Venham, amigos! Sentem-se em volta da fogueira e escutem a história do guerreiro Po Atan e de sua batalha contra o Deus Adesanaya.

Reza a lenda que Tupã queria criar um herói que pudesse exaltar mundialmente a importância e o poder do indígena brasileiro. Mas, para que esse valente pudesse alcançar a glória, ele teria de enfrentar terríveis desafios e representantes de divindades de outros povos.

Tupã então fez nosso herói nascer entre os homens brancos e humildes, sem saber de sua origem nobre e do poder que a divindade havia colocado em suas mãos. Nascido em meio a uma tribo chamada São Bernardo dos Campos, o bebê recebeu o nome caraíba de Alexsandro Pereira. Sua vida nunca foi fácil e começou a trabalhar desde cedo. Quando era ainda bem jovem, os espíritos maus o apresentaram ao álcool como forma de desviá-lo de seu caminho. A poção sedutora e viciante mantinha o bravo entorpecido e poderia ser seu fim.

Foi aí que Tupã enviou Sumé, o Deus da Disciplina, para encaminhar nosso herói para a trilha correta. Sumé colocou um guia chamado Belocqua Wera no caminho de Alex, para treinar o predestinado para uma luta que só podia ser disputada em pé, e na qual a herança e os talentos do nosso herói começariam a aflorar. Os brancos a chamavam de kickboxing.

Uma vez dentro da arena de combates, o intrépido se livrou do álcool e descobriu que suas mãos tinham um poder sobre-humano, capaz de derrubar inúmeros adversários. Belocqua descobriu a origem indígena oculta daquele lutador diferenciado e foi inspirado por Tupã a renomear o seu protegido.

Daquele momento em diante, ele seria chamado de Po Atan (Poatan), que significa “Mão Forte”. Para marcar esse renascimento, Poatan tatuaria pedras em suas mãos, simbolizando aquele dom que os deuses lhe concederam.

Alex Poatan passou a conquistar troféus e a brilhar contra lutadores vindos do mundo inteiro. Entre eles, estava um jovem deus africano, que também estava aprendendo a lidar com seus poderes divinos na trocação. Chamado de Adesanya, o guerreiro núbio era talentoso e rápido. Em menos de um ciclo do planeta ao redor do sol, Poatan venceria Adesanya duas vezes, sendo a última com um nocaute brutal.

Alex com seu fã, Mike Tyson, nos bastidores do UFC. Fotos: Divulgação

Com o tempo, os poderes da divindade nigeriana foram crescendo. Sua velocidade passou a ser a de um raio e sua movimentação era como a de um guepardo. Adesanya migraria para novas arenas, onde a luta era permitida também no chão. No solo sagrado octogonal do UFC, Adesanya foi coroado rei do peso médio e aterrorizou os humanos que cruzavam seu caminho.

Contudo, diferente do humilde guerreiro brasileiro, o deus nigeriano era muito vaidoso. Ele passou a se cobrir de ouro, a se vangloriar publicamente e a desdenhar dos súditos. Era preciso barrá-lo e Tupã determinou essa missão como a provação definitiva de seu enviado.

Poatan aprimorou a variação de seu arsenal para poder se adaptar às regras do UFC. No novo anfiteatro de combates, nosso herói voou para derrubar o representante de Zeus (o grego Andreas Michailidis) com uma joelhada fulminante; guerreou com um compatriota com o corpo quase fechado (o brasileiro Bruno Blindado) e obliterou o falastrão representante de Loki, o Deus das Mentiras nórdico (o americano Sean Strickland).

Era chegado o momento do desafio supremo. No UFC 281, nas terras da Nova York, Poatan enfrentaria o deus-rei, que estava sedento por vingança.

Na pesagem cerimonial, Alex começou a cumprir seu destino de Po Atan: compareceu com cocar e pinturas de guerra. O mundo inteiro falava sobre o aguerrido povo indígena brasileiro. Tupã sorria discretamente.

No começo do combate, a velocidade de Adesanya parecia ser um obstáculo intransponível. Enquanto o guerreiro brasileiro tentava, sem efetividade, usar todo o poder de suas mãos abençoadas, o Deus nigeriano conectava os melhores golpes. Ao cabo do primeiro round, Adesanya acertou um estrondoso relâmpago no queixo de Poatan e parecia que o joelho do guerreiro dobraria em reverência. Salvo pelo gongo, nosso herói não iria se entregar. Poatan respirou fundo, recuperou a proteção de seus ancestrais e voltou ao combate.

