That being said, this is not a set for beginners. While none of the moves are hard (in fact most are easy), no effort is made to explain why you are using the guard, mount, etc. Saulo just assumes that you have a command of the basic positions and strategy. So, if you have 6 months of training, Saulo can help you unlearn some of the wrong shit you have been taught before it is too late. Kind of ironic, but I think it works best this way. You can't really appreciate the major technical improvements on this set, until you have tried similar moves and failed.
If you already own Sperry's top rated sport BJJ sets, you can happily own this set. I think a lot of care went into this set to make sure that there was little overlap. I would tell you to start with Sperry's Master Series sets and then get this one. That is unless you have a specific positions that you are looking to improve. For the most part, each of Saulo's tapes stands on its own and can be purchased alone.
I get people writing me all the time asking me if they should buy a tape set from some no name guy that has no track record and a big advertisement in the current magazines. I can only shake my head when I get these e-mails. Why would you want to gamble your money on some guy that has never proven himself (or has a proven instructor), when you have so many outstanding tape sets out there by the best proven fighters on the planet. Saulo's set falls into this category. He is a great fighter that is also a great instructor. All I need to tell you is that Saulo is a 6 time world sport jiu-jitsu champion. Oh, and that he is a Royler Gracie black belt. Let me see, a tape set with possibly the greatest sport BJJ guy ever and World Martial Arts producing, in my mind this tape set should be a no brainer to buy.
Two more random thoughts. I am glad to see that WMA has added an interview with Saulo as bonus material on the first DVD. Also, WMA divided the moves into chapters that makes it easier to navigate around. WMA earlier DVDs did not have these chapter breakes.
Bottom line:This is a great set for those looking to improve their intermediate to advanced sport BJJ game. Everyone will find some part of the set will help you take your game to the next level. While the title is called "Jiu-jitsu Revolution," Saulo himself sums this set up best as being an "Evolution." Saulo takes moves that you know and makes them better. He helps you understand what makes a move work. Sometimes the evolution is incremental and other times a new species is formed that is superior to anything that went before it. You have a great combination of both on this set. While Saulo covered a lot of material on the set, I was left wanting more. It is clear that this set was only the tip of the iceberg of what is stored in Saulo's warehouse of techniques. So I am glad to see that WMA has produced a follow-up set. I for one, can't wait to see it.
------------------------------This Information below was posted by bjjprim8 on the MMA.TV forum. While it is a breakdown of only 3 of the DVDs, he should be applauded for taking the time that he did. - Bill
Tape 1 - The MountTechnique 1 - The DVD opens with Saulo in the mount looking for a submission on his partner. It's not really a technique he is teaching but more a quick look at one of his positions and then he tells his philosophy on the mount. He then goes into the position of the mount where you flatten out and grapevine your opponent's legs and keep your arms out so you don't get rolled. Saulo, considers this a recovery position after you have wasted a lot of energy passing the guard and getting the mount. You use this to quickly recover and then start attacking again. We have all seen this position before.
Technique 2 - He continues off of the first technique and explains his strategy for why he uses this position in competition. He explains how the Ezekiel is best used from this position. He explains how to get the arm behind the head/neck. What I liked best about this technique was and here I go again repeating myself but the details and just one little move to stop your opponent from blocking the choke by holding his own neck. I think his details and set up for such known and old school submission really changes things and makes it a very dangerous submission from the mount again. I have never seen this set up or details on any instructional before.
Technique 3 - Saulo, addresses when your opponent bumps you and how to control and stop this from affecting your mount. Nothing earth shattering but a small detail that helps buy you more time while you are looking for a submission when you are mounted on his hip area. Something that everyone should know and certainly could use in their game.
Technique 4 - This one was one of the previews that everyone debated once again. I know it's difficult to get your opponent in a position to get your knee up by his head trapping his arm (this is my favorite position from the mount to get someone in). But if the threat of the choke is really there you will find it easier to obtain this position. Everyone has seen this preview and if you haven't go to WMA's site and view it.
Technique 5 - Saulo talks about the choke from tech. 4 he goes into further details about how to block your opponent from blocking the choke attempt and goes back to once again what I said before about the choke being a real threat and not a false one. He shows how to play with your opponent to open up either the arm lock or the choke but the one detail of your arm position when you insert the hand into the collar for the choke and your elbow placement is the difference between the choke being a real threat and it not being one.
