# Finally got videos from US Open online



## Ybot (Oct 30, 2006)

I got my matches from this years US Open online.  There were two other guys in my division, and I ended up with four matches because they screwed up the bracket the first time around, and we had to do the whole thing over.

Me v. Tyler Bosard




 
v. Alfredo Prado (after Prado defeated Bosard)




(sorry about the clearity on this one, my buddy decided to film both me and the match next to mine.  I had to crop it down for my match.)

v. Tyler Bosard again (restarting the division)




 
FINALS Me v. Alfredo Prado again


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## terryl965 (Oct 30, 2006)

Very nicely done.
Thanks for sharing


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## BJJMichigan (Oct 31, 2006)

Toby, Great Job. You have an impressive guard game, looks tough to get around it. Was that a Spider guard you were using against Tyler in your first video? Also, what belt division were you competing in...looked like purple but I couldn't tell. Again Great job pretty impressive that you completed in US Open and made it to finals...that is not easy.


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## Ybot (Nov 2, 2006)

BJJMichigan said:


> Toby, Great Job. You have an impressive guard game, looks tough to get around it. Was that a Spider guard you were using against Tyler in your first video? Also, what belt division were you competing in...looked like purple but I couldn't tell. Again Great job pretty impressive that you completed in US Open and made it to finals...that is not easy.


Thanks.  In the first video I was fighting a lot from half guard to begin with.  At about 1:25 when he stood up I was looking for a De La Riva guard hook, but he had good grips and stayed too square, so I just kept my guard open and controling sleeves, and then the ankle and sleeve.  When I was able to get my feet on his hips I switched to sleeve and colar grips (1:53), because I wanted to get underneith him for an elevator sweep.  You can see that I lifted him off the ground (1:59) in the attempt, but wasn't under him far enough.  I think I should have hopped closer and tried again, instead I extended my hips out and tried to take him back.  He happened to lean forward at the time and I kneed him pretty good in the head.  It was an accident, and I probably should have kept going, but he and I both hesitated, and the ref stopped it for a bit and I had got kneed in the face at some point before that, so my lip was bleeding too, so I went and cleaned off my lip.

The ref then restarted us in the middle of the mat, and I got the grips I thought I had when we stopped, and he his (2:19).  With the restart, his grips on my legs were tight, and I had a hard time trying to break them, and he was able to push my legs to the side, but was only able to pass back to my half guard (2:34).  I kept my shin in his bicept and sleeve control just to see if I could maybe sweep, but his base was too good, so I started working for a deep underhook trying to sit up to a sitting up guard(2:58).  I couldn't get a good base to sweep from there and he kept comming onto me so I worked to an x-guard (3:17).  I had his left leg underhooked, but not as high on my shoulder as I would have liked, and control of his other ankle.  He was able to just hold on there, but he was stuck and so was I.  Cassio told me to let go of the ankle, so I did (3:28), but I feel I had better leverage over him while I still had it, so I think that was a mistake.  Without that ankle he didn't feel threatened for being swept backwards, and he also managed to threaten me with a inverse armbar on my left arm (3:37) that was enough to make me nervous about it, so I went for the armbar, but never really had it.  That lead to his pass (3:46).  He only got an advantage for it though, because he didn't control me long enough to get the points and I was back on my knees, and just found myself in a good position to take him back over(3:59).  Sweep for me, immediately followed with a guard pass.

Anyway, in both of my matches he got me with that foot in the bicept sweep, and that's what he caught me with next (4:18).  He then set up the classic oppisit side armbar from side control (4:54).  I'm mad, cause no-one catches me like that in training, but he got it.

Anyway, It's more than you asked, but seeing I used different types of guards in that match, I started watching so I could explain them, and then just got carried away.

For your other question, yes it's the Adult Purple Belt Heavyweight division I was competing in.