No assalto seguinte, o bravo soltou suas mãos de pedra e o deus africano sentiu um gosto de humanidade. Abalado, Adesanya perdeu o round e resolveu engolir seu orgulho. Decidiu invocar toda a experiência e variações do MMA que seu oponente ainda não tinha burilado, ao invés de só continuar na guerra em pé. O nigeriano levou Poatan ao solo, o anulou, cansou e maltratou nos dois rounds seguintes. No último round, Poatan precisaria invocar toda a força de Tupã e partir para cima da divindade africana se quisesse vencer.

Possuído pela energia de todo o povo brasileiro, o “Mão Forte” conseguiu colocar o vaidoso rival contra as grades e acertou uma sequência poderosíssima de socos para fazer jus a seu nome e nocautear Adesanya. O deus-rei havia sido destronado e o enviado de Tupã era o novo campeão do peso médio do UFC.

O que se viu foi uma celebração em todo o Brasil, do Oiapoque ao Chuí. Mesmo entre os rufares de tambores contagiados pela alegria da conquista, as estrelas nos dizem que esse não será o último feito do guerreiro Poatan. Novos desafios se seguirão, mas essas são histórias para uma outra ocasião…

* Mauro Ellovitch é promotor de Justiça, faixa-preta de Jiu-Jitsu e autor do livro “Sangue, Suor & Letras – Crônicas do MMA”.

Gordon Ryan em foto de Blanca Marisa Garcia para a GRACIEMAG

A foto é antiga, de 2018, mas nunca foi tão atual. Gordon Ryan é o novo rei do Jiu-Jitsu sem kimono. Já era há algum tempo, mas ainda havia quem duvidasse. Agora não há mais. Se você gosta dele ou não, pouco importa. O rei é inconteste, e você sabe disso.

Aos 27, o americano tem quase 1,90m de altura, 100kg, é forte, técnico, flexível, mas não parece ter alcançado a majestade “apenas” por esses atributos. A grande virtude do campeão tem a ver com o aspecto mental. Confiança. Nesse quesito nunca vimos ninguém como Gordon Ryan.

Entre a vitória na final da categoria acima de 99kg e a superluta do ADCC 2022, o prodígio de New Jersey não vestiu um casaco com capuz e foi se concentrar isolando-se num canto do vestiário, como é comum entre atletas de elite. Gordon foi para a plateia, sentou-se ao lado da esposa e de amigos, posou para fotos com os fãs, parecia estar se divertindo no recreio do colégio. Chegou a fazer postagens no Instagram. Quando voltou para a superluta, o semblante do campeão era o de quem iria executar uma tarefa trivial.

E depois de finalizar André Galvão, o americano desafiou Felipe Preguiça para lutar ali mesmo, naquele tablado, em sequência, sem necessidade de descanso, e por mais que isso incomode muita gente, não parecia bravata. Gordon faria mais uma luta tranquilamente, caso Preguiça e a organização do evento topassem.

Sempre criticaram GR por falar demais, mas o que incomoda não é exatamente isso. Não são palavras ao vento. Embora o verniz seja de arrogância, a essência é de confiança no mais alto quilate. O americano fala, faz e ainda explica como fez e fará de novo. Prova por A mais B que está certo. E assim vai entrando na cabeça dos oponentes e destruindo seus rivais por dentro, aniquilando aquilo que acreditamos ser o mais importante entre as virtudes de um lutador: a mente forte.

Para insurgir contra o rei e tomar a coroa de Gordon Ryan, não basta que o desafiante seja o mais técnico do mundo, tenha raça e gás infinito. O acesso ao trono é sobretudo uma questão psicológica. Um xadrez invisível. Se o desafiante não tem a mente blindada, nem ouse mexer peças nesse tabuleiro. Sua rainha tombará, garante o monarca.

Mais sobre o ADCC no Instagram @GraciemagOficial.

A professora e faixa-preta Virginia Macedo, representante da equipe Gracie Niterói, tem escrito uma longa e bonita história no Jiu-Jitsu.

A professora, que vive nos Emirados Árabes com a missão de disseminar a cultura da arte suave, está de férias no Brasil e aproveitou a oportunidade para adicionar mais uma medalha de ouro à coleção. Virginia foi campeã no peso leve master 2, no International Master South America, disputado a 30 e 31 de julho no Rio de Janeiro.

