By Joshua Williams and Serena Solomon
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
CHELSEA — Watch out for DNAinfo reporters!
As New York moves to legalize mixed martial arts bouts, which could lead to the controversial but increasingly popular sport being staged at Madison Square Garden, DNAinfo reporter Serena Solomon got a private lesson at Manhattan's own fight club.
The Renzo Gracie Academy on West 30th is a world renowned Jiu-Jitsu training center that's attracted celebrity clients such as British director Guy Ritchie and Ultimate Fighting champions Georges St-Pierre and Rashad Evans.
Fight professor Leonardo Leite demonstrated how to throw an opponent on the ground, how to lock him or her into submission and how a joint can be an attacker's weakest point.
"Most people here don't want to be professional fighters," Leite said. "We teach self-defense and Jiu-Jitsu as a sport."
He noted that no blows are landed, as Jiu-Jitsu relies on grappling and pinning, so patrons can return to their Wall Street jobs minus the black-eye.
The soft-spoken 24-year-old explained each move as he grappled his opponent on the bright-blue mat and pinned him.
"I'm going to stop the blood from his body going to his brain," said Leite calmly. "And I choke him."
With one arm around his opponents neck, he squeezes crucial veins that provide blood-flow to the head. The opponent sends a silent request for mercy by "tapping out" — slapping Leite's arm indicating he's had enough.
Staging mixed martial arts competitions, which includes Jiu-Jitsu, has been illegal in New York state since 1997, when then-Gov. George Pataki banned it. Now Upper East Side Assemblyman Jonathan Bing is pushing to legalize it so the city can make millions from hosting events that tap unto the burgeoning popularity of Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Julia Bonen from Morningside Hights brings her two sons, an eight and 13-year-old, to the academy.
"They love it, their teacher is really gifted," she said.
With Jiu-Jitsu as a martial art, Bonen believes her kids are learning about boundaries and discipline. She said she is unconcerned about injuries because of the surprisingly gentle nature of the sport.
The Renzo Gracie Academy is one of the largest in the world, according to Leite, having grown to roughly 1,000 students in the decade it's been open. New Yorkers are drawn in for self-defense, general fitness and the thrill of the underdog, as a weaker opponent can often triumph over a stronger one through technique and tactics.
Magno Gama, is another Jiu-Jitsu professor at the academy. Referring to himself as a little guy, Gama enjoys this form of fighting because it values understanding where the human body is vulnerable rather than brute force.
He recalled a time when a larger, stronger man picked a fight with him. In a matter of seconds, Gama had him peacefully on the ground.
"When it comes to punching and kicking, it is all about power," said Gama. "When it comes to Jiu-Jitsu, it doesn't matter how big or heavy you are."
