Wow, we had a great showing at the AR Invitational III from Revolution Benton and Hot Springs. I am really proud of our continued progress. I know we got at least 35 Medals, but for the first time a few of our results in the novice no gi got lost and until they turn up, it stands at 35.

Some highlights included our kids, who all continue to do great. We had a few girls added to the kids this time and It was great to see how BJJ has helped their confidence!

Teens did great and Patrick won his gi division on his birthday.

For the adults, Bobby and Grant closed out the Adult Blue Feather, Dustin and Kenny closed out the white belt heavy, while Austin and Stephen closed out the White Belt Middle. Charlie won 4 fights to win the adult white belt ultra heavy. It looks like Charlies training and traveling with us has really improved his game!

We had a great time at the Afterparty watching the WEC too. Go Nova Uniao!

Keep training hard everyone. Win or lose you picked up valuable experience today. Everyone trained hard and got better because of this competition. A big thanks to everyone who came out and helped and supported the team as well!

Here's some great pics to highlight the event:AR Invitational III Photos






















If you have your own photos or videos that you'd like to share, please send us an email or bring them up to the gym.

Here are the entire tourny results minus a few of the Novice No Gi divisions:

Gi Kids- Juvenile Results

Gi Kids yellow Kindergarten Rooster Female
1st Izzy McGuire Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Malia Clyburn GB

Gi Kids White and Grey Pre Teen Rooster Male
1st Bradley Schroeder Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Cole Taylor Barata MMA

Gi Kids Yellow- Green <55 lbs Mix
1st Elijah Kinman Inferno
2nd Devin Mcelyea GB
3 Dylan Patel GB

Gi Kids White and Grey JR Teen Rooster
1st William Wilson Barata MMA
2nd Conner Cox Gator Pit BJJ
3rd Jonathan Pomeroy GB

Gi Kids White and Grey <71 lbs Female No Subs
1st Tessa Healey Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Haley Duke Southeast Jiu Jitsu

Gi Kids Yellow Jr Teen Rooster Male
1st Devin Strom GB
2nd Kenley Griffin Southeast Jiu Jitsu

Gi Kids White-Yellow <89 lbs Male
1st Haydn McElyea GB
2nd Ian Cooper GB
3rd Hayden Smith LDMA

Gi Kids White and Grey <100 lbs Female No Subs
1st Claire Caldwell GB
2nd Chandra Caraway Southeast Jiu Jitsu

Gi Kids White-Green Jr Teen Middle Heavy Male
1st Seth Davis Pinnacle MMA
2nd Trevor Paratore Germantown MA

Gi Kids Yellow Teen Feather Female
1st Breeana Jennings GB
2nd Jasmine Watkins Inferno MMA

Gi Kids Yellow-Orange <89 lbs Mix
1st Taylor Rains Inferno
2nd Ethan Robinson LDMA
3rd Robert Pomeroy GB

Gi Kids White and Grey <115 lbs Male
1st Jake Davis Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Neo Blazevich GB

Gi Kids Green Teen Light Female
1st Taylor Jones LDMA
2nd Elise Ingram Germantown

Gi Kids White and Grey Teen Male
1st Jacob Kim GB
2nd Trevor Curls Revolution Nova Uniao

Gi Kids White and Yellow Teen Super Heavy Male
1st Justin Herman Pinnacle
2nd Brandon Wages GB

Gi Juvenile White Male Light Feather
1st Chad Wilson Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Mark Andrews GB

Gi Kids White-Yellow >133 lbs Male
1st Benny Resto Barata MMA
2nd Griffin Hawkins Germantown
3rd Parker Strom GB

Gi Juvenile White-Blue Light Male
1st Patrick Murray Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Daniel Dring LDMA
3rd Riley Van Lanningham Inferno

Gi Juvenile White Heavy Male
1st Kelly Gideon Conway MMA
2nd Nate Sutton Barata MMA
3rd Chris Thompson Germantown


No Gi Kids- Juvenile Results

No Gi Kids Yellow Kindergarten Rooster Female
1st Izzy McGuire Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Forefeit

NO Gi Kids White and Grey Jr Teen Rooster Male
1st Will Wilson Barata
2nd Jonathan Pomeroy GB
3rd Forefeit

No Gi Kids Yellow-Green <55 Lbs Mix
1st Elijah Kinman Inferno
2nd Dylan Patel GB

No Gi Kids White and Grey <71 lbs Female No Subs
1st Haley Duke Southeast Jiu Jitsu
2nd Forefeit

No Gi Kids Yellow JR Teen Rooster Male No Subs
1st Devin Strom GB
2nd Kenley Griffin Southeast Jiu Jitsu