Em bate-papo com o GRACIEMAG.com, Virginia comentou o crescimento do Jiu-Jitsu nos Emirados Árabes e relatou os maiores desafios de liderar uma equipe no exterior.

GRACIEMAG: Há quanto tempo você vive nos Emirados Árabes?

VIRGINIA: Eu vivo nos Emirados Árabes há oito anos. Minha ida para os Emirados foi já com a intenção de contribuir para a propagação da cultura do Jiu-Jitsu no mundo árabe. Como atleta, me sagrei campeã do World Pro e do Grand Slam, de Abu Dhabi. Como coach, tive algumas oportunidades de ministrar aulas em projetos militares, bombeiros e clubes locais, além de ter sido uma das responsáveis pela equipe de competição feminina dos Emirados Árabes.

Quais são os maiores desafios de ensinar no exterior?

O choque cultural foi, sem dúvida, o maior desafio. Existe uma grande diferença de hábitos e costumes que são impactantes. Mas as duas nações possuem paixão grande pelo esporte. O Jiu-Jitsu tem o poder de se tornar uma língua universal. Falando de diferenças, existe algo que é evidente: o investimento que os Emirados Árabes fazem para o crescimento e disseminação do esporte, enquanto no Brasil nós não o temos na mesma proporção.

Como você analisa o crescimento do Jiu-Jitsu nos Emirados Árabes nos últimos anos?

Surreal! O crescimento é digno de ser exemplo para todas as pessoas que acreditam no esporte como transformador e instrumentos para educação e desenvolvimento humano.

Nos tempos de competidora, qual era sua maior motivação para se manter no alto nível?

Uma das minhas maiores motivações era me sentir bem fazendo o que sempre amei, que era competir. Ter a sensação de saber que entrei no tatame e dei o meu melhor. Pude aprender um pouco em cada experiência. Minha motivação sempre foi de me superar, de alcançar o que sempre sonhei: ser referência de superação para mim mesma e para outras atletas, com o objetivo de contribuir para o crescimento do esporte e também para inspirar a transformação de vidas de forma positiva.

Quais são seus próximos objetivos no Jiu-Jitsu?

Meus principais objetivos são estudar. Quero com isso me tornar ainda mais capacitada para poder ajudar atletas a crescer no esporte de forma inteligente e correta. Pretendo continuar treinando para conquistar os títulos que ainda não tenho, como o Mundial Masters e o Pan da IBJJF.

Esdras is a blackbelt from Ares BJJ

Esdras Junior is a key player in the spread of Jiu-Jitsu as a martial art in Phoenix, Arizona. The Ares Jiu-Jitsu black-belt teaches free classes to public safety professionals with the aim of making them increasingly capable of controlling situations that require physical contact, without the use of firearms or strikes.

The techniques covered range from self-defense to Jiu-Jitsu taught in normal classes, with attention focused on techniques in which the police officer can neutralize and immobilize suspects in standing and ground situations. In a recent interview, Esdras, who has been a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner for 13 years, explained the classes that police, military, prison guards and others take part in:

“It is important to note that I have help from a brown-belt in class, who is also a federal agent who works at the military base here, in Arizona. We talk a lot in order to bring the best of Jiu-Jitsu to these professionals who are working for our safety.

“The classes are based on situations which the police or a security officer can face on the street, outside a controlled environment and without rules. The techniques are basically Jiu-Jitsu, but modified for different situations considering their reality, such as the weapons they carry with them and the weight of their clothing. Everything is always aimed at the physical integrity of both parties, that is, the police and the suspect.”

Esdras, a black-belt under Osvaldo Queixinho, added: “Jiu-Jitsu can empower anyone for a better life and, based on this thought, we decided to offer free classes to these professionals aiming at improving the safety and also the quality of life of these people. A well-trained police officer can increasingly do excellent work for society. They will learn to better conduct an approach that involves contact and will improve their health. Jiu-Jitsu can grant anyone a new life.”

