Eduardo Telles is what made a good EBI great.

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Originally Posted by Ben Eddy

I think EBI needs to get away from being seen as a BJJ promotion and just be submission grappling.
Now you get to market the event with styles in mind. The catch wrestler, the mma guy, wrestler, sambo. Styles of attack like Danaher leg lock guy vs ryan hall leg lock guy etc. etc. This is how the UFC hyped their fights in the beginning. It was the big question on everyone's mind. What is best? And it's still how the UFC hypes fights today outside of bad blood drama.

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YES! It's on the part of the matchmaker to build a draw off of styles that would create exciting matchups. The possibilities are endless!

For sure EBI would die if everyone's strategy was to play turtle guard and try to win by escapes, but one or 2 guys per show trying to pull that off makes the show interesting IMO. I agree with Ben Eddy

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Originally Posted by Ben Eddy

What you're really getting at is people enjoy seeing style vs style matchups. I think EBI needs to get away from being seen as a BJJ promotion and just be submission grappling. Who can win if no strikes are allowed?

Now you get to market the event with styles in mind. The catch wrestler, the mma guy, wrestler, sambo. Styles of attack like Danaher leg lock guy vs ryan hall leg lock guy etc. etc.

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What if they did super-fights between rounds, but instead of only kids and ladies, we got some crazy matcups like a metamorris style fight-making. Throw a couple grand at them even, just to get some guys to do exhibitions. Just 1 match, EBI rules, exebitions style, where you could get all kinds of crazy guys, with who knows what styles or even levels of jiu jitsu... let's get some UFC rivals who have moderate grappling skills to do a match! Who cares if it's not state-of-the-art technique, it's just an exhibition between rounds of the main tournament, that features the best sub-only grapplers at that weight.

You could even do like geo vs glover type stuff, grapplers with a history of amazing performances against each other.

People want to see fun stuff. Give them some freakshow between rounds. Some of those kids matches are amazing feakshow stuff. Tell me Grace and what she can do isn't a freakshow! But instead of 3 kids matches, do one and then find an old Gracie to go against some old rival.

Give them some crazy match that transcends the sport of submission grappling. Give them some shit that goes viral!! Give them something that the UFC fans who won't put on grappling will go watch.

Get some attention by putting crazy shit between rounds....

EBI should try to get Terrere to compete at one of their events. The guy is a Brazilian LEGEND and is back to competing, and would definitely put on a good show.

An old school Brazilian told me not too long ago that this guy was THE MAN back in Brazil before stopping competition around 2004ish cuz of personal things, but man what a spectacle it would be to bring a guy like him on y'know? I've watched some matches and read about him and he has OG written all over him.

Maia vs Terrere would be the biggest EBI ever!

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Originally Posted by Ben Eddy

I think EBI needs to get away from being seen as a BJJ promotion and just be submission grappling. Now you get to market the event with styles in mind. The catch wrestler, the mma guy, wrestler, sambo. Metamoris had a good thing going with Josh Barnett calling out the BJJ guys and saying catch wrestling was best. We need more of that.

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A sub-only grappling tournament would be incredible. Imagine something like what they're currently doing with TUF24, having top-level guys or even champions from different, submissions-using martial arts competing against each other. I'd love to see something like that.

Why wouldn't Alan Belcher compete? He as much as anyone might have an answer for DDS

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Originally Posted by Arman Fathi

EBI should try to get Terrere to compete at one of their events. The guy is a Brazilian LEGEND and is back to competing, and would definitely put on a good show.

An old school Brazilian told me not too long ago that this guy was THE MAN back in Brazil before stopping competition around 2004ish cuz of personal things, but man what a spectacle it would be to bring a guy like him on y'know? I've watched some matches and read about him and he has OG written all over him.

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I'm gonna go on a limb and say that they've tried getting him. I bet there is not a single ADCC or Mundiais champion they haven't invited.

Agreed. I loved watching Telles and would also like to see an OG bjj player at every ebi.

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Originally Posted by Ben Eddy

Metamoris had a good thing going with Josh Barnett calling out the BJJ guys and saying catch wrestling was best. We need more of that.

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Absolutely 100% agree.