Do you guys rate Bas Rutten's "self-taught" ground game?

[YukisHeart]

I was interested when I heard Bas Rutten say his ground game was self-taught on Joe Rogan's podcast, so I checked online and managed to find an old instructional where he explains various subs and escapes. I was pretty impressed (like the hammer lock to arm bar especially) but I'm not really knowledgeable enough to know good technique when I see it, so I thought I'd post it up for evaluation:

Dailymotion - BAS RUTTEN'S armbars,armlocks,escapes - a Sports & Extreme video

It was filmed in 1996 during Bas's Pancrase days, so presumably his main influences were the Japanese catch guys and the Shamrocks.

(I'm sorry if this is some sort of copyright violation; the videos don't seem to be on sale anywhere anymore and when I checked Companies House register there was no sign of Nikko Toshogu Press so I think it might have been wrapped up. Figured in the circumstances that a link would be all right.)

 

[Deltafarce]

I don't know but he is a badass fighter.

 

[Podgorny]

Bas looks so smooth, but he's very forceful at the same time.

 

[redaxe]

Bas looks so smooth, but he's very forceful at the same time.

I'm guessing he just did a LOT of sparring in the gym

 

[futang17]

i was under the impression bas had formal training after getting kneebarred by shamrock, i didn't think he was self taught

 

[YeahBee]

Here is a long interview with Bas Rutten, the intro is in Swedish but there is alot about his philosophy in English both grappling and striking. it is more like a reportage Bas is just shooting the shit with the Swedish guy. Bas is such a cool guy

it really is like a JKD approach, Bas did what he felt worked

http://mmanytt.se/bloggar/magnus-jycken-cedenblad-blogg/intervjun-alla-har-vantat-pa-bas-rutten/
[YT]17175643?title[/YT]

 

[nefti]

was he part of a "formal" gym where classes are taught and a clear cut instructor was teaching always? Probably not. However to say that he was able to compete against guys who trained together and learned together (PANCREASE) over what he learned by his own is a reach.

 

[YeahBee]

was he part of a "formal" gym where classes are taught and a clear cut instructor was teaching always? Probably not. However to say that he was able to compete against guys who trained together and learned together (PANCREASE) over what he learned by his own is a reach.

not that much of a reach, there are autodidacts in other areas why not grappling?

 

[Mad Sweeps]

he says he learned by watching. when he saw a heel hook, he tried it. he says he would also wake up in the middle of the night thinking about an escape or a sub, and then try it on his wife lol.

 

[YeahBee]

bump for Yukis. others should watch that reportage to, feels very un-interviewish

 

[sha]

I don't think he's "training alone in my garage watching youtube" self-taught.

More like "getting my ass kicked in the gym every day and learning from it" self-taught.

 

[YeahBee]

I don't think he's "training alone in my garage watching youtube" self-taught.

More like "getting my ass kicked in the gym every day and learning from it" self-taught.

I think he brought in guys with some specific knowledge, I mean he should be able to muster up one wrestler in all of Holland, a few judokas or som JJJ guy

edit:

Interview with Jon Bluming | Kyokushin Budokai Canada

claims that Bas trained under Chris Dolman, multiple sambo and judo champ <trained by Bluming),

Bluming himself is a pioneer, high ranks both in karatate and judo with creds

 

[hughes fan]

I don't know. I mean I've had two grappling teachers but unofficially in terms that they did it off their own back (no pun intended) for free in another class almost as in helpful grappling partners. I've also had small amounts of grappling in JJJ.
I wouldn't class myself as self taught because I've changed a couple of things and improvised a little, which I feel is what Bas Rutten may have done.

 

[nefti]

let's not forget that bas also thought that the foot lock was nothing but a pain lock

 

[SMillard]

you can see a very heavy "catch" style to his grappling. He wouldn't win any grappling tournaments but he knew enough to not be a one dimensional fighter.

 

[YukisHeart]

Thanks for the bump, YeahBee! Trying to watch that interview; Vimeo keeps stuttering for me though.

SMillard, is it possible to have a guess at where you could put him belt-wise in terms of skill, or is that sort of thing a useless exercise?

 

[belph]

he says he learned by watching. when he saw a heel hook, he tried it. he says he would also wake up in the middle of the night thinking about an escape or a sub, and then try it on his wife lol.

his poor wife :icon_chee

 

[Latecomer]

Wasn't he associated with Beverly Hills Jiu-Jitsu for a time? Did he ever train with Marcus Vinicius?

 

[SMillard]

Thanks for the bump, YeahBee! Trying to watch that interview; Vimeo keeps stuttering for me though.

SMillard, is it possible to have a guess at where you could put him belt-wise in terms of skill, or is that sort of thing a useless exercise?

well there are two ways to look at it, the purist fashion where you'd say he is a white belt because he never trained gi.

the other way to look at it is his success against competition and try to "rank" him according to that. I guess one of his best competition grappling wise was Shamrock who never got the best of Royce Gracie and at his best was able to stall out the match. I'd probably say Bas would be comperable to a high level blue to low level purple if I had to take a guess, but I'm not an instructor or black belt so my opinion isn't really worth the mega pixals used to print it.

his poor wife :icon_chee

He's El Guapo, don't you really mean "his lucky wife"?

 

[J Sho]

not that much of a reach, there are autodidacts in other areas why not grappling?

didnt Pat Miletich and a host of other old school guys teach themselves grappling/bjj off tapes?