current ruleset (which is both amazing and revolutionary for the sport of grappling) or is combat EBI going to be the future of EBI. As someone who loves nogi sub only grappling I sincerely hope that the current EBI format is a mainstay for many years to come. Anyone have any further information?

[Craig Murray]

Danaher just posted on FB about this:

"Proposed changes: Mr Eddie Bravo, founder and chairman of EBI, one of the most successful and fastest growing grappling competition organizations, is proposing some radical changes to the shows format that will essential take it out of the grappling competition business and put it somewhere between grappling and MMA. The idea is to allow limited striking on the ground via palm strikes as a means of taking the grappling a step closer to MMA. This is certainly interesting. It may be a solution to a commonly voiced criticism of submission only formats - that they allow athletes to take positions and make moves that would get them severely hurt in a real fight. Also it may encourage athletes to play a more traditional positional game as they will be rewarded with the opportunity to set up submissions with flurries of palm strikes from dominant position. I spent much of the first part of my coaching career developing grapple boxing systems for MMA fighters, but striking with the palm only is a very different game, so from a coaching perspective, this should be interesting. The main danger of the proposal is that it will scare off high level grapplers who don't want to be part of what they may perceive as a crazy slap grappling event that will be quite different from their usual competition training. Also there is a danger that it may end up looking like a mix of weak striking and weak grappling and thus please neither the MMA crowd or the grappling crowd. Obviously there will practical difficulties also, how to deal with cuts, broken noses etc in a tournament where athletes may have to fight four times in an evening. How it will work out is anybodies guess, but as they say, there is only one way to find out. The only certainty is that, as always, training, adaptation and strategy will determine the winners."

While I would LOVE to see how this works out, it would make me very sad to see it replace EBI. In addition to, great. But EBI is the best grappling competition we have and I would hate to lose that.

[vcunha1]

Danaher just posted on FB about this:

"Proposed changes: Mr Eddie Bravo, founder and chairman of EBI, one of the most successful and fastest growing grappling competition organizations, is proposing some radical changes to the shows format that will essential take it out of the grappling competition business and put it somewhere between grappling and MMA. The idea is to allow limited striking on the ground via palm strikes as a means of taking the grappling a step closer to MMA. This is certainly interesting. It may be a solution to a commonly voiced criticism of submission only formats - that they allow athletes to take positions and make moves that would get them severely hurt in a real fight. Also it may encourage athletes to play a more traditional positional game as they will be rewarded with the opportunity to set up submissions with flurries of palm strikes from dominant position. I spent much of the first part of my coaching career developing grapple boxing systems for MMA fighters, but striking with the palm only is a very different game, so from a coaching perspective, this should be interesting. The main danger of the proposal is that it will scare off high level grapplers who don't want to be part of what they may perceive as a crazy slap grappling event that will be quite different from their usual competition training. Also there is a danger that it may end up looking like a mix of weak striking and weak grappling and thus please neither the MMA crowd or the grappling crowd. Obviously there will practical difficulties also, how to deal with cuts, broken noses etc in a tournament where athletes may have to fight four times in an evening. How it will work out is anybodies guess, but as they say, there is only one way to find out. The only certainty is that, as always, training, adaptation and strategy will determine the winners."

While I would LOVE to see how this works out, it would make me very sad to see it replace EBI. In addition to, great. But EBI is the best grappling competition we have and I would hate to lose that.

I hope that there is still regular EBI in addition to this

[maxmarkov]

John made some good points. Honestly, I don't think it has to be permanent. Just how one EBI is for one weight class and the next will be another weight class, maybe some EBI-events could have different rules like "combat EBI"? And it doesn't have to be permanent from that point on, just some events, like every 10th or so for example. EBI 6 was the absolutes... maybe EBI 16 again!?!? Or maybe do something like the UFC with their numbered-, "Fight Night"- and "UFC on Fox"-events.

[Arman Fathi]

It's an intriguing concept and I gotta say, we practiced EBI overtime drills in class the other day with light slaps allowed and it was hella fun. It's an experiment if nothing more. I'm sure Eddie is open to incorporating this 100%, doing 50/50 slap/no slap, going back to the old method, and everything in between... whatever will help the event and sport grow. I have no doubt he'll make the right call on this based on viewership, interest, and how the experiment plays out.

Interesting sidenote; Metamoris's plateau had virtually nothing to do with playing around with formats, but rather mismanagement and miscommunication between parties and trying to allegedly poach athletes. Using that as a precedent, I don't see much harm in at least trying out a different format. It wouldn't be make or break for the franchise as a whole.

[Craig Murray]

Eddie talked about this at the end of the Fight Companion last night.

Apparently EBI 11, the first one in 2017, will use the 3 super-fights to hold a 4-man slap-grappling (combat JJ) tournament. So that should be fun

He also mentioned that they cannot use minors anymore for the superfights.

[Eddie Bravo]

The plan is to keep the 16 man regular EBI rules format and run a 4 man Cjj tournament in between the rounds of the 16 man tourney. So basically the 3 girl special matches that we have been running along side the 16 man tourney will be replaced with Cjj.



The first event in 2017 will debut this new format. The 4 man Cjj tourney will be in the bantamweight division featuring 10p Bethlehem instructor JM Holland.

Note: as long as 1 person is grounded open palm strikes to the front of the head will be allowed. No striking at all in the OT rounds tho.

[maxmarkov]

The plan is to keep the 16 man regular EBI rules format and run a 4 man Cjj tournament in between the rounds of the 16 man tourney. So basically the 3 girl special matches that we have been running along side the 16 man tourney will be replaced with Cjj.

The first event in 2017 will debut this new format. The 4 man Cjj tourney will be in the bantamweight division featuring 10p Bethlehem instructor JM Holland.

Note: as long as 1 person is grounded open palm strikes to the front of the head will be allowed. No striking at all in the OT rounds tho.

Having cjj between the regular EBI matches is a very good idea, this should be good.

I was wondering, do successful palm strikes count as points or anything or are they just meant to be used tactically and strategically, depending on how a fighter wants to apply them? Palm strikes can be used to bait somebody into an inferior position for example. Should be fun.

[Eddie Bravo]

Having cjj between the regular EBI matches is a very good idea, this should be good.

I was wondering, do successful palm strikes count as points or anything or are they just meant to be used tactically and strategically, depending on how a fighter wants to apply them? Palm strikes can be used to bait somebody into an inferior position for example. Should be fun.

They count as points. 3 points for every palm strike that lands flush, 1 point for partial palms. #palmpoints :-)

[Craig Murray]

They count as points. 3 points for every palm strike that lands flush, 1 point for partial palms. #palmpoints :-)

Now I'm confused. There are points, but also a non-striking overtime?