Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Classes at Evolve MMA in Singapore

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Classes at Evolve MMA in Singapore

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts is the only official Renzo Gracie Academy in Asia. All Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts (www.evolve-mma.com) are taught exactly as they are in New York where the main Renzo Gracie Academy (www.renzogracie.com) is located. In fact, Rafael "Gordinho" Correa de Lima (Renzo Gracie's right hand man in New York) has moved to Singapore to teach at Evolve on a permanent basis. Rafael is a BJJ 3rd Degree Black Belt Mundials World Champion from Brazil. He was also the most senior Black Belt at the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York in addition to being its Program Director.

Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is a unique style of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. As one of the top MMA fighters from the Gracie Family, Renzo developed his own version of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu based on his many street fights and professional MMA competitions. As Gordinho put it during his first class here, Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu has many elements of "ghetto style" BJJ as opposed to purely competition BJJ. Renzo was the first member of the Gracie Family to adopt techniques from other styles such as Muay Thai and Boxing for his professional MMA fights. Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu incorporates standing techniques, takedown techniques, and ground techniques.

Given that Evolve Mixed Martial Arts is an official Renzo Gracie Academy, all belt promotions are official Renzo Gracie belts with authentic certifications. In Brazil, it is known that all belt rankings are not created equal. It is a badge of honor to receive a belt promotion from a legendary BJJ stylist such as Renzo and the expectations of conduct are even higher. At Evolve, you can be rest assured that your belt promotions will be recognized around the world. The knowledge that comes with the belt is almost as important as which BJJ Black Belt promoted you in terms of credentials and authenticity. For lack of a better analogy, getting a Black Belt from Renzo Gracie is like getting a Phd from Harvard. It is an authentic Ferrari in world of cheap imitations. The Renzo Gracie brand name is unquestioned and its authenticity unparalleled.

At Evolve, you will get authentic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts. Achieve Greatness Within.

How to become great at Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

How to become great at Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

Over the last 15 years, the UFC (The Ultimate Fighting Championships or www.ufc.com) has allowed all martial artists from around the world to test their respective arts by competing in a limited rules competition. The UFC is the world's largest and most prestigious MMA organization. Simply put, they put on the best events with the best martial artists in the world. In these limited rules bouts, it has quickly become apparent which arts are effective in real life situations (and which arts are ineffective). The UFC has become akin to a Darwinian jungle in which only the best arts, techniques, and martial artists survive.

It is about the truth.

Today, it is widely accepted that there are 3 fundamental pillars of Mixed Martial Arts: the striking game, the takedown game, and the ground game. To translate for beginners, this concept basically means that you need to know what to do when you are standing up, when you are taking someone down to the ground, and when you are actually on the ground.

So what actually works in real life?

Striking
It has been proven through thousands of matches in the UFC and other venues that the best striking art in the world is Muay Thai. It is the most powerful and efficient striking art. In matches dating back to the 1950s, Muay Thai fighters have routinely wiped out Karatekas, Kung Fu Masters, Tae Kwon Do Champions, and much more. In the history of sanctioned and unsanctioned bouts, Muay Thai has enjoyed a 98% success rate against all other striking arts over the last 60 years. The underlying reason why Muay Thai has been so successful against other striking arts is because of its power, range (kick, punch, knee, elbow), and technical depth. Muay Thai is a very important asset for any Mixed Martial Artist.

Takedowns
Wrestling has proven itself to be the most effective takedown art in real life situations. It is the most widely used art in the UFC when competitors attempt to take another competitor to the ground or when a competitor is defending a takedown. Simply put, wrestling is about balance, leverage, and explosive movement in order to disrupt the balance of your opponent. For a true MMA stylist, wrestling is probably the most important skillset because it allows a competitor to dictate whether the fight stays standing up or whether it goes to the ground. A good wrestler can force a fight to the ground or keep it standing. So if you are a striker, you would use wrestling to keep the fight on its feet. If you are a great ground fighter, then you would use wrestling to force the fight to the ground. As you can see, wrestling is a critical part of becoming a complete MMA stylist.

Ground game
In the UFC and other free-for-all venues, it has been proven over and over that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is the most effective art on the ground. In fact, it is probably the most effective art for 1-on-1 combat in the world today. In the ring or the cage, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the single most effective art. Of course, in real life self-defense situations, perfect 1-on-1 situations are rare. If you need to deal with 2 people at once, then BJJ has its limitations. Nevertheless, BJJ is widely regarded as one of the best martial arts in the world today. The basic premise for BJJ is that 90% of fights end up on the ground. The key is to be able to control and to force an adversary to quit while on the ground. BJJ applies this concept through positions and submissions.

