The Merit of Combat Jiu Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu spread out of Brazil riding on the principles of innovation, practicality, and effectiveness. In a sense, it started a martial arts enlightenment where the basic assumptions of martial arts were reconsidered and forced to either adapt or be abandoned. Techniques began being measured by their practicality in a real fight, and how effective a weaker man/woman could use them to subdue an attacker. Originally, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu developed as a way to defend oneself in live combat.  As the sport grew some practitioners began developing techniques to best other BJJ fighters in a pure grappling match rather than in a no-holds-barred setting. This resulted in a move away from a combat based jiu jitsu style to a more sport based style. Recently, practitioners of Sport Jiu Jitsu and Combat Jiu Jitsu have started a bit of controversy regarding the usefulness or merit of each style. Enter Renzo Gracie, a legend in both the combat world and the sport world, and according to him, “To try to separate Sport Jiu Jitsu from [Combat] Jiu Jitsu is a sin… Like comparing the beauty of two women... Both are beautiful in different ways." He’s right, both styles have their own unique beauty, and Combat Jiu Jitsu's beauty lies in its innovative, practical, and effective nature within the realm of a live fight. It is not my intention to convince the reader Combat JJ is in any way superior to Sport JJ. Instead I simply want to explain the benefits of Combat JJ, and address some of the criticisms surrounding the style.

At its basis, the philosophy of Combat Jiu Jitsu comes down to self-defense. This is not to say Sport Jiu Jitsu isn't a valid form of self-defense, it just doesn't emphasize self-defense as its ultimate goal. Yes, Rafa Mendez would most likely beat the shit out of anyone who messed with him at a bar. Yes, if you can pass the guard of an experienced competitor, you'll likely have no trouble getting to a dominant position against an untrained attacker. However, proponents of Combat JJ would argue that in order to truly maximize one's chances of leaving an altercation unscathed, one must train for all the variables that surround a real fight. This includes: striking, clinching, takedowns, ground-and-pound, up-kicks, and cheap stuff like sucker punches and head-butts. Those who practice BJJ understand that only through repetition can someone truly feel comfortable in any position. Thus, without proper training for strikes one can never master the techniques that minimize damage taken and maximize the chances for victory in a street fight or MMA fight.

Just like in Sport JJ, one must put themselves in different situations time after time in order to minimize reaction time. Whether it is utilizing a berimbolo guard or a closed guard, good BJJ fighters only start anticipating an opponent's actions after spending countless hours in each position. Thus, sparing with punches in the gym helps the fighter anticipate strikes so they aren't an unknown variable in a live fight. Everyone can agree that repetition is the only way to get better, and by constantly rolling with light strikes a Combat JJ practitioner is more confident dealing with live punches than someone who only grapples. This reality is a huge benefit that comes with training strike based jiu jitsu.

Competition wise, a Combat Jiu Jitsu fighter translates easily into Mixed Martial Arts, but can also adjust for Sport JJ. Rorion Gracie originally started the UFC to expose the effectiveness of BJJ to the world. Today, every fighter in the sport must at least be familiar with jiu jitsu in order to be successful. However, the BJJ moves they learn must be practical and effective within the rules of an MMA fight since anytime spent working on techniques that aren’t applicable is time taken away from focusing on skills that will bring them success. Just like if a Sport JJ practitioner is looking to win the Pan-Ams, he/she should focus on the techniques that work best within the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) rules and not techniques to block punches.

Furthermore, it is possible to stick to the basics of Combat JJ and find success in a sport setting. A solid closed guard and a tight top game are tough to beat in any setting. However, this can only be done by keeping an open mind and training with guys/gals with a good understanding of Sport JJ. Just like you don’t want to be in a real fight without being prepared for every potential scenario, you don’t want to be in a Sport JJ match underprepared for the potential techniques utilized by an opponent.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is pragmatic by nature, but the question is what is the practitioner being pragmatic for? In Combat Jiu Jitsu, the goal is simple, to be able to win a fight. Whether it is a street fight or an MMA fight, Combat JJ focuses purely on how to beat someone trying to knock your head off. It is innovative because it redefined fighting forever by making the ground game a crucial aspect of being a well-rounded fighter. It is practical in the sense that only moves that work in a fight are emphasized. It is effective in how smaller fighters can use leverage and positioning to out maneuver stronger/bigger guys. The beauty of Combat JJ lies in its practicality, effectiveness, and innovation within its own realm, and those who practice it, especially at the highest levels, are artists interpreting BJJ in their own way.

