Breaking The Guard Podcast

I was asked about my stance on PEDs after a previous podcast, and while I have talked about me thoughts about them on several podcasts, I have never focused on it entirely. So I dedicate the first half of this podcast to that. I then answer a different question, which was how would I feel of having a "clean" fight league and an "enhanced" fight league. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

Spoiler alert, I talk about UFC 316 on this podcast, and I realize I might be a bit crazy. I also talk about the difference between being sore vs being hurt, and some secrets that Merab revealed about his conditioning program. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I don't think anyone was excited about this card, and it seemed to get worse as the event closed in. We had 3 fighters miss weight, one fighter was ill and couldn't fight, and two of the fighters that missed weight ended up dropping out of their fights last minute. This sparks a conversation about weight cutting again, where I really go against the practice and blame the athletic commissions. I close on some new developments with my website, and ask for your help making it even better. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I talk about the pros and cons of big teams versus small teams, making the case that small teams are usually better. However, it is a bit more nuanced than an objective yes or no answer, so I take a deep dive to explore the differences. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

Many people think that once they "learned" something, they never have to revisit the topic ever again. From my experience with life and the martial arts, this is nearly never true. I'm constantly learning new things from something I "knew" decades ago, and some of my best breakthroughs were learning new tidbits about something I'm an expert in. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

After UFC 315, the topic of double champions becomes an even bigger distraction, as 3 champions are moving towards achieving a double champion status, instead of defending their division. I make the case for why it's better for a champion to stay in their division, instead of trying to grab as my titles as possible. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I become a big critic of fighters and coaches after watching UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo, so I fully aware of my Monday morning quarterbacking. Nonetheless, there is plenty to criticize here, as the main event had one of the worst game plans I have seen in recent history. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

Hot off the heels of BJJ Stars 15 and UFC Fight Night: Machado vs Prates, I give a review of the matches that took place and my thoughts on them. I explore the ideas of retiring on your own terms, and the athlete vs warrior mindset. I also discuss a new development with New Wave, which might be a thing of the past. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I review the aftermath of the matches from WNO 27: Duarte vs Rodriguez, and their implications on the heavyweight grappling scene. I can't recall a time where I was more excited about the match ups in heavyweight BJJ, as the top 5 active heavyweights have nearly all traded wins and losses. With Gordon out of the picture, we have chaos, and that makes for some exciting match ups where it's harder to pick winners - even though I did pick this card 100% correctly, I was doubting a few of my picks mid-match. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I just got back from my trip to the Turks and Caicos, just in time to watch UFC 314. It was a great night of fights. I break it down, and vent some frustration at fighters that are fighting dumb that if they fought smart, could be winning their fights more. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

My fight in BodogFIGHT Season 4 was my best MMA fight, and also the most consequential to my whole life. I took the fight on 2 weeks notice, with no training camp prior, with a popped rib and a torn knee. I had every reason not to do it, yet I persisted. I'll share my story, how I trained alongside future big names like Chael Sonnen, Roy Nelson, Cain Velasquez, Jake Shields, how this helped me get into ADCC 2007, and made the Kimura Trap System possible. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I was finally able to watch a match that my brother and I have been trying to see for decades: David Avellan vs Rener Gracie! I was able to find it online (I will post the link below), but I decided to talk about the whole event and my experience with it: https://tubitv.com/movies/577551/the-ultimate-submission-showdown Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I open this episode reviewing UFC Fight Night Edwards vs Brady, before diving into what it means to be a good fan and supporter of a competitor. I was drawn to this topic after watching a video of a spectator that was completely out of control, and becoming a distraction that I felt was a negative influence. I talk about this from the spectator, athlete, and coach's perspective. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I open up this episode sharing one of my beloved competition memories with my brother. I then go off a tangent about how competitors back in the day were in it purely for the love of the game - something that has changed in the modern world. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

We all have seen it happen at some point, perhaps even to ourselves. A fighter enters the cage, and is just absorbing shots, not firing back any offense. Any attacks they make and half pumped, and don't have any heat on them. They are gun shy. I'll discuss possible reasons why fighters get gun shy, and what we can do from a coaches perspective and as the athlete. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

Suffering a loss is tough. But suffering a humiliating loss can be especially tough on your ego. I look back at some of my most humiliating losses in my sporting career, and reflect on how I was able to bounce back from them. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs Song was a great card, except for the main event, where Henry Cejudo suffered what appeared to be a serious eye poke. I talk about my stance on eye pokes and fouls in general, and why I think there is a lot more cheating than accidents. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I returned from a week long trip in Miami to teach at my academy, and reflect on what I call seminar style teaching. It's a slightly different approach, which I outline in more detail, while also going over what I consider optimal ways of structuring content, note taking, and participation in classes. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

After doing an episode on criticizing the Ecological Approach, I had people ask how to structure drills that were productive and not just static. I'll talk about the difference between static and rehearsed drilling and how to incorporate them into your training. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

