
Opening Closed-Guard
The Origins of Jiujitsu in Brazil: The Story Behind the Film
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Narrated by:
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David Morden
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By:
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Robert Drysdale
About this listen
What are the origins of Brazilian jiujitsu? Is it merely a by-product—a rebel offspring—of judo? What was the nature and content of the art that Mitsuyo Maeda, a.k.a. “Count Koma”, and other Japanese were teaching in the Amazon? Was it judo? Jiujitsu? His own personal fight-tested style, built on a foundation of judo and informed by his dozens and dozens of matches around the world? What was the bridge between the art he learned at the Kodokan and the Brazilian style--a style now practiced by millions worldwide and growing bigger every day--that claims him as its godfather? Should Maeda even be at the center of this story? And what role did Carlos and Hélio Gracie play in all of this? Did they "invent" BJJ? Would BJJ exist without them? And, if so, what—if anything—did they create? And why does this history matter to the average BJJ practitioner today?
Any history possesses its official narrative with its own favorite characters and events. But true history is seldom simple, and more oft than not the real story is far richer than the popular version that is widely repeated and handed down. The history of BJJ and MMA in Brazil doesn’t escape this paradigm. The recent renaissance in research in regards to the history of martial arts in Brazil led to the author’s curiosity, which in turn led to the documentary Closed-Guard: The Origins of Jiujitsu in Brazil, which in turn led to this book.
This manuscript started as an account of the author’s recollections of the film's production, and quickly grew into much more. Opening Closed-Guard: The Story Behind the Film contains conclusions, analysis, and historical interpretations, as well as the story behind the documentary itself and the many challenges it faced along the way. It contains interviews, research articles pertaining to the history of jiujitsu in Brazil, as well as the author's own take on the current state of BJJ and MMA. Finally, it is the story of the author rediscovering his love for jiujitsu in a completely new and unexpected way.
About the author:
Born in the US to a Brazilian mother and American father and having spent his life between these two countries, Robert Drysdale remains the only American competitor to have ever won both the IBJJF and ADCC world championships--the two most prestigious tournaments in all of jiujitsu. Furthermore, he has also cultivated a career in MMA both as a fighter and as a coach. The author also holds a bachelor’s degree in history as well as a long-held passion for the discipline. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he teaches Brazilian jiujitsu and MMA. He is also the cofounder of the international team Zenith jiujitsu and the father of two girls.
©2020 Robert Drysdale (P)2022 Robert DrysdaleListeners also enjoyed...
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The biggest problem that beginning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu students have is that they begin Jiu Jitsu in the wrong way, making countless unnecessary mistakes as they do not possess a clear map through which to navigate their training. Jiu Jitsu Secrets provides the ideal framework through which to approach Jiu Jitsu, how to best perform Jiu Jitsu, and the psychology required that makes your success in BJJ certain.
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Deeper Meaning
- By Kailani Luna on 09-04-24
By: Chris Matakas
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The Martial Apprentice: A Japanese Jujutsu Adventure
- The Warriors Way, Book 1
- By: Roy Dean
- Narrated by: Roy Dean
- Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Flown to Japan as a 16-year-old exchange student, Roy Dean entered the world of fighting through the art of Judo. Returning to the USA, he pursued even more intense study, becoming an apprentice to a Japanese jiu jitsu and aikido master in Monterey, California. This is a recollection of transformative events, his introduction to the art of Brazilian jiu jitsu, and the lessons you can only learn by living in a dojo.
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Meh…..💁🏻♂️
- By Gibbs on 12-28-22
By: Roy Dean
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The Fighter's Mind
- Inside the Mental Game
- By: Sam Sheridan
- Narrated by: Nicholas Techosky
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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To uncover the secrets of mental strength and success, Sam Sheridan interviewed dozens of the world's most fascinating and dangerous men.
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A Magnificient Perspective
- By Chase Chambers on 11-07-15
By: Sam Sheridan
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The 32 Principles
- Harnessing the Power of Jiu-Jitsu to Succeed in Business, Relationships, and Life
- By: Rener Gracie, Paul Volponi, Jocko Willink - foreword
- Narrated by: Rener Gracie
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Jiu-jitsu is more than a martial art; it is a lifestyle that promotes health, confidence, self-determination, and balance. Famed jiu-jitsu instructor Rener Gracie presents the core teachings of jiu-jitsu and explains how they can apply to all of our daily lives.
