This Monday’s Match features Leo Vieira vs. Baret Yoshida at the Rickson Gracie’s Budo Challenge in 2005. The rules were quite interesting in this event; each competitor would gain only one point for every advantageous position (vs. varying points in traditional tournaments). Furthermore, pulling guard would garner the competitor negative points (like in ADCC). Don’t miss this technical and light speed paced match!
At the risk of asking a question and exposing my newbieness for all to see why is pulling guard considered a negative? I know there are countless submissions from there but oftentimes it seems frowned on. Can guys explain that? Thanks.
Here’s my guess. In most tournaments, you do not get negative points for pulling guard. This being the Rickson Challenge, it had different rules. Even in other tournaments it is considered a “neutral” rather than “advantageous” position. In short, in a real fight you always want to have the most dominant position possible. In theory, you’d really only go to guard if “forced” to be on bottom. So in the spirit of GRACIE jiu-jitsu, the Rickson Challenge added the negative points rule. May have also been an attempt to “push to action” by punishing the guard pull.
Not saying I agree or disagree, just my two cents.
Thanks Jamey for clearing that up. I have learned the hard way (by someone submitting me in my guard- it has not happened since haha) that closed guard does not mean we are safe. Good explanation you gave! Thanks.
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