Wednesday, 25 February 2015

The Berimbolo Kid's Match of the Week - Week 28 - Victor Silverio vs. Felipe Pena - Abu Dhabi Pro Trails 2011 (Purple Belt)

(The previous edition can be found HERE)

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Match of the Week. This week's match is Victor Silverio vs. Felipe Pena from the 2011 Abu Dhabi Pro Trails in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

Victor Silverio is a black belt under Julio Cesar and fights for GFT (Grappling Fight Team). The first time Victor was mentioned worldwide was when he won the 2009 Abu Dhabi Pro as a blue belt at 17 years old. He was also brought to the attention of the BJJ world, when he was a competitor on Lloyd Irvin's BJJ Kumite in 2012. As of now, Silverio is known as one of the best up and coming talents in the black belt division.

Victor is a three time Rio Open Champion (2014 black, 2012 brown, 2011 purple), a two time World Pro Champion (2013 brown, 2009 blue), and a one-time CBJJE World Champion (2013 brown), Brazilian National NoGi (2011 purple), and Sao Paulo Open Champion (2014 black). He is also a two time Pan American bronze medalist (2012 weight & absolute) and an ADCC Brazilian Trails silver medalist.

Silverio is very fast and aggressive during his matches. He nearly always starts off his matches with a relentless takedown. He seems to favour the traditional double leg takedown in particular. Victor is also an extremely good guard passer.  Again, just like his takedowns, very fast and aggressive.  He uses the toreando pass to great effect, literally smashing past peoples guards.

Victor Silverio

Felipe Pena, also known as Felipe Preguiça, is a black belt under Marcelo Azevedo and fights for Gracie Barra. Since his time as a purple and brown belt, Felipe has been considered by the media as one the hottest prospects in Jiu-Jitsu after his impressive performances at the lower ranks. Felipe is the younger brother Augusto "Tio Chico".

Felipe has done tremendously well throughout his competition career. He is a four time World (2014 black, 2012 brown, 2011 purple weight & absolute) and South American Champion (2012 brown weight & absolute, 2011 brown weight & absolute), a three time Brazilian National Champion (2014 black weight & absolute, 2012 brown), and a two time Pan American Champion (2012 brown, 2011 purple). He is also a one-time European (2012 brown) and Copa Podio Middleweight Grand Prix Champion (2014).

If you have seen any of Felipe's matches, you would know that he is an exceptional guard player. Mostly, he likes to play open guard, but he's very good from the closed guard also. Even though he is a very good guard player, Felipe is well rounded as a grappler. He’s good at takedowns and passing the guard, especially using the leg drag. Using the leg drag, he nearly always gets the guys back. He is phenomenal at taking the back. He does it flawlessly.

Felipe Pena

A very good match from two of the best purple belts in the world at the time. Another guard passer vs. guard player match. The pace of the match is high, and at points it gets really high, especially in the scrambles. The match is just full of action. 

The video of the match can be found below! I hope you guys enjoy!

See you next week!

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Wednesday, 11 February 2015

10 Years of BJJ - My Jiu-Jitsu Journey - Part 12 (Welsh Open 2009)

(If you haven't read the previous part, you can find it HERE)

Now, after being graded, I was super motivated to train hard and eventually get to green belt. Even if that meant staying in the kid’s class for another two years, I just didn't really care. All I wanted to do was get my green belt prior to my 16th birthday.

The next day (Friday) I actually took the day off school. I don't remember exactly why, but I was probably 'sick'. Anyway, around 5 o'clock in the afternoon, my dad got a phone call from my instructor saying that he was running a competition and wanted me and my brother to compete in it on Sunday. I was a little shocked to say the least, just because it was two days away and I don't like doing things last minute (I've always been that way). 

Reluctantly, I agreed to it, and that was that. I didn't know anything about the competition, how many people were in my division, what weight I'd be fighting at etc. I actually didn't know what the competition was called until I got there. 

Up until this point, I'd only ever competed in one BJJ competition (the others I competed in were Japanese Ju-Jitsu competitions because there were no or very few BJJ competitions run in the UK in the early to mid-2000's) and that actually went really well. I took silver and submitted two of my opponents. I saw this as a good opportunity to test my skills (or lack of) against some people my own size for a change. I still had no idea about weight classes, the rules, the point system or any other stuff associated with competition. 