So how do you become an expert in all the arts? The answer is that it is nearly impossible to do. The best professional MMA fighters are typically well versed in all 3 pillars of striking, takedowns, and ground game. However, they are usually an expert in 1 of the 3. Why? Because some people feel more comfortable standing up and other feel more comfortable on the ground. It is kind of like why are some people right-handed and others are left-handed. It is because there is a natural tendency to favor one side or the other (and then become an expert with that hand). The same is true for MMA.

It is important to know and train in all 3 areas. However, to become a truly great MMA stylist, you must become an expert in either Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or Wrestling and learn to use the other 2 pillars to your advantage.

We hope this brief write up is useful to your adventures of becoming a complete martial artist!

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts. Achieve Greatness Within.

www.evolve-mma.com

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts: the top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu School in Singapore

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts: the top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu School in Singapore

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts is the largest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school in Singapore with over 120 current Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu students. Led by 3 Black Belt World Champions (Gordinho, Braga Neto, and Brodinho), it is the only official Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Program in Asia. Gordinho is a BJJ 3rd Degree Black Belt World Champion and is based permanently at Evolve. Braga Neto, the reigning BJJ Super Heavyweight Black Belt World Champion, is a Rotating Instructor at Evolve due to his heavy competition schedule in BJJ and professional MMA. Brodinho is also a Rotating Instructor at Evolve.

Here is a picture with some members of Team Renzo Gracie at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts with 2 of our World Champions, Brodinho and Gordinho.

Brodinho will be heading to Brazil to train and compete in the World Championships as well as to fight in his next professional MMA fight. He is an official member of the Evolve Fight Team.

We wish Brodinho the best of luck at the World Championships! Osssss!!!

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts. Achieve Greatness Within.

www.evolve-mma.com

John Slattery: An Irish Warrior

John Slattery: An Irish Warrior

Every few months, the Evolve Instructor Team gets together to select students who have impressed them on different levels and who best exemplify the values at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts, the top MMA gym in Southeast Asia.

For our 3rd student profile, the Evolve Instructor Team chose John Slattery because he truly exemplifies some of the core values at Evolve: excellence, continuous self improvement, and teamwork. John is an inspiration to all of us at Evolve.

By way of background, John is from Ireland, is 28 years old and has been living in Singapore for the last 8 months. He runs a headhunting team in the Banking Sector. His other hobbies include mountain biking, tennis, surfing, and travel in Asia.

Here are some direct quotes:

"John is a big guy. When he first came into Evolve, he did not have the knowledge of how to unleash his potential physically in terms of body mechanics. It is beautiful to watch John's improvement over the last 5 months. Today, everyone can see that he is developing into a true Muay Thai warrior. The biggest area of difference for John is the power and technique of his kicks. His power has improved about 150% for his kicks and elbows. He needs to work on generating more power on his punches from his hips. But I can say that he is fitter, faster, and more powerful beyond my initial expectations. I expect John to show some very big improvements in the next several months because his understanding of Muay Thai is deeper. Keep up the hard training!"
-Nuengpichit Sityodtong, Muay Thai World Champion and Evolve Instructor

"John is a very tough guy and never gives up. He has a big heart like a fighter. His Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has come a long way, especially his top game. John moves well and knows how to use some good submissions. For improvement, he needs to make sure that he does not overcommit his body weight in any direction - this is something John does sometimes because he is a good competitor. He also needs to work on his bottom game. I am very happy to see John in class - he always has a good attitude and everyone at Evolve likes him a lot. John has a big future in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu because he is talented and because he is training under the Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu system. Train hard, my friend! See you on the mats!"
-Leandro "Brodinho" Thomas, BJJ World Champion, Professional MMA Fighter, and Evolve Instructor

"John is an animal! This guy has a bright future at Evolve. I remember his first Muay Thai class at Evolve a few months ago. He had poor fitness, limited power, and sloppy technique. Now he is an explosive Muay Thai warrior with good fitness, good power, and good technique. Of course, there is still a long way to go for John, but he is a fighter. His warrior spirit and love for the fight game must come from his Irish background! The Irish have lion hearts and John exemplifies that very well. The thing that everyone appreciates about John is that he is a strong competitor, but is also one of the most friendly guys that you will ever meet. His natural ability and humility are the foundation to success as a Muay Thai student. I agree with Nueng - John is going to show some big leaps in his game over the coming several months because things are starting to click for him in terms of his understanding of his body and mind in the Muay Thai framework. Great work, John!"
-Chatri Sityodtong, Muay Thai Fighter and Evolve Instructor

