Javier “Showtime” Vazquez: 5th Degree Black Belt on the Jiu Jitsu Dummies Podcast

/ About episode 190

Javier “Showtime” Vazquez is a 5th degree black belt, a former professional MMA fighter who made it to the UFC, and the author of The Master Plan: From Chaos to Clarity in Jiu Jitsu. He runs his academy in Rancho Cucamonga in Southern California.

Javier explains his Jiu Jitsu operating system, why so many students struggle under traditional curriculums, and how he groups every position into a central path. He also talks about his years under the Carlson and Helio lineages, staying on the mats at 50, his MMA career, and how time off after colon cancer surgery helped shape the modern JVOS system.

/ What we talked about

8:41 Where “Showtime” came from
Taekwondo as a kid, wrestling in high school and college, and starting Jiu Jitsu in 1997.

12:14 Carlson and Helio lineage
Ten years under the Carlson line and Rodrigo Medeiros, then a decade at the Gracie Academy.

19:02 Longevity and softness
Nutrition, finesse over force, and why he stopped grabbing the gi as a blue belt.

25:17 Common goal cooperation
Getting your opponent to work toward an outcome that ends up favoring you.

36:07 The central path
Chest to chest, chest to back and supplemental positions, with side mount as the hub.

1:06:40 Courses, book and academy
JVOS Mindset, JV Basics, Basic Mechanics and the rest of his online system.

1:12:06 Submissions and hand control
The rear naked choke, the super kimura, and why hand control is the center of everything.

1:20:58 Cancer and clarity
Surgery, six months off the mats, and how that time shaped JVOS.

1:31:39 The MMA years
Thirteen years of fighting, ACL tears, the WEC, the UFC and beating Joe Stevenson.

/ Quick questions

Who is Javier Vazquez?

Javier “Showtime” Vazquez is a 5th degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, a former professional MMA fighter who competed in the WEC and UFC, and the author of The Master Plan: From Chaos to Clarity in Jiu Jitsu.

Where should I start with Javier Vazquez's online courses?

Javier recommended starting with JVOS, JV Basics and Basic Mechanics.

Where is Javier Vazquez's academy?

His academy is in Rancho Cucamonga, California, about 45 minutes to an hour east of Los Angeles.

/ This episode was brought to you by

• Black Belt Digital Marketing Request a free online review

• Academy Safe Donate now

• Wodify $100 off per month, for life

• Flow N Roll 20% off, code JJD

• Jiu Jitsu Dummies Podcast Store 15% off, code JJD

• FightTape.us 10% off, code JJD

/ More guest episodes

Kevin Gallagher Episode 193
He opened a gym with $10,000 after bartending, grew it to about 400 students, and still does not wash his belt. Not for tradition. He is just lazy.

Rigan Machado Episode 194
A 9th degree red belt walks into a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu podcast and tells us he has never washed his belt. Also: 19 fights in one day, the early days of BJJ in America, and training Ashton Kutcher and Chadwick Boseman.

The Current State of Jiu Jitsu Episode 185
No guest this time. Just the two Dummies, a lot of heavy headlines, and an honest talk about what academy owners and coaches owe their students.

See every guest episode

/ More from the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu podcast

Jiu Jitsu Dummies is the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu podcast for people who love the sport and do not take themselves too seriously. Follow on Apple Podcasts, subscribe on YouTube, or browse every episode.