Fast forward to Sunday morning, and we arrive at the venue in Newport. I was a little shocked because there were no kids or teenagers about. Only me and my brother, sitting there like a bunch of lemons with my dad. I then found out that there were only four of us in my division, and it was open weight due to lack of entries. So at least either me or my brother would walk away with a medal, even if it meant fighting each other.

About 2 hours later, I was called and my division was about to start. 

My opponent was a kid who was the same age as me, but much shorter and skinnier. I thought this was going to be an easy match, but I soon ate those words. The match starts and we start to try and take each other down, mainly with foot sweeps. Back then I had no game. I was neither a top nor bottom player. I literally just did anything and my technique was quite sloppy. I cringe just thinking about it now. 

After about two minutes or so, the guy lands a killer foot sweep and lands straight into side control. F***! Now I really am well and truly screwed. I couldn't escape side control to save my god damn frickin' life. I tried to shrimp but I sucked at that as well. I looked like a dead fish just flapping around out there. After about two minutes with the guy on top of me in side control, he gets an armbar and that was it. 

This was really a reality check for me. I needed to do something with my training or I was just going to continue to get killed out there. The last time I competed I did so well, now I got absolutely schooled by someone half my size. As frustrating as it was, I wasn't too disheartened. All I wanted to do now was train and get better.

My brother's match went actually pretty well. He fought a guy from Roger Gracie Academy who was around the same size as us and an orange belt. He eventually got submitted with a triangle about 4.5 minutes in, but it was a good match. 

Now, there's actually footage of me versus my brother, so I thought I would share that rather than explain the match fully. The quality of the footage is abysmal! But if you are interested you can take a look. I'm the one on the bottom the whole way through.

(If you're viewing on a mobile device, please click HERE)


Another competition over with... But then something happens a few weeks later which change my Jiu-Jitsu game forever. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this part of 'My Jiu-Jitsu Journey', and part 11 will be published next Wednesday.   

Catch you later,

Giordano 
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Monday, 9 February 2015

The Berimbolo Kid's Match of the Week - Week 27 - Rodolfo Vieira vs. Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles - 2011 Abu Dhabi World Pro

(The previous edition can be found HERE)

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Match of the Week. This week's match is Rodolfo Vieira vs. Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles from the absolute finals of the 2011 Abu Dhabi World Pro.

Rodolfo Vieira is one of the best Jiu-Jitsu competitors in the world today. He is a black belt under Julio Cesar and fights for GF Team (Grappling Fight Team). In 2009, Rodolfo literally became known overnight after he won the Abu Dhabi Pro trials as still only a brown belt, defeating numerous black belts along the way. The BJJ media would go one to label him 'The Black Belt Hunter'.

As a competitor, Rodolfo has accomplished pretty much everything a competitor dreams about. He is a five time World (2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 weight & absolute) and World Pro Champion (2014, 2012 weight & absolute, 2011 weight & absolute). He is also a two time Pan American (2011 weight & absolute), European (2012 weight & absolute) and Copa Podio Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion (2013 & 2014).  

When you think of Rodolfo Vieira, the first thing you think of is his guard passing. His guard passing is one of the best in the world. Specifically, he is best known for the knee slide pass. Once he passes, he is relentless. Making quick transitions to either the back to set up a choke, or straight to an armbar. 

Rodolfo Vieira

Rubens Charles, better known as "Cobrinha" (Little Snake), is one of Jiu-Jitsu's most accomplished competitors. He is a black belt under the legendary Fernando "Terere" Augusto and was once part of the TT team. Since the breakup of the team, he has since joined Alliance Jiu-Jitsu. Today, Cobrinha is also a world class instructor, with lots of great talent coming from his academy. 

As I mentioned previously, Cobrinha is an extremely accomplished competitor. He is a four time World (2009, 2008, 2007, 2006), World NoGi (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012), and Pan American Champion (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010). He is also a one-time ADCC (2013), European (2013), and Pan American NoGi Champion (2008). Cobrinha is also a member of the IBJJF Hall of Fame.

Cobrinha is known for one thing, and that is his guard. His guard was voted as the guard of the decade by other Jiu-Jitsu world champions. The guards which Cobrinha uses the most often throughout his matches are the de la riva and spider guard. From both these guards, Cobrinha sets up multiple sweeps, submissions, and flawless transitions. Cobrinha again has a solid top game. From the top, Cobrinha is very aggressive and is constantly attacking making good work of using pressure. 

Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles

To sum this match up, you have one of the best guard passers in the world vs. one guard passers in the world. The match is only a few minutes long, so I won't spoil it for any of you. 

Make sure you take a look at the video below! I hope you guys enjoy! 

See you next week!

Before you go, I recently made a Facebook page. I'd appreciate it if you could LIKE the page. Thank you!

(If you are viewing on a mobile device, please click HERE)

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Monday, 2 February 2015

The Berimbolo Kid's Match of the Week - Week 26 - Roberto 'Cyborg' Abreu vs. Bill 'The Grill' Cooper - Grapplers Quest 2009

(The previous edition can be found HERE)

Welcome to another Match of the Week! This week's match is Roberto 'Cyborg' Abreu vs. Bill 'The Grill' Cooper from a 2009 edition of Grapplers Quest.

Roberto Abreu, better known in the BJJ community as 'Cyborg', is a black belt under Francisco 'Toco' Albuquerque. He initially started training with the Nova Geracao Team, but has since started his own team, Fight Sports. Cyborg is well known for his very unique style of grappling and the tornado guard, which he has since made famous. 

Throughout his reasonably long career, Cyborg has won multiple titles. He is a four time World NoGi Champion (2012, 2011, 2010 weight & absolute), a two time Pan American Champion (2008, 2001 blue), and a one-time ADCC (2013 absolute) and European Champion (2005). He is also a six time World bronze medalist (2013, 2011, 2008, 2006 absolute, 2003 purple, 2002 purple absolute) and a two time ADCC (2013, 2011) and World NoGi bronze medalist (2008 absolute, 2007).

Obviously, as I mentioned earlier, Cyborg is well known for his tornado guard. He is also known for his half guard and the deep half guard position. A very unique, yet under utilised submission which Cyborg has great amounts of success with in competition is the reverse triangle. For such a big guy, Cyborg moves almost like a lightweight. He is very explosive with his movements.

Roberto 'Cyborg' Abreu

Bill 'The Grill' Copper, also known as simply 'Bill the Grill', is a black belt under Ricardo 'Franjinha' Millera and fights for Paragon Jiu-Jitsu. At the time he received his black belt, Bill was the youngest American ever to do so.  Bill has also ventured into the world of MMA, and has competed in Strikeforce. He also holds black belts in Judo and Tae Kwon Do. 

Bill has many accomplishments to his name. He is a 27 time Grapplers Quest Champion, and a one-time Pan American (2007 brown), Houston Open (2010 black), and Best of the West Champion (2007 brown). He is also a two time World silver medalist (2008 black, 2007 brown absolute), and a one time World bronze medalist (2010 black), and World NoGi Silver (2007 black absolute) and bronze medalist (2008 black). 

As a grappler, Bill is extremely well rounded. He is dangerous from anywhere. He doesn't seem to really have a preference. Throughout his matches he is very aggressive and always keeps the pace high. One thing I noticed is that his cardio is phenomenal! He literally never seems to get tired. In terms of submissions, Bill really likes the guillotine choke, especially in NoGi. The rear naked choke is another favourite of his.  

Bill 'The Grill' Cooper

I remember this match very well. This was the full grappling match I ever saw on YouTube when I was 14 years old. I don't know how I managed to come across it, but I remember I was blown away with what I saw. I didn't actually know who either of the guys was. 

Man, this match is just constant action! It's just back and forth constantly. Neither guy ever stops for a second. I usually try to sum up the match in a few lines, but I would find it nearly impossible to do in this instance. Just watch the match for yourself; I'm sure you'll have a blast.

The video of the match can be found below. I hope you guys enjoy! 

See you next week!


Before you go, I recently made a Facebook page. I'd appreciate it if you could LIKE the page. Thank you!

(If you are viewing on a mobile device, please click HERE)

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Sunday, 1 February 2015

Medals vs. Prize Money

I was thinking about this actually the other day, and that's about the idea of prize money vs. medals in Jiu-Jitsu. When I use the term 'prize money' I mean winning a cash prize for either winning a competition or placing on the podium. I mean is it really important for big competitions to offer cash prizes?


