To bring in the New Year, I scoured Youtube for videos of matches available to the public – ones which I’d seen previously or had heard of, or found based on having prepared this list. So here are my top 5 favourite matches of 2013. The criteria is based on the level of action, competitiveness and technicality shown by both fighters throughout the course of the match. Interestingly, 4 of the 5 selected, are no gi matches.
- Eduardo Telles vs. Felipe Pena, 2013 No-Gi World: What more can you say. This match is back-and-forth, until the very end.
- Kron Gracie vs Gary Tonnen, ADCC 2013: We look to ADCC and find a top-tier match. Watching this match live, was truly exciting. Gary Tonnen earned the name “the people’s champion” leading up to his ADCC debut, and his match against a sure-to-be-legend, Kron Gracie, proved exactly why. After Kron mounts Gary, then takes his back, Kron threatens a devastating arm-bar around 4:25 of the match video. Somehow, Gary manages to find a way out, and reverses the flow of the match by taking Kron’s back – a feat rarely seen. The two continue to fight in deep waters, while experience and tenacity proves to be the determining outcome.
- Caio Terra vs Bruno Malfacine, 2013 IBJJF World Gi Championships: With history between the two competitors (Bruno getting the better of Caio in recent years), Caio had a lot weighing on this match, and the level of pressure could be felt throughout the arena and on live stream. The match was intriguing from start to finish given the complexity of positional-play involved, and transitions traded between the two. Early on, Caio looks to be getting overwhelmed, as Bruno chips away with a strong top-game. As the match continues on, you get a sense that Caio is playing rope-a-dope, ala Muhammed Ali, but Bruno continues some fantastic pressure from the top. The match comes down to the final moments, when the two fight vigorously for the last inch of breathe and balance, with one of two, victorious in the process.
- Kron Gracie vs. Otavio Souza, at Metamoris 2: A fantastic match. The two, go back and forth with guard sweeps, and Kron eventually puts on the pressure, to hit a lightning quick arm-bar for the finish.
- Ben Henderson vs Leonardo Nogueira, ADCC 2013: This match goes through just about every motion, highlighted by some adept wrestling, and unending attempts at the guillotine choke.
- Laercio Fernandes vs Rafael Freitas, 2013 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds: Another fantastic match from the No Gi, Worlds, emphasizing the notion of survivability, with high-level intensity to boot. A brabo choke is attempted early by Rafael Freitas, which threatens to end the match, but Laercio has other ideas. After the reset, we see some tenacious guard passing, as Laercio transitions brilliantly to take Rafael’s back. From here, Laercio begins to chip away, but Rafael Freitas’s choke defense/survival instincts are truly brilliant to see, irrespective of the outcome; this is a highly competitive match.
- Keenan Cornelius v James Puopolo, FIVE Grappling California Invitational
- Sebastian Brosche vs Joao Miyao – Worlds 2013 Absolute
- Marcus Almeida “Buchecha” vs Rodolfo Vieira 2013 Worlds
- Paulo Miyao – Match 2, European Open 2013, Brown Adult, Feather
- Keenan Cornelius vs. Gianni Grippo, Boston Open, 2013, Brown Belt
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
NOTABLE SUBMISSIONS, 2013:
I was able to locate a few top-tier submissions executed in 2013, bearing in mind that it’s near impossible to see them all. This is obviously due to the fact that many submissions may not have been recorded and/or may not have been uploaded to Youtube. Nonetheless, I was able to conjure up some fairly worthwhile submissions, and here they are:
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