Interview with Allen Causevic

I am very excited to introduce Allen A. Causevic. It is one of the main competitors based in the Chicago area. Many of you know him, some of you don’t, but you will hear more and more about him as time goes on.

Allen is exceptionally eloquent and thoughtful in his responses. We talk about “fighters”, gi vs. nogi, Austrian economics, being a big guy, his favorite fighters, and his hair.

BJJinChicago: Allen, thank you for taking the time to do this interview. You currently train with Jay Valko. How long have you been training there and what do you like the most about the academy?

Allen Causevic: I have been with Mr. Jay Valko since May 2005. I started at Carlson’s Academy Downtown and mainly attended the afternoon class that Jay taught. After Jay left alone, I followed him to his new school in 2007. Since then, the school has grown dramatically. I attribute the growth to the same reasons that I love academia. We are very open to sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas. I have visited many schools across the country and many instructors stick to that game of pure jiu-jitsu. Unfortunately, this is detrimental to the sport. MMA is evolving. So is Jiu-Jitsu. With the addition of RJ Cohen and his world-class judo skills, along with Timothy Foley’s Division 1 / All-American fighting skills, we are evolving.

The transition from a high level game to a superior ground game is the future. This requires the exchange of ideas and knowledge that I mentioned earlier, and for many, a journey outside of their comfort zone. Jay has done a great job creating this advantageous environment. This “idea-friendly” environment is best seen during Saturday’s open carpet sessions, which are free for all to attend. As a result, we see a wide range of people visiting with varying skill levels. Being exposed to different styles of local, national and international visitors has made us all better fighters. As the sport evolves, I am excited to see the future and our successes.

BJJiC: What are some of your biggest tournament accomplishments to date?

AC: I don’t see Jiu-Jitsu as a fight. The mentality that I follow is that it is a competitive match. Having said that, I always look to perform well during any match. Being able to perform under pressure is what sets champions apart and I work very hard to maintain my composure and work on the techniques that put the odds of winning in my favor. As a result, my best performances have been during:

2011 NYC International Open Purple Super Heavy Belt: Gold

2010 Chicago International Super Heavy Open Purple Belt: Gold

2009 NYC International Open Blue Belt Super Heavy: Gold

Abu Dhabi 2009 Pro-Gi Qualifiers – Blue Belt-Heavy-Gold

BJJiC: What are some tips for older kids just starting out jiu-jitsu?

AC: Don’t be discouraged when the conventional wisdom you’ve been following turns out to be false. When I first started training, I weighed 240 pounds, lifted weights, and constantly ate a post-workout meal consisting of a Burger King Whopper and the original Muscle Milk. Yes, that is approximately 1,700 calories. We are led to believe that there is a correlation between the amount of weight you throw in the weight room and your fighting ability. How many times have you heard, “Wow, it’s huge! Don’t mess with it!”? Well, in 2007, I was fed the red pill and my world was turned upside down. I was destroyed by guys half my size. Touching a naked butt choke to someone who weighs 135 pounds. it definitely destroys one’s ego. You soon realize that you have been following the wrong path in life. It is devastating for some. My advice would be to work your technique as much as possible and not get discouraged when losing to a smaller opponent. Finally, work your guard as much as possible. Working out your weaknesses and stepping out of your comfort zone will pay off later in your career.

BJJiC: If you could go back in time … what would you say to yourself as a white belt?

AC: Stop eating Whoppers. Don’t start competing in No-Gi until you get promoted to blue belt. There is a long debate about the advantages of Gi vs No-Gi. I’m from the school that believes that a good Gi game will turn into a good No-Gi game. I would try to put some sense into my old self to start working hard on my Gi base, and then move on to working No-Gi afterward.

BJJiC: Royal Rumble – Your hair, Jay’s beard, RJ’s hair, and Mike’s beard. Who wins?

AC: My hair without a doubt. I could be rolling in a jiu-jitsu class at night, and then having a Gray Goose on the rocks at a world-class country club right after with my perfect part of hair. It doesn’t move no matter how hard I try. It is the source of my power. Second place goes to Mike Cornille. His beard provides one of the most protective shields known to man.

BJJiC: Who is the best person you’ve shot with?

AC: This award is for Mr. Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu. I had visited his school in Miami, FL in December 2010 and was honored. I was surprised to feel his skill level in action. The Jiu-Jitsu journey is long and that experience helped me realize that I was not at the level I would like to be. Seeing where I was has helped me train differently and work harder in many different ways. It’s always good to take a step back and see where you are and decide where you want to go in the future.

BJJiC: Who is the best person you have ever competed against?

AC: This title would go to Mr. Luke Costello from the UK. It’s my last loss that took place at the 2011 Jiu-Jitsu World Championships. After watching the video, we have a very similar game but he was better that day. He knocked me down with a great Uchi Mata, which hasn’t happened to me in a tournament in a long time. I lost my composure and was subdued via a bow and choke arrow. It is ironic; I was thrown with one of my favorite pitches and my favorite submission drowned me out. Trying my own medicine was not tasty. I look forward to a new match in the future.

BJJiC: How many times a week do you train?

AC: During periods of inactivity, I am generally there 4-5 days a week. If I am training for a tournament, I am in the gym 6 days a week. I have also added strength and conditioning 3-4 days a week to my regiment. Hopefully this new combination will lead to further successes in the future.

BJJiC: What kinds of activities do you do outside of jiu-jitsu?

AC: I like to do the following in no particular order:

1. People watching on Wholefoods.

2. Filmmaking and graphic design.

3. Improve my knowledge of the Austrian School of Economics.

4. Consume food that has not been processed or altered in any way.

5. Volunteer at animal shelters.

6. Sharpen my culinary skills.

BJJiC: Who are some of your favorite fighters to watch (and why)?

AC: I love seeing Cyborg Abreu and Braga Neto. I’m a bigger guy so of course I like to look at big dogs. Watching his games has helped me become a better fighter.

BJJiC: What are your plans to compete in the future?

AC: Of course, I plan to compete in the 2011 Chicago International Summer Open. But the big tournament at the end of the year that I’m looking at is the Melbourne Open in Australia. I’ve never been, so I’d like to take the opportunity to compete in such a large international event and see the sights afterwards.

BJJiC: What else can we expect from you in the future?

AC: I want to improve my Judo game to the highest possible level. I see myself traveling and competing in high-level tournaments on the US judo scene in the future. Training with the best Judoka will take my Jiu-Jitsu game to a new level and I am excited to learn the new techniques.

BJJiC: Any last comments?

AC: Yes. With the explosion of popularity that MMA & Grappling has experienced in recent years, the conduct and behavior of the subculture that has increased in parallel is egregious. Crazy graphic tees and full body / sleeve tattoos have significantly lowered the esteem of the sport. Too often I see these individuals in social settings bragging to people that they are “fighters.” This disillusioned mentality must stop. Athletes must behave better and strive to be gentlemen. Poor sentence structure and inappropriate grammar are not good. Of course, this has nothing to do with SubCulture clothing. They have done a great job supporting local athletes and are very active in the BJJ community. SubCulture is the only Gi I use for competitions and training sessions. I highly recommend them.

Quick blows

Favorite Elimination: Uchi Mata

Favorite Performance: Bow and Arrow Choke

Favorite position: knee on belly

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