I remember when this match took place and how dominant Rodolfo was at that time, probably one of the most effective and technical guard passers competitive jiu jitsu has ever seen. That same year Rodolfo had submission victories over great champions like Buchecha, Cobrinha and Michael Langhi.
we knew Rafa was 154lbs while Rodolfo was a heavyweight (208lbs) and being on bottom would be a true test for his guard.
The match went to referee decision and it was one of the most devastating moments of our careers since the prize was 50k and we were living in Rio Claro, Brazil at that time with our mom working two jobs to help us pursue our dream of making a living off the sport we love so much.
today analyzing the match I can really value the level of the technique and understanding we had in our training. Rafa’s frame was perfect and kept Rodolfo away from any dominant spot he could have in that match, the ability to frame from reverse delariva/delariva and also the ability to move from middle distance (where he uses the hooks) to far distance (where he sits up with the arm extended) in order to readjust his frame are great examples of what I taught in my instructional for @bjj.fanatics
this is an amazing example of a lot of the concepts I teach and how it can be applied at the highest level against the most dominant opponents if you study and develop the confidence in your technique.
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