Team Yemaso Killed it at the BJJ US Open XVII!

This weekend I had stellar experiences! For the first time Team Yemaso was able to have two teams at two different events under the guidance of two commanders. Sure, before we had sent two teams to two events but this time I was able to entrust Eliot Kelly [If you don’t know his name by now you soon will] with the coaching of our team at the prestigious BJJ US Open XVII.

He did not disappoint! Under his first command the team came home with TWO BJJ US Open team trophies; 2nd place in Juvenille BJJ and 3rdplace in Adult BJJ!!!

I congratulate him and our competition team on this accomplishment, and I am sure that together we will achieve that and much more!

The BJJ US Open XVII is one of the oldest competitions here in California, and, believe it or not, it was my very first tournament! Claudio Franca puts on a fantastic event every year and he himself is one of the pioneers behind many of the developments and improvements of the IBJJF. I applaud him for his efforts and look forward to supporting his events in the future.

Our small team at the BJJ US Open consisted of about 15 warriors and the results speak for themselves!

I am very happy that a number of our guys were competing for the very first time in a BJJ event and have already expressed a desire to continue. Seeing people get the bug, not just to compete, but to IMPROVE their jiu jitsu inspires me as an instructor and fellow practitioner. I LOVE seeing that wave encompass them and cultivate it’s growth as much as possible. In addition, I feel the need to highlight our accomplishment of bringing home team trophies. As I mentioned earlier, we took a force 15 warriors deep. Coalition95 took a team of 104 competitors! Fellow Sacramento School Cassio Werneck took 31 competitors. Yet we are the first Sacramento BJJ Academy to ever bring home a team title from a major tournament.

If the fact that we took one of the smallest teams out to the BJJ US Open XVII and won team trophies doesn’t speak to the efficacy and work we put in, I don’t know what will! Yet, there remains work to be done…

The IBJJF Master and Senior Worlds was the first of its kind. Sure, the International Masters and Seniors is held every year and before this Worlds event was recognized as the “World” title for competitors of my age group but this new event has the actual title WORLDS.

The turnout was monstrous and the hunt for gold brought a ton of high level competitors out of hibernation. Many of the men and women at this age have jobs, kids, teach at gyms, etc and can barely find the time to prepare properly for a big name event so they end up falling off. They feel discouraged many times because competitors in the adult divisions can be 10 – 15 years younger and train 3 times a day.

This event finally gives those practitioners an opportunity to pit themselves with a competitor with the same issues and I am honored to be able to participate in its inaugural event!

I saw TONS of BIG NAMES:

Ribeiro bros



Victor Shaolin Ribeiro



Robson Moura



Gustavo Dantas



Cleber Luciano



Adrianno Silva



Rodrigo Comprido Medeiros



Paul Schriener



Brandon Mullins



Milton Bastos

…and many, many more. It was an absolute honor for me to be among them and compete at their level. I personally remember watching Shaolin fight Fernando Terere on VHS tape for one of the earliest editions of the world championships. I have a photographic memory for everything Jiu Jitsu ( too bad that didn’t help me much in school lol) and I saw him play the EXACT SAME half guard that he played way back then! Loved every minute of it!!

In fighting both Shaolin and Xande Ribeiro I got to compete against two of the most prolific competitors of all time and was thoroughly impressed with Xandes passing. I have NEVER been smashed in my guard like that in my life and took some nice details back with me to the gym to begin to incorporate immediately! I thank them both because rolling with them made not just my weekend, but a true fan boy of this sport feel as though he came very close to an idiol. These experiences have touched me and will continue to influence my future. Thank you both!

The weekend was fantastic and again I was able to share in new experiences with great people! I LOVE the time we spend together as a team because it turns into so much more. It is not “just business.” It becomes so personal when I get to do everything from laughing at the guys when they we are checking our weight at the Chipotle bathroom to the social interaction that brings us closer every trip. I thank you guys for this as it defines me as a person and I pray to have the same influence in your lives as much as you do in mine!

The results of the Worlds were not as good as I had projected yet I am certain that with these experiences we can come back stronger. We will assemble all the information we can get and mathematically break down our mistakes and next time you will see better versions of ourselves, that’s a promise!

Happy Hunting to All

Follow me: @MarcosYemaso