"I have trained 14 World Champions in my career of 40 years in Muay Thai. John has a special gift and can go far in this sport if he trains hard. He has improved very quickly and his game is one level higher than when he first started. I would like to take him to Thailand to Sityodtong Gym in Pattaya! He has a big heart and strong desire to learn. This combination is dangerous for his opponents. John has very fast hands and strong kicks. He needs to learn to generate more power from his hips though. Also, John needs to work on his knees - they are one of the weak spots of his game. Nevertheless, I am very proud to be one of his Muay Thai instructors. He has come a long way. Chatri is correct to say that John has a bright future."
-Daorung "Papa" Sityodtong, Muay Thai Trainer of Champions and Evolve Instructor

"I love training both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai and the instructors at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts are some of the top trainers and fighters in the world today. You rarely get this experience in one room."
-John Slattery, Evolve Student and Irish Warrior


Congratulations, John! Keep up the awesome work because there are no limits.

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts. Achieve Greatness Within.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion arrives to Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore!

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion arrives to Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore!

Rafael "Gordinho" Correa de Lima arrived to Singapore today! He will be based at Evolve permanently to head up the Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Program at Evolve. Read more about it at:

http://www.bjj-asia.com/2009/04/singapore-evolve-mma-houses-gordinho.html

Why do Muay Thai Instructors at Evolve all have the same last name?

Why do Muay Thai Instructors at Evolve all have the same last name?

Yoddecha Sityodtong. Nuengpichit Sityodtong. Chatri Sityodtong. Daorung Sityodtong. Mitch Sityodtong. Kongtoranee Sityodtong. Toy Sityodtong. Are these guys brothers or something? Why do all of the Evolve Muay Thai Instructors have the same last name?

The mystery is solved for you below!

In Thailand, when a fighter achieves a certain level of proficiency (ie. essentially when you are good enough to represent the gym professionally as a fighter), the gym's name is bestowed upon you as an honor. In other words, when you achieve "black belt" status (there are no belts in Muay Thai, but it is just an analogy), then the Grandmaster gives you the honor of using the gym name as your last name. It is a rite of passage in Thailand. Of course, there is a lot of weight when you compete because you are fighting for the honor of the gym!

At Evolve, all of our Muay Thai Instructors hail from the legendary Sityodtong Gym in Pattaya, Thailand. Hence, we all use the last name, Sityodtong. If you look at professional fighters from other gyms in Thailand, they all share the same last name too. For example, Jongsanan Fairtex and Bunkerd Fairtex are from the Fairtex Gym in Thailand. Or if you look at Rambo Por Ruam Rudee and Chartchai Por Ruam Rudee - they are from the Por Ruam Rudee Gym in Thailand. In Thailand, you can immediately tell where a fighter is from by just reading his last name!

Sityodtong Gym has produced the most number of World Champions in the history of Muay Thai. Kru Yodtong Senanan is the Kru and owner of the legendary Sityodtong Gym in Thailand. He is Thailand's most famous Grandmaster of Muay Thai and is a national icon in Thailand. He is widely regarded as the Grandfather of modern Muay Thai. Most recently, the Royal Family of Thailand awarded him the prestigious Lifetime Master Achievement Award for being one of the most influential Grandmasters of Muay Thai in the history of Thailand. Some of his accomplishments include producing the most number of World Champions in the history of Muay Thai, leading the Thailand National Team to numerous championships, developing revolutionary techniques in Muay Thai, and much more. Kru Yodtong has more than 55 years of experience in Muay Thai as a professional fighter, a trainer of World Champions, and a Grandmaster.

So for all the Muay Thai Instructors at Evolve, it is an honor to be able to use Sityodtong as our last name. It is also a huge responsibility because our job is to carry on the legacy of Sityodtong in our students at Evolve. Our passion and love is Muay Thai. You can be assured that you are getting the very best Muay Thai training in the world because we are simply teaching you what the legendary Kru Yodtong has taught us all of our lives.

