Brett Collins atop American Nationals winners' podium

GRACIEMAG.com sat down for a conversation with Brett Collins, the heading of marketing and sales at VersaClimber, a brand of exercise equipment investing heavily in Jiu-Jitsu and sponsoring athletes like Dan Henderson, the Diaz brothers and others. Brett, a Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, is enthralled by the gentle art and has been coming up with solid results as a competitor, like at the last IBJJF American Nationals, where he won his brown belt division. Find out what he has to teach us in the following interview:

When did you start training Jiu-Jitsu?

It was April 2005. I had no clue what BJJ was, so I showed up for my first class and haven’t stopped since.

Tell us about your passion for Jiu-Jitsu.

I’m probably what you call obsessed with it. I read about it. I watch videos. I train incessantly. I’m constantly trying to improve my game and unravel the mystery of this sport. I’m totally fascinated by how much there is to learn; it blows my mind. BJJ is made up of so many positive attributes from the mental and strategic components to the health a fitness aspects to all the friends I’ve made. I like being physically, mentally and emotionally pushed, almost to the breaking point – that is the addictive part to me. I find that BJJ is a great stress reliever too.

A couple of weeks ago you took first place in your brown belt weight division at the American Nationals. How did that go?

Yeah, I have to admit I was a bit nervous and didn’t know what to expect competing as a brown belt. So what did I do? I signed up to compete both in Gi and No-Gi at the US Nationals.

On Saturday I had two Gi matches. First match I won 5-0 and the second match I won via triangle choke for the gold. On Sunday, for No-Gi, I had two matches. Both matches were tough, but I felt more comfortable competing having won the day before. I ended up winning by points in both matches to take home the gold.

In your opinion , what are the benefits of the practice of Jiu-Jitsu?

JJ has done so much for me. It really has had such a positive influence on my life over the last six and a half years. The learning and discipline it has taught me. The respect and knowledge I have acquired. The mental toughness I have learned. The higher fitness level I have maintained – I’m in the best shape of my life. The confidence of knowing how to defend myself. The lifelong friendships I have established.

You are a Jiu-Jitsu athlete and the marketing/advertising/sales director of the brand VersaClimber. VersaClimber is is investing in the Jiu-Jitsu and MMA business . Do you feel your vision to invest in the sport comes from your being a Jiu-Jitsu athlete?

Absolutely, I invest in MMA/BJJ because I train, respect and understand BJJ/MMA. I have a true love for the sport and those who dedicate themselves to pushing themselves to the breaking point. There is no truer test than two warriors putting it all on the line competing against each other – the only person you rely is yourself and your cardio. I have an immediate connection with those people who are passionate, as I am, for BJJ. Therefore, I include my job of marketing VersaClimber into the MMA industry. VersaClimber training is a perfect fit for fighters, it really does go hand in hand; one cardio machine that can take their cardio to the highest levels possible – which is required in beating your opponent.

Who are your idols in Jiu-Jitsu?

Andre Galvao, Murilo Bustamante, Robert Drysdale.

Where do you train BJJ , and which team do you represent?

Brazilian Top Team, with Juliano Prado and Adriano Nasal at Total MMA Gym, in Tustin, California.

Ryan wins the No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu contest. Photos by Deb Blyth.

Ryan had three matches in the gi as a featherweight. His first match ended with his opponent while attempting a a leg lock. During Ryan’s “scuffle” to get out of it, his opponent illegally crossed his leg over Ryan’s. In his second match, Ryan faced Israel Ceron of Ralph Gracie. “He beat me in the finals at Las Vegas,” Ryan says. At the American Nationals, it was a back and forth match that Ryan ended up winning by a sweep.

In the final against Justin Wehr of Ribeiro JJ, Ryan was able to win on points, giving him gold for the day. Ryan opted out of the open class and set his sights on the next day’s No-Gi tournament.

