USA Wrestling is holding a historic training camp for the 2007 U.S. Grappling Team, which is to compete at the 1st Annual World Grappling Games in Antalya, Turkey September 9th, 2007.

 

The Training camp is being hosted at the No Limits Martial Arts and Fitness Center in Irvine, CA.  The camp is August 28-Sept 3rd. The Number 1 grapplers in the World Trials at each weight class are invited to participate in the camp and represent the USA at the World Championships. The Coaches for this 1st Annual World Grappling Championships are coached by Jason Townsend of Las Vegas and Bob Anderson of Redondo Beach, CA.

 

History is being made as the sport of Grappling is the combination of Wrestling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Grappling was very exciting at the World Trials with 63% of the matches ending in submissions and 10 of the matches were matches with one person winning and the other submitting them with less than 30 seconds to go in the match. Matches are 1 six minute period.

In spite of the Submissions, Grappling had fewer injuries than all the other styles of wrestling.

 

Coach Jason Townsend wrestled at Syracuse University for Coach Ed Carlin and Gene Mills. When Coach Mills and Carlin left SU, Jason moved on the wrestle at Hofstra University and then coached at Cal State Fullerton. Townsend wrote the rule book for Grappling and got it adopted by FILA as an official sport this past year.

 

Coach Townsend and Anderson brought in Gene Mills for two full days to help coach and mentor the Grappling team.

 

"It was awesome the see the two disciplines of Self Defense come together and work toward the same common goal,” said Coach Mills. “They are to represent the United States in the best of fashion showcasing their skills. The U.S. should be very well represented in both the Men & Women’s divisions.”

 

The best thing about the camp according to Coach Mills was to see the utmost respect for each others disciplines and watch them share the best of each others moves and strengths to make each other and the team the best it could be.

 

Wrestlers have always been strong from the neutral position with takedowns to controlling positions and wrestling from a base with their hips facing the mat. This opens up opportunity for chokes and submissions. Wrestlers are trained to turn their opponents to their backs. That is where the Jiu Jitsu athletes like to be.

 

The Jiu Jitsu athletes love to wrestle from their backs to set up chokes, locks and submissions. The wrestlers need to learn the dangers involved when there is a good submission artist is on their back. The team had Juliano Prado, who is the No Limits MMA Head coach for Grappling and Jiu Jitsu, helping the team also.

 

After spending 12 hours of teaching and training the Wrestlers and Jiu Jitsu athletes, Coach Mills was amazed that these 2 disciplines haven't come together sooner.

 

“For the USA to become the #1 Submission Grappling Team in the World, these two disciplines must cross train with each other. I can foresee Grappling becoming the number 1 combat style for all forms of Self defense. It certainly will be the number one stepping stone for competitors to train for the UFC. It's a match made in heaven,” said Mills.

 

Coach Mills was honored to be asked to come help the team and is looking for follow their results on www.themat.com .

 

Also competing in Antalya, Turkey will be the World Beach Wrestling Championships and the World Sombo Championships. Those results will also be on www.themat.com

 

U.S. GRAPPLING WORLD TEAM

Men

62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Darren Uyenoyama, South San Francisco, Calif. (Fogtown Jiu Jitsu)

62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Matthew Sanchez, Sacramento, Calif. (Ultimate Fitness)

70 kg/154 lbs. - Ricky Lundell, Orem, Utah (Pedro Sauer Team)                           

70 kg/154 lbs. - Jeff Glover, Las Vegas, Nev. (Cobra Kai Jiu Jitsu)

80 kg/176 lbs. - Don Ortega, Albuquerque, N.M. (No Limits)

80 kg/176 lbs. - Bill Cooper, Santa Barbara, Calif. (Paragon BJJ Academy)

80 kg/176 lbs. -Michael Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Gilbert Grappling)

92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Malcolm Havens, Parker, Colo. (Grapplers Edge)

92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Matt Horwich, Eagle Creek, Ore. (Team Quest)

92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Ryan Gillespie, San Diego, Calif. (The Boxing Club)

125 kg/275 lbs. - Jeff Monson, Coconut Creek, Fla. (Victory Athletics)       

 

Women

48 kg/105.5 lbs.- Lisa Ward, Lacey, Wash. (United Fight Team)

55 kg/121 lbs. - Felicia Oh, Tarzana, Calif. (JJ Machado/BJMUTA)

55 kg/121 lbs. - Bahar Shahidi, Denver, Colo. (Grapplers Edge)

55 kg/121 lbs. - Cristina Rodriguez, Tampa, Fla. (Gracie Tampa)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.- Tara LaRosa, Woodstown, N.J. (unattached)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.- Crystina Coats, San Diego, Calif. (The Boxing Club)

72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Valerie Worthington, Whittier, Calif. (New Breed/Hollywood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu)

Coaches - Bob Anderson, Redondo Beach, Calif. and Jason Townsend, Las Vegas, Nev.

Team Leaders – Jim and Karen Santianello, Irvine, Calif., Gogi Parseghian, Los Angeles, Calif.

Additional Coaches – Juliano Prado, Irvine, Calif.; Sheldon Marr, Aurora, Colo., Ramon Diaz, Irvine, Calif.; Brandon Guzzo, Salt Lake City, Utah

U.S. World Grappling Team is sponsored by No Limits

 

 

 

 

 

 Last updated