Technique 6 - This continues from the choke from the prior two techs. The basic Gi choke is addressed in this technique and Saulo himself says this is a choke everyone knows and you learn as a white belt. However he adds details to it with a change in body position that I have never seen used when someone goes to block the typical Gi choke when you cross your arms and grab the lapels. Most people lay their weight and body down on their opponent trying to put pressure on the choke but Saulo changes his body position, leans away and doesn't use any strength and this is something I can say I have never seen on any instructional ever. This completely changed my view of applying this choke from now on and gives me a new vigor for attacking with this technique.
Technique 7 - I really like this technique a lot. It's a great choke that starts from the mount that changes to a side control/knee on belly position. You go for the normal choke from the prior few positions, your opponent blocks, you step out from the mount and reach under your body and control their opposite arm and drop your elbow to the mat. Saulo explains how to play from the prior positions to open up this choke which again is something you haven't seen elsewhere and if you have I'd love to know what set because I haven't seen it.
Technique 8 - In this technique Saulo addresses holding the mount position he goes back to how to hold the mount when your opponent bumps and how to control your body when he is bumping you. He then addresses the elbow knee escape and how to stop it, I like that he addresses the fact that your opponent has achieved a position in which he can go for the escape, Saulo then shifts and changes his body position which sets him up perfectly for the arm being trapped in tech Number 4. Once again something I have not seen on any other instructionals and his details in this position are just one of those times you go "damn, why didn't I think of that?" It shows how to get back into the mount when he continues to move after he changes position. This technique alone makes the series worth its weight in gold alone.
Technique 9 - Saulo, changes gears here and shifts to escaping the mount and theory behind it. He explains the common mistakes of trying to escape.
Technique 10 - Saulo explains the proper position of your hands when you want to escape the mount and how to block the hips, which stop your opponent from obtaining a high mount on you. He then shows you how to control him and get out of the mount position. I like the position because it stops your opponent from choking and gives you a good elbow knee escape off the bump. He even shows how as long as you keep the hips low and away even if he gets tight you can still bump and escape.
Technique 11 - continues from Tech 10, but this time addresses if your opponent gets his arm behind your head and neck. A simple but effective way to deal with a very common position. What I liked about this technique is that he shows how to achieve position 10 when you are being mounted and then if you make the mistake of raising you head how to deal with him getting his arm behind your head. He goes one step further and address if your opponent gets grapevines and what to do to escape the grapevines and then how to use Tech 10.
Technique 12 - continues with escaping the mount and dealing with when your opponent gets grapevines on you. Saulo adds such a small detail but such an essential detail to escaping the grapevine that makes it so much easier than spazzing your legs around try to unhook the grapevine.
Technique 13 - Is a different kind of escape, we call it one of the suicide escapes from the mount that look more dangerous than it really is. Your opponent gets a little higher mount and you bump up onto your side and trap his leg and throw him out of the mount. It's very close to the hip bump when you have your opponent in the closed guard but you are mounted in this escape and rolls your opponent into the guard. A very nice addition for an end of the volume escape. He even adds a detail of explanation that Matt Thorton used on bumping from the closed guard on his FJKD 2 series that helps bring the guy over faster and harder.
Tape 2 - The Cross BodyTechnique 1 - Saulo, opens the dvd with his theory behind the cross body position. He explains why the normal way we all have been shown cross body is not his way. He then goes into showing his style of cross body which frees up your hands to now attempt more attacks and move more freely compared to the normal tight side control of the hand behind your opponents head and pinning him tight. He uses this to secure a position that he wants and then gets tight. Saulo's way of controlling the hips is not something I have seen on any other DVD set out there.
Technique 2 - This continues from Technique one and shows you how to stay tight to your opponent while using Saulo's version of cross body. He shows how to deal with when your opponent tries to hip bump. The key here is the way Saulo controls his opponent's hips. It's such a tight detail but makes a lot of sense when you see it. This way of controlling your opponent will change your game completely and open up a ton of submission chances.
Technique 3 - Saulo addresses and old school choke that most white belts who have been training for a little while usually know. The choke is when you are in cross body and you reach under your opponents arm with your far arm and grab his collar. You then reach across with the arm by his head and grab the collar on the far side of his body and bring your fore arm across the throat and choke with the collars. Saulo brings an updated version to this move that as we all know when we go for everyone but a new white belt blocks. His small adjustment and small details are huge in this because it's now a move that will certainly work due to it not cluing in your opponent what you are up to. I really liked this new way of doing an old move a lot. The details Saulo puts in are something to be seen to be believed.
Technique 4 - Saulo goes further into detail from technique 3 showing what to do when your opponent resists by trying to bump and hip escape away. He talks about the theory of using this to open up other things and not to be just looking for that one move, but to use it to open up other positions.
