I am very excited to introduce you to Allen A. Causevic. It is one of the best 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 discuss “fighters”, gi vs. nogi, Austrian economics, being a big guy, his favorite wrestlers, 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 attended mainly 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 adhere to that pure game of jiu-jitsu. Unfortunately, this is a detriment to the sport. Mixed martial arts are evolving. This 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 top foot game to a top floor 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 open sessions on Saturdays, which are free to all. 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 play 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 Super Heavy Purple Belt – Gold
2010 Chicago International Open Super Heavy Purple Belt: Gold
2009 NYC International Open Blue Belt Super Heavy: Gold
2009 Abu Dhabi Pro-Gi Qualifiers- Blue Belt-Heavy-Gold
BJJiC: What are some tips for older guys just starting out with 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 consistently 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 shed 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 given the red pill and my world was turned upside down. I was destroyed by guys half my size. Touching a naked butt choke on someone who weighs 135 pounds. definitely destroys the 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 on technique as much as possible and not get discouraged when losing to a smaller opponent. Finally, work your guard as much as possible. Working on your weaknesses and getting 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 with No-Gi until after you’ve been promoted to blue belt. There is a long debate about the Gi vs No-Gi advantages. I’m from the school that believes that a good game of Gi will turn into a good game of No-Gi. I would try to reason with my old self to start working hard on my Gi base, and then move on to working on 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 hanging around 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 stingray. 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 visited your 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 a long one, and that experience helped me realize that I was not at the level that 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. He is my last loss which took place at the 2011 Jiu-Jitsu World Championships. After watching the video, we have a very similar game, but that day was better. He knocked me down with a great Uchi Mata, which hadn’t happened to me in a tournament in a long time. I lost my composure and was subdued via a bow and arrow choke. It is ironic; I was thrown in with one of my favorite pitches and drowned out by my favorite submission. Eating a sample of my own medicine was not tasty. I look forward to a rematch in the future.
BJJiC: How many times a week do you train?
AC: During downtime, 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 new success 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. Eat foods that have not been processed or altered in any way.
5. Volunteering in animal shelters.
6. Improve my culinary skills.
BJJiC: Who are some of your favorite fighters to watch (and why)?
AC: I love watching 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: I am planning to compete in the 2011 Chicago International Summer Open, of course. But the big tournament at the end of the year that I’m looking at is the Melbourne Open in Australia. I have never been, so I would 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 new techniques.
BJJiC: Any last comments?
CA: Yes. With the explosion of popularity that MMA & Grappling has seen in recent years, the conduct and behavior of the subculture that has emerged in parallel is terrible. Crazy graphic tees to full sleeve / body tattoos have significantly lowered the esteem of the sport. Too often I see these people in social settings bragging to people that they are “fighters.” This disillusioned mentality must stop. Athletes must conduct themselves to a higher standard and live to be gentlemen. Bad sentence structure and incorrect grammar aren’t great. This, of course, has no relation to 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 takedown: Uchi Mata
Favorite Presentation: Bow and Arrow Choke
Favorite position: Knee on belly