UFC 137 Gracie Breakdown

[Brent Smith]

I liked that crucifix escape. Pretty slick.

There are situations when you would love to have that second hook. Promise. More options of control. You dont have to choose one or the other so why limit yourself?

Is full guard overrated to half? yadig?

I find myself switching between the two quite frequently. I would agree theres more control with two hooks than one. I much more prefer the body triangle anyways over trying to control with the hooks.

[David Rosado]

Looking at the posts in here, does anyone feel like BJ might have lost touch with BJJ? He used to be a BJJ phenom because that's what he was training primarily. But in his last 4 fights, he's taken the back on 3 of his opponent and hasn't been able to finish. Do you feel like he's kinda lost touch with BJJ since he's been focusing so much on other aspects of his game (boxing)?

I feel like he might have. Seems like he hasn't evolved or kept up with the evoultion of BJJ. There were a few options ahead of him and instead he gave up position. Just thinking out loud I guess.

[Scott Yockel]

Looking at the posts in here, does anyone feel like BJ might have lost touch with BJJ? He used to be a BJJ phenom because that's what he was training primarily. But in his last 4 fights, he's taken the back on 3 of his opponent and hasn't been able to finish. Do you feel like he's kinda lost touch with BJJ since he's been focusing so much on other aspects of his game (boxing)?

I feel like he might have. Seems like he hasn't evolved or kept up with the evoultion of BJJ. There were a few options ahead of him and instead he gave up position. Just thinking out loud I guess.

thats is a good point but I also think it has something to do with how much better guys are getting. things are way different now and it used to be once you had someone back that was it. Now guys are defending better than before. I dont think it would hurt BJ at all to get back to his roots alittle.

[Brent Smith]

Looking at the posts in here, does anyone feel like BJ might have lost touch with BJJ? He used to be a BJJ phenom because that's what he was training primarily. But in his last 4 fights, he's taken the back on 3 of his opponent and hasn't been able to finish. Do you feel like he's kinda lost touch with BJJ since he's been focusing so much on other aspects of his game (boxing)?

I feel like he might have. Seems like he hasn't evolved or kept up with the evoultion of BJJ. There were a few options ahead of him and instead he gave up position. Just thinking out loud I guess.

I dunno man. I do think bj has kinda gotten away from his roots. Its weird how awesome grapplers just want to stand and bang. He has awesome back attacks but I kinda think the back defense is getting super legit. Like Jon Fitch has an awesome ground game eventhough he never subs guys. The last guy Penn submitted was Kenny Florian and that was a text book Bj Penn back attack. So its been 2ih years sense he subbed someone.

[David Rosado]

thats is a good point but I also think it has something to do with how much better guys are getting. things are way different now and it used to be once you had someone back that was it. Now guys are defending better than before. I dont think it would hurt BJ at all to get back to his roots alittle.

That's my thought. You're right, it's definitely a lot harder to finish from the back. But part of me is like, dude was looking for traditional options only. I can't help but think what if he had a few more tricks up his sleeve.

I was having a convo with a friend and was like, man BJ got his BB and won the mundials in 3 1/2 years! Imagine if he woulda stuck around in BJJ a little longer instead of diving head first into MMA.

[David Rosado]

I dunno man. I do think bj has kinda gotten away from his roots. Its weird how awesome grapplers just want to stand and bang. He has awesome back attacks but I kinda think the back defense is getting super legit. Like Jon Fitch has an awesome ground game eventhough he never subs guys. The last guy Penn submitted was Kenny Florian and that was a text book Bj Penn back attack. So its been 2ih years sense he subbed someone.

The only thing that got me even asking the question is how guys are saying he had a few other options besides just trying to secure the other hook. I'm a white belt man. I'm just thinking it was good back defense. I mean, it was. Nick is a G so props to him for staying cool and getting out of a bad position. But guys in this thread kinda pointed out that he had more options than that.

With BJ being out of the BJJ game for so long, I'm wondering if he's kept up with the progression that BJJ has made. Would he be mundials material now? I'm not so sure man. He seems more focused on his boxing than his grappling these days. Makes me sad.

[Jason Hyatt]

That was a nice Ghost he showed in the Cro Cop/Nelson breakdown.

[James Fazzolari]

Great breakdown, thanks for the link.

[Mike Nall]

Looking at the posts in here, does anyone feel like BJ might have lost touch with BJJ? He used to be a BJJ phenom because that's what he was training primarily. But in his last 4 fights, he's taken the back on 3 of his opponent and hasn't been able to finish. Do you feel like he's kinda lost touch with BJJ since he's been focusing so much on other aspects of his game (boxing)?

I feel like he might have. Seems like he hasn't evolved or kept up with the evoultion of BJJ. There were a few options ahead of him and instead he gave up position. Just thinking out loud I guess.

Nah, he hasn't lost touch at all. he still trains with lots of high level guys, and has forgotten more about BJJ than 99% of anyone will ever learn.

He just has amazing boxing for MMA and loves to throw leather on the feet. I mean, in his last fight, he was taking Fitch down and getting the back. No one does that to Jon Fitch. Jon Fitch, a guy who can wear out basically anyone at 170 not named GSP got out grappled by a natural 155 pounder in BJ Penn. That's pretty crazy.

Before his recent 1-1-1 run at 170, BJ's last win at 155 was with a beautiful Mata Leao.

I guess I agree that if he decided to try and tae Edgar down earlier in the 2nd fight that maybe would have been a better strategy. But you can't fault him. He wanted to knock Edgar out after losing that 1st fight, which most people agree should have gone to BJ.

[Mike Nall]

I dunno man. I do think bj has kinda gotten away from his roots. Its weird how awesome grapplers just want to stand and bang. He has awesome back attacks but I kinda think the back defense is getting super legit. Like Jon Fitch has an awesome ground game eventhough he never subs guys. The last guy Penn submitted was Kenny Florian and that was a text book Bj Penn back attack. So its been 2ih years sense he subbed someone.

Once again I can see the point but I don't think it's fair to lump BJ in the box of grapplers that just want to stand and bang.

He had vicious hands from the start, and I think he won his 1st 3 or 4 fights with punches. His fights with Joe Daddy, Sean Sherk, and Diego Sanchez showed that he had arguably the best jab in MMA. His short uppercuts are vicious too.

He lost the standup with Edgar because Edgar is simply too damn fast for BJ to land enough hard shots on him. Edgar just constantly moves and throws little flurries. Once again, in their first fight, BJ got the better of the striking with head shots and power shots.

The only times BJ has really been out-struck on the feet have been in the 2nd fight with Frankie Edgar and against Nick Diaz.

Also, he KO'd Matt Hughes in like 15 seconds, what, two fights ago? Then he out grappled Jon Fitch.

Even with those impressive feats, of course I wish I saw BJ work more on the mat, and I was hoping to see some of that against Diaz, but Diaz is so good from the guard and at scrambles. That would've been an awesome ground fight though, that's for sure.

I agree about back defense getting so much better.