The moves are taught replicating, as well as possible, the real situations these professionals will face — which means no gis in class. “All the techniques taught are based on techniques learned in Jiu-Jitsu, such as, for example, the technical stand-up and rolling,” said Esdras. “We also show how to manipulate the opponent’s joints aiming at the opponent’s surrender and obedience, when necessary. We always aim to increase confidence and dominance by the agent during the situation in which he needs to use Jiu-Jitsu, where we prioritize the minimum damage to both sides, reducing the need for the excessive use of force, as well as the use of firearms and other resources. In general, they learn to have mastery and control of situations involving immobilization of people, with minimal damage to both sides, and how to deal with possible situations of physical combat, such as a possible takedown attempt, or attack from a suspect. They also learn how to recover and get off the ground in situations where that’s necessary.”

Patrick Almeida

Hailing from Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, Patrick Almeida has an interesting history in Jiu-Jitsu. This black-belt under Everaldo Penco, age 26, almost became a doctor before turning into a voracious competitor in the sport popularized by the Gracie family.

The opportunity came at a college in Kursk, Russia, due to Patrick’s good performance in his studies and in his training at Team Nogueira, in Rio. With his suitcases packed and opportunities in hand the young athlete went to Russia without knowing what his new life would be like.

“It was incredible going through this entire experience in Russia — the classes I took in medicine, everything I experienced to get where I am today,” he said in a recent interview. “There, at college, there were sambo lessons, and I decided to train a bit. It was something different, and I managed to stand out among the Russians that were in the class with me. It was because of the hard roll I gave them that I gained their respect. I ended up becoming a teacher over there because of an invitation from the Snow Ball church, which already had an interest in offering jiu-jitsu classes. Thanks to a job well done, the classes grew, and I had the opportunity to move to a bigger town with more of a training structure.”

At that point, Patrick’s life started changing a lot, as he went on to explain. “It all happened very fast until, because of a recommendation from a friend of mine, Mahamed Aly, I moved to St. Petersburg to keep studying at its federal college, to train and to help out at another gym. As I competed, winning most competitions, like the IBJJF’s Moscow Open, one of the country’s hardest-fought ones, my desire to become a high-performance athlete grew more and more. That was when I decided to leave medicine aside for a while to live my current life. But I still intend to be a student again and study medicine in the U.S., but I’m gonna need a scholarship. Each semester costs, on average, 60 thousand dollars.”

Patrick, who is getting certified as a personal trainer and studying nutrition and business administration, currently lives in Hawaii. He described his mission there as helping the growth of his team and training partners.

“Technically,” he said, “BJJ in Hawaii is advanced due to influence from BJ Penn, who was the IBJJF’s first American world champion. But because of the lifestyle they lead, some still view the sport as something recreational most of the time, and don’t have a very strong interest in competition. In Russia, for example, those students of mine didn’t have very refined ground technique because of the late introduction of jiu-jitsu, but most athletes from there are at a high level in judo and wrestling, which makes the sparring more explosive and aggressive. They are different styles, but both are great. We already had good results with the children from here at the Pan Kids, and the adults are winning medals and titles in some opens.”

Not knowing how long the pandemic will last, Patrick outlined his goals for 2021, when he intends to take part in the ADCC trials. With that in mind, he’s been training with Horlando Monteiro, Scotty Hao and other local athletes of BJJ and MMA. “I’m always giving the most with the best that I have now. I’m very excited with my career as an athlete and I see it’s gonna work out. I want to fight at the ADCC, already thinking of transitioning into MMA in two years.”

Esdras and his IBJJF medals. Personal archive

Esdras Junior, 29, dreams of being black-belt world champion. With that in mind, the Paraíba-born fighter decided to spend a season in the U.S. training under Osvaldo Queixinho and Samir Chantre, following an invitation from a close friend. Esdras, who has been practicing BJJ for 13 years, has already noticed an evolution in his game with the double gold won at the San Jose Open — one of the last IBJJF tournaments held before the coronavirus took over the world.

“My jiu-jitsu is in constant evolution, because the training here is excellent — there are some really strong people,” he said in a recent interview. “I won the San Jose Open convincingly, in gi and no-gi — one of my first tourneys in 2020. The experience with Prof. Queixinho is one of the best. He is a person with an immense heart. Very humble and family-oriented. He always has a lot to teach, from positions to fight strategies. But the biggest BJJ lesson I’ve learned from him is that you can’t give up on a fight until it’s over. One example of this is the fight he had with Marcio André at the Pan, where he was losing by points and turned it around with a choke.”

Living in Phoenix, Arizona since February, Esdras has been paying close attention to the evolution of the sport in the U.S.