Before we diverge into both sides of this, I'd first like to share what competitions and events offer prize money and how much each of them offers.

IBJJF Pro League
  • First place - $5000
  • Second place - $1000
Abu Dhabi World Pro
  • First place - $30,000 (absolute), $8000 (weight)
  • Second place - $3000 (same for both absolute & weight)
  • Third place - $1500 (same for both absolute & weight)
ADCC
  • First place - $40,000 (absolute), $10,000 (weight)
  • Second place - $10,000 (absolute), $5000 (weight)
  • Third place - $5000 (absolute), $3000 (weight)
  • Fourth Place - $1000 (same for both absolute & weight)
  • Super Fight - $40,000 (winner), $10,000 (loser) 
Metamoris

A total of $100,000 is divided between 14 competitors. I assume the higher you are up the card, the more money you will receive. I'm not aware if any bonuses are given if a submission is achieved.

Copa Podio

Copa Podio does not release any information in regards to how much each of its competitors is paid. It has been assumed that the winner gets $10,000.

Grapplers Quest

First place - $3000
Second place - $1000

Obviously, there are other competitions which offer prize money, but they are much smaller and less well known. The six listed above are the most major ones. 

I guess the main problem is that the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) does not offer prize money in the World Championships, nor any other of its major competitions (Pan Ams, Europeans, and Brazilian Nationals). But should they? Does it really matter?

Years ago, BJJ was famous for losing some of its major stars to MMA, mostly based on the terms of there was no money in Jiu-Jitsu. You dedicate your entire life to the sport, you go through all the bad times, all the hard training, and finally you achieve the pinnacle of our sport; becoming a World Champion and all you get for your hard work is a medal. Back then there was really no money in Jiu-Jitsu. 

Today, that is a completely different story. Athletes today have big time sponsors who are willing to support them in order to accomplish their dreams. There are lots of Gi companies out there which give their athletes free clothes and training equipment, will pay for competition fees etc. A company which seems to be quite popular among elite grapplers and even some world class lower belts these days is the clothing company, RVCA. This company is one of the main sponsors of the Mendes brothers, and invested money in order for them to start an academy, The Art of Jiu-Jitsu (AoJ). Recently, the major sports company, Adidas, is starting to get involved in BJJ.


It doesn't even end there. Lots of big name competitors have instructionals, and online training programs such as MG in Action, Estima in Action, All Galvao, Keenan Online, Mendes Bros Online etc. And recently you have been seeing major supplement companies such as Gaspari Nutrition and MusclePharm sponsoring a few athletes, and I'm sure more will soon jump on the band wagon. 

Obviously, only the top competitors in the world will mostly get these. But that is not always the case. You are increasingly seeing more purple and brown belts making a living from Jiu-Jitsu. Some of these even conduct seminars around the world and even have their own instructionals. 

Then again you also have your academy. This is most probably the main source of income for major BJJ athletes and people who are simply just an instructor. 

Right, let’s not start to get too far off topic here. I assume most of you who make Jiu-Jitsu your life did not do it for the money, right? Obviously, money is nice, but I assume you either made Jiu-Jitsu your life to one day become a world champion or to open your own academy or both. You did it because you love the art and wanted to dedicate your life to it, it has changed your life and you want to pass that on to others and improve people’s lives. I guess that is what Jiu-Jitsu is all about.


If you dedicate your life to one day become a world champion, and you finally reach that goal, will a cash prize make it anymore sweet? I can't answer that for everybody, but I suppose it wouldn't really matter but it would be nice. What you have striven for is the title. For the next year to be considered ‘the man’, and being known as a world champion. 

I guess the money is just a bonus along with the title because the gold medal is what usually anybody ever cares about. So, does it even matter about cash prizes? I think it does in the aspect of Jiu-Jitsu being seen as a true professional sport. Realistically, lots of big competitions need to attract major sponsors and offer a good amount of prize money to its competitors. 

In short, the IBJJF needs to put prize money for at least the winners of the black belt divisions in their major competitions. As Jiu-Jitsu becomes ever more popular, it will be more necessary every year which passes. If they don't do it now, it will only be a matter of time before they will. 

This concludes this article. I hope you guys enjoyed, and if you have anything you want to say, please feel free to make a comment. 

Before you go, I recently made a Facebook page. I'd appreciate it if you could LIKE the page. 

