The Berimbolo Kid's Match of the Week - Week 35 - Roger Gracie vs. Rodrigo Cavaca - 2006 Worlds

(The previous edition can be found HERE)

Welcome to another Match of the Week! This week's match is Roger Gracie vs. Rodrigo Cavaca from the 2006 World Championships. 

Roger Gracie is a black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. and represents Gracie Barra. Roger is a man who needs no introduction. He is the greatest competitor of all time, having won the World Championships as a black belt a record ten times. He is also the son of Rolls Gracie black belt, Mauricio Gomes. Today, Roger has a very successful academy (Roger Gracie Academy) in London, England, and has had great success in MMA, competing in Strikeforce, UFC, and ONE FC.

In total, Roger's achievements in Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Grappling are too long to list. Here is a summary of his black belt achievements. He is a ten time World Champion (2010 weight & absolute, 2009 weight & absolute, 2008, 2007 weight & absolute, 2006, 2005, 2004), a three time ADCC Champion (2007 superfight, 2005 weight & absolute), a two time European Champion (2005 weight & absolute), and a one-time Pan American Champion (2006 absolute). 

Roger is known for his very basic style of Jiu-Jitsu. You will not see him play any 'modern' type positions or do any flashy moves. Instead, you will see him rely on the most basic moves in Jiu-Jitsu. His Jiu-Jitsu is extremely efficient and his defence is incredible. Roger is notorious for using the cross choke from the mount, a submission which he has seen great success with throughout his time in competition.   

Roger Gracie

Rodrigo Cavaca is a black belt under Élcio Figueiredo and fights for Zenith. Cavaca was once one of the main coaches of team Checkmat, and helped produce some of today's stand out talents from his academy in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil. Some of these competitors include Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida and Michelle Nicolini. In 2013, Cavaca left Checkmat in order to form his own team, Zenith, which he co-leads along with Robert Drysdale. 

Cavaca is a three time European Champion (2014, 2010, 2009), a two time Brazilian National Champion (2010, 2008), and a one-time World (2010) and South American Champion (2014). He is also a three time Worlds silver medalist (2013, 2011, 2009) and a three time Pan American bronze medalist (2010 weight & absolute, 2008). 

For such a big guy, Cavaca is very flexible. He often plays inverted guard, something which you rarely see at the higher weight classes. Throughout recent years, Cavaca has become well known for his use of the straight ankle lock in competition. He is typically executes the submission from the 50/50 guard, another position which he has become notorious for using. 

Rodrigo Cavaca

An old match, but a good one. In this match you really get to see Roger's basic but yet very effective style of Jiu-Jitsu. Very tight and heavy constantly all the way through. Cavaca is an amazing guard player in his own right, but it is no match for the guard passing of Roger Gracie. 

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

See you next week!

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