“The main difference between Brazil and the U.S., to me, lies in some points like, for example, the structure the teams have and the support they can give their athletes,” he said. “Not to mention the benefit of being able to travel more often to fight, because air travel is much cheaper than in our country. But in terms of technical level, no doubt, Brazil is still the big exponent of jiu-jitsu. It’s important to mention, without a shadow of a doubt, that other countries are starting to make noise in competitions, and the U.S. is moving toward the top of the sport.”

Like many others, Esdras was forced to lower the intensity of his training recently. But he remains active at home, sometimes training alone, and sometimes training with the friends with whom he lives.

“Really, this pandemic wasn’t in the plans of any of us,” he said. “This ended up postponing a bit the objectives for 2020, unfortunately. I was already enjoying a great competitive rhythm since 2019, and that was reflected at the start of this season. Here, in Arizona and other states, the gyms were open, but there was an order recently telling them to close.”

Esdras added: “I hope things go back to normal soon. There are some competitions returning — which is the case of Fight to Win, where I fought a few weeks ago. I’m going to keep up my good nutrition and my training at home. I’ll continue with my dream of becoming a world champion in the black belt and making a living in jiu-jitsu.”

Esdras has been a black-belt for four years. He has several gold medals in the IBJJF circuit, and also works as an international referee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nknq_sgqLOE

Bruno is a professional BJJ athlete with several gold medals in the IBJJF and UAEJJF circuits

Dubai, in the United Emirates, is going strong in the war against the new coronavirus with the restrictions imposed by the World Health Organization. Quarantined since February, Brazilians residing in the country have been following the rules to have access to essential services. Going to the grocery store or pharmacy, for example, can only be done between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Bruno Oliveira, who has been living in Dubai for the past 6 years, recently talked and offered a glimpse from the inside.

“The sheikh and his subordinates said they would support everybody in this pandemic, including us immigrants,” said Bruno, a black-belt of ten years. “The support is being done very well, and we don’t lack anything — we’re safe. We athletes miss our routine of physical activity and our BJJ training. But we’re facing everything positively so that this can go away soon. Here there have also been decrees that fine people up to R$ 2,000 for skipping quarantine. We are on lockdown and have set times to go out. All precautions are being observed.”

The GFTeam athlete was all set to compete at the World Pro, Pan and Worlds — all cancelled now — and had to dial back his training. Now, unable to compete, he has been taking care of his physical side. Last week Bruno joined the Electrum Performance team, a company in the field of performance management led by Alex Bryce. Bruno will be getting professional guidance for his next competitions.

“For an athlete, it’s key to have training sessions planned by professionals,” he said. “My physical coach, Alex, assembles my entire spreadsheet of training and goals to be met. My training is based on getting stronger and faster — all things we need to fight at a high level. And for now, due to the quarantine, my training is at a low intensity. I just keep taking good care of my nutrition, with no restrictions, for now.”

A specialist in strength training and conditioning, Alex Sterner spoke about his method of remote training with Bruno. “The main objective of the strength training is to load the tissues of the body, which are the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones. And makes these tissues stronger and more resistant for the practice of BJJ. Whether we’ll have equipment available or not around this time, the focus is always on the variations of the basic patterns of the body, like, for example, squatting and pushups. The exercises can be performed with more reps while the weights aren’t available. We’ll prioritize Bruno’s body weight for the type of work we’re doing, for now. We’ll also promote and develop his resilience, another goal of our training.”

Bruno is a professional BJJ athlete with several gold medals in the IBJJF and UAEJJF circuits.

See how his training works right here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEy7Zzplbug

Diego and his professor Formiga. 

Born in Ceilândia, in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, Diego Almeida is another Brazilian who made it in BJJ. These days, Diego runs his own school in the U.S. after having gone through a period of maturing. To achieve his goals, the 25-year-old had to overcome the distance from his family and his difficulty learning English in San Angelo, Texas.

A black-belt of just one month, under the guidance of Rafael “Formiga” Barbosa, Diego is already able, in a few words, to define what the new rank represents in the life of someone so in love with the sport.

“First, I’d like to say that I was born again when I arrived in the United States,” he told Fight Talk in a recent interview. “The last five years flew by, and many people passed through my life to teach me how to be a better person, and how to achieve my own dreams. I was far away from my family; I had to learn English on my own.”

“The black belt represents, to me, all the obstacles I beat even when it seemed nearly impossible,” he added. “There’s no secret to being a black-belt; you just need to be persistent. Bad days come for everybody, but have faith that the sun will shine again in your life.”