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Sun Tzu's Art of War: Shogun vs Henderson

Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War thousands of years before Mixed Martial Arts existed. Though he aimed to breakdown what aspects of military planning decided the winner of a battle, we can adapt his vision to the sport of MMA. So, what does one of the world's greatest military minds have to say about Sunday's match up between "Shogun" Rua and Dan Henderson?

1) Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the moral law? (Who is harder to finish?)

• Few fighters are able to absorb the punishment these guys have weathered throughout the course of their careers. Tough doesn't begin to describe either one of these legends, unfortunately, both guys are way past their primes, and that aggressive style that made them fan favorites seems to have taken its toll. Henderson is coming off his first knock out loss, and Shogun just got submitted by a bloated middleweight two fights ago. However, at 43 years old one has to wonder if father time finally caught up with Hendo. Advantage: Shogun

2) Which of the two generals has most ability? (Who has the better camp?)

• Hendo comes out of Team Quest in Temecula California, while Shogun trains at his Fight University in Brazil. Shogun's never been one to gameplan as his usual course to victory is overwhelming offense, but the same could be said about Henderson. However, Team Quest has  produced some of the best fighters to ever grace the octagon; giving Hendo the advantage here.

3) With whom lie the advantages derived from heaven and earth? (What advantages surround the fight?)

• Brazilians don't lose in Brazil. The home crowd advantage is undeniable for Shogun.

4) On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced? (Who's in better shape?)

• Both guys have a full throttle kind of style that has them gassing when they can't put opponents away. Can't say either has an advantage over the other in terms of cardio. Hendo gassed out the last fight, but Rua couldn't muster the energy to finish him in the later rounds. DRAW

5) Which army is stronger? (Who's stronger?)

• Hendo is smaller but the guy can hang in there with big Light heavyweights. Shogun on the other hand has trouble with stronger guys, but it's not likely that Hendo will be pushing Rua around. In their first fight neither guy looked to have overpowered the other. Though Rua does have a size advantage, I doubt he can physically overwhelm Henderson. DRAW

6) On which side are officers and men more highly trained? (Who's more well rounded?)

• Rarely do we get to see Shogun's Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in action since he prefers to slug it out on the feet. He does have great GnP and likes to take people down when he doesn't get the best of the stand up exchanges. Henderson on the other hand has Olympic level Greco-Roman wrestling and everyone knows about that nasty right hand of his. Both guys can be dangerous in the clinch but in different ways: Shogun uses knees and kicks well, while Hendo rather take you down or dirty box. All and all, both guys have options wherever the fight goes. DRAW

7) In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment? (Who can finish the fight?)

• 91% finishing rate for Shogun Rua says a lot, and Hendo knocks out Heavyweights. DRAW

THE PICK: Two evenly matched fighters who look to impose aggressive styles made for an instant classic the first time. The first time around, many felt the judges should have scored it a draw, and it doesn't get any closer than this. However, since the fight takes place in Brazil I have to think Shogun will get that little boost to help him get the nod. That doesn't mean Hendo can't land that H-Bomb of his, but expect Shogun to weather the storm and take control in another war. Shogun by Split Decision.

Sun Tzu's Art of War: Hendricks VS Lawler

Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War thousands of years before Mixed Martial Arts existed. Though he aimed to breakdown what aspects of military planning decided the winner of a battle, we can adapt his vision to the sport of MMA. So, what does one of the world's greatest military minds have to say about Saturday's match up between Johnny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler?

1) Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the moral law?

• Both guys have battle tested chins that make it hard for opponents to finish. However, more than half of Robbie Lawler's losses have come by submission, and though it was a long time ago, he was knocked out by Nick Diaz earlier in his career. Hendricks on the other hand has never been finished in a fight. He took hard shots in his fight with Carlos Condit and faced big punchers like Koscheck and Story without being phased. As far as durability and toughness goes Hendricks has the edge.

2) Which of the two generals has most ability?

