Imagine you personified the opponent back in the days when Helio and Carlos Gracie were laying the foundations of modern Jiu-Jitsu. Imagine knowing the overwhelming majority of the public is against you every time you step up to fight, just because your adversary is smaller than you. Can you imagine that?
Well Gabrielle Garcia, 25, has been going through such situations ever since she first set out on her career. For a long time the Alliance black belt suffered from it and revolted against those who jeered her and rejoiced with her every setback. For some time now, though, Gabrielle decided to transform the heckling into motivation rather than ire. The new mentality aligned with her dedication exclusively to training carried Gabi to new heights as a competitor and catapulted her to stardom in the Jiu-Jitsu world.
In an exclusive interview with the GRACIEMAG at the Worlds Blog, the Southern Brazilian who trains like so few do spoke of how she changed her attitude and started concentrating only on fighting. Gabi also addressed the longing for her family in the south, the ever-growing number of fans, and the possibility of facing another “big girl” of the gentle art, the USA’s Lana Stefanac.