About to kick off a competitive career among jiu-jitsu’s elite, Diego shared his plans: “My calendar is already laid out. My training sessions are focused on fighting at the Pan and the World Championship of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation in the black belt. I intend to compete in multiple IBJJF Opens to win my points for the rankings as well. All of this training of mine will be guided by Rafael, along with my training partners.”

Making sure to give credit where it’s due, Diego went on: “Having my teacher and João Gabriel by my side has been making a difference in my way of seeing and applying BJJ. My mental side has changed a lot too. Well, my journey’s just begun.”

Heading Seeds 13, his own gym since 2017, Diego shared how he managed to attract 140 students and change the entire structure of the training to offer a higher-quality service. The school already has two branches — one in Colorado and another back in Brasília.

“It feels very good to remember what I did to get here,” he said. “I had to work as a waiter at a barbecue place to save money and open my first space. It was a mad dash going from training to work, but everything happened gradually the way I hoped. I was able to save 500 dollars for enough months, until it was possible to find a space, buy mats and get my dream started.

“Today, everybody sees my gym looking good, full of students — but few people know what I did to get here. Nothing comes easily if you don’t fight for your dream.”

Diego added, “I’d like to leave a thank-you to everybody who believed in me when I was just a dreamer. You are part of this.”

June 17th, 2016 was not supposed to be the end of Thiago Jambo’s career. He entered his Bellator debut with a 18-4 record, in great shape, and excited to finally fight under the bright lights with a newly minted 4 fight contract secured. After over a decade of fighting, finally it felt like Jambo was breaking through to put himself in position to fight his way up to a title shot. His first opponent would be American Chidi Njokuani, an awkward 6’3” fighter whose style reminds some of Jon Jones. 

After two fairly even rounds which saw Jambo control the middle of the ring, trade blows with Njokuani, attempt several takedowns which were defended well by his opponent, a vicious leg kick to the body surprised him, and after going to the ground to recover and grapple, a flurry of punches ended the fight at 2:39 of the final round. Unfortunately, this would only be the beginning of the end for Jambo. 

Prior to taking this fight, Jambo had been hired as a jiu-jitsu instructor in the United Arab Emirates. With a great salary, security, and some stability, Jambo was excited to teach, train, and see what opportunities could come his way. When Bellator called, as fighters do, he dropped everything and saw the 4-fight agreement as a step in the right direction for his career. The fights represented decent paychecks, and this was enough to get him on a plane to fight in St. Louis that night. In yet another example of the ruthless nature of the fight game, and without warning, Bellator cancelled his contract after his loss. No rematch, no second fight, no payout, no concern for him as a person. 

After the shock of the loss wore off, Jambo was confronted with a grim reality. At 35, this might have been his last shot in a big-time promotion and after being effectively fired from Bellator and recently resigned from his job in the UAE, he was unemployed. Naturally, self-doubt and bouts of depression followed. For the first time, he was facing the very real fact that his career could be over and the lasting image of his knockout being the final chapter in a long and illustrious career. 

However, Thiago Jambo’s story is far from over. 

Tasked with rebuilding his life and career, Jambo talked to his previous employer in the UAE asked for his job back. Fortunately, they rehired him, and he was able to start teaching jiu-jitsu and earn a nice living. Getting back on his feet, he realized that he needed something more. Teaching was okay, but for a fighter who was accustomed to goal-oriented training, it wasn’t enough. He needed something to fill the void fighting had left. Enter an unlikely source… Crossfit. 

The Crossfit movement has taken the UAE by storm. There are dozens of affiliated gyms across the country, and the fitness craze doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Jambo jumped in head-first and never looked back. His supreme athleticism helped him catch on to the movements easily, and his compulsive training habits as a BJJ Black Belt and professional fighter worked perfectly within the obsessive workout culture Crossfit has bred. It wasn’t long that Jambo decided to commit 100% and study to become a certified trainer. This has enabled him to share his passion for fitness and conditioning, while also helping others to achieve personal goals. He can empathize with people wanted to feel better about themselves, and the power of the Crossfit community to provide emotional support inside and outside of the gym. 