Last episode I criticized the Ecological Approach to teaching martial arts, so it's only fair I share how I teach a class in what I consider the traditional model of teaching. I outline a sample class structure from start to finish, and explain what components it consists of and why they are there. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

It seems that my social feed has been getting more posts and articles about the Ecological Approach to training BJJ as opposed to the traditional model of instruction. The ecological approach focuses on setting up games or tasks, and setting constraints and conditions for the players to engage in, instead of teaching individual techniques. I do my best to describe it and give my take on this approach to coaching. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

The UFC 311 main card was a great night of fights, with a mix of submissions, knock outs, and tough fights. I review each of the fights, highlighting the co-main event, Merab vs Umar, as it was the fight of the night and lived up to the hype. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

The water was very cold for a guy from Miami, at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. My breathing was deep and slow, which was all that I could hear. After swimming around for a few minutes, I felt the ocean floor once again. I could feel the current moving around me and making it very hard to navigate underwater. I had no idea how much air I had left in my tank, and I was completely alone. I was also completely blind. I was about to make a decision that would decide whether I would live or die. If you have followed my old blog for a long time, chances are you might have come across this story I shared about my misadventure in scuba diving. I decided to elaborate more on this story and share it on the podcast. There are a lot of lessons I have learned from this near-death experience, I feel it's a good story to revisit. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I usher in the new year by recounting some old competition stories I had from a few decades ago, revolving around the BJJ Legend Saulo Ribeiro. I share the adversities, the thoughts going through my head, and the lessons learned from my matches against him and others. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

My social feed has had quite a few posts from MMA journalists about fighters "not training seriously" because they are 30-40lbs over their weight class - something that anyone who is in the field knows is a standard weight cut now. I talk about what the current weight cutting situation is, the consequences, and a system I believe could fix it all. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

Every coach has a sob story about how that athlete that betrayed them, used them, or got away. I will go into a few personal anecdotes and explain why it happens, and how to avoid it and help create better relationships with our team. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

The final UFC Card of the year started slow but ended with a lot of blood and violence, ending with Colby Covington in one of his worst performances to date, while Joaquin Buckley shined like a diamond. I talk about the importance of striking while the iron is hot in regards to timing your career, then move into the role of closed guard in modern MMA and BJJ. Finally, I remark on the resurgence of straight foot locks in grappling. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

There were a lot of events this past week, but I managed to tune in to 3 of them, UFC 310, FPI 9, and WNO 25. I give my reviews, making a few critiques on the athletes and events. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

Have you ever audited your daily activities and really looked carefully at what you are doing and judged whether these habits were moving you in the right direction? If not, perhaps this will convince you if the merit of taking a closer look at your activities and figuring out what is helping and what is hurting. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow me on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidAvellan Follow me on X: https://X.com/DavidAvellan Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

Following the news that Mikey Musumeci was the first signed exclusive UFC grappler, the UFC announces plans to have a reality TV grappling show, and a new grappling league. What does this mean for the future of grappling? I also discuss why I have adopted a 9 day training week instead of the traditional 7 days. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

We had a 42 Stipe Miocic and a 59 year old Mike Tyson headlining two big fight cards this weekend in MMA (UFC 309: Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic) and boxing (Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul), with another 41 year old fighter, Jim Miller, also in the the UFC card. Are older fighters still pursuing their passion, or a paycheck? Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I highlight my trip to Japan and the things that stood out to me from the land of the rising sun. I then review the PGF 7 Worlds Finals, and chime in on Jon Jones comment on Tom Aspinall having done nothing. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

If you have ever suffering from delayed starts, putting off errands, or stuck in the planning phase, I'm going to give you the kick in the butt you need to get off your ass and get moving. I share a story that took me from planner to executioner - not the killing king though.

We all have done it. We had a challenge, a task, or just something we are supposed to get done, and we don't do it. We procrastinate, we postpone, we delay, and hope that somehow this thing that NEEDS to be done will magically resolve itself, or that we will one day wake up wanting to do it. However, that rarely, if ever, happens. We need to muster up some courage, and grab the bull by the horns. The idea of conquering your fears is not new, but perhaps this approach if identifying what you need to do based on what you fear might help you expose low hanging fruit that can easily target problem areas in your life. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

With the conclusion of Francis Ngannou vs Renan Ferreira, the looming bout between Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic, and Tom Aspinall waiting to unify the heavyweight belt, we have a lot of big, bad man. Who is going to stand on the top of the mountain when it's all said and done? I also do a review of the grappling world's baddest men, which include Gordon Ryan, Kaynan Duarte, and Nick Rodriguez. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I have said it before and I'll say it again - all the strength, technique, stamina, or toughness mean nothing without good tactics. The classic example of bringing a knife to a gun fight comes to mind, but you might mistake that as a lesson in having more lethal weaponry. But if your brought a sniper rifle to a close range combat situation versus a knifed attacker, you would also be in a bad spot (bringing a gun to a knife fight).  This played out in UFC Fight Night Vegas 98, as bad tactics caused fighters to lose winnable fights. I highlight a couple of matches and break them down as I saw them. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I sat down and watched the UFC 307 Main card from start to finish last night, and I gave my review of the card. If you watched my preview of the card, I was mostly right on my picks, although I wish I was got more wrong than I did right. I layer in some critiques of fight strategy across the card, as I felt some fighters choose poor strategies for victory. I also think the Utah crowd was very disgruntled overall, as they booed most of the fights that evening. It definitely was a strange card. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

