The Heart of Unity: Edwin "Junny" Ocasio
Credit: Sarah Ginder Photography
“I love training Jiu-Jitsu, just humiliation you go through, you can’t fake that on the mat, like you can’t lie about your skill on the mat, it comes out and for me it was in my life coming from a lot of abuse it brought me a sense of calm, relaxed way to express my anger and its just, there’s no feeling like grappling, I’m on the mat and I’m sweating and I’m dying on the mat, as much as I hate it, I love it. So for me that feeling like if I’m training and I’m not dying it’s not fun for me, I should be dying on the mat.” - Junny Ocasio
Junny Ocasio defines perseverance. Despite coming from a background of extreme abuse, not starting his jiu-jitsu journey until 23 years of age, and taking one of the more unconventional roads to jiu jitsu success, Edwin “Junny” Ocasio has become one of the more celebrated grapplers around. In an era where most athletes make their bones on the IBJJF Circuit or at ADCC, the Unity professor has been able to use his success on the KASAI and Fight to Win stages to solidify himself as one of the best -62 kg grapplers in the world.
Ocasio’s breakout occurred on the first ever KASAI card, or rather the lead up to the event. The card was stacked, with the main attraction being a lightweight tournament featuring some of the top stars in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu including Garry Tonon, Gianni Grippo, and eventual tournament champion Renato Canuto. Ocasio, then a purple belt under Murilo Santana, qualified for the -77kg tournament by besting 250 other competitors to obtain his golden opportunity, all the while weighing far below the lightweight limit.
Even though he did not manage to push through to the finals of the inaugural tournament, Ocasio was not scored upon in a group that included a three time IBJJF World Champion in Celso Venicius, a three time ADCC North American Trials Champion in Enrico Cocco, and an IBJJF World No-Gi Champion in Gianni Grippo.
To achieve this, Ocasio used his guard to consistently fluster his opponents, putting all three in extremely dangerous positions, mainly by the way of the inside sankaku position. To do this Ocasio primarily employed two guards that work brilliantly off each other, the high knee shield half guard and Reverse De La Riva.
Starting in the knee shield position, Ocasio is able to create frames in order to push off and make space, deterring Cocco’s passing attempt. Once the space is solidified, Ocasio keeps two frames on the far side to prevent Cocco from collapsing the space to prevent the inversion. Ocasio dives through to control the same side calf, preventing Cocco from immediately bailing on the position, while continuing to frame off of Cocco’s shoulder to maintain the requisite amount space. Once Ocasio is under Cocco, he seeks to control the far side foot as he pummels his legs so that Cocco is forced to relinquish the grip on Ocasio’s ankle, allowing Ocasio to transition to the single-leg X position and then to inside sankaku.
In a similar position, because Cocco is not trying to advance on him Ocasio has enough room to invert by way off the Reverse De La Riva position. Ocasio grabs the far side leg of Cocco to prevent him from escaping while attempting a kneebar, before rotating to inside sankaku.
Over the course of the event, Ocasio’s game plan was as follows: establish either the half guard if the opponent is on their knees or the reverse De La Riva guard if they are elevated, create the maximum amount of room to invert by various attacks meant to off balance, and enter inside sankaku in an attempt to heel hook his opponent. In particular his final match of the evening, versus Gianni Grippo, was a perfect example of this game plan being executed against the highest caliber of opponent.
Grippo starts this sequence by controlling both the far side leg and the head of Ocasio, immediately putting two obstacles in the way to prevent inversions. Ocasio’s first priority is to strip the collar-tie as it condenses the space between himself and Grippo while giving Grippo an avenue to pass from. Once he strips this grip, Ocasio pushes off with his inside leg to create enough space so that he can place it on Grippo’s far side hip. This forces Grippo to step back, weakening his base. At this exact moment Ocasio then uses his outside leg to go to the De La Riva X position, or uses his left foot to cup Grippo’s left hip to force a drastic off-balance, which makes Grippo use the arm that initially controlled Ocasio’s leg as a post. This process allows Ocasio to start the inversion, which is slowed down when Grippo is able to regain control of the leg. However Ocasio is able to complete the inversion, briefly entering inside sankaku.
Despite moving on to the finals, Ocasio had made a name for himself as he was able to consistently entrap top lightweights in dangerous positions. Being able to go head to head with some of the top black belts in the world as a purple belt is not an accomplishment to be taken lightly. It is a testament to Ocasio’s hard work and dedication that he was able to do so.
In the aftermath of this scintillating performance, Ocasio built a series of counters into his game depending on how his opponents reacted to his inversions and entries. Try to stop Ocasio from entering the Z-guard by attempting to pin his bottom leg, Ocasio will take your back with an armdrag.
Ocasio uses his free leg as a lever to strip the grip of Leon before controlling the triceps and using the armdrag.
If an opponent attempts to extend away so that there is too much space to properly invert from the Reverse De La Riva position, he has no problem switching to the De La Riva guard and inverting, taking your legs out entirely, all the while coming up for two points.
For opponents who sit back in fear of Ocasio’s ability from inside sankaku, Ocasio uses the threat of a leg entanglement to take top position, scoring two points.
Ocasio’s opponent sits on his own leg to prevent Ocasio from pulling it out and entering inside sankaku. Ocasio is in no position to enter his preferred leg entanglement position, and wisely decides to take the top position.
Ocasio’s willingness to take the top position is a relatively recent addition to his game as in his first few appearances on the superfight stage, Ocasio avoided it almost entirely. Even though the plane of attack has been inverted Ocasio’s game plan remains the same, enter inside sankaku and attempt to leg lock, or should I say hip lock his opponent. While the hip lock is one of the rarer submissions you will see in grappling, leg lock pioneer Eddie Cummings has implemented the unorthodox attack into his arsenal. With Cummings such an instrumental part of the Unity Jiu-Jitsu School, it was a pleasant sight to see Ocasio hit the move against Justin Ordinario at Fight to Win 146.
Ocasio starts this sequence by enforcing a double ankle grip on Ordinario before sitting back and entering the reaping position. The reason why Ocasio starts with a double ankle grip is that it is essential to control the far side leg as well as the leg being targeted in hip lock attacks. After he enters the reap, Ocasio goes foot over foot on the far side leg to prevent Ordinario from putting his hips on the mat. This prevents Ordinario from having base to hip escape on. Ocasio then raises the leg of Ordinario to create pressure on the hip, forcing the tap.
Of course, despite his fondness of hip locks, Ocasio’s bread and butter is still the heel hook, which he used to capture the Fight to Win Black Belt Bantamweight Title against No-Gi Pans Champion, Marcelo Cohen.
Once Cohen bridges from bottom side control, Ocasio uses the opportunity to dive back to the single leg x position and heel hook his opponent.
One of the prohibitive favorites in the -66kg division for the ADCC North American Trials, Edwin “Junny” Ocasio is one of the most exciting no-gi grapplers on the planet. While more that just a leg lock specialist, evident by his most recent victory over Jose Lima via inverted triangle, his ability to enter advantageous positions through the threat of his leg locks makes him truly special. A matchup with ADCC runner-up and IBJJF No-Gi World Champion Kennedy “Cobrinia Jr.” Maciel at Fight to Win 156 is one of the best super fight matchups out there, as well as an opportunity for Ocasio to shine on the superfight stage once again.