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"I started in the martial arts when I was 8 yeas old. I practice judo until I get fifteen years old(I hold the purple belt in judo),than I started in Brazilian jiu jitsu.
At that time we didn't have Brazilian tournaments or world cup because bjj was just practice (the most party) in Rio de Janeiro."
"We had nice tournaments like Atlantico Sul, Riviera,Akse, copa cidade de niteroi, copa nastra, copa cantao, copa lighting bolt... I got a few first place medals … nice times..." "I have been training bjj for almost 16 years (i'm 31). My first step was in my condominium where I used to live with the master Jorge Pina Barbosa, then I went to Grace barra to get more sparing. My brother was seeing my progress and told me: 'let's see the train at Barra Gracie'. I said ok. We went there and soon I stopped at the door and a brown belt invited me to train. 'Come to the mat to train little bit'. I said that I just came to watch (I was uninterested) but he hug me and said 'don't worry I'll take care you'. That man was Renzo Gracie. After that I started to train over there. At that time Ralf was purple belt and Ryan was a blue belt, I shared the mat few times with Ryan, because sometimes he was going to Carlinhos' class and we were almost the same level, weight and age. Ryan used to train at oficina do corpo Gracie barra. At that time I got my blue belt under Master Carlos Gracie Jr. After I joined the army when I was 19 years old, I didn't have enough time to go train at Barra Gracie because it was in a different town and I used to come home late. I didn't want to quit, but it was going to be hard to train. Then a new academy opened in my town beside my home and the teacher was a black belt under the Gracies; I thought: it is for me !!! Finally I meet my master, brother and friend Carlos Augusto ( 2nd degree Black Belt ) and started to train under him and continue until today."
How different is Jiu-jitsu here than in Brazil? Brazilian jiu jitsu is not different anywhere, bjj is the same, but the only difference is that in Brazil kids growing up are doing bjj and we have one academy on each corner, that makes the difference. The biggest population of bjj fighters are in California, but soon it will be in each corner of America too.Do you feel jiu-jitsu has changed much over the years? If so, How? I think the basic thing will be the same forever, but with the passing of time came new techniques and improvements to the game a lot, for sure you need be keep up.You served in The Brazilian Army; are all soldiers there required to train jiu-jitsu? No they aren't. When I started in the army (cpor-rj) they had some programs for personal defense, but they didn't know about jiu jitsu and I wanted to prove that jiu jitsu was the best. After couple of years training on the grass some times or on the carpet or over two pieces of mat, my commandant cornel, said to me: I want to learn too, can I or am I old? I told him that it is never too late to start learning bjj. After that he gave me a nice room, I had a nice and huge mat with "raspa de pneu " and vinyl and I taught in the Brazilian army for 7 years 57 bimtz(es) REI !!! " The house of the infantry " !!! I am happy to know that at my base they still doing bjj after I left for America.I know that when you came here, you worked very hard to build a future for your family. You even worked at Mcdonalds, now you do construction and your academy is growing. I was very impressed to see that you have only been here for three years and already own a home for your family. Tell us about your plans for a new academy here in the States and the direction of your school. That is true. I came to America to help my teacher in his affiliate in California, but I decided to visit my brothers first (because they were living here for a long time and could help me with some experience) then I could go to California. But since I arrived in Massachusetts I saw that right here was my place. I tried to get job in some academies, but they didn't know about bjj and I didn't have enough English to explain it to them.What brought you here to the US? I came here to try a better life. I could understand how good the life is here when my son was born. Right know I can understand why American people are so proud. They helped my wife and I develop a better future as soon as she became pregnant and up until today. That's what I was looking for; my family, I found it !!!What do you like about teaching? I think I was born to teach. Before, I just thought about competing or being a good fighter, but seeing my students take their the first steps in bjj and turning into good fighters is awesome !!! I've already produced World Championships in the heavy weight Advanced division likeTyler Oleksak and soon you will see guys winning everything like, Luciano, Gene Martins, Bryan American and much more...You were talking with me about how moves in jiu-jitsu develop; specifically the guard passing changing due to the 'invention' of the triangle choke. Do you see other moves changing like that? Day after day the moves in bjj develop. The basics like I said before, will always be the same, if you have a solid basics, you're ok, but you need still practice and learn the new techniques as well. I can give to you that example: I have the tapes of old tournaments and people didn't know about triangle, they always left one arm inside to pass the guard and never got caught, but one day, somebody did the triangle. That's it ! Nobody can make that mistake anymore or be prepared to tap-out.
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