• Both guys have phenomenal trainers and teams behind them. Hendricks is part of Team Takedown which is run by Marc Laimon. A true mastermind when it comes to martial arts, Laimon knows how to coach fighters. Few people have the ability to analyze fights and think up strategies off the noggin like Laimon. However, Lawler's move to American Top Team in Florida was a turning point in his career. Ricardo Liborio's ATT produced some of the world’s best Mixed Martial Artists and have a history of excellence few teams can rival. Though Marc Laimon and Team Takedown are without a great asset to Hendricks, Liborio and ATT have a long track record of producing killers. Got to give this one to Lawler.

3) With whom lie the advantages derived from heaven and earth?

• Lawler is coming off a tough win over Rory McDonald which gives him a lot of momentum going into Saturday's fight. Few people believed Lawler would be back in UFC title contention but here he is after going 3-0 in the welterweight division. Hendricks on the other hand seems to be the uncrowned champ at 170. Most people though he won his last fight and it remains to be seen how his mindset is going into this fight. Neither guy seems to have a big contextual advantage going into this fight, Hendricks looks like a guy that is determined to prove he's the real champ, and Lawler feels like this is his time.

4) On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced?

• Neither guy has a reputation for being a cardio machine, but both have fought 5 hard rounds before. Both exert a lot of energy when throwing those nasty bombs at people, and both have slowed down towards the end of fights. I don't think either guy has a decisive advantage over the other in terms of a gas tank.

5) Which army is stronger?

• Hendricks was the only guy to ever bully GSP, but he has been pushed around by guys like Pierce, Koscheck, and especially Rick Story. Lawler fought most of his career outside the UFC at 185 pounds and never looked vastly overpowered. That being said, there's a reason they call Johnny Hendricks "Big Rig." Hendricks likes to run through guys with brute strength at times, and I doubt Lawler will be able to push him around. Advantage: Hendricks.

6) On which side are officers and men more highly trained?

• One doesn't reach this level of competition without excellent technique and being well rounded. Both guys are generally brawlers who look to land power shots on the feet but there is a sort of method to the chaos. Lawler has a bigger arsenal of weapons standing up: flying knees, head kicks, and power punches have all brought him success. However, Johnny Hendricks won 2 NCAA titles in wrestling and trains under Brazilian Jiu Jitsu guru Marc Laimon. Hendricks has the ability to take the fight where he wants, but Lawler isn't exactly a joke on the ground. The x-guard Lawler used against Koscheck was a thing of beauty, but I've seen Hendricks grapple before and he is more than able to nullify top level guys on the ground. Given that Hendricks's stand up is just as dangerous as Lawler’s, and he is able to bring the fight down to the ground where I'm sure Marc Laimon has him well trained, I got to think Hendricks has the advantage here.

7) In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment?

• Both guys can finish the fight. Both guys have scary power that can only be matched by the asteroid from "Deep Impact." So it's very likely that this fight ends with one fighter waking up with a flashlight in his eyes. Hendricks says his jiu jitsu is his best kept secret but we've never seen it, and while Lawler has been finished by subs before, his training at ATT seems to have rectified that hole in his game. We can't assume Hendricks can finish on the ground, but we do know he can finish on the feet, a place where Lawler excels. Seeing as both guys can knock out a water buffalo, and we’ve never seen Hendricks’s submission game, I got to say this is push.

THE PICK: Hendricks is most likely stronger, is more well-rounded, and is tougher to finish. Both guys can finish the fight on the feet, but "Big Rig" has more options. Hendricks by UD

The Emergance of Vietnamese MMA

A former doctor, a movie star, and a former UFC Middleweight Champion make up the 3 lone Mixed Martial Arts instructors in the country of Vietnam. Long Nguyen (doctor) runs the Vietfighter gym in Hanoi, while Johnny Nguyen (movie star) and Dave-muthafuckin-Menne (UFC veteran) run MMA programs in Ho Chi Minh City. The sport's popularity mostly resides among young males living in urban areas, with the majority of the people training, at least while I was there, being expats, because only a few Vietnamese people have any interest in Mixed Martial Arts training. Vietnamese UFC fighters: Cung Le and Nam Phan are fairly popular among young Vietnamese, and with the UFC's recent dip into the Asian market, the popularity of MMA grows everyday. However, since Vietnam doesn't have a history of combat sports it makes it difficult for Vietnamese people to accept MMA. Boxing for example, only recently became re-legalized by the government, and traditional Vietnamese martial arts are practiced for their cultural significance rather than their real life effectiveness. Though there are signs that awareness is growing, the MMA community in Vietnam is very small and is only beginning to plant its roots in the country.