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A Long Informercial
- By amazonreviewer on 08-25-23
By: Rener Gracie, and others
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On Jiu Jitsu
- By: Chris Matakas
- Narrated by: Saethon Williams
- Length: 2 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Practitioners across the globe continue to use jujitsu as a tool for personal development. For many, the jujitsu academy is the one place in which we purposefully practice virtuous action. On Jiu Jitsu seeks to codify the mechanisms by which jujitsu shapes the individual, as the character traits required to achieve mastery in sport are the same that our highest humanity requires.
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Jiu Jitsu is the best medicine against PTSD
- By Tim on 02-12-19
By: Chris Matakas
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Way of the Fight
- By: Georges St. Pierre
- Narrated by: Eric Stone
- Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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For world-renowned professional fighter Georges St-Pierre, the greatest asset is not physical strength or athleticism - it’s a sense of purpose. From his beginnings as a small, mercilessly bullied child first discovering karate to his years as a struggling garbage collector who spent all his free time in the gym, his hard-fought rise in the sport of mixed martial arts, and his long, painful recovery from a career-threatening injury, Georges never lost sight of his ambition to become the greatest martial artist of all time.
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Great! Great Book
- By Berserk on 05-03-13
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Worth Defending
- How Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Saved My Life
- By: Richard Bresler, Scott Burr
- Narrated by: Scott Burr
- Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Richard Bresler was Rorion Gracie's first student in LA, and is widely recognized as the first student of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in the US. His memoir, Worth Defending, chronicles his over 40 years' involvement with the Gracie family and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, including the almost 20 years he spent working closely alongside Rorion helping to grow Jiu-Jitsu through the Gracie Garages, the challenge matches, the founding of the Gracie Academy, and the inception of the UFC.
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Amazing path of life and history Of Jujitsu
- By Frank M on 07-23-23
By: Richard Bresler, and others
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Hendo
- The American Athlete
- By: Dan Henderson, David Kano - contributor
- Narrated by: Jamie Renell
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Dan "Hendo" Henderson was the first fighter in MMA history to become a double champion, winning championships in PRIDE Fighting Championships and Strikeforce. He faced the biggest names in MMA, on his unparalleled run through the early days of MMA through its remarkable rise in popularity, squaring off against the likes of Fedor Emelianenko, Anderson Silva, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, Michael Bisping, Vitor Belfort, and Renzo Gracie. Henderson's first fight against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in 2011 is considered one of the greatest fights in UFC history.
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The Great Hendo
- By Jesse on 03-16-25
By: Dan Henderson, and others
What listeners say about Opening Closed-Guard
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- KJA
- 03-31-23
Great history lesson
If you love BJJ, you want to read/listen to this book. Eye opening! I highly recommend this book.
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- Robbie Edwards
- 06-11-23
Great history lesson on the origins of BJJ
I thoroughly enjoyed this work by Professor Robert Drysdale. This book is not a slight against the Gracie family. In fact the book gives interviews with several members of the Gracie family to get their perspective on the origins of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to understand the true origins of BJJ.
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- KG
- 10-12-23
Great job
If you love BJJ then you need to know the actually story!! Can’t wait for the documentary to come out !
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- Benjamin Soto
- 02-19-24
The Unknown History of Brazilian JiuJitsu
Love this book. Interview format with the people that were a part of the history intertwined with the author’s own history in the art of BJJ as well as the making of this film. A great listen.
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- Taylor Carik
- 08-22-23
Must Read for BBJ Fans
Kudos to Drysdale for such an objective history of BJJ while being still very enthusiastic.
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-22-23
Truth
I love the details and interviews in this book as well as The Rise and Evolution of BJJ.
I enjoy the non biased perspective to find the truth (to the best of) very appealing and honorable to the art. Grateful overall for where jiu jitsu is today because everyone who fought for jiu jitsu. Grateful to be a part of Jiu Jitsu.
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- Anonymous User
- 12-31-23
Great insight into colorful history of BJJ
We need more books like this that look at the history of our sport(dare I say sports as in my opinion Judo, BJJ, MMA, Luta Livre are pieces of the one same story) objectively, challenging previously established myths. Thank you Robert!
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- William
- 01-03-24
The book is fantastic but the reader stumbles
Great book. Robert poured his heart into this project and I loved the results. The performer was not good though. He often rereads passages and mispronounces things.
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- gilad
- 03-17-23
Jiu jitsu geeks will love it
As a jiu jitsu geek, I loved it. The narator was very good, even though he had some pronunciation mistakes. If you are not hardcore enthusiast of JJ history, I would suggest some other books for the general JJ audience like Breath.
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- Art
- 07-04-23
Finally!
As a Gracie Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, I really appreciate Professor Robert Drysdale for the time and effort he has put forth in the research for this movie and book. Very well put together and glad to see credit given to those who paved away. Well done!
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