Denny Prokopos vs AJ Agazarm IBJJF American Nationals 2013

[David Rosado]

I'm not anti position players. I'm anti position and do nothing with it players. GSP damages you. Askren also beats guys up and sometimes even finishes them. Fitch.........no comment.


I mean, I love Galvao. Being position oriented isn't a bad thing. Being position only is a bad thing. Spending 20 minutes scoring invisible points only to get choked out is a bad thing. That's how I feel.

[Mike Nall]

We're entitled to our opinions. I'm not a fan. One flying whatever that was...flying into sprawl control..lmaooo...nah I don't find that exciting.

I've seen that fight. I remember laughing pretty much the whole time at AJ. I'm like, geez this guy just get can't get point fighting out of his system. Don't get me wrong, his positioning was fan-freaking-tastic. But that's what made me laugh. He kept going from position to position to position and instead of attacking with a sub, he'd transition to another position, meanwhile his opponent was looking for subs the entire time from all angles. And guess what, at the end of that match, AJ loses. If points mattered, he probably scored like a 100 points in 20 minutes....and he still lost because he was playing the wrong game. And it's that style that I have no love for. Again, I speak for myself as a fan. Sure he can kick my ass. So can the Klitschkos. But boring is boring to me.



I don't expect everyone to be like Bill Cooper. But for entertainment, I do prefer an attack based style, not just position.

Fair enough and I don't think AJ is the most exciting guy to watch by any means. I just don't think he's quite as boring as some people say he is.

[Josh Bodmon]

Just to address what Kurzy was trying to explain to me, apparently there aren't a bunch of people who are anti AJ but anti IBJJF. If you don't like the rules and people who win by the rules, don't watch. I mean if AJ pulled 50/50 and chilled once he was up it would be one thing, but he was pacing himself, respecting Dennys dope game and trying to advance. You dont watch an NBA game and complain because people aren't dunking as much as they would in a dunk contest lol (not a great analogy but you get what I mean)

Mike, I appreciate your points because I respect the logic behind them and its great to have higher belts discuss these points instead of a bunch of us white belts arguing over random stuff.

I also tend to agree with Brandon's MMA comparisons although I might not have personally chosen Askren as an example, but I think there is something in being so good at controlling someone and having solid positional control that you let them try and give you something instead of constantly going nuts to sub someone or finish them from all positions. Finishing is amazing, but its not an automatic nor an easy thing, and being intelligent and just dominating overall is sometimes even more disheartening and more of a win in a controlled, timed environment

[David Rosado]

You dont watch an NBA game and complain because people aren't dunking as much as they would in a dunk contest lol (not a great analogy but you get what I mean)

I complain about watching Tim Duncan play. LOL. Like I say, boring is boring.

And I don't watch IBJJF for that reason. I wouldn't have watched AJ at all had it not been for Denny posting the vid. I'm bitching because Denny had a great performance but loses out because of corny rules that some guy mastered. I don't support the IBJJF, I don't watch it. I will continue to bitch about it.

[Jay Chow]

I complain about watching Tim Duncan play. LOL. Like I say, boring is boring.

And I don't watch IBJJF for that reason. I wouldn't have watched AJ at all had it not been for Denny posting the vid. I'm bitching because Denny had a great performance but loses out because of corny rules that some guy mastered. I don't support the IBJJF, I don't watch it. I will continue to bitch about it.

You should check out his BJJ Kumite sub only matches, the guy is definitely not boring to watch.

[sean applegate]

I think the real issue isn't the grappler, it's the rule set. Aj fought to win. It wasn't super entertaining, but he fought a great fight within the rule set that was present. Just like he fought well in the kumite. The way Aj fought here is a good strategy for winning Ibjjf tournaments.

[Mike Nall]

I complain about watching Tim Duncan play. LOL. Like I say, boring is boring.

And I don't watch IBJJF for that reason. I wouldn't have watched AJ at all had it not been for Denny posting the vid. I'm bitching because Denny had a great performance but loses out because of corny rules that some guy mastered. I don't support the IBJJF, I don't watch it. I will continue to bitch about it.

AJ didn't "master" any rules. He just went out there and grappled and won. Getting a takedown isn't mastering rules, it's just grappling. Denny and AJ both looked good and had good matches. It didn't fall Denny's way this time, but it was close, and I'm sure he's training hard for the next one.

[Kurzy]

Just to address what Kurzy was trying to explain to me, apparently there aren't a bunch of people who are anti AJ but anti IBJJF. If you don't like the rules and people who win by the rules, don't watch.

I haven't watched it.


Personally I don't hate on the rules, but I don't play a points game in the limited amount of competing I have done. (One tourney). I will likely never play a points game.
That being said, the only reason I haven't watched this fight yet is because my work schedule. All my time is being spent at work right now, 12 hour shifts, plus 1.5 hours travel every day, so I race home to make the last half hour of class to roll, then go home, shower, and hit the sack, wake up in the AM and do it all over again.

But I am a huge Denny fan and I will get around to watching this fight sooner or later, regardless of knowing the outcome and knowing I will have to watch one guy play a points game while the other guy plays a sub only game.

[bobby rivers]

Mike and Brandon nailed it. AJ is crazy good and damn near impossible to kill in under 15 min. If you can't compromise him within that time, its gonna be a rough match. I think Eddie was spot on comparing him to a mini Rader. At the highest level, if you can't lock on a highlight flash sub, youre gonna have to wear him out for him to slip. AJ doesn't wear or slip easy. He is an amazing grappler and very exciting because he executes. If we don't like his plan, then its our job to stop him. Good luck.

Denny. That restart was everything. He was done. Like Mike said, sucks you were so close to the border. Very few people can kill that dude and you're def one. Great match.

[David Rosado]

You should check out his BJJ Kumite sub only matches, the guy is definitely not boring to watch.

I have. 20 minutes of invisible points only to get choked. I mean I'm extremely I pressed at his positional dominance. Just not a fan of the style. But hey, I'm just some fat white belt with no credentials with Internet access. He's better than I am. He'll be fine despite my opinion of his style and personality. And I'll be fine not watching his matches, interviews, and so forth. C'est la vie.