So now you know why all of us have the same last name! And no, we are not brothers!

The Power of One

The Power of One

Are 1-on-1 private lessons worth it? Will the lessons really help to propel your game to a higher level? Will you improve more quickly if you take regular 1-on-1 private lessons?

YES, YES, and YES!

Private lessons are probably the best kept secret in martial arts. History has shown that you will improve up to 400% faster in a private 1-on-1 lesson versus a group lesson. At Evolve, private lessons are reserved only for members. So take advantage of this rare opportunity! You can even have World Champions teach you if you wish. They will critique every little move and make sure your fundamentals are 100% before you move to the next stage of your progress as a martial artist. How many people can say that a World Champion is their own private teacher? Evolve brings the best instructors and champions from Thailand, Brazil, the US, Japan and Korea for your benefit. It is one of the key reasons why Evolve Mixed Martial Arts has grown into the #1 MMA gym in Southeast Asia.

The benefits of having an Evolve Instructor as your private 1-on-1 teacher cannot be stressed enough. The Evolve Instructor Team has over 300 years of experience at the highest levels of competition and teaching. If you are serious about your game in Muay Thai, BJJ, MMA or any other course offered at Evolve, then you should consider trying a few 1-on-1 lessons with our instructors.

Please feel free to stop by the Front Desk to book a time with your favorite instructor!

Evolve MMA: A Warrior in the Making

Evolve MMA: A Warrior in the Making

Mohd. Narul Azrin (or Zin as his buddies call him at Evolve) is a warrior in the making. He is pictured above in the black gi with one of our BJJ World Champions, Antonio Braga Neto. When Zin first joined Evolve, he weighed 125 kgs and was quite unfit with a lot of body fat. In a short 4 months, Zin has dropped an amazing 15 kgs due to the Evolve Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Program. He has gained more muscle and has become more leaner with less body fat. He is stronger, faster, and fitter. More importantly, his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills have really progressed. In the beginning, Zin would be the one getting tapped out because he was a beginner. Now, he is the one tapping people out (although, of course, he does tap out sometimes too like everyone else). Above all, Zin exemplifies what it means to be a part of Team Evolve. He is a winner with a champion's heart. He loves the game. He trains hard. He strives for continuous self-improvement - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Zin is a true warrior in the making on Team Evolve, the #1 MMA gym in Southeast Asia.

By way of background, Zin is a Project Engineer in the Marine Industry. So he has a very busy schedule with work. His hobbies include reading, music, movies, collecting vinyls, and tinkering with his bike.

Here are some quotes:

"Zin is a dedicated warrior. He trains hard and has progressed a lot in the last few months. Win or lose, he always shows the warrior spirit and good teamwork. We are proud to have him on Team Evolve. Zin needs to improve his bottom game to go to the next level."
-Brodinho Leandro Thomas, Evolve Instructor and BJJ World Champion.

"I have watched Zin's confidence rise amazingly as a martial artist and human being! Not only has he built more muscle tone and lost fat, Zin has become tougher mentally and physically. He moves on the ground a lot more smoothly than before and his submission skills are really starting to click. I like what Brodinho said. Win or lose, Zin is always there. What a big heart, man. Zin is going to go far if he continues his training. Congrats, Zin!"
-Chatri Sityodtong, Evolve Instructor

"Zin is tough. His BJJ has come a long way. I am so happy to hear from Brodinho that Zin is continuing to improve every day. It makes me proud to be his teacher. On the first day, he could not even complete the warm up without almost puking. Brodinho says Zin's fitness is already much better. Keep training hard, my friend!"
-Antonio Braga Neto, Evolve Instructor and BJJ World Champion

"I have never felt better about myself in my entire life...I lost 15 kgs which is a big achievement for me...By far Evolve is DEFINITELY the place to train if you are serious about it. The world-class instructors, facilities, and of course fellow students have certainly made me feel that Evolve is like a home...Where else can I get world-class authentic training if not at Evolve?"
-Mohd. Narul Azrin (Zin), Evolve student and BJJ Warrior

At Evolve, our motto is "Achieve Greatness Within" because martial arts is about the journey of continuous self-discovery and self-improvement of the body, mind, and soul.

Congratulations, Zin! You are a warrior in the making. Everyone at Evolve - the instructors, students, and staff - is proud to have you as a friend and fellow warrior on Team Evolve. Here is to Achieving Greatness Within together, bro!

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts. Achieve Greatness Within.