From whom did you get your black belt?

I started my jiu-jitsu training with Rolls and Carlinhos Gracie and received my black belt from Carlos Gracie Jr. in 1986. Carlinhos was an instructor at the famous Polls Gracie Academy in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, after Rolls passed away in June 1982, Carlinhos assumed control of the academy, and later changed the name to Gracie Barra.

I started teaching when Carlinhos and Crolin Gracie opened Barra Gracie in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. I taught the kids class, and as the school became more popular, our student base grew greatly.

Since 1986, I have won many titles as a Jiu-Jitsu trainer and coach. Some of the names are Marcio Feitosa, Rafael Correia (Gordinho), Flavio Almeida, Cachorrinho, Helio Morreira, Sonequinha, Roberto Correia (Gordo) with my own school, students Gustavo Muggaih (Brazilian & Mundial Champion Black Belt 2002-medium weight); Marcelo Pupo (Brazilian Champion team and Mundial black belt, lightweight 2002); Michel Saffir (World Champion Brown Belt); Felipe Souza (Brazilian Champion, 2002 Black Belt) Have met with great success.

When I competed, Jiu-Jitsu was in it's infancy as a sport. My generation began the first ever competitions which caused Jiu-Jitsu to become a popular sport in Rio de Janeiro, as well as exposing to the rest of the world. I participated at many competitions, and at every belt level I won titles. The two that are most memorable for me is the Brown Belt Champion in 1986 at the Copa Company Jiu- Jitsu Championship. I was awarded the most Technical Athlete of the competition, and received it directly from Carlos Gracie. The other was eleven years after Rolls Gracie passed away, I decided to compete again to honor his memory, and won two fights to become champion of my division, which was very significant victory for me.

I was fortunate to participate in jiu-jitsu during an unforgettable period. I spent a lot of time with professor Carlos Gracie, learning his life philosophy. Plus the years training with Rolls Gracie, and at Barra Gracie. At that time you could see training at Barra Gracie Carlinho, Crolin, Rilion, Renzo, Ralph Gracie, and the Machados- Jean Jacques, Rigan, Roger and Carlinho. Plus a very good amount of excellent Black Belts, sometimes Rickson would show up to train. All of this exposure led me to become completely involved with Jiu-Jitsu. I started to teach, and have my own class with the team, learning so much at the same time. I was raised as part of the Gracie Family. Carlinhos Gracie and I were likes brothers, and a large part of what I know about Jiu-Jitsu I received from him. So, ten years ago, In 1992, I decided to have my own school. I wanted to have my name on it as well as calling it a school, not an academy. I saw jiu-jitsu as a way to educate young people, and to create a strong base in their lives through my school. Inside of a jiu-jitsu school, the kids program is the beginning of a strong team for future competitions, good black belts, and commercial success as a company. I proved that I am right. My school has grown; we have two training centers with more than 300 students, and we will soon be opening one more school.

I am very excited about my new project to write a book containing my philosophy and methods which have been successful for me during my twenty-five years in jiu-jitsu. It will be published next year, and after it's release I will set up a course for teachers, to be given by the International Federation of Jiu-Jitsu.

I am the current president of the Association of Jiu-Jitsu of Barra da Tijuca (Rio de Janeiro), vice-president of the Brazilian Confederation, and General Secretary of the International Federation of Jiu-Jitsu.

When Carlos Gracie Jr., Jean Jacques, and I founded the Association of Jiu-Jitsu of Barra da Tijuca the success of this organization in competition so big that Carlinhos decided to found the Brazilian Confederation of Jiu-Jitsu. Since that first Brazilian Championship, I helped Carlinhos organize clinics for referees, and continued working with kids and young adults. At that point, I though it was time to start an event for fighters that were getting older. I talked with Carlinhos Gracie and explained my idea of having a competition that could bring back the idols of the International Masters and Seniors competition, I realized this would be not be easy, since most of these athletes had stopped competing a long time ago. We went ahead with the plan and at the fist event we attracted several good fighters. This Masters and Senior Event has continued to grow, and Carlinhos and I expect more older competitions here in Brazil, and from around the world to become involved in the future.

First I started elaborating my training and how my physical preparation would be. I already hadn't competed since 1993 and the championship was in 1999, it had already been six years without worrying with any type of specific physical preparation. For that reason I simply opted to swimming as a form of preparation, I trained everyday according to how I felt, if I was feeling good I pushed a little harder, if not I would take it easy, and would always swim after the training, using the same theory, if I was feeling good I'd push the training a little harder. It was perfect had two excellent fights and won the title.

I never worried much about realizing any type of work outside of Brazil, because, thank God, I already have a strong reputation here, though I saw many friends going to the US, I believed it was a market that was still just beginning. Last year I was in Colorado visiting a former student who now has his own academy in Boulder, Amal Easton, he is an American who started training with me here in Brazil, and now is the owner of Boulder Jiu-Jitsu. I had a seminar there and was very well received, and liked it a lot. With James' visit here to my academy, I was very happy to see another American black belt with his own academy, except he was formed in the USA, that was when realized that the time had come to start some sort of work in the US, that would contribute to the organization and the growth of jiu-jitsu as a sport. I believe that jiu-jitsu has been growing a lot around the world and hope that I can contribute to the continuation of that growth. My idea is to start to do seminars in America, teaching a jiu-jitsu with quality and technique, taught the way I learned it, and teaching a little of it's history, helping the forming of new fighters and teachers.

I preparing two types of seminars that will take place at James' school in Costa Mesa, and another at San Diego at Fabio Santos' School- fabiosantos@ix.netcom.com in the month of January. The first one will be a seminar of self defense and sportive Jiu-Jitsu divided into two classes, for advance and for beginners. All the students will receive a folder containing all the positions and exercises of the training given at the seminars and the diploma for each course. The second one will be a seminar on rules of sportive jiu-jitsu competition. I think that the competitions in America are gaining a large strength thanks to the last Pan American, starting a work with refereeing clinics is very good. All that participate will not only learn more about the rules of jiu-jitsu that are very complex, they will also be able to in the future become candidates to work on official competitions, presenting the diploma of the course that will be certified by the Brazilian Confederation of Jiu-Jitsu.

For those who want to visit us here in Brazil our school is on:

	   
Otis #20 Gavea
Rio de Janeiro 
Phone: 2274-1191 Fax: 22743914, 
e-mail: gaveajj@hotmail.com
www.escoladejiujitsu.com.br

The reservations for the seminar on January 11th (Costa Mesa) should be made directly at Boran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (714) 751-7505 or email James at :AvalancheNYC@aol.com or for the ones that are going to attend in San Diego contact Fabio Santos at fabiosantos@ix.netcom.com Thank you very much Aranha!

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