Like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts is very much a foreign concept. Long and Johnny both learned the sport while living abroad, Long in Australia and Johnny in the United States. The UFC only recently started broadcasting events in Vietnam, and the Cung Le vs Rich Franklin fight was the first event to get a big push in country. Le even visited the Vietnam and gave some seminars to help promote the sport. Most locals don't know much about the sport and few understand how it works. The only advertisement for MMA that I saw was at a foreigner bar in Nah Trang, one of Vietnam's biggest tourists towns.

Though the numbers are small, some Vietnamese people do follow MMA. According to Johnny, "The younger crowd that [is] in touch with the Internet" make up the majority of MMA fans among Vietnamese. In HCMC, Vietnamese locals make up most of Johnny Nguyen's students at the Lien Phong Training Centre. Johnny's celebrity status and notoriety brings in Vietnamese locals that want to learn under the action star. Students at Lien Phong are thrown into MMA off the bat. Students are taught to look for striking opportunities on the ground, and takedowns on the feet. Johnny teaches a pure MMA style. Much like Dave Menne's MMA class at the Saigon Sports Center. On the other hand, Long Nguyen rather develop his students' basic skill sets in both striking and grappling before mixing them together.

The fact that Veitnam doesn't have a long history of martial arts is a tough obstacle to overcome when introducing MMA. There is some interest in the sport, but it's only recently begun to grow. Long Nguyen explains that though people aren't necessarily training in MMA, there is a niche that is drawn to MMA. "There's a big fitness gym... nobody does MMA there, but they have a cage... [it's for] the image." Unfortunately for Long, Vietfighter doesn't have a cage and some potential students are turned off by not getting to live out their idea of MMA training.

The fact that a fitness gym uses the cage as gimmick to attract potential clients can only be good news for the future of MMA in Vietnam. Furthermore, with TUF: China wrapping up its inaugural season, and the UFC doing more and more shows in Asia, MMA in Vietnam can only become more popular; whether or not it will ever be mainstream is another question. "I'd be really happy if it gets really really popular... [but] honestly I just don't know," says Long. The future of the sport lies in the younger generation. Through online media and Johnny Nguyen's action movies, anyone can be introduced to MMA. Potential fans can follow their favorite fighters on twitter, learn about future bouts on MMA news-sites, and watch fight videos. Should these guys and gals feel curious enough to try the sport out, Long Nguyen, Johnny Nguyen, and Dave Menne are there to help them explore this emerging sport. But before anyone gets on the mat to train, interest in the sport has to take root. Hopefully with the UFC's expansion into Asia, Vietnamese folk can learn to appreciate the excitement of MMA as either fans or future fighters.

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Behold the Superfluous: The Great Gi vs No-Gi Debate

One of the best things about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is how unique everyone's experience can be. Because everyone has such an individualized perspective on the sport, arguing and debates have spurred up about all sorts of silly things including what one should wear while practicing. The founders of BJJ all started training wearing a Judo kimono, or commonly referred to as a "gi." Over the years people began questioning the usefulness of the gi. (If you are new to BJJ and have no clue what I’m talking about, please read this cleverly titled article written by one of the baddest BJJ practitioners I've ever met: Valerie Worthington.) Traditionalists insist that training Gi is the only measure of one’s true technical ability; while No-Gi only proponents see the Gi game as outdated or boring. In all honesty, both sides make good points, and in my personal experience, I found that Gi helps my No-Gi game. However, that’s my personal experience. If traveling around and training with a bunch of people has taught me anything, it’s that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a unique experience that develops from each individual’s body type, goals, priorities, environment, culture, background, and all sorts of contextual variables that surround the practitioner. Thus, Whether or not the gi is better comes down to a matter of opinion. Each style offers different puzzles for the practitioner to try and solve, and in the end, those who pick a single side are choosing to ignore a whole different look at BJJ. Furthermore, being shut off about either style kinda goes against the open-minded nature of BJJ in the first place.