Catch you later,

Giordano
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Friday, 30 January 2015

2015 - Bigger & Better

This is the first update post of 2015. I haven’t done an update post for nearly two months, wowzers! It may be a little late but I'll say it anyway. Happy New Year to all my readers!

I thought I'd make this post to tell you about some of my goals this year, and also what you can expect in the not so distant future.

Last year was a great year for this blog. I can't believe it's been over a year now since I've been blogging. I now have close to 140,000 views and I've made it my goal to reach 250,000 by the end of the year. The ways things are going, I'm pretty sure I'll hit that. I want to be more consistent in my writing, cover more diverse topics, have more interviews, come up with new series etc. I'm sure I'll cover a few of them in this post. 

Okay, so, last year, the amount of times I posted varied from time to time. It was anywhere from 1 - 4. This year, I'm planning on posting 3 - 4 times a week. The Match of the Week and the update post will cover two of those, and the others will be covered with articles, interviews, a new series etc. 

I'm getting back into writing more specific articles and I'm working on one now for this weekend. It's titled; 'Medals vs. Prize Money'. The title pretty much gives it away, but I'll talk about both sides of the argument, the pros and cons of both, you get the idea. I've already structured it and got my bullet points down ready for writing it this weekend. I do this with all my reviews/articles and I think it works great to plan before you write. 

Can you remember 10 Years of BJJ? Yes, that old series I haven't written in 6 months. Well, that was actually a big hit with you guys and I'll be planning on continuing to write that this weekend or if not, next Wednesday. I really enjoyed putting that series together because I don't find it that hard to write about myself. When you write articles or anything information based, it takes time, it has to edited, look aesthetically pleasing etc. But with 10 Years of BJJ, it’s my journey, so it isn't really that stressful to write. I'm actually really pleased to say that it's back. 

In the beginning when I started blogging, I was banging out interviews left, right and center, but it started to slow down toward the last quarter of the year. Now, it's time to get back on the horse. Jean Machado is taking a little longer than I expected, but that's no problem, and in the meantime I'm looking for somebody else. At this precise moment, I'm thinking about asking Mikey Musumeci for my next interview. He's young, very talented, and will make for a great guest. So, hopefully he will say yes and we can create a good interview together. 

I always liked the idea of creating series for my blog. I did 10 Years of BJJ and Match of the Week, and they both turned out to be a massive success. When I started this blog, I was NOT going to teach anybody, nor was I going to give anyone advice on anything. It's not that I didn't want to help anyone, it's just that I wouldn't feel very comfortable doing that. I'm actually not very comfortable doing that in real life, never mind online. Getting back on topic, I'm always trying to think of new ideas for series and hopefully you'll be seeing a few very soon. 

Last week, I wrote about Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction and it did very well, so far that I thank you kindly. I don't do non-BJJ related topics very often, but when I do they're always received well. I have a few in mind to write about next, but don't expect one of them for at least a month or two. 

I guess that all I have to talk about for this post. However, there's one thing I have to mention! I've finally got myself a Facebook fan page. In the beginning, I didn't really think it was necessary, but now I think I've reached the point where it would be good to have one. At the end of every post for the next few weeks, just to get the ball rolling, I'll be mentioning it to everyone to like it. So, if you haven't already... PLEASE LIKE THE PAGE!

This concludes this update post. I think 2015 is going to be a great year for this blog. I hope you continue on this journey with me.

Catch you later,

Giordano
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Tuesday, 27 January 2015

The Berimbolo Kid's Match of the Week - Week 25 - Marcelo Garcia vs. Kron Gracie - ADCC 2009

(The previous edition can be found HERE)

Here we go again! Welcome to the 25th edition of Match of the Week. This week's match is a classic from the 2009 ADCC. It is Marcelo Garcia vs. Kron Gracie. 

Marcelo Garcia (also known as “Marcelinho”) is a black belt under Fabio Gurgel and competes for Alliance Jiu-Jitsu. Since his debut in the black belt division, Marcelo has been a stand out competitor and a fan favourite at competitions. Marcelo is considered by many to be the pound for pound best grappler in the world today.