UFC Fight Night 243 in Paris was outrageous. Some wilds fights, finishes, post fight antics, interviews, and fines. I talk about the main and co-main events, my opinion on the athletic commission fining an athlete $250,000 for bad sportsmanship, and why failing a weight cut is inexcusable. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

Kron Gracie recently was quoted for an off hand comment attacking no gi grapplers, lamenting the rising growth of no gi grappling. I comment on this age old battle of gi vs no gi. I also talk about the role belt ranking systems play in martial arts, in light of an old training partner, Evandro Nunes, taking a strong stance against the ranking system. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I know prices have been going up for everything these days, but as an MMA fan, supporting the sport has never been so costly. The past Noche UFC had a reported average ticket price of over $1000, with the PPV being $89.95. I talk about my take on these rising prices as both a fan and as a martial arts school owner, and if the fighters are seeing any of this money trickle down into their pockets. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I don't think there is a question in that BJJ is surpassing MMA...as far as the growth of the techniques. MMA seems to have stagnated from my point of view, where fights now look the same as fights 10 years ago. Meanwhile, grappling is continuously evolving and developing new positions, techniques, and strategies. I share why I think that is, and what can be done to improve the state of MMA. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I return from Miami, Florida after a week of teaching and reconnecting with family only to find myself underprepared for what's next. This is a position just about everyone has encountered, but we all handle it with different approaches and results. I will share how I'm going to handle not being fully trained and ready for my next challenge. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

Some of you wrote me to tell me you enjoyed my stories I told in the Chewjitsu Podcast Interview I had a few weeks ago, so I decided to share one that is very important to me - my crisis with faith. I'm not talking spiritually here, rather, personally - as I had a moment of weakness that cost my the chance at a world title. I share the lessons I learned and how being delusional can be a good thing. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

After a very long weekend of world class grappling up close and personal, I give a bit more in-depth breakdown of the events, the Craig Jones Invitational and Abu Dhabi Combat Club World Championships, from a match stand point and spectator point of view, and pick a winner. It won't be what you think. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I witnessed a brave person perform a dangerous activity with almost no signs of trepidation, and it got me thinking about what it really means to brave. A lot of people think bravery comes from people who are fearless, but it's quite the opposite. I share some personal stories where I got nervous in competition to drive my point home, and why having fear is a good thing. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I review a couple of events that took place Saturday, the UFC Fight Night on Fight Island and the BJJ Stars 13. In particular, I focus on the main event of BJJ Stars 13, Davi Ramos vs Mica Galvao, and the importance of having a fighting spirit from beginning to end. Then I review the co-main event, Michael Chisea vs Tony Ferguson, and the importance of knowing when to move on. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

The great comedian Rodney Dangerfield loved his iconic punchline of getting no respect. It's all too familiar, as we all make the mistake of not respecting people, ideas, or circumstances and getting into trouble. I have been on both sides of it, and I share how I have been choked unconscious multiple times because I lacked respect, or how I get mopped up on the mat because I judged the book by it's cover. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I have used pacing to win on many occasions in my career. Many people think it's simply a matter of having better cardio, but that's only a part of the solution, and not always necessary. I share insights into how to train for it, tournament strategy, and ways of manipulating pace to win. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

If you are training in the martial arts, then you know the ultimate goal is mastery. That comes in many forms. For the white belt, getting a black belt feels like mastery. As a competitor, winning the world championships would be the top of the mountain. However, the true goal of mastery is elusive, as this ideal of perfection can never be reached. But, we can get closer to it than we are now. I'll share a few different strategies that anyone can employ right now to get better faster, and some insights into my life that might be useful for your journey. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I turned 43 yesterday, and I talk about what I have learned this past year. I also discuss briefly the results of Tye Ruotolo and Jozef Chen, and CJI's under 80kg bracket. Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard

I review the top two fights of UFC 303, the idea of black magic influencing a fight, and then critique an ADCC athlete's training camp.  Visit our sponsors: DavidMMA.com - David Avellan's new website, where he is posting new articles daily, new courses being posted frequently, covering techniques, news, fitness, breakdowns, and much more. You can join as a guest for free to see what the site has to offer. Follow us on Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BreakingTheGuard Follow us on Twitter: https://Twitter.com/BreakingGuard Tag us on Social Media with #BreakingTheGuard