by Joji Montelibano In South Philadelphia, social status is not measured so much by the car you drive or even by the house you live in, but rather by which door you use to enter a restaurant. Normal people, including Hollywood actors, Nobel Prize win- ners and heads of state, enter through the front door.The people on the inside, the most trusted inner circle, the family, the loved ones – they enter through the kitchen.Whenever I walked into a restaurant with Phil Migliarese III, we always entered through the kitchen. I first met Phil in the winter of 1997. He struck me as a streetwise young man, brimming with confidence and pos- sessing the stereotypical swagger commonly associated with Italian-American youths from South Philly. I thought I had Phil figured out from the start: white, middle-class kid, who probably never had a hard day in his life. Over the years, I learned just how far off my first impression was, and that Phil indeed was no stranger to adversity. Photo: Phil, Marko, Rick and Joe in Brazil after the worlds. Phil and I were brought together by a THE GRACIES ral talent and a strong work ethic, Phil shared interest in yoga. Both he and I quickly took to the Gracie method and began our yoga study at an early age, Before the Ultimate Fighting won the confidence of his teachers, so Phil at 8, myself at 12. I happened to be Championship, before every other mar- much so that Royce singled him out as a teaching ashtanga yoga (This method tial artist in the USA knew what the mere 14-year-old white belt to represent involves synchronizing the breath with guard was, and before "mounting" the Gracies in a challenge match against progressive series of postures—a somebody was universally accepted as a a much older, stronger karate black belt. process producing intense internal heat legitimate fighting strategy, Phil Although no stranger to fist fights (he and a profuse sweat that detoxifies mus- Migliarese began training with the grew up in South Philly after all), Phil cles and organs.) on Walnut Street at the Gracie family. He met Rorion, Royce was intimidated by the sight of a black time. Phil showed up to one of my first and Relson Gracie at a Philadelphia belt in front of him. Nonetheless, he classes. I was impressed by the extraor- seminar in 1990, and was immediately applied the basic maneuvers – take dinary strength and flexibility he had, attracted to their brand of fighting. down, control and submission. Thirty especially for a tall man of his physique. seconds is what it took for a 14-year-old Phil enjoyed my class so much that he Relson took the young, penniless youth white belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to defeat a felt he had to repay me in more than just under his wing, and in exchange for karate black belt. Phil needed no further money. He invited me to take an intro- sweeping mats, cleaning toilets and convincing that he was in the right ductory class of Brazilian jiu-jitsu that other odd jobs, Relson taught Phil the place. coming Saturday. I went and I loved it. basics of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. With natu- However, Phil didn’t quite feel that was enough. So he offered to show me more of Philadelphia. Rolling with Royce in 1992. I am eternally indebted to the Migliarese family for introducing me to the beauty of Philadelphia. Without them, I would have lived out my tenure there as just another working stiff, an outsider bliss- fully unaware of the wonders surround- ing him. Phil and his brother, Ricardo, truly gave me an inside look into Philly, and in the process, I learned how close- ly intertwined the Migliarese brothers were with the heartbeat of the city. Walking down the streets of Philadelphia with Phil or Ricardo was like hanging out with the mayor. Every shopkeeper, police officer, postal work- er, street cleaner and dog walker knew them. There are many prominent Italian- American families in the South Philly neighborhood where Phil and Ricardo grew up, many of whom have been cast in a rather sinister light. It was not uncommon for young men of their age to become associated with unsavory characters in their community. Such characters gained notoriety for their involvement in, among other things, street fights. Indeed, Phil would eventu- ally succumb to the allure of a family that had carved a niche for itself in the world of fighting. It may have started in the streets, but it ended in the dojos of the martial arts world. The family's name was Gracie. MMA Worldwide 23 1995 at a Gracie tournament Rick, Helio, and Phil. This was Phil’s first opportunity THE ACCIDENT