To truly understand the benefits of either style, one must understand what is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The whole idea behind martial arts in general comes down to the fact that technical awareness of leverage, timing, and positioning maximize the chances of a smaller/weaker person being able to defend themselves and even beat a bigger, stronger, and all around scarier opponent. What sets BJJ apart is that we get to try this out at full speed every time we practice. Without going into the rich history of the sport, BJJ comes down to being able to subdue an opponent in a way in which one can minimize the benefits of strength, size, and athleticism. If we accept this as one of the fundamental truths of jiu jitsu, we find that both Gi and No-Gi are just two different roads to Rome. The goal is to submit, the goal is to control, the goal is to defend. To achieve these goals, students of BJJ need to develop the technical skills to minimize the benefits of an opponent’s athleticism, but athleticism helps a lot… A LOT.

I’ve heard both sides stake the claim that the other style gives athletic opponents an unfair advantage. I can personally say I’ve been tossed around and beaten up by stronger/faster guys in both styles; I’ve had guys grab me by the gi and rag doll me, and I’ve had guys explode out of positions without a gi. To argue that whether or not one wears a gi is the reason athletic people beat you up sounds hollow to me. Wouldn't a better approach be to become so technically sound that one could out maneuvering a stronger guy or gal regardless of what he or she wears? In my opinion, each style can teach us different ways to out-wit athletically gifted opponents.

While the gi does give strong guys grips to help control weaker opponents, it also gives weaker guys more leverage to help escape disadvantageous positions. Everyone that rolls with a gi has experienced the difficulty in trying to get a big hulking brute to break their hold on you. It’s not easy, and at times it is just plain impossible. This reality forces the weaker practitioner to rely on proper technique and leverage to out maneuver a big gorilla. Those same grips that keep smaller guys from advancing can be used against the bigger guys, and the gi can be used to give a weaker but more skilled practitioner the extra control or torque he or she needs to advance position.

In the gi, one has to learn to be patient and use their core and limbs in harmony to wear down monsters, create space, or attack. Being explosive will always be beneficial in jiu jitsu, however it is far more difficult to explode through an opponent's guard or out from under a guy when they are strong and grab your gi. Without being able to rely on one’s explosiveness, one must be able to use proper technique to win; for these reasons Gi matches are much slower than No-Gi, which a lot of people find boring. Here we find ourselves at a juncture of opinion, people who like to roll at a fast pace rather train No-Gi. Those who like a methodical game of "body-chess" generally prefer Gi.

It is important to note that patience and leverage are HIGHLY important in No-Gi; moreover, using the gi as a tool to zone in on that aspect of the game is a smart way to train. Thus it’s understandable why some people argue that the gi is a good tool to better one’s all around grappling; just how good of a tool it is, is again a matter of opinion. Of course the best way to improve your No-Gi game is to practice No-Gi, but throwing in a little Gi from time to time may help.

In No-Gi, it is much easier for fast/explosive people to slip out of disadvantageous positions and into dominant positions, making it much harder to control explosive athletes. Furthermore, while strong guys won't have the gi to anchor down on, strength and size are still tough obstacles to overcome in No-Gi. All that changes is the approach one has to take to beat bigger opponents. Without the cloth to create more friction and without the grips to slow guys down, explosive dudes and dudettes are difficult to beat. It is even tougher when the gi isn’t there to soak up sweat, thereby making an opponent more slippery and harder to control. A BJJ practitioner who isn’t athletic or fast will have trouble utilizing his or her offense against someone who is, here the emphasis in No-Gi turns to timing and again to proper technique. When you know your opponent is explosive, it is easier to time their explosion than to try and stop it. Once you get the timing down, one uses proper positioning and leverage to use the opponent’s own momentum against them, laying traps and securing a position or submission. The gi gives the weaker person more torque and leverage to push back against a stronger person's push, but without the gi it's better to deflect  that energy using good timing. Thus, just like the gi helps hone patience and leverage, No-Gi helps a grappler focus on their timing, and timing an opponent is a crucial part of grappling in general (including Gi Jiu Jitsu).

