Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Twister itself is a great DVD, and was everything I expected, if not more. What I expected was a series of Eddie Bravo's matches with his commentary. I really (really!) prefer this format for watching matches than, say, a plain Mundial or ADCC video. I first encountered it on Michael Jen's Dynamic BJJ: Inside the Game DVD and it just makes the matches so much more interesting, educational, and watchable it's a crying shame more people haven't made releases in this format.
Eddie is a gifted speaker. Clear, relevant, and outrageously funny. ("No Shpine Lock!" "I either pulled half-guard or just shot the double and slammed him, can't remember...") He explains what he's doing during the match and, more importantly, what he's thinking and why he's doing it. Obviously, the eponimus Twister plays a big part, as do the 'old school', 'lockdown', and other uniquely Bravo moves.
From his blue belt, through purple and brown belt matches, to Royler in ADCC (afterwhich I believe he was awarded his black), a good sampling of matches are offered. Most of the matches show an almost identical (consistent) gameplan, how he executes it, and (also very importantly) how he gets back to it, or switches to a back up, when things don't go as planned. (The secret of his success right there.) Yes, apparently, if you're super dedicated, have very good mind-set, are flexible, and (for Royler) become montrously strong for your weight, you can be a world champ with a small set of specialized gameplans, and just one side. :)
As a bonus, Bravo intersperses comedy sketches like a take off of MTV cribs, his demands for a PrideFC contract (starts with $1M and veiled 'work'), etc.
Easter eggs include instructional segments where he teaches a calf-crush from the lockdown called 'Kamakaze', and the overhook triangle he tapped Royler with (and although the fact that he tapped Royler is mentioned once and a while on the DVD, it is not, as perhaps it could have been, replacing the 10th Planet logo on his T-Shirt). Other easter eggs include comedy skits ranging from his Man Show submission to an imitation of a Brazilian BJJ teacher teaching... er... other forms of ground activity instead of grappling. Funny stuff.
Only downside is that easter eggs, while fun, can be annoying to get to for repeat viewing, and some may be turned off by seeing very similar matches time after time (though they should probably know better).
All in all, excellent DVD, one of the few that will probably be appreciated by a wider audience than just BJJ zealots.
Easter Eggs:
From Scene Selection
1. Highlight Thick and Meaty. Wait 2 minutes.
2. Highlight Royler. Wait a minute.
Go to the Bonus Area section. Highlight the arrow, and push (in sequence) down, left left left, enter.
Jeopardy Music will play on Dot Screen.
3. Highlight the 4th dot from the left on top and hit enter
4. Highlight the last dot on the bottom row and hit enter.
5. On top row, move the cursor all the way to the left until it is off the screen. Hit enter.
Note: Not all material on this DVD is suitable for all audiences. Parental discretion definately advised.
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Eddie Bravo's "The Twister" (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu)In the early 1900's the legendary Gracie family invented Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a ground fighting martial art, with influences from Judo and Wrestling that focuses on chokes and joint locks.By the early 90's, the Gracies proved on world-wide pay-per-view that their style of Jiu Jitsu was the most effective martial art in the entire world by defeating all other styles in no rules cage fighting.Now meet Eddie Bravo, a man who became famous for his style of Jiu Jitsu.He bacame the first Jiu Jitsu fighter in the world to master the "spine wrenching, neck cranking" torture hold called "The Twister".This move was later to become banned by the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation.Even with his signature move outlawed, Eddie won the ADCC trials and earned the "Most Technical Fighter of the Night" award, earning him a spot in the 2003 Abu Dhabi Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil.The Abu Dhabi Championship is the biggest and most prestigious Jiu Jitsu tournament in the world where Royler Gracie, son of the legendary Helio Gracie (the inventor of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu), has dominated every year.That is, until he ran into "The Twister".
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