Phil, Steve Maxwell, Saulo Ribero, and Rick after Saulo to fight on behalf of the “Gracie won the worlds. Challenge,” where the Gracies On January 13, 1993, an SUV invited anyone to fight a repre- going 60 mph slammed against sentative of their family in no the passenger side of Mike rules, no weight class, no time Timmons’ car. Luckily, Mike limit matches. Although the escaped with minor injuries, but main purpose of this challenge his cousin Phil was nearly killed was to demonstrate the on impact. He spent the next supremacy of the Gracie tech- two days in a coma. He broke nique, a false rumor circulated all the ribs on the right side of alleging a $100,000 prize to his body, his pelvis, his shoul- anyone who managed to beat a der, his collarbone, all the fin- Gracie. Needless to say, this gers on his right hand, and his rumor attracted a lot of yahoos nose. Needless to say, his and Philadelphia was not prospects for grappling again spared. From 1992 to 1993, Phil remained dim. recalls, “Everybody wanted to win the $100k! I ended up fight- For the next six months, Phil ing almost once a week. Was I occupied himself with the study nuts?” During that period, Phil of Pranayama, breathing exer- won every match he fought. cises taught by the yogis of Rorion rewarded him with a India to benefit one's health. He blue belt. The road to black belt also engaged in visualization was free and clear for Phil. The exercises and the study of jiu- future was bright. And then a jitsu film. Although incapacitat- car hit him. ed at this time, Phil credits this 24 MMA Worldwide At UFC 1 with Royler Gracie. strategic approach to jiu-jitsu. "I was so he began to see emptiness in victories - involved with the physical side of jiu-jitsu even if one wins, everyone will forget in a that I never really stopped to think about . year, so what then? These realizations . well, I actually never stopped to think. formed a dramatic departure from Phil’s Period." earlier understanding of martial arts. Prior to that, it was all about being number one, It takes an individual of exceptional about beating anyone who challenged you, strength and spirit to recognize opportuni- and about never losing. As any champion ty in the midst of despair, and yet, this is can attest, defeat is a sad yet inevitable exactly what Phil accomplished during his reality for everybody. convalescence. Deprived of the ability to physically train, he focused all his energy Phil then had to redefine his purpose for on honing his intellect and his spirit. He pursuing the martial arts. As he recovered refused to surrender to the apparent defeat from his injuries, he developed what he the accident had imposed upon him. He calls a “directed passion” – the type of pas- integrated his study of yoga with his sion without anything to prove. “Win or knowledge of the martial arts. Upon lose, you love what you do. Wins and loss- regaining control of his hand, he began to es are both learning experiences and write: opportunities to improve your art form, your fighting style, your game.” “Yoga creates familiarity with one’s self: the first opponent. If self-defeating Next issue, we’ll pick up Phil’s story thoughts arise before a match, one will nat- where it left off, following his miraculous urally be fighting two opponents instead of recovery and renewed vigor in training to one. Better to defeat the first opponent – better himself and others. the ego – before coming around to face the other one. After the ego, any other adver- For more information on Phil’s sary will be easy.” gym, log on to www.teambalance.com. He also came to understand that in the field For free videos and updates, go to of combat, anybody can lose. Furthermore, www.jiujitsumatrix.com. January 13, 1993 1968 Mustang. Rick, (My Cousin Frank Ambrifi /brown belt mma champ) and me (2007) by Joji Montelibano Last issue, we learned of Phil Migliarese III who began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with the Gracie family long before the debut of the UFC. On January 13, 1993, a devastating car accident would nearly claim his life, but instead, put him on an evolutionary path of martial arts self discovery. 60 MMA Worldwide CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS Upon receiving a clean bill of health in After Rick won the worlds. 1994, Phil approached his training with renewed vigor. He was eager to apply all the techniques he had visualized in his hospital room to his training and to actu- al combat situations. The results were impressive. In 1994, Phil spent a total of six months in Hawaii training intensively with Relson Gracie.