Joao Assis vs JT Torres 2009 BJJ US Nationals 

yes he reaping JTs knee..but unfortunately for JT..he is not brazilian. thanks again for uploading thiis !

@bagelgod I agree. It was painful to watch a BJJ player of the caliber of JT crying to the ref almost the entire match.

ahhhh thanks ^^ very nicely explained. also immediately made sense cuz u can see clearly that it could end really bad for a persons knee =/. ^^and thankyou, i still am atm, hopefully i can train a bitmore after my exams =v

I've been looking around at various BJJ rules. Surprisingly, I can't find in the IBJJF rules where it outlaws reaping of the knee. Grappler's Quest rules says "No reaping...in all divisions, except Men’s & Women’s Advanced and Professional Divisions. In every tourney I've been to, they will tell you in the rules meeting that they don't allow it, but maybe in this one they allow it for advanced divisions.

@zimmermandk Nice to see you learn something for a change. I'll take your comment as a HUGE compliment.

@kifn2 but at 1.53 it wan't totally reaping of the knee because one leg wasn't isolated both JT's legs were trapped in a sort of guard position if you watch closely. 1:31 to 1:35

@DeliriumzzZ passing the foot over the hip on the OUTSIDE like Joao(white gi) did @ 1:38 is illegal under IBJJF rules. It's illegal because it creates extra pressure on the ligaments in the knee. Hope that breaks it down for you. Enjoy your BJJ journey.

Wasn't Assis reaping the knee in several different positions during this match? I must be missing something.

The first time it happened Joao knew he was reaping so he switched it at 1:53 before the referee could figure it out. The second time was a bit more questionable. Joao's leg was over JT's arm as well as his leg. Also, it looked like Joao was about to turn his hips over for a knee bar.

if i saw it correctly the other guy was reaping the knee which is illegal in ibjjf rules. That is what JT was complaining about.

it really depends on the referee (the politics of being BRAZILIAN) but yes reaping isn't allowed but i believe only while the opponent is standing. you can not put the leg across the hip in a leg lock position or in a single leg x-guard made famous by marcelo. not sure though if both men are on the ground. in no-gi though i believe they allow it for some reason in the adcc and GQ.

Big time reaping the knee at 1:38

@ceharrison06 you are correct

@DeliriumzzZ Like bjjartist said it puts added pressure on the ligaments especially on a heel hook or anklelock. you will feel it in your knee before your ankle or heel. So you will get double the damage done.

could someone explain to me what was wrong with what was happening ? honest question :D i started bjj myself, so im interested what happened and why its not allowed ^^. thanks

This was the same referee that immediately DQed Rafael Mendes for putting his outside leg across Cobrinha's hip for literally 1 second at the Pan Ams 6 months earlier. The referee/s need to maintain consistency with the rules, whatever they may be.

JT was NOT complaining about the 50/50. If you pause at 1:40 Joao has a straight footlock with his outside leg reaping the knee, which is illegal in IBJJF tournaments and 9/10 times you will lose by DQ the milisecond your foot crosses the hip line. Bill Cooper was DQ's from the 2008 no-gi Worlds for a knee reap that wasn't half as bad as this. You can debate whether it should be legal or not, but under the rules, this should have been stopped at 1:37. If JT did it to Joao... it would've ended,

Kanguesso-take it any way you want. I'm glad to help out. Have a good day

that's why the 50/50 in straight BJJ comps is so lame. You can't heel hook so people basically use it to stall until the last second and then try to sweep with it. Meanwhile, the match turns into a snoozefest.

at 1:51 the ref is about to make the dq motion and then stops as soon as Assis changes it kinda strange - wow he reaps the knee multiple times this ref needs to be reviewed or something

well played match by ja

im sure he wont be getting caught in that 5050 nomore..after all lloyds school w/ ryan hall at the time popularized the position until Rafeal Mendes defeated Cobrinha w/ it earlier this year.

For purple belt and up, they need to must make leg reap legal with the gi. Just cant hook the heel. This ref should learn the rules.

1:08 I almost think he should've gone for the twister.

@ParamountBJJ really?? wow, maybe the IBJJF needs a refree board. then competitors can complain when stuff like this happens. Then the refrees can be dealt with accordingly by the board. That's the best option in my opinion as it's a proven system used in other sports.

reminded me of Rafeal Mendes/Cobrinha match from the Jiu Jitsu pro's.

I am not too familiar with BJJ tournament rules but what in the world was the guy in blue complaining about? He kept crying to the ref instead of concentrating on his opponent.

you can cross your ankles during leg attacks thats perfectly legal(kneebars would never happen otherwise) you just cant reap the knee like Assis did at 1:38 its dangerous on the opponent's knee. So you're right on the DQ but your reasoning is wrong. Its no biggie though.

The ref blew the call on this one. Joao should have been DQ'd. I was standing in the bullpen watching the match and JT protested the match. The ref had nothing to say to defend his decision, and the head referee said that he couldn't make a call because he didn't see it occur. Prejudice on the ref's part is what I think.

Totally agree with @bagelgod

he definitely stalls.

@cerfani The Ref is Brazilian, Go figure.

@XavierBJJC3MMA BRAZILIANIZED.

Blatant knee reap, ref and Joao should know better, shame on them.

@zimmermandk Thanks professor RU-vid guy. I'll take that to the bank.

STALLLEEERRRRRR JAAAOOOOO ASSSSIIISSSSSSSS SSSSSSTTTTAAAALLLLEERRRR!!!

he had both his feet trapped as he was reaping,, as soon as jt's second foot 1:52 is let free he switches to a non reaping figure 4

Nice strategy, stall for 98% of the match and then win by 2 points by a stupid sweep. I didn't think there was a way to lay and pray in a BJJ match. I only thought you could do that in a MMA fight but i guess i was wrong!

@kanguesso Learn the rules, then you will understand

Jt Torres is absolutely right..you can't cruise the leg above your opponent knee from both sides From 50/50 its good, but from the other side it s forbidenn , i don t knomwhere the referre took his ability to be a referee!! It s dangerous for the opponent's knee and Assis made this move severals times....

this is ridiculous.....wow

crazy reaping @ 1:38 seriously ref its right in front of you AND the guy is calling it to your attention worse no call i've ever seen in this sport. As much as I love the 50/50 Joao just killed it. In the gi you need to scoot into your opponent and get colar/sleeve grips then stuff happens in short sit up. If you lay on your back the result will be what you saw in the video. Charles/Mendes ADCC Pro is 50/50 guard w/ the gi @ its best. Learn the position then you'll understand. Thats what i did.

Joao Assis is always good for a boring match. He is the Vladimir Kramnik of BJJ.

Assis DEC Torres

@kanguesso you wont learn anything at the bank. Try looking up reaping the knee though...Thanks for calling me professor, I'll take that to the bank.

J.t. This is why americans need to lear Portuguese. hahahah

once again J A should hv been DQ for leg reap. for someone who cant shut his roided mouth at every matches and complain to referees, quite funny.