The Rodolfo factor

It was the first absolute world title for Rio de Janeiro native Rodolfo Vieira, 21, but the glory came already enshrouded by great debate, controversy and expectations.

Undisputed champion this June in California, the young submission savant under GFTeam coach Julio Cesar dazzled everyone, giving rise to discussion in the Long Beach pyramid: Could Rodolfo be the bane of Roger Gracie?

This month GRACIEMAG makes room for this analysis, taking into consideration factors like pressure, defense and preparations – both by Rodolfo and Roger. It’s a must-read.

The issue further features what went on behind the scenes at the 16th World Championship, with inspiring and jaw-dropping photos, and 16 of the main lessons we learned from the monsters who dominated the action there – from Gabi Garcia to the female champion with a broken rib, Gilbert Durinho to the blue belt who showed up in a wheel chair. This magazine is, without a doubt, a collector’s item and a must-have for anyone wishing to keep a part of the sport’s history for themselves.

As the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship proved, the throat is the great finishers’ preferred target. Are you prepared, technically and mentally, to bulletproof this vital body part and avoid asphyxiation?

This month, GRACIEMAG hunted down UFC champion José Aldo, a black belt who’s had his neck in a clamp in MMA before, learned from the harrowing defeat, and is now one of the most respected Jiu-Jitsu black belts on the planet, with his neck practically cast in iron.

Your favorite Jiu-Jitsu magazine also serves up six special techniques for keeping your neck out of a noose – even a technique for defending against the guillotine, vital for Jiu-Jitsu and MMA fighters alike. Don’t miss it!

Now if you’re already an escape master and aren’t worried about your windpipe, no problem. This month’s issue has something for everybody. In CHOKE, we serve up 100 lessons we learned from covering MMA over the years. This memorable (and fun – for us as too) article is also on the menu.

Now our interviewee of the month, Lucio Lagarto, lays out how he beat the horror of cancer and recalls the day he overcame Roger Gracie in training and a sad yet almost hilarious roll he had with George St-Pierre – with the use of just one arm. One of the most emotional and captivating conversations ever to figure on our pages.

In INTRO: the reasons Jiu-Jitsu helps produce well-raised kids and less worried parents; ten pointers for white belts; and Alvaro Romano’s Ginástica Natural, a fundamental part of the preparations of numerous Jiu-Jitsu, surf and MMA stars.

In Training Program, aggressive world runner-up Marcus Bochecha is the instructor of the month, presenting four well-designed and efficient attacks for you to haunt your partners in training, whether by getting a vice grip on their necks or stretching out their legs.

Your favorite Jiu-Jitsu magazine also features Martin Rooney calling on you to innovate your grips, and the highlights of Long Island Pride and the Big Apple Open Jiu-Jitsu championships. To wrap up with some reverence for the masters of old, a tribute to Japanese legend Count Koma.

Don’t miss this month’s GRACIEMAG, and find out in the MAIL section how young readers won’t let go of the magazine even in the most unexpected places!

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