Technique 5 - Saulo now teaches you his favorite choke. There is nothing new here to be learned other than details that are very important to the difference between making this move work and not work. It's a collar choke where you grab your opponents collar with your close hand on his close side and throw your leg that is close to his head over the head. We all know this choke, but we all know how damn hard it is to pull off while sparring, well not any more. Saulo shows you the small details that make the difference to getting this choke and why you miss it. The difference is the way Saulo creates the space to get the leg over by tricking his opponent into the position. Another great variation on an old move that not only makes it new again but makes it very functional and that is the most important part of this whole series so far the details are something else.
Technique 6 - addresses the knee on the belly, Saulo, shows how his positioning from technique one smoothly transitions to knee on the belly without creating space for your opponent to block the knee on belly transitions. He shows how to distract your opponent with a choke attempt to distract your opponent as well. Saulo dispels the myth of the grab of the leg and collar and popping up to KOB position. I really liked this transition and will now be using it to obtain what is my fav. side control position.
Technique 7 - continues addressing the knee on belly position which I will call KOB from now on. Saulo explains how to keep the position was you have obtained it, the details of how to keep your knee and how to keep your foot tight against your opponents hip to avoid the very common KOB counter of sliding your hand under the foot and snaking it up and around the front to push on your opponents hip and push him off. I really like his details on the KOB like I stated earlier. He doesn't discuss anything here save for controlling the position once you get here. My only gripe was he seemed to float from this position more than put weight and pressure (something I like to do), but Saulo's game isn't about force it's all technique.
Technique 8 - Saulo addresses how to mount your opponent in this technique, he explains how you need to trap your opponents arm. He shows how to set up your opponent with a choke fake to trap your opponents arm with your legs high up on his body. He then switches to a reverse kesa-gatami to throw the leg over and go for the mount position. A technique we have seen many times and we all know works a basic but solid technique.
Technique 9 - continues to address the last technique showing how to trap the far arm as well when your opponent stays in what I call the boxer position. A small but nice detail. He then goes on to show how the same arm trapping of the far arm opens up the KOB to mount, keepign your body low and not going full KOB but sliding the knee across. The small detail here is very sweet for trapping the far arm which your opponent will usually use to stop your knee from sliding across for you to mount the trap also stops your opponent from hip escaping away. Then a nice way of keeping the mount when he tries to trap your leg for and escape caps it off.
Technique 10 - continues the final aspects of controlling the mount right after you slide your knee across and your opponent tries to stop you. Again a small but very important detail.
Technique 11 - Saulo now switches gears and shows how to escape from the bottom in the side control position. He starts off by explaining his theory behind escaping. Saulo's positioning for the escape is different on this one than other instructional he stresses that not letting your opponent get head control is essential and explains your close hand positioning to stop it from happening.
Technique 12 - continues where tech. 11 leaves off. Saulo explains how the bump is the most important part of escaping the cross body. He explains how bumping over your shoulder is the most important a detail that a lot of instructional leave off. They say hip escape but don't explain getting over your shoulder. There is nothing earth shattering or new here just a few small details on a very solid escape we all know well as the hip escape from the cross body. He explains how this escape works from all cross body positions as well.
Technique 13 - continues with the side control escape, but deals with when your opponent is using different grips than the standard attempt at high body/head control. Your opponent uses a leg and a behind the neck control. Saulo bumps away from his opponent and goes to knees. His details are tight and show how your opponent can not take your back. Just one small detail of where to place your arm when you bump is the difference between escaping and having your back taken. I really enjoyed this technique and have not seen it on anything that is out now.
Technique 14 - shows you how to escape when your opponent is holding your leg and has his other arm across your body high pinning you down. He uses a nice small detail that you don't seen on many instructional out there to break the grip on your leg. I really liked that he used this small detail because it is a nice way to break this grip. Once you break this grip it is very easy to turn to your knees and escape the side control position. A very nice escape from a very common position with a nice grip break.
Technique 15 - There was a lot of debate on this one when the preview came up. I like the escape, but go see the preview and judge for yourself.
Technique 16 - continues from the last one showing what to do when your opponent has his knee deeper. The counter Saulo shows is one I happen to mention earlier with the detail of grabbing by the belt instead of going through the front and pushing the hips. This is the common escape from KOB that we all know and a little disappointing way to end a great dvd but it's still a solid move.
Tape 6- Passing the GuardTechnique 1 - Saulo briefly explains his approach to coming in standing on an open guard opponent. He explains why his posture is different than what looks to be the norm. compared to other DVDs approach. I have seen a number of dvds and few explain it this way. His arm and leg placement are the big difference and makes a ton of sense when you go further into the video.
