GSP with Crispim. Photo: Personal archives

A Jiu-Jitsu teacher with an academy in Pleasanton, California, Alex Crispim hasn’t yet gotten his December-19^th victory at Strikeforce out of his head.

Despite his unanimous decision win over AJ Fonseca, the black belt, being the savvy teacher he is, found some details needing correction.

“The fight was awesome, but I’d liked to have finished it. I nearly got him in the end; I let my game flow more in the third round. It could have been better, but I only had two weeks to train after I found out about the fight and I had to deal with a nasty case of sinusitis. I needed to fight smart to budget my gas,” he remarked to GRACIEMAG.com.

After dedicating his win to wife Michele and newborn daughter Athena, Crispim is already paving the way to having some new training partners. Tougher training partners, as you can see in the photo.

“I couldn’t pass up the chance to take a picture with the best welterweight in the UFC, could I? It happens that I work at the new UFC Gym that opened in Concord, California, where I’m head Jiu-Jitsu coach. On fine day, Georges St-Pierre came over to check out the facilities at the gym. As he trains in Canada with a close friend of mine, Bruno Fernandes, and when he goes to Brazil he trains with Paulo Tarso at Viktor Gym and Gustavo Ximu at Gracie Barra, we had a talk about all that. I told him it would be an honor to train with him any time he is around these parts,” he invited.

“I just got word at the last minute that I’m going to fight in Strikeforce again, at the December-19 event in San Jose, California. I couldn’t turn it down!” wrote our GMA and Gracie Barra black belt, who fought for the organization for the first time in 2007.

Crispin (on the right) with teammate Sapo

He will face AJ Fonseca (4W, 1L), a fighter on Urijah Faber’s team and undefeated in over four years. The event on the 19^th, marking Cung Le’s return and Ronaldo Jacaré’s debut, will be broadcast on cable channel Showtime in the USA.

“I was already trying to make it back to that organization, and now I’ll be back in a new division, 145 pounds – and I used to fight in the 155-pound division. I’ll be representing the good old BarraBrothers and the gang from UFC Gm, where I’m heading the Jiu-Jitsu program while they give me serious backing in physical conditioning and muay thai. I would also like to thank my wife and trainers Allan Maravilha and physical conditioning coach Rob for their support, as well as my students at the new gym who always believed in me,” he says in closing.

Strikeforce: Evolution
HP Pavilion, San Jose, Califórnia
December 19, 2009

Cung Le vs Scott Smith
Josh Thomson vs Gilbert Melendez (cinturão dos leves)
Matt Lindland vs Ronald “Jacaré” Souza
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal vs Mike Whitehead
Robbie Lawler vs Trevor Prangley

Preliminary card
Antwain Britt vs Scott Lighty
Daisuke Nakamura vs Bryan Travers
Juan Nunez vs Luis Mendoza
Bobby Stack vs Alex Trevino
Alex Crispim vs AJ Fonseca