Marcelo is an extremely accomplished Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. At the black belt level, he is a five time World Champion (2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011), a four time ADCC Champion (2003, 2005, 2007, 2011), a three time Brazilian National Champion (2004, 2006 weight & absolute), and a one-time Pan American Champion (2007). He is also a member of the IBJJF Hall of Fame.

In terms of grappling ability, Marcelo is very well rounded. He is excellent both on his back and on his feet. In particular, Marcelo is best known for his x-guard, butterfly guard and guillotine choke. Over the years, these have been known to become Marcelo's signature moves.  What's good about Marcelo is he always hunts for the submission. He doesn't play to win by points or advantages, but instead looks to finish the fight and submit his opponent.

Marcelo Garcia

Kron Gracie is one of the top competitors today at the black belt level. He is the son of Rickson Gracie who is arguably the greatest Jiu-Jitsu practitioner of all time. Kron has been serious competitor since he was a teenager, making a big name for himself at the lower belts, claiming some of our sports major titles. During his run at the lower belts, he managed to rack up a 51 submission streak. Today, he is mainly focusing his attention on MMA.

He is a four time Pan American Champion (2005 purple, 2007 brown, 2008 brown weight & absolute), a two time World Champion (2006 purple, 2007 brown), and a one-time European (2009 black) and ADCC Champion (2013).

Something which sets Kron Gracie apart from everybody else is his style of Jiu-Jitsu. The style of Jiu-Jitsu which Kron uses is very basic, something you hardly see in competition today. He does not rely on any guards such as de la riva or spider guard, and does definitely not rely on the 50/50 guard, berimbolo, or worm guard. Instead, the only guard he mostly uses throughout his matches is the closed guard.

Kron Gracie

A classic match! I usually try not to give away the result in most MOTW's, but I'm pretty sure the vast majority of you have seen it. If you haven't, you're in for a treat! I watched this match multiple times and I always still enjoy it as much as the first time.

I think this match in particular really shows how amazing of a grappler Marcelo is. I mean, he is endlessly attacking Kron, going for takedowns, sweeps, and tripping him up. Not to take anything away from Kron, he is a great talent in his own right, but I think Marcelo's experience really showed in this match.

Make sure you take a look at the video below! I hope you guys enjoy!

See you next week!

(If you are viewing on a mobile device, please click HERE)

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Saturday, 24 January 2015

Top 10 Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Stories

Okay, today we're going to cover something a little different. I thought I would share with you guys my top 10 favourite Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction stories. A lot of the stories they had on the show I really liked and it was harder than I imagined narrowing it down to just 10. Although, I'm happy with the ten I've selected to be in this list and hopefully you guys will enjoy them as well.

 
Before I start to talk about my top 10, let's first talk about the TV show itself as some of you may not be familiar with it.

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction is an American sci-fi and paranormal TV show which ran from 1997 - 2002 and had in total four series. The first season (1997) was presented by James Brolin (I know him as being the husband of Barbra Streisand) and the remainder of the series (1998, 2000, and 2002) were presented by Jonathan Frakes (as seen in the image above) who is best known for being Commander William T. Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Every episode would feature five stories, and each one would somehow appear to defy logic. However, some of these stories would be 'true' and some would be fiction. It was up to the viewers to decide which of the stories was either fact or fiction. At the end of the show, the presenter would reveal if the stories were works of fiction or actually true. 

Most of the stories which turned out to be 'true' were based upon first hand research conducted by an author called Robert Tralins. Now, I'll be honest here, I have doubts about the credibility and legitimacy of their sources because some of them seem a little sketchy to me. And on the other hand, the majority of the stories which turned out to be fiction were usually just urban legends re-told in a modern setting. 

I have to say that I absolutely love this show! It's probably one of my favourite TV shows. I used to come home every day from school when I was 12 and watch this show on CBS Reality. Today, they don't show it anymore, but instead show endless repeats of Bait Car and Judge Judy. Most of the episodes you can find on YouTube or other websites however. 

Right, that's enough of an introduction. Let's start talking about my top 10. The majority of the stories I have selected for my list have horror elements to them, simply because I liked them the best. Some of you may disagree with my list, and that's fine, but this list is just my opinion.   

I should point out that each of these stories was designed for entertainment purposes. If any of these stories are said to be 'true', then the core of the story is true and not the exact story depicted in the video. 

Some of the video footage is not the best quality, so my apologies for that. 

