06.06.2008 Two blue belt talesFrom New York and Pernambco, meet a promising duo
The blue belt division at the Worlds is buzzing with great stories of athletes giving there best around the gymnasium. GRACIEMAG.com fished out two examples - one American and another Brazilian. Examples of technique and dedication, David Bass (Alliance NY) and Lucas Rocha (Gracie Barra) represent a small part of the future of Jiu-Jitsu on show in Long Beach this Thursday.
David Bass is a New Yorker who likes to submit people: "He's a phenomenon. He does yoga and is incredibly flexible. To give you an idea, he can do a triangle on his own self," says instructor Fabio Clemente, of Alliance in New York, in praise. "I saw Jiu-Jitsu in the UFC and decided I wanted to participate. I've been training for two-and-a-half years and quit school to participate in the sport completely," reveals Bass, 18, son of a Manhattan doorman who works in Clemente's academy to pay for his training.
"I also want to practice MMA and am already practicing boxing to do so," David plans. Clemente re-enters the conversation to tell a little more about his treasure's background: "He helps me in all my classes. He's totally dedicated," says Fabio. The dedication has paid off. At the Pan, in March, he had six submissions in six fights at lightweight. Now, six submissions in seven fights. "I'm going to promote him to purple, for him to stay motivated. He put on a show thus far in the WOrlds," smiles Clemente.
David Bass and Fabio Clemente
Neck and neck, Alliance and Gracie Barra strangle each other... but it's still only Thursday, the first day of competition. With the team dispute in mind, often the blue belt category can be the one to tip the scale in favor of one or the other. "Ten, nine, eight, seven..." counts the Gracie Barra crowd, in a strong accent from the state of Pernambuco. Lucas Rocha, 18, has just become world champion: "This last year he's won everything. He was Pan-American champion and now World champion," says Victor Estima, another talent born of the talent factory of Ze Radiola, who is now running around distressed looking for a belt: "Is there a purple belt around here? I want to give it to him while he's on the stand. The kid deserves it," celebrates Radiola. The new belt was not encountered in a gymnasium full of blue and whites. "It'll have to wait till the academy then," Radiola decides.
Ze Radiola and Lucas Rocha
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