Training in both can absolutely help one’s all around grappling game, but in the end, which style one prefers should be focused on. Though Gi training helps No-Gi, and vice versa, the only way to get better at a specific style of BJJ is to train in that style often and consistently; however it is beneficial to throw in a new look from time to time. But all these points are moot when someone just plain doesn’t like training in the other style, and that’s fine. Gi does get slow, and No-Gi doesn’t have as many attacks like gi chokes and lapel sweeps. In the end it comes down to a matter of opinion, if you like Gi: great, if you like No-Gi: great, if you like both: great. I would encourage people to give both a try to make up their minds. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at its core is about being open minded, trying new things, failing and trying again, picking up tools and letting some go. To look down at someone for having a different view of the game doesn’t promote the sport nor does it grow the community; after all we are all students of the game, some just wear a different uniform to class.

Thus Spoke Language Fight

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Gym Spotlight: K-1 Fitness and Fight Factory (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)

Cambodia’s capital city Phnom Penh has a lot to offer travelers: happy pizza, beautiful palaces and temples, 2 dollar jugs of beer, and just south of the big soccer stadium, a world class martial arts and fitness academy. K-1 Fight Factory is home to some of South East Asia’s top kick boxers and Mixed Martial Artists. The gym opened in 2010 and is owned and operated by David Minetti. Minetti’s accolades include: Black Belt 1^st Dan in Tae Kwon Do, 2^nd Dan in Kick Boxing and Mauy Thai, European MMA champion, and French Kick Boxing and Mauy Thai champion from 1993 to 1999. He’s also an experienced gym owner and coach having a successful gym in Vietnam. The success of his Vietnamese gym inspired him to expand into neighboring Cambodia.

Minetti’s hopes to spread the sport of MMA among the local Khmer population, but for now expats make up the majority of the students at K-1. The gym offers free classes to Khmer boxers in the area, and though it varies from week to week, a handful do make it to the MMA class. The striking classes are the most popular, but crossfit training is also very popular. In regards to grappling, when I was there visiting the students were all beginners. Multiple guys said it was their first day training, and most had little to no experience on the ground. I didn't see any women in the MMA class, but there are plenty of female students training striking and working on their cardio.  When I visited the gym, Ben Pepper ran the MMA and grappling class, but since then he’s returned to his native Australia, leaving Minetti to run the class.

The gym is located on 199^th street just south-west of the soccer stadium. It’s a bit tough to find since most tuk-tuk drivers have never heard of it. If you’re staying near the riverside hostel area, you’re looking at about 3.00-5.00 bucks to get down there. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time cause the tuk-tuk guys are gonna have to stop and ask for directions. The gym has two floors of training space. there is a lot of mat space but there are two pillars going down the middle which can get in the way if you like to move around a lot. Like any good striking gym, there are long mirrors along the wall to help you keep an eye on your form. Gym equipment and machines sit by the front door along with sport drinks and water for sale.

The gym was very visitor friendly, everyone says hi to you when you first walk in and people are excited to have new guys show up and train. Whether you’re a black belt or a newbie, K-1 has an open door. The gym prides itself on having a positive and layback training environment, and even though I only visited for a few days, I could see that vibe immediately. At the end of class people stuck around to chat and hang out, and when the kick boxers came down stairs it was all smiles and hugs. The coaching staff is very involved and it is clear that they care about the student’s progress and development. All around I’d highly suggest anyone traveling through or living in Phnom Penh to train here. It’s a fantastic school with great coaches and awesome people. Whether you’re an experienced fighter or a green tomato, K-1 has what you need to reach your goals and sharpen your skills.

Address: 131, street 199 12000 Phnom Penh

Website: www.k1-factory.com

E-mail: david@teamminetti.com

Tel: 067 519 698

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A Tale of Two Cities: Jiu Jitsu in Vietnam

The end of World War II signaled a chain of events that led to the political division of Vietnam into north and south. The north were commies, and the south were capitalists... the US enters to back the south, Forest Gump gets shot in the buttocks, the US leaves, and the country is reunited as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Though the political divide was bridged in 1971, a cultural divide continues to exist in 2013. And while the war wasn't the cataclysmic event that sent Vietnam on two different cultural projections, it did widen the already existing cultural gap between north and south. This cultural difference is especially visible in how each side views foreigners and foreign influence; which in turn affects the development of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in each region.

As a whole, jiu jitsu in Vietnam remains in its infantile stage. The sport was first introduced in the south about six years ago, and few Vietnamese people know of jiu jitsu.The only places to train are either in Ho Chi Minh City in the south or Hanoi in the north. Though both cities share significant similarities in in how new BJJ is, one can't help but notice the differences in the availability of training and technical level between the BJJ scenes in Hanoi and HCMC.