No Gi Kids White and Yellow <89 lbs Male
1st Haydn Mcelyea GB
2nd Luke Peavey Revolution Nova Uniao

No Gi Kids Yellow-Orange <89 lbs Mix
1st Taylor Rains Inferno MMA
2nd Ethan Robinson LDMA
3rd Justin Jackson GB

No Gi Kids White and Grey Pre Teen Rooster Male
1st Cole Taylor Barata
2nd Bradley Schroeder Revolution Nova Uniao

No Gi Kids JR Teen White-Green Middle Heavy Male
1st Seth Davis Pinnacle MMA
2nd Trevor Paratore Germantown MA

No Gi Kids Yellow Teen Feather Female
1st Breeana Jennings GB
2nd Jasmine Watkins Inferno

No Gi Kids Green Teen Light Female
1st Taylor Jones LDMA
2nd Elise Ingram Germantown

No Gi Kids White and Grey <115 Male
1st Neo Blazevich GB
2nd Jake Davis Revolution Nova Uniao

No Gi Kids White and Grey Teen Light Male
1st Jacob Kim
2nd Trevor Curls Revolution Nova Uniao

No Gi Kids Juvenile White Light Feather Male
1st Mark Andrews GB
2nd Chad Wilson Revolution Nova Uniao

No Gi Kids White and Grey over 124 lbs Male
1st Nathan Hinson Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Griffin Hawkins Germantown MA

No Gi Kids White and Yellow >133 lbs Male
1st Benny Resto Barata
2nd Parker Strom GB

No Gi Kids Juvenile White and Blue Light Male
1st Justin Wherley Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Patrick Murray Revolution Nova Uniao
3rd Riley Van Laningham Inferno MMA

No Gi Kids White and Yellow Super Heavy Male
1st Justin Herman GB
2nd Justin Herman Pinnacle MMA

No Gi Juvenile White Heavy Male
1st Kelly Gideon Conway MMA
2nd Nate Sutton Barata MMA
3rd Chris Thompson Germantown

No Gi Juvenile White Heavy Male
1st Chris Thompson Germantown
2nd Thomas Watkins Germantown
3rd Kelly Gideon Conway MMA

Mens Novice Gi Divisions

Novice Adult Feather
1st Cory Tabor Southeast Jiu Jitsu
2nd James Melton Inferno

Novice Adult Light
1st Alan Perry Germantown
2nd Alan Perry Marshall TKD

Novice Adult Middle
1st Evan Morter GB
2nd Dylan Quandt LDMA
3rd Billy Todd Young Revolution Nova Uniao

Novice Adult Heavy
1st Kyle Jones GB
2nd Stewart Taylor Germantown
3rd Jace Collins Inferno Bentonville

Novice Adult Ultra Heavy
1st Jamie Cook GB
2nd Adam McFarlane Inferno
3rd Alex Edrenkin Conway MMA

Men and Women’s White Belt Gi Divisions

Women’s White Belt Med Heavy
1st Ashley Smith Pinnacle MMA
2nd Teresa Hetterick GB

Men’s White Belt Feather
1st Clay Lester GB
2nd Wei Sean Chan GB
3rd Blake Townsend GB

Men’s White Belt Light
1st Josh Bembenek Inferno
2nd Brandon Motley Inferno
3rd Todd Huskey Revolution Nova Uniao

Men’s White Belt Middle
1st Stephen Schoening Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Austin Filiatreau Revolution Nova Uniao
3rd Steven Grant Barata MMA

Men’s White Belt Middle Heavy
1st Dustin Ring Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Kenneth Hookfin Revolution Nova Uniao
3rd Robert Patrick GB Batesville

Men’s White Belt Heavy
1st Nathan Hogan Inferno
2nd Kelly Gideon Conway MMA
3rd Brandon Linebarger Revoluiton Nova Uniao

Men’s White Belt Super Heavy
1st Eugene Prowse GB
2nd Tyler Jones Revolution Nova Uniao
3rd Justice Clinton Inferno

Men’s White Belt Ultra Heavy
1st Charles Smith Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Drew Jones GB
3rd Michael Watson GB Batesville

Men’s and Women’s Blue, Purple, Brown Belt Gi Divisions

Women’s Blue Belt Light
1st Nicky Bryant LDMA
2nd Samantha Derrington GB Batesville
3rd Hannah Wilson Germantown

Men’s Blue Belt Feather
1st Grant Landreth Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Bobby Riley Revolution Nova Uniao
3rd Micah Stockton TCB

Men’s Blue Belt Middle
1st Brandon Russell GB
2nd Corey Springer LDMA
3nd Eli McGlothlin Barata

