Mendes Bros no-gi sub only superfights from Chechnya this past weekend

Mike, im sure you seen the video of Rafa and Galvao training No Gi and Rafa fighting off double under passes and than catching him with an anaconda choke, just ridiculous

Originally Posted by Liquidrob

Mike, im sure you seen the video of Rafa and Galvao training No Gi and Rafa fighting off double under passes and than catching him with an anaconda choke, just ridiculous

Great post Mike Nall as usual

I just posted the other day on the UG how people thinking the Mendes brothers are just "butt floppers", they have really good takedowns and Rafa trains with the SD Atos guys like Galvao,,Torres, Keenan, etc...and in the ADCC training vids they start from standing a lot and battle takedowns

Cobrinha has a really good wrestling game

And like you said, Rafa has been killing it with the top game lately, he has become more passer heavy lately and destroying guards

Totally. I know it's still on their site but I think they took it off youtube. :/ That was one of the most intense rolls I think I've ever seen. That choke with less than 10 seconds left was ridiculous.

I couldn't agree more Rob. Especially Gui. His fake guard pull to ankle pick takedown is sick and he does it all the time. I think people that say things like "the Mendes Bros style" aren't paying attention. Their guard, guard passing, and their submissions are pretty different in some key ways that don't really need to be broken down here. But you get it. People talk about them like they're the same person, which is wrong. And on top of that, it's like they aren't even seeing what they're doing. Even if Rafa pulls guard a lot, at least they always start from the feet which is more than most academies do.

And yeah dude I think Cobrinha's wrestling is one of the strongest parts of his game. Again people think featherweight=butt scooter, when I think Cobrinha's biggest skill is his top pressure and ability to blend wrestling into his guard play, just like Marcelo. [/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Mike Nall

Do you mean Rafa has been subbed by Cobrinha twice? or that Cobrinha has been subbed twice? I know since brown belt he's only been tapped twice, only once at his weight, and it was an armbar from Rafa in the gi a few years ago. I agree with every word of your post except the last part. I think if you didn't look at any points in their ADCC 2013 match, and you just watched what happened, I think Rafa got out grappled in this match. I thought Cobrinha got 1 or 2 significant takedowns that didn't score, but clearly showed that the balance tipped in his favor. Even die hard Rafa fans in the chat during the match were saying that it would be shame if Cobrinha didn't get the nod. He worked hard for that win and he earned it.

Yeah, I meant that Cobrinha has only been tapped twice at Blackbelt (that I could find - only once that I'd seen), but I worded it strangely didn't I? I've gone back and edited it now

For anyone reading in hindsight: It was because I said they had over 150 matches collectively and across that they'd only been tapped twice (both taps belonging to Cobrinha). I guess that could be read in a number of ways!

Anyway, Mike, I'm glad you agree with so much of what I said.

About the last bit, I was talking about it in my 'sub only' mentality - i.e. none of them lost within the rules they were choosing not to win or lose by. They both decided the other would not score a point more than them and they both ensured that was the case. They gambled then on the other opponent making a mistake (which I have already commented on, and none of them did). I believe Cobrinha had Mendes closest to 'trouble' when he got him in a disgusting footlock (if I remember rightly), so I put that down to why Cobrinha won. That said Mendes evidently has Stretch Armstrong as a father, so perhaps he let Cobrinha have that one with the knowledge that his rubber ankles/knees wouldn't snap.

In all seriousness, it has been a while since I watched it (not the kind of match you watch too many times), so I should probably revisit it and check up on some of the points you made and possibly refresh my view

Originally Posted by Liquidrob

Mike, im sure you seen the video of Rafa and Galvao training No Gi and Rafa fighting off double under passes and than catching him with an anaconda choke, just ridiculous

I watched that with two friends and we were all open-mouthed. You can see (and hear) how frustrated Andre is getting and Rafa's just playing with his hair. Just insane.

Originally Posted by Apperz

Yeah, I meant that Cobrinha has only been tapped twice at Blackbelt

one of which was that crazy leg-in triangle if i recall correctly

Originally Posted by Apperz

Yeah, I meant that Cobrinha has only been tapped twice at Blackbelt (that I could find - only once that I'd seen), but I worded it strangely didn't I? I've gone back and edited it now

For anyone reading in hindsight: It was because I said they had over 150 matches collectively and across that they'd only been tapped twice (both taps belonging to Cobrinha). I guess that could be read in a number of ways!

Anyway, Mike, I'm glad you agree with so much of what I said.

About the last bit, I was talking about it in my 'sub only' mentality - i.e. none of them lost within the rules they were choosing not to win or lose by. They both decided the other would not score a point more than them and they both ensured that was the case. They gambled then on the other opponent making a mistake (which I have already commented on, and none of them did). I believe Cobrinha had Mendes closest to 'trouble' when he got him in a disgusting footlock (if I remember rightly), so I put that down to why Cobrinha won. That said Mendes evidently has Stretch Armstrong as a father, so perhaps he let Cobrinha have that one with the knowledge that his rubber ankles/knees wouldn't snap.

In all seriousness, it has been a while since I watched it (not the kind of match you watch too many times), so I should probably revisit it and check up on some of the points you made and possibly refresh my view

Totally man! yeah I think another reason their 1st ADCC match was so awesome is because they were still feeling each other out as competitors. i ruly think they have a style where it's almost impossible to get a really exciting match out of them at this point. It doesn't help that ADCC pays more than any tournament, and the difference in pay between gold and silver is pretty big. And you're right in 2011 Cobrinha had a disgusting inside heel hook on Rafa, and Rafa was limping pretty bad after and had to ice his knees for a bit. He's flexible but also stubborn and said that he just refuses to tap to leg locks no matter how much pain he's in.

Originally Posted by Tony Toffolo

one of which was that crazy leg-in triangle if i recall correctly

Yeah I do seem to remember a weird triangle at the very first no-gi worlds. So that would make it 3. Because he got armlocked by Rafa and mounted cross choked by Rodolfo Vieira in an open weight gi match. Also for an MMA tie in I know he lost twice to Jose Aldo at brown belt which is crazy. It makes me want to see way more of Aldo on the mats.

Originally Posted by Tony Toffolo

one of which was that crazy leg-in triangle if i recall correctly

At that 10 min mark his standing pass and feints were so fast.....awesome

Originally Posted by Royce Kim

That's it yeah. Sick triangle too. I always like seeing feather weights or smaller do the absolutes. I wish Rafa did as many absolutes as Cobrinha used to do. I get that he doesn't want to get hurt the day before the weight divisions go but I think he could do very well.

I don't blame Rafa or the smaller guys for not absolutes, the risk of injury is higher, the chances of winning a high level absolute is slim, usually at least MW or over wins it,the risk is to much for them

They run a business and just keep winning your weight class and compet longer with less injuries