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## BJJMichigan (Nov 2, 2006)

Ybot said:


> Thanks. In the first video I was fighting a lot from half guard to begin with. At about 1:25 when he stood up I was looking for a De La Riva guard hook, but he had good grips and stayed too square, so I just kept my guard open and controling sleeves, and then the ankle and sleeve. When I was able to get my feet on his hips I switched to sleeve and colar grips (1:53), because I wanted to get underneith him for an elevator sweep. You can see that I lifted him off the ground (1:59) in the attempt, but wasn't under him far enough. I think I should have hopped closer and tried again, instead I extended my hips out and tried to take him back. He happened to lean forward at the time and I kneed him pretty good in the head. It was an accident, and I probably should have kept going, but he and I both hesitated, and the ref stopped it for a bit and I had got kneed in the face at some point before that, so my lip was bleeding too, so I went and cleaned off my lip.
> 
> The ref then restarted us in the middle of the mat, and I got the grips I thought I had when we stopped, and he his (2:19). With the restart, his grips on my legs were tight, and I had a hard time trying to break them, and he was able to push my legs to the side, but was only able to pass back to my half guard (2:34). I kept my shin in his bicept and sleeve control just to see if I could maybe sweep, but his base was too good, so I started working for a deep underhook trying to sit up to a sitting up guard(2:58). I couldn't get a good base to sweep from there and he kept comming onto me so I worked to an x-guard (3:17). I had his left leg underhooked, but not as high on my shoulder as I would have liked, and control of his other ankle. He was able to just hold on there, but he was stuck and so was I. Cassio told me to let go of the ankle, so I did (3:28), but I feel I had better leverage over him while I still had it, so I think that was a mistake. Without that ankle he didn't feel threatened for being swept backwards, and he also managed to threaten me with a inverse armbar on my left arm (3:37) that was enough to make me nervous about it, so I went for the armbar, but never really had it. That lead to his pass (3:46). He only got an advantage for it though, because he didn't control me long enough to get the points and I was back on my knees, and just found myself in a good position to take him back over(3:59). Sweep for me, immediately followed with a guard pass.
> 
> ...


 
Hey thanks for the info, hehe makes watching your video alot more informative (I printed out your response & watched it again). Do you find that your able to hold off your larger opponents via the x-guard? I am a current 1yr BJJ student here in michigan (heavyweight as well) and I find that setting up an opponent in an x-guard is kind of risky with opponent who are equal to my weight or heavier as it seems it takes awhile for me to get "set" in that position, but I am a "noob" not at your level so its probably not as risky for you as a purple belt US Open BJJer. Anyway, was just seeking advice as to continue trying to use "x-guard" or scrap it for now and continue on with more "basic/traditional guards".


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## Ybot (Nov 2, 2006)

X-guard is one of my favorite positions, and in my oppinion is a very strong guard.  If your intrested in using X, my suggestion is to develope a very strong Butterfly/Sitting up guard game, and a strong half guard game.  X-guard fits in nicely with that.

I like to pull X by more or less diving for the untrapped leg from half-guard.  Get half guard, with your inside legover their leg to stop the pass, and hip out far enough to get a butterfly hook on the outside leg.  Now dive under their arm with your head (if they cross face you they can control you) and underhook their untrapped leg with your arm and try to pull it all the way to your shoulder so you can trap it by shrugging and with your head (and of course still with your arm).

Once you have that underhook and the butterfly hook (you'll be facing them) it is easy to pull X as long as you don't let them cross face you.  Say you are on your right side, right arm underhooking their left leg and your left leg butterfly hook on their right knee, just roll to your back pulling them on top of you.  As you do so elevate them with your left leg hook and as they are elevated slip the right leg hook in close to their crotch at their hip.  Your left leg hook is at the knee with your knee in front of them, your left is higher by the groin with that knee behind them, and you should still have their other leg trapped by your ear.

Now you streatch and work side to side to off balance and sweep.  Just remember that a lot of X-guard sweeps require you to stand to take them over completely, because they still are able to post with their hands.  As they go off balance remove the hooks and  stand keeping their leg trapped by your ear.  Walk towards them and lift the leg to take them completely over.


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