Welcome to ‘The Open GuardCast Jiu-Jitsu Podcast’, which is a project dedicated to promoting jiu-jitsu professionals. Tune in each week, Wednesdays at 2pm CST, on our ‘Bloody Elbow Presents Podcast Network’, for interviews, current events, and analysis of everything going on in the world of jiu-jitsu and submission grappling! Your host is Danny O’Donnell. In addition to hosting this podcast, he is an MMA journalist contributing here at Bloody Elbow, as well as at Black Belt Mag. O’Donnell himself is a BJJ black belt who trains at the Marcio Andre Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Phoenix, AZ. This week he will be joined by reoccurring guest co-host, Jake Watson, who is also a trained BJJ black belt, as well as the Assistant Coach affiliated with the Maracaba BJJ Academy out of Mesa, AZ. Jake is also an occasional commentator for flograppling.com. Our guest this week is Josef Manuel, 4th degree black belt under Robson (pronounced Hobson) Moura and owner of Cutting Edge Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Harrison, New Jersey. In this episode we discuss how Josef got involved in martial arts, meeting Robson Moura for the first time, placing 3rd at Worlds in the adult division — despite being in his mid thirties, his popular Instagram page: @choke_lab, and much more. Enjoy the interview! Q1: At 2:19 — How did you transition from boxing to a martial arts background and then on to Brazilian jiu-jitsu? Q2: At 9:01 — How did you come into contact with Robson Maura and his influence on you? Q3: At 15:40 (For Co-Host Jake) — Do you have any experience watching Robson, maybe catching some of his videos? Q4: At 17:02 — Josef shares a story with us about Marco ‘Loro’ Galvao. Q5: 20:32 — Can you talk about Robson’s technical influence on you, his technique, his game, and how that influenced you? Q6: At 25:03 — (For Co-Host Jake) — What do you think about BJJ athletes adding their own creative flavor to their game? Q7: At 27:46 — Can you talk about winning third at the Worlds in your mid-thirties and what that was like compared to competitors who have been training since they were little kids and are winning in their early twenties? Q8: At 32:28 — How do you advise your students when they too have these big goals, that may seem “unrealistic” and how to pursue those the way you have? Q9: At 34:50 — You came back to competition recently to compete at the Master Worlds, what was that like, that experience, and why you decided to come back to competition? Q10: At 40:25 — After having become a Dad, do you feel like that has affected your psyche going into competitions? Q11: At 43:20 — Pre-fatherhood, you used to get dark and kinda angry at events, what were some of the songs you used to listen to right before competition? Q12: At 48:59 — Can you talk about the amazing instagram page you run, that project, and what your goals are for it (re: @Choke_Lab)? You can follow Danny on his brand new twitter — @DannyOD_BJJ, or he can be found on instagram — @dannyod_bjj. His reoccurring guest co-host, Jake Watson can be found on instagram — @disciple_jiujitsu & @maracaba_bjj. The show’s instagram is @openguardcast, it can also be found on Facebook here. You can check in on this week's guest, Josef Manuel, whose academy is found on instagram @cuttingedge_bjj, or check out his website at chokelab.com, or on insta — @choke_lab. If you enjoy our shows, be sure to “like”, share & subscribe on whichever BE Presents Podcast Channel happens to be your listening platform of choice: SoundCloud, YouTube, iTunes & Apple TV, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, OverCast, Player FM, & Amazon Music – While you’re there, don’t forget to subscribe to Bloody Elbow Presents; that way you’ll always be the first to get all of BE’s daily MMA offerings. For previous episodes of the show, check out our playlists on all of our BE Presents channels.