Roberto Atalla is a 3x World Champion of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and founding member of Rio Grappling Club, a network of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu clubs aimed to improve the level of BJJ and expand the practice of the gentle art around the world. Roberto, can you tell us about your history in BJJ? Starting with your belts, where and when did you get the grades?   Atalla:   I started to train in December 1990, after watching Jean Jaques Machado beat Wallid Ismail, I went to train with him at Barra Gracie and received my blue belt from him. In 94 I won the Brazilian tournament and received my purple belt from Carlos Gracie, since Jean Jaques hd moved to the USA. I was training with Renzo Gracie but his school was part of Gracie Barra After almost two years and many victories, Carlos and Renzo gave me my brown belt just before Renzo moved to NY; after that I had a little argument with Carlos Gracie Jr. and I left Gracie Barra nad started to train with Murilo Bustamante and Sergio Souza (Bolao). I got my black belt from Sergio after they split. Murilo started the BTT and I kept training in both places but chose to start my own team to move away from the politics that keep people apart in BJJ.   What's the background on Bolao?   Atalla:   He was the main teacher at the Carlson Gracie academy and he joined Murilo as they had their own teams and together they started the Rio Jiu-Jitsu Club just a few months before I left Barra Gracie. At that time they had the strongest brown belt team and it made sense to join the team that would make me grow so much as it did.   When did you start to teach?   Atalla:   That was back in '93. Renzo told me to do that after I beat some Thai boxing guys in a demo they were conducting in my home town, and there was no BJJ clubs in my place.   Where is your home town?   Atalla:   Sao Pedro Da Aldeia is a small town of 50.000 people, near Cabofrio, 200km from Rio de Janeiro.   Tell us about your achievements as a competitor:   Atalla:   I won 3 golds and 1 silver in the World Championship, 2 silvers in the Panamerican, 2 golds and 2 silvers in the Brazilian Championship, 2 Gold Medals in the Rio de Janeiro State Championship along with some other smaller comps and some Judo Tournaments in Rio de Janeiro, also I won grappling tournaments in Holland and England as well as the British Sambo Championship in 93. Roberto Atalla with Gene Simco at the NYMAG Academy   You have some impressive record at the World Championship; can you talk about your experiences?   Atalla:   The first time I entered was as a purple belt and in the open division I fought Shaolin, who's very famous now and we had a great fight that I won by 7 pts ahead, I fought some very good guys but not as well known over here; and in the finals I fought Jose Mario Mc Cord 'Esfiha', he now teaches in Canada and weighs around 240lbs. I also fought 2 guys who now are my teammates at Rio Grappling Club, Mauro Chueng who teaches in Portugal and Marcos Flexa who teaches in Holland. My weight is around 170 lbs but I always enjoyed fighting bigger guys In '99 I entered the Mundials in my first year as a black belt and beat Ricardo Almeida among other competitors, just to be stopped in the finals by Alexandre Paiva, but this division was stacked with good guys like JJ Machado, Rafael Correa and Jamelao, and I ended up with the silver.   Who was your first opponent as a black belt?   Atalla:   Nino Schembri ; he's one of the best guys and I consider him better than I, but as soon as I got my black belt (October 98) I got drawn against Nino in the Brazilian Championship; I was very focused and we had a good fight; he passed my guard and I got a very tight knee bar, he didn't tap, but his knee popped hard and although he won by 3 points, after the fight he could not come back to fight again. Leo Vieira won the category even though he was the lightest guy.   Who would you list in your top five jiu jitsu players?   Atalla:   Rickson Gracieand Ricardo Liborio are the two best and after then I place with no particular order Murilo Bustamante, Leo Vieira, Robson Moura and Amaury Bitteti. I know there are six but I cannot take any out of the list (laughs).   You also train in Judo?   Atalla:   Yes I'm a brown belt and have won the Rio state tournament and Sao Paulo state as well, with over forty matches, winning thirty one and many with submissions, but a number with throws, my favorite being kouchi gari.   How did Judo help your BJJ?   Atalla:   It improved my posture, my take downs and conditioning and overall game.   What are your plans now for the future?   Atalla:   These aren't just plans, but my goals in life and that's to spread BJJ throughout the world, focusing mostly in Europe and reach and teach as many people as possible and also organize competitions and try to improve the quality and make quality BJJ available through Rio Grappling club worldwide. Its my goal to make my club a quality option and not a Mc Dojo with low quality schools like most teams are doing. After 2 years in Europe, we have schools in Scotland, England (3), Poland (2), Portugal (2), Italy and Holland.   How did you get your nickname 'Risada'?   Atalla:   Helio Moreira Soneca was teaching me when I was a white belt and drilling escapes from side control and my face looked like I was laughing, as I was straining and trying so hard to escape, so he came up with 'Risada'. The translation to English would be Smiley.   What advice would you give to any newcomers to BJJ?   Atalla:   Don't get involved in politics, learn as much as possible and try to train without worrying whether you win or lose, as BJJ is a lot more than winning and losing, it's about getting in great shape, improving your confidence and improving other areas in life, such as discipline and self control, and try to improve as a person. A real fighter fights on the mats, not on the streets.   Roberto thanks for the interview   Atalla:   My pleasure   Roberto is available for Seminars World-Wide. You can contact him at www.RobertoAtalla.com   All Interviews