Technique 2 - Saulo, explains how to stand in the closed guard. Once again it's his details that stand apart from other instructional. Two little details about where to place the opponents arm when you are holding his sleeve make the difference between fighting your opponent and controlling him. A small detail but a valuable one. Also the way to stand up makes the difference. I have learned the standing from training in class haven't seen it on other DVD's that I have seen.
Technique 3 - This is where you learn your first pass, Saulo, opens the legs and steps into his posture from Tech. 1, he then shows a torreando which is a pass that has been shown many times on many DVD's and is a white belt pass. His approach and details make the difference though. He touches on even how if your opponent puts in the De la Riva hook you can still do this move. It has overlap from a number of other DVDs most recently the Daniel Moreas set.
Technique 4 - Is a detail if your opponent uses two hands to control one of you own.
Technique 5 - Is from standing to a pass under the leg by placing your opponent's leg on your shoulder. (Basic Guard pass but from standing)Now here is where the details of his stance really come into play when he is standing. His stance works very well for getting the leg on your shoulder to pass under it. Nothing mind shattering but he shows how to use the leg (first tech) to force a reaction from your opponent, if he reacts one way you torreando the other he gives you the shoulder pass. His posture/approach is what makes the difference in this set up.
Technique 6 - The cross leg pass is the next technique. The details on this alone if you like this pass are worth their weight in gold. Saulo's approach of being low and tight and his elbow placement show you why this move doesn't always work even when it should. His crouch opposed to the upright version keeps your opponent pinned in contrast to the normal version which has you more upright and gives your opponent more hip movement and blocks the opponents other leg from coming into play. I don't want to describe it exactly because it wouldn't be fair to WMA, but the details here are one of those ones where you say "damn, now I get it!"
Technique 7 - Now here was one of those great debate things on when people saw the preview. Now to put an end to this, I have seen Saulo use this very technique, and as proof to it being used look no further than his instructor Royler. If you need proof look at page 144 of the Gracie way and low and behold there is a big pic of Royler working this open the closed guard technique. I won't go into detail on this since it's on the previews check it out and see for yourself.
Technique 8 - Continues where number 7 leaves off. It goes to show what happens when your opponent sees you are going to open his legs and shows a nice over the leg guard pass. Nothing earth shattering just a nice set up.
Technique 9 - Is passing from the knees. Saulo's approach once again is what makes this different. This approach is when your opponent is in the open guard and you trap one leg. The trap is something I have never seen on any instructional. The pass itself can be found on many instructionals but the approach is the difference here. If you have (Vieira's guard passing or a number of others) than you have seen this set up and pass before. But the trapping of the leg is the difference here. His details of tightness and body position is what makes this pass different from other instructionals.
Technique 10 - This is where Saulo shows his way of passing the butterfly guard. I found his approach interesting because what he says goes into direct contrast to what Moreas says on his new set. He doesn't believe in trying to repummel when his opponent gets under hooks in. The pass is something I like to use and has over lap from other instructional. But a nice pass none the less of a fall back pass while sitting your weight back and trapping the leg you are falling to the side on to pass.
Technique 11 - Is another butterfly pass this time when your opponent has one underhook and is trapping the other arm at the elbow. He just believes lifting the leg will help you pass. But if you have someone who is tall, this technique won't do the trick alone. Or if you have someone who slides up off their knee for the sweep and goes to full extension using thier foot to stand on (those with Stephan kestings BFG dvd know what I am talking about) This one seemed to be more of a simple technique for simple technique sake probably my least favorite move on the DVD.
Technique 12 - Has your opponent going belly down when you are going to pass the guard. Using a north south half nelson with one arm and a cross lapel grab from underneath with the other Saulo uses a roll to achieve side control. I have seen this done in wrestling minus the lapel grab but rarely in BJJ. I have used this on many occasions but learned it in wrestling not BJJ. A very nice move that I haven't seen on any instructional.
Technique 13 - Is a half guard pass with your opponent keeping his outside knee up by your chest. He does a typical under over shoulder block pass. This move is shown on many instructional. The difference is once again in Saulo's details that he goes against the grain of some of the things others have said about grabbing the other arm and pulling up to get the pass. He believes more in the pressure of the shoulder on the legs to obtain the pass.
Technique 14 - continues with the pass of 13 showing more details of why Saulos positioning is very vital to making the pass because it stops your opponent from controlling your head and being able to create space.