We’re on the heels of a viral event in the BJJ community. The intergender grappling championship between Craig Jones and Gabi Garcia captured the imagination of mainstream press world wide.
What many seem to have missed is the impact that this amount of publicity can have on the community. Additionally, both Craig and Garcia were good sports about the contest and took it in stride, eager to provide a platform for the grappling community.
Following her submission loss to Craig Jones in a historic intergender super fight, Gabi Garcia delivered an emotional speech that resonated deeply with fans. Despite the defeat, Garcia emphasized the significance of the event beyond personal accolades, expressing her dedication to advancing the sport of jiu-jitsu.
Fighting back tears, she spoke of self-respect, her serious approach to competition, and her gratitude towards her supporters.
Garcia struggled with US audiences due to her massive stature for the entirety of her career, she also found herself training with men most of the time.
One of the men was former middleweight UFC champion Sean Strickland.
UFC middleweight contender Sean Strickland appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast a while ago, and he didn’t hold back when discussing his initial trepidation about training with decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion Gabi Garcia.
Strickland, known for his unique style and outspoken personality, revealed that the thought of rolling with the much larger and more experienced Garcia was quite daunting. “Before we trained, I was like, ‘Am I going to have to f***ing this chick up? She’s bigger than me, she’s huge, and she’s on all the good stuff,'” Strickland said.
Strickland isn’t the only one who was intimidated, Garcia previously beat Cris Cyborg’s longtime partner MMA fighter Ray Elbe in arm wrestling. To top that off Garcia has taken pictures alongside heavyweights Fedor Emelianenko and Mirco Crocop Filipovic – and towered over them as well.
However, those fears were quickly allayed once Strickland actually got on the mats with Garcia. “She was just weak,” he explained. Strickland seemed relieved that his size and strength disadvantage wasn’t as significant as he had anticipated.
The middleweight contender is known for his extensive sparring regimen, which he credits as a major factor in his unorthodox approach. Strickland prefers to prioritize live training over traditional conditioning, believing that the best way to prepare for a fight is to simply fight as often as possible.
“I Spar so much, I Spar so much,” Strickland said. “There’s no better way to get in shape for fighting than fighting.” This philosophy has served him well, as Strickland has developed a unique style characterized by excellent distance management and an ability to avoid damage.
While Strickland may have initially been wary of the prospect of rolling with the formidable Gabi Garcia, he ultimately found the experience to be relatively straightforward. His willingness to constantly test himself against high-level training partners, whether male or female, has undoubtedly contributed to his success in the UFC.