To me, visiting such a raw jiu jitsu environment felt exciting. It reminded me of the stories I’ve heard about the rough and tough early days of jiu jitsu in America. Back when people trained in garages, YMCA gyms, on grass lawns and carpet, or even hardwood floors. In a sense, it felt like I was witnessing the growth of Vietnam's own dirty dozen. Because Jiu Jitsu is still so new, few Vietnamese people know of the sport, and unlike other South East Asian countries, Vietnam does not have a rich history of martial arts. Some traditional martial arts do exist, but for the most part people don't train in them. Even boxing and Muay Thai were outlawed for years for being too brutal and "anti-socialist." As a result, Vietnamese people don't show as much interest in training in martial arts like BJJ. Hence why the BJJ scene in Vietnam is vastly made up of expats. The high cost of gym dues in proportion to the average Vietnamese wage also hurts Vietnamese sign ups. One gym, Hanoi BJJ, focuses on spreading BJJ among local Vietnamese, and keeps the price at 10 dollars a month to attract local natives. This price covers the facility rent but doesn't turn out a profit.

All of the advanced practitioners living in Vietnam developed their BJJ skills outside of Vietnam. Some are ethnic Vietnamese who lived abroad and returned home, but most are expats coming to work in Vietnam. This makes it difficult for gyms to hold down advanced trainers and sparring partners since they tend to leave after completing their employment obligations. BJJ Hanoi member, Da Nwang says,"the problem with foreigners in Hanoi is [that] people don’t stick here.” This gym started out with a purple belt instructor from Australia about 3 years ago. Unfortunately, the gym has been without a trainer for the last year and a half. In the south, Snake Pit Jiu Jitsu was without an instructor for one year while its founder returned to the US to develop his own game. 

Another thing both the north and south have in common is the lack of female practitioners. Even though the first ever homegrown Vietnamese fighter to earn a medal in a big international tournament was a lady, women practitioners are rare. Almost every gym has a story of a few female students joining up and then leaving, and the only female practitioner I was able to meet was an expat. However, I did hear of a few places that had Vietnamese women practicing. The general consensus is that Vietnamese women find the close quarters nature of jiu jitsu unsettling. House of Laughter gym owner, Aaron Gardiner says, "When women come in and see a bunch of big dudes lying on each other, they are never keen." Vietnamese people in general tend to feel uncomfortable with the physical contact of grappling, and it can be even harder for a woman to get over. However, everyone I talked to said they would welcome any female fighter. Though there was a tone of "We respect female practitioners and we welcome them, but we have to take it easy on them since they're weaker and smaller than men." But it would be unfair to single out Vietnam when this sentiment is heard all around the world. 

While it's true that BJJ is new throughout all of Vietnam, it should be noted that Hanoi jiu jitsu and HCMC jiu jitsu are on two different stages in development. This contrast due to cultural differences between north and south, but also The Vietnam War intensifying a deeply seeded distrust of foreigners, especially westerners, in the north. Throughout the nation's history, the north and south have always been culturally different in fashion, architecture, and food. Traditionally, southerners think of themselves as being more multicultural, more open minded, and more spontaneous. All qualities that would convince someone to try BJJ. While in the north people see themselves as more tranquil, more traditional, and less trusting of foreigners. Qualities that may inhibit someone from trying a foreign martial art.

The north and south have had two very different histories of dealing with foreigners, especially westerners. Northern distrust of foreigners stems from fighting back the Chinese in the early years of Vietnamese history. Southern multiculturalism stems from the fact that the region has always been an ethnically diverse area. Even after the French took over in the late 1800's, Saigon (modern day Ho Chi Minh) was remade in French fashion, and the aristocratic classes happily accepted their city's title of "The Paris of Asia." Then in 1954 Ho Chi Minh rode a nationalist tide (in combination with terror tactics) to drive out the French and established a Communist state in the north. Soon the nation was in full blown Civil War with the Americans taking over for the French in backing the South both economically and militarily. Many southerners, mainly Catholics and political elites, were happy to accept the foreign aid and protection, thus fueling the north's distrust of foreigners and the south's bond with the west.