My top 10 is as follows:

10. The Sleepwalker - True

A man has trouble sleepwalking and one day he hears that he is cursed and one day he will sleepwalk out of his house and will never return. He tells his daughter that he will remain with her forever. One night he vanishes without a trace, and the next morning the girl tells her mother that her dad is in the dollhouse and will be with her forever. Inside was a doll of him, with 100% accurate details of her father.

This story starts at 24:20.

(If you are watching on a mobile device, please click HERE)


9. Town of Remembrance - Fiction

A woman who is suffering with amnesia discovers on the way to a doctor’s appointment that the town she is stopped in seems very familiar. She discovers a name of a boy that died in a car accident years before and visits his grave only to discover another grave with a photo similar to herself.

This story starts at 24:12.

(If you are watching on a mobile device, please click HERE)


8. The Girl Next Door - Fiction

A man falls in love with a woman who lives 'just across the street'. She then explains that at one point in her life she was once cheated on, and is finding it hard to expect him as her boyfriend. He eventually persuades her by telling her he will never cheat on her. After over hearing a conversation he has over the phone with another woman, she flees the house. The next day, he sees her run into the churchyard across the street, only to find that she is buried there and he has been seeing her ghost.

This story starts at 13:27.

(If you are watching on a mobile device, please click HERE)


7. The Gravedigger's Nemesis - True

Two young boys get jobs as grave diggers and work for an evil grounds keeper. The two boys and grounds keepers hear and see an old woman. The old woman haunts the grounds keeper until he dies in the old woman's grave.

This story starts at 24:05.

(If you are watching on a mobile device, please click HERE)


6. The Wallet - True

A teenager comes across a wallet along his walk home from high school. He decides to return the wallet to its original owner as there is an address inside. On returning the wallet, he is asked a series of weird questions about himself and where he found the wallet. Deciding to leave, he turns around and discoverers a man in a picture that looks exactly like him. This man turns out to be his father and he will inherit his fortune.  

This story starts at 21:07.

(If you are watching on a mobile device, please click HERE) 


5. The Viewing - True

A boy who lives in a funeral home is alone one night as his parents are out. There is a knock at the door and it’s an old man who has some war medals who he wishes to be buried with the deceased. The boy lets him in to place the medals in the coffin. After a while, the man doesn't return, and on inspection, the old man at the door is the man in the casket.

This video is the entire story. 

(If you are watching on a mobile device, please click HERE) 


4. The Caller - Fiction

A radio host gets a series of bizarre phone calls from a listener. After a while, the listener reveals himself to be his dead son. No one else at the radio station can hear the caller, only the host himself. Whilst talking to his son he starts to hallucinate and become increasingly scared by the caller. 

This story starts at 30:33.

(If you are watching on a mobile device, please click HERE) 


3. The Hooded Chair - True

A wealthy man purchases a hooded chair which is said to have curse attached to it. He asks his assistant to track down its previous owners. One of the owners was Napoleon, who sat in the chair before the battle of Waterloo. The curse takes the lives of both his maid and best friend who had sat in the chair. After realising that the chair is cursed, he tries to destroy the chair with an axe, but dies of a heart attack before he strikes the chair. 

This story starts at 30:39.

(If you are watching on a mobile device, please click HERE)


2. Halloween - Fiction

A man by the name of Harold Ratcher hates Halloween. He especially hates the kids who come pestering him at his door, and each year scares them away. Then one knock at the door is the grim reaper and this literally scares him to death. 

This story starts at 7:37.

(If you are watching on a mobile device, please click HERE)


1. Blood Bank - True 

A nurse is in charge of treating a weird patient. One night she hears noises from his room during the early hours of the morning. When entering the room, she discovers an elderly couple, dressed in black who have come to see the patient. After a while, she sees the elderly couple dragging two large black bags into the elevator. She is informed by a fellow nurse that hundreds of blood bags have been stolen. After inspecting his bathroom, she discovers hundreds of empty blood bags and finds out that he is in fact a vampire. 

This story starts at 23:10.

(If you are watching on a mobile device, please click HERE)


This concludes my top 10 list. I hope you enjoyed this post, as I know it's a little different from what I usually write about, but I had a great time putting it together. I hope you were intrigued by the stories you saw and maybe you will look at some of the many other stories in the series.  

Catch you later,

Giordano 
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