Ramona Jiu Jitsu Team earns another first

By BRIAN MENDOZA

Jiu Jitsu schools from all over Southern California were represented in the recent So-Cal Gi Championships. The Ramona Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition team fought hard and took first overall for the Kids and Teens division.

In another brilliant performance by all of the competitors, the RBJJ team represented Ramona with authority, said the team’s coach, Kevin Hosseini.

The RBJJ competitors that placed in the top three of their division are:

•Michael Populin, 2nd;

•Alexis Sherman, 3rd;

•Ian Alexander, 2nd;

•Cody Crist, 3rd;

•Jordan Massie, 3rd;

•Jesse Deaver, 1st;

•Pabel Valadez, 2nd;

•Kilian Brandon, 1st;

•James Proctor, 2nd;

•Jose Valadez, 1st;

•Eli Bennett, 2nd; and

•Harryson Franz, 1st.

Each team member’s performance contributed to the first place finish.

“I am very proud of their work today, said Hosseini. “There were schools from all over Southern California and each had a lot of talent. We earned this first place finish.”

A Jiu Jitsu tournament is full contact grappling in which each competitor is fighting for dominance and submissions. The fighters start from a standing position and use techniques to take their opponent to the ground.

On the ground, the fighter then uses leverage and proper technique to gain position to work toward joint-locks and chokeholds to force the opponent to submit by tapping out.

Fighters are also awarded points for gaining a dominant position or reversing a fight to their advantage. Jiu Jitsu tournaments are not based on sparring or choreographed patterns of movements. Sparring—also referred to as “rolling”—is a live drill reserved for class. During a tournament, the fighters engage in full contact grappling.

The competition team is composed of a select few from the Ramona Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy who choose to compete. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a martial art that focuses mainly on ground fighting and maintaining a dominant position until eventually submitting the opponent.

Through training and application, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu allows a smaller, weaker person to defend and even dominate significantly bigger and stronger opponents.

Ramona Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is at 850 Main St., Suite 102. For information about the competition team, self-defense classes, or training, contact Hosseini at 760-787-5855 or visit www.ramonabjj.com.