At one of the darkest times of his life, when everything seemed to be ending, Jambo found something that fit perfectly into the next phase of life. It reinvigorated his personal goals and started him on another path that has created a second act that few fighters seem to enter. Now, as he is back to training

Images: Ane Nunes/AJP

Gabrieli Pessanha is one of the most successful competitors in the AJP Tour, with multiple titles both in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour and the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship. During the recent Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour Rio, on November 1-3, the Jiu-Jitsu World Plus News Team followed the champion in her birthplace of Rio to tell her story of dedication and hard work to become an international star.

With “Following the Heroes: Gabrieli Pessanha, from CDD to the world”, the second episode of the series, we dive into Gabi’s training routine as her family and training partners talk about her humble beginnings at the world famous community of Cidade de Deus (City of God) and great effort to overcome life’s obstacles.

The episode wraps up with Gabi’s redemption at the ADGS Rio as she succeeds in winning another gold medal for the joy of her personal cheering section on the stands of the Arena Carioca 1. Watch now the latest episode of Following the Heroes.

The fifth leg of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour takes over the Mubadala Arena on January 16-18 with competitors of all ages testing their skills as they compete for the ultimate glory. The final deadline is January 9. Click here for more info and to register now.

[Source: PR.]

Musaad Alturif “Sheik” is a 35-year-old Arab with a mission to put his country on the world Jiu-Jitsu map. Interest in martial arts began when he was young in Saudi Arabia, his home country, where he was part of a taekwondo class. But his story changed when he first traveled to Brazil, where he lived for 15 years, between Sorocaba and São Paulo. Before having Jiu-Jitsu as a profession, he flirted with Muay Thai because of the call from a close friend who, after three months of training, invited him to finally put on the gi again.

A Jiu-Jitsu practitioner since 2013, today purple belt Musaad uses his knowledge to help the sport grow and, especially, to make the population healthier through the practice of the sport. His personal goal is also to put his nation on the competitive map of Jiu-Jitsu, alongside Brazil and the United States.

“The biggest goal with Jiu-Jitsu in Saudi Arabia is to use the sport to see healthier Arab people in every respect, such as mentally and physically. I also preach respect between one student and another, regardless of social levels. The community is still small compared to other countries, but it continues to grow in a balanced and healthy way,” says Sheik.

The instructor also tells how his teaching methodology works from the first introductory class, even if the student has never had contact with Jiu-Jitsu. He then projects what his work will look like five years from now.

“In the first class, I explain more about the Jiu-Jitsu culture, because I prefer to prepare the practitioner’s mind to know what our sport is, on and off the mat, being the first step in the introductory class,” he says. “Then, in the practical classes, I show the step-by-step according to my teaching didactics. In five years the sport will grow a lot, they will see how Jiu-Jitsu transforms lives. Arab Jiu-Jitsu can also shape world-renowned black belts. Why not.”

Under the tutelage of Eduardo Telles, one of Jiu-Jitsu’s most popular black belts, Musaad tells of his relationship with his teacher and how he met him.

“Telles is an athlete I have always admired for everything he has done in his career and continues to do so. What I most admire about him is the inner strength he has to adapt to whatever situation he faces in his career. He was a 37-year-old world champion in no-gi, and that made a big impression on me. His career is impressive.

“When I went through a situation in my career he was the one who helped me and opened the doors for me to be part of and represent team Nine Nine, and that’s where admiration became respect. I want to live Jiu-Jitsu like he lives it, on and off the mat. Our story will contain many achievements.”

[Source: PR.]

Arpoador Beach is mourning today. “Pipeline, Renan! Pipeline!” his surfer friends yelled as Renan Pitanguy, in the ring at Maracanãzinho stadium, faced Eugênio Tadeu in 1984 in his most famous match — in that same event where Fernando Pinduka, Marco Ruas and Marcelo Behring shone. After decades of many giant waves and the purest BJJ, Renan passed away this Tuesday, October 22, 2019.

The coral-belt, one of the rare men who made history in vale-tudo and surfing, first started surfing in Copacabana, then went to nearby Arpoador, and, in Hawaii, became known as Crabman due to his solid base, always firmly connected to his board. At Banzai Pipeline, he was respected like few others.

Renan had been hospitalized before and ended up contracting a post-prosthetic infection in his knee. He had digestive hemorrhage and died, as reported by @arpoadorsurfclub. Our condolences go out to his family and his friends from the mats and from the waves.

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Uma publicação compartilhada por Renan Pitanguy (@renanpitanguy) em 4 de Mai, 2018 às 12:52 PDT