Clark Gracie vs Marcelo Mafra; 3 lessons for competition.
Very cool match with Clark Gracie and Marcelo Mafra. I like this match because I think it highlights a few things that can be incredibly important in competition.
-Taking a person out of their comfort zone
Mafra pulled guard first and took Clark out of his “A” game. From there he was able to get a sweep early in the match, this allowed Marcelo to play more conservatively on top and put more mental pressure on Clark. This was a really smart move. By doing this he didn’t allow Clark to be as relaxed in his best position.
-Staying calm under pressure or in frustrating positions
Clark stayed very calm during the match. He played leg entanglement for a good portion of the match (hunting for the oma plata I assume) with no luck, but never bailed on the grips or his game. Being down 2 points with an opponent playing very conservatively can be really frustrating, and it can be easy to become irritated. This will lead to mistakes if you let it get to you. Clark stayed disciplined with his grips and never allowed frustration to lead to a worse position.
-Finishing strong
Clark turned it up in the end of the match and came away with the victory. Towards the end of the match Clark scored an advantage for a sweep attempt. Mafra stood up denying Clark the points and then pulled guard again. From here Clark began attacking for the guard pass very aggressively. The hard guard passing would eventually lead to the transition that won him the match.
Fantastic match from two amazing BJJ players.
Great blog. I really like that you chose to write about this match in particular.
Thanks man. I enjoyed the match a lot. When I was sitting in the stands watching it with everyone, we were all just watching the match wind down. We pretty much just expected it to end with Mafra on top keeping his 2 point lead. Then once Clark went was in the passing position it put us all on the edge of our seat. The match had a very crazy end.