Men’s Blue Belt Super Heavy
1st David Bernal GB
2nd Stephen Gourley TCB
3rd Mitch King Germantown

Men’s Purple and Brown All Weights
1st Ethan Clapp Germantown
2nd Matthew Smith GB
3rd Dirk Hamilton Revolution Nova Uniao

Mens Novice Gi Divisions

No Gi Novice Adult Med Heavy
1st Bobby Oller Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Cory Porter TCB
3rd Billy Todd Young Revolution Nova Uniao

Men’s No Gi Novice Adult Super Heavy
1st Jamie Cook GB
2nd Sean Tyler Inferno
3rd Stewart Taylor Germantown

Women’s No Gi Light
1st Samantha Derrington GB Batesville
2nd Rachel Hinson Revolution Nova Uniao

Men’s No Gi Feather All Levels
1st Micah Stockton TCB
2nd Robert Hamilton Revolution Nova Uniao
3rd Clay Lester GB Batesville

Men’s No Gi Light All Levels
1st Ethan Clapp Germantown
2nd Nathan Clem Germantown
3rd Brandon Motley Inferno

Men’s No Gi Middle All Levels
1st Brandon Russell GB
2nd Stephen Schoening Revolution Nova Uniao
3rd Eric Ingram Germantown

Men’s No Gi Middle Heavy All Levels
1st Matthew Smith GB
2nd Dustin Ring Revolution Nova Uniao
3rd Mitch King Germantown

Men’s No Gi Heavy All Levels
1st Dirk Hamilton Revolution Nova Uniao
2nd Nathan Hogan Inferno MMA
3rd Kelly Gideon Conway MMA

Men’s No Gi Ultra Heavy All Levels
1st David Bernal GB
2nd Stweart Allen Germantown
3rd Justice Clinton Inferno MMA

This weekend was a monumental and historic weekend for our academy, the Nova Uniao Team and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Arkansas. First I’m proud and honored by all who supported this weekend’s events and those who graduated to the next rank. This weekend’s Robson Moura Seminar was for sure the largest training session ever held in Arkansas and the largest I’ve ever attended anywhere in all my years of training Jiu Jitsu. Without the support of the World’s greatest Jiu Jitsu team Nova Uniao (that’s you guys too) this all would have not been possible. I’m proud to be a part of the team and see Jiu Jitsu come so far in Arkansas since I first started training. Most of all I’m proud of my wife Abby as she joined the ranks of Nova Uniao Black Belts and became Arkansas’ first female Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt and one of just a few female Black Belts in America. Abby has had a great deal of adversity to overcome with her health that would have stopped most years ago. Despite her obstacles along her journey, she’s logged more than 1,000 hours on the mats since being last promoted to brown with 2 and 3 a day training sessions, countless sessions with World Class Black Belts like Robson Moura and Marcelo Pato, took 3rd in the absolute at the Europeans despite having a severely dislocated shoulder and traveled almost weekly all over the country to train with the best Black Belts. I think very few people could have successfully completed this journey pushed against this type of adversity. The journey of Jiu Jitsu truly is about conquering one’s adversity as it turns the belt from white to black. I want to give a special thanks to Robert Villegas, who’s become a road warrior like us, making the trip up from Xtreme MMA Nova Uniao Texas to train. Robert has a passion for the game and is a great Black Belt. I’m proud to have him as a teammate. We will continue together to raise up the team. Last but not least I want to thank Robson Moura, one of the greatest Jiu Jitsu fighters and teachers alive. Witnessing Robson’s passion for Jiu Jitsu first hand, it’s easy to see how he’s accomplished so much. I’m always amazed at how much I learn each day from Robson even at Black Belt. The detail in even the most basic of techniques completely changes the game. It truly is an artistic expression of Jiu Jitsu that has to be witnessed and cannot be expressed in words. He is an inspiration to all of us who play the game. We were also thankful to have Danny Dring take time from his busy schedule to make it down along with Joel Newton and his students from Conway MMA. Thanks also to the guys from Russellville, Tennessee, Texas and Louisiana who all came up! Again thank everyone who supported and made this historic weekend possible, all of us know it is only the beginning!

We had a great time today with Robson at Elite Combat and Gator Pit BJJ in Shreveport. Robson taught a great seminar on what to do when you are in the turtle position. These techniques were all new to us even after training with Robson so many times over the years and I can't wait to use them in training. Jory also had a chance to work with some guys there in a private lesson and go over the rules of BJJ. It's been a great time so far. Tomorrow we have a private lesson and a huge seminar from 1-5. Sunday is more privates and training. I know we are going to learn a lot while Robson's here.

Here's some pics from our seminar at Elite.

















You can see the rest of our photos Here and just click on the "seminars" gallery!