VJ BJJ Belt Promotions in Brazil

This was a huge weekend the Vicente Junior De la Riva Team. This past Sunday January 9th over 60 De la Riva students in Brazil came out the train and celebrate the 30+ students that were taking belt tests. De la Riva students from all over the area were in attendance including several of VJ's Black Belts; Professores: Tarciso Manso, Kleber Nascimento, Ná, Celio Formiga, and Edilson. This was a very special weekend for all students and professors involved and we will continue to grow the Vicente Junior academies and the De la Riva Legacy in the New Year.

I wanted to give my thoughts and thanks for this past year of 2010

After midnight, comes the New Year ...
The funny thing is - in theory - everything remains the same ...
Still the same.
We'll still have the same friends.
Some of the same jobs.
The same husband or wife.
The same claims (emotional and / or financial).
Still be the fruit of the choices we made during life.
Still be the same people who went and did this year ...
The difference, the subtle difference is that when they tell you that the clock hits midnight on 31 December 2010, we have a whole year ahead!
A brand new year!
As a page of blank paper, waiting for what we will write.
A year to start things that we did not have the willpower, courage or faith to do ...
A year to forgive a mistake, one year, to be forgiven of ours ...
365 days to do whatever we want ...
Or to let them do what they want to us ...
There is always a choice ...
And that is exactly why I want my friends, students and admirers to make the best choices they can:
I want to smile as much as they can.
Sing what you want.
Kiss a lot.
Love more.
Embrace tight.
Sleep with the angels.
Be protected by them.
Give thanks for being alive and always have another chance to start over.
Thankful of your choices, because true or not, they are yours
And no one can or ought to question them.
And I would like to thank the friends, admirers and students that I have.
To me that company will be for a long time.
Those who did this year.
To that I write a little, but I remember a lot.
To what I write and speak very little.
Those who live far away and I see all you want.
Those who live nearby and I always see.
For me that handle when I think I'll fall.
To which I give my hand when I am asked or when I look a little lost.
Those who gain and lose.
Those that seem strong and they really are.
I don’t see angels, but they are here and give me the certainty that there is something divine in this world.
I wish that life will take its course, and we continue forever: virtual friends, secret friends, real friends, some close, others further apart, as the people that we are always working in one way or another to the develop one another.
Thank you for being part of my story.
I hope 2011 is a year that is more happy, loving and prosperous for us all!
2011 may be the most wonderful, beautiful, ever, especially if our gaze is different!
It depends on me ... It depends on us ...
A big hug and kiss and big up there!
So I wish you all a wonderful 2011!

De la Riva Fight Team

This weekend two big fights went down for the Vicente Junior De la Riva Team. Darren Carter (DLR Delaware HQ) had a unanimous decision win Saturday night improving his record to 3-0. Lightweight champ Nate Grebb ( DLR Maryland/ BJJ Conquest) fought a dominating fight winning every round until he unfortunately got caught in the fourth. It was a hard fought battle but a disappointing loss for Nate and the De la Riva Team, Nate will for sure use this unfortunate loss to fuel his career and avenge his loss in 2011.  Check out the Photos!

New Highlight Vid of De la Riva Team

Check out this new video from De la Riva Maryland/BJJ Conquest.

ADCC Trials and Good Fight competitions today!

Please come out an support the De la Riva Team today, several students will be competing in New Jersey at the Thanksgiving Day Throwdown and Kail of De la Riva Maryland will be competing at the ADCC (Abu Dhabi) trials in Belleville, NJ,. Please come by, support the team and watch some great matches today!

VJ BJJ Belt Promotions!

Last night was a very special night for a lot of people in the De la Riva Family. Promotions were held at the De la Riva Maryland Academy / BJJ Conquest and the academy was not only full of students, but friends and family as well. After warmups and a detailed technique on passing guard and countering, it was time for promotions. The challenge was for the entire academy to spar with all four promotion candidates for two minutes each, non-stop until the end, but the pain and exhaustion was well worth it for all four students: Allen and Toby to Purple belt and Ed and Paul to blue belt. And to go along with that, Vicente added several well deserved stripes to the students and added stripes to both owners of the Maryland Academy / BJJ Conquest Lance and Kail. A special thanks goes out to everyone who was able to participate and show support including friends, family, and other students from  Vicente Junior Academies. Also congrats to everyone who received stripes and belts. More pictures will be up later today!

Vicente Junior opens new Dover Delaware Academy

 We would not only like to welcome Team Viper of Dover Delaware to the Vicente Junior De la Riva family, but we would also like to congratulate them for their hard work and many belt promotions yesterday. After a hard two hours of cardio and technique VJ handed out stripes and welcomed a brand new orange belt, Jordan Tribbett. Check out the album!