NAGA Competition

Gerry Seymour

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I've been eyeing (it turns out my hands don't know how to type that word) a NAGA competition. There's one a couple of hours from me, and I should be able to make it out to watch this year, considering competing next year. I'm hoping someone here is familiar with the format and can give me some insight.

From what I see on the site, I'll be in the BB division (it's for any grappling experience, not just BJJ/ground work). And they kindly have a division for slightly degraded guys like me - I'll be at the absolute top end of the 40-49 group next year if I compete. So that all looks good. Both gi and no-gi are options, though I'll be more comfortable in the gi division.

Other than just looking for any insight folks might have, here's my one question: what are the chances of managing in this with the idea of winning on takedowns? If I get a BJJ black belt (probably the same if a Judo BB), I'm not going to win on the ground, and areas of my ground game are pretty limited by injuries, so even a less-experienced ground fighter would cause me trouble. So, my aim would be to use takedowns (maybe finishing to a dominant position, maybe just staying up) and try to win on points. Thoughts?
 

drop bear

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First off just do your thing. You are only there for a bit of fun.

Just take them down, sit on them and sub them out. If you get a throw and a position you will probably win.



But you generally can't throw and stand back up as you might lose points on timidity.
 

dunc

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You'll need to make sure that your top game is solid enough to hold them in place for a few seconds after the take down to get the points

If you don't have sub options to finish or at least earn a few more points then I think it'll be tough as after you pull off one good takedown your opponent is probably going to pull guard early
 

Tony Dismukes

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First off just do your thing. You are only there for a bit of fun.

Just take them down, sit on them and sub them out. If you get a throw and a position you will probably win.



But you generally can't throw and stand back up as you might lose points on timidity.
Yeah. I’m not sure about NAGA rules, but in most BJJ competitions if you get the takedown and then just back off you can be penalized or disqualified for refusing to engage. You still have to keep working once one person is on the ground.
 
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Gerry Seymour

Gerry Seymour

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First off just do your thing. You are only there for a bit of fun.

Just take them down, sit on them and sub them out. If you get a throw and a position you will probably win.



But you generally can't throw and stand back up as you might lose points on timidity.
Hmm...didn't see that loss of points listed in the rules. That would be problematic.

If I get a BJJ BB, I don't know that I can hold position on them. Haven't tried with one (Tony and I got too wrapped up in working on a couple of specific problems I wanted help with), and haven't had a serious roll with any BJJ guys in a long time. I'd have trouble subbing out a purple belt, I'd expect, though I might be able to defend against them.

"Do your thing" would be me not staying on the ground, frankly, unless the other guy seems less skilled down there. I'm better standing. And I saw that the BB division allows toe holds, and of course leg bars are options - both of those, I'd tap out as soon as they made contact - my legs can't take much and I wouldn't chance it. That's part of the reason I was thinking toward trying to use the standing game more.

But it's only a 4-minute match, so maybe by the time it gets to the ground I'll be able to stay out of submissions long enough and keep them from getting too many points.
 
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Gerry Seymour

Gerry Seymour

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Yeah. I’m not sure about NAGA rules, but in most BJJ competitions if you get the takedown and then just back off you can be penalized or disqualified for refusing to engage. You still have to keep working once one person is on the ground.
I think NAGA mostly follows BJJ rules, with some adjustments, so I'd guess that's true for them, too, though I didn't see it in the short list. I'll have to read the full rules.
 
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Gerry Seymour

Gerry Seymour

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You'll need to make sure that your top game is solid enough to hold them in place for a few seconds after the take down to get the points

If you don't have sub options to finish or at least earn a few more points then I think it'll be tough as after you pull off one good takedown your opponent is probably going to pull guard early
I'm probably capable of holding side control for the 2-3 seconds they require to get the points. Part of my problem getting to submissions - and working ground game, in general - is I can't grip with my toes. Moderate arthritis in the right great toe and worse in the left. Not being able to grip with them reduces my stability in one direction, and the amount of force I can exert, as well. And if I accidentally grip with them and push, I'll submit myself. :facepalm:
 

drop bear

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I'm probably capable of holding side control for the 2-3 seconds they require to get the points. Part of my problem getting to submissions - and working ground game, in general - is I can't grip with my toes. Moderate arthritis in the right great toe and worse in the left. Not being able to grip with them reduces my stability in one direction, and the amount of force I can exert, as well. And if I accidentally grip with them and push, I'll submit myself. :facepalm:

Are they going to have belt divisions?

You can just move through side control, hold for three. Knee ride, hold. Mount, hold. To rack up points.
 
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Gerry Seymour

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Are they going to have belt divisions?

You can just move through side control, hold for three. Knee ride, hold. Mount, hold. To rack up points.
Yeah, it's belt divisions - based on time in grappling art (regardless of art). I'd be in the BB 40-49 division.
 
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Gerry Seymour

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My half-a-pit is telling me I'd do well in the dog-grappling division, especially if I stick to the smiling-pitbull group.
 

_Simon_

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This is awesome Gerry, so glad to hear you're giving it a go :).

Yeah great idea going in to spectate, that'll give you a good view as to how they're run.

I have NO insight as I know nothing at all about grappling tournaments, but all I will say is familiarise yourself well with the rules, and work with your strengths.

And most importantly..... have FUN and enjoy yourself! Can't wait to hear how it goes (even though it's next year)
 
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Gerry Seymour

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This is awesome Gerry, so glad to hear you're giving it a go :).

Yeah great idea going in to spectate, that'll give you a good view as to how they're run.

I have NO insight as I know nothing at all about grappling tournaments, but all I will say is familiarise yourself well with the rules, and work with your strengths.

And most importantly..... have FUN and enjoy yourself! Can't wait to hear how it goes (even though it's next year)
Yeah, I'm a bit impatient about the whole thing, myself. I'd like to go ahead and get in this year's, but I'm trying to be sensible (which the Hobbit will attest is somewhat unusual for me). I'll have just come out of a mud run, and I usually exit those with some minor shoulder or elbow injury - a flare-up of my tendinitis, if nothing else.

I'm curious to see how I manage to adapt to the rules. It's unlikely I'll spend much time training to them, so I'm interested to see how well I control things like my normal inclination to throw and stay standing. Though some of that isn't entirely about the rules - just stuff I haven't trained much in a while, so the intervening time will give me a chance to think about where my training gaps have been lately that might affect me in that context. Looking into some sort of sparring/striking competition, too, so will be working both ends of this in the next year.
 

Tony Dismukes

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You also need to be prepared for the possibility that your opponent might just pull guard. In that case there won't be any takedown points and you need to just work on passing their guard.
 
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Gerry Seymour

Gerry Seymour

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You also need to be prepared for the possibility that your opponent might just pull guard. In that case there won't be any takedown points and you need to just work on passing their guard.
Good point. If they do that, I'm probably sunk. I can pass guard okay, but probably not with any reliability if their primary is BJJ, which is who I'd expect is most likely to pull guard.
 

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