Rodolfo Vieira vs. Bernardo Faria at the 2014 Worlds. GRACIEMAG
Despite having made the jump to MMA, Rodolfo Vieira is still a BJJ teacher through and through, occasionally traveling to teach a packed seminar somewhere in Brazil.
A few years back, he paid a visit to Escola de Jiu-Jitsu Brasileiro, led by Edgar Guimarães in Blumenau, and taught a maneuver he used at the highest possible level: a final of the IBJJF Worlds. This may well be the detail currently missing from your top game.
It’s worth noting that it’s a guard pass with a double underhook, bringing the passer straight to the mount and earning them seven points (three from the pass and four from the mount).
Translated transcript:
“I’ll show a guard pass I employed at the Worlds final. He will be here keeping it all closed on half-guard. I’ve managed to gain the underhook there. I’m here wrapping his arm [0:25] with that traditional underhook, except I’ll change it up a little here. I’m gonna underhook under his arm. I keep my elbow at the level of his elbow, because if I come too close to the armpit, he becomes strong and lowers his arm. So I keep it right here [0:46] at the elbow and I carry his arm up. I close the hand-to-hand grip. Now I’m gonna prop my foot here, I raise my hip, I’ll step on his calf, and I’ll go right to the mount.”