The Vietnam War built on an already established mistrust of foreigners in the north; thus making the north less accepting of foreign culture. Throughout Vietnam, but especially in the north, there exists a resentment of Americans and westerners for the war. While in the south, people are used to seeing different faces and incorporating foreign ideas. Hence, it is no wonder that the south has a more developed Brazilian Jiu Jitsu scene than the north; especially since most of the people bringing jiu jitsu over are either Australian, North American, or Japanese. 

Today, South Vietnam is home to multiple gyms that offer grappling.  These gyms are generally more established than those in the north, and generally have higher level instruction. Northerners tend to believe that the south is more appealing to foreign trainers because of the ample tourist traps, bars, and an all around more multicultural atmosphere available in HCMC. For example, Long Ngyuen's gym, VietFighter, is the longest established gym in Hanoi (3 years old). It is a top notch training facility with exercise machines, two floors of mat space, and a big reception lobby, but even VietFighter's excellent facilities are out done by Saigon Sports Club's full fight gear store, swimming pool, ample mat space, and air conditioning!

Ho Chi Minh City is home to lots of purple, brown, and black belts; making it easy to find good sparing partners and coaches. Snake Pitt Jiu Jitsu's instructor, Son "Snake" Duong (purple belt) had to return to the US to develop his skills with other high level sparing partners. So obviously HCMC isn't exactly a Mecca for top level grapplers, but compared to the north, HCMC is definitely further along in terms of experienced instruction. HCMC not only offers experienced jiu jitsu instructors, but experienced instructors from all sorts of grappling arts. Everything from MMA based Jiu Jitsu to Lucha Libre (could we one day have a Vietnamese Saku?) can be found in HCMC. Just the wide variety in grappling arts alone serves as another example of HCMC's multiculturalism, and even though these other grappling arts aren't BJJ, the grappling community as a whole is very tightly knit.  

BJJ practitioners in Hanoi don't generally work or train together. The ability to lay down the foundation for the future BJJ scene in Hanoi perhaps proved too tempting for the first gym owners to pass up. In a wide open field like Hanoi, it seems easier for trainers to just start up their own gyms rather than compromise with another trainer's vision. But in the south, jiu jitsu gyms and other grappling gyms all seem to work closely together.

Saigon Sports Center started an open mat available to grappling gyms within the city. One of the gyms present there was Johnny Ngyuen’s Martial Arts Academy. Ngyuen, a Vietnamese national who learned jiu jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts while living in the United States, is an action movie star using his fame to spread MMA and grappling in Vietnam. The majority of his students are Vietnamese, and he tells me the grappling class gets the most attention. He explains, "they don't know what [MMA] is and they don't know what grappling is... but the fastest thing that they catch on is not striking, it's grappling... I think it's just a basic instinct. Everybody knows how to wrestle. As little kids [they did] it." And even though Ngyuen's main focus is MMA, he still takes time to grow the grappling community by bringing his students to open mats to roll.

Johnny Ngyuen is not alone; every gym owner I spoke to told me that passion for the sport rather than money was the motivation behind opening their business. Most of the gym owners I spoke to supplemented their incomes with a day job, and wanted nothing more than to see the sport of BJJ grow. Though at first glance growing the sport of jiu jitsu in Vietnam seems daunting, but I like to think of the guys at BJJ Hanoi who find the time to train with each other despite the lack of an instructor, and follow online BJJ courses and instructionals to keep themselves sharp. Or the guys from Snake Pitt who waited patiently for a year for their instructor to return, and happily welcomed any high level guys to come by and teach moves.

Should the sport grow in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, jiu jitsu may act as a cultural bridge between practitioners in the north and in the south. Because at the end of the day, jiu jitsu penetrates through any cultural differences we may have. When I showed up to train with these guys I wasn't an American, I wasn't a Mexican, I was another Jiu Jitsu practitioner. Any language or cultural barrier gets thrown out after a roll. We went from simple getting-to-know-you conversations to "let me show you a good way to strangle motherfuckers." We bounced ideas off each other, I helped them with issues they had rolling, and a good roll was recognized with a big smile and a handshake. It didn't matter what language we spoke, what food we ate, or what religion we practiced, all that mattered was the roll. When training, it doesn't matter if you're a northerner or southerner, or an expat or national; at that moment you're just a guy on the mat.

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