On Sunday, Ryan had two divisional appearances in the No-Gi tournament, winning his first match with a kimura from closed guard and then prepared for his final. Again facing Justin Wehr, this time Ryan was in the flow, tapping Justin out with a toe hold in under a minute. This earned him his second gold medal for the weekend.

Although Ryan didn’t close with any at the American Nationals, he says his favorite move is the triangle because of his long legs. “It comes easy for me,” he says. Ryan competes at least once a month. He is now 20 years old and started training in Jiu-Jitsu when he was 15. “I love it more now,” he says, “I’ve really gotten into the whole Jiu-Jitsu scene. I want to make it a career. One day, after I’m done competing and teaching, I want to open my own academy.”

This was Ryan’s third time winning the No-Gi Nationals. He’s taken third at the No-Gi Worlds twice and he won the Gi Pan as a juvenile. He loves the dedication it takes to be a competitive Jiu-Jitsu athlete and he wants to be at the top level in his competitive life. Ryan wants to thank Gustavo Dantas for all his help.

Ryan and Coach Gustavo Dantas

Speaking of Gustavo Dantas, he was a happy man after the American Nationals. Not only did Ryan do a great job at the tournament but his other student, brown belt heavyweight John Wagoner, also had a great Saturday at the Gi tournament. In his division, he submitted all three of his opponents to take gold on the day.

Gustavo Dantas flanked by his students, Ryan (right) and John Wagoner

In Fabiana’s first Gi match, she faced Kiri Liao of Ribeiro JJ whom she lost to last year in the open class. This year was different for a couple of reasons. Fabiana normally competes at feather weight, but this year she fought at light weight. So, she met up with Kiri in their division instead of the absolute. The other change was that this year, Fabiana won.

Fabiana in battle with Kiri / Photos: Deb Blyth

In their match, Fabiana pulled Kiri to her guard and swept her, but then Kiri swept her back. Fabiana was able to lock her guard and get Kiri in an armbar. “She fell down, but I kept her arm,” Fabiana says, “She tapped out.”

In her second match, Fabiana fought Ana Maria Soares of BJJ Revolution. “She won by an advantage and we fought again in the finals,” Fabiana says, “I won two to zero with two sweeps: one from the closed guard and one from the half-guard.” That gave Fabiana a gold medal for her efforts in her division.

In the Gi open class on Saturday, it was only Emily Wetzel of BJJ Revolution and Fabiana in the bracket. “She jumped guard and I was working to pass her long legs,” Fabiana laughs, “I almost got on her side, but she recovered and then she got me in a triangle.”

On Sunday, Fabiana fought in the No-Gi tournament. Fabiana and Ana Maria had another war, with Ana Maria tapping Fabiana out with a Guillotine.

Fabiana says the American Nationals was a good tournament for her. “I’m not doing as much conditioning as I was doing in California,” Fabiana laments, “I was at Juggernaut in California and that gave me a lot of strength and confidence. Since moving to Texas, I’m focused on teaching and growing the women’s program here. I am the only female black belt at my school, and I was happy to get a gold medal to bring back.”

Fabiana is currently back in Texas helping grow women’s Jiu-Jitsu around the state and preparing for the 2012 Pan and Gi Worlds.

In other news, Gracie Barra brown belt Felipe Guedes, Master middleweight brown belt, won his Gi division at the American Nationals. Felipe had three matches in his division and won them all by points.

This was especially gratifying for Felipe because he has not been competing nor training as much as he normally does. “Since last April I’ve been focusing on GB San Clemente, GB Dana Point, and the GB Association,” Felipe says, “I don’t have as much time to devote to myself. I want to improve other people’s lives through Jiu-Jitsu and make it available to everyone. That’s my goal.”

Felipe came to the American Nationals because he loves competing. This was the first time he signed up for a tournament with no training. “Oddly enough, I felt no pressure,” Felipe says, “I didn’t have butterflies or anything. I just had fun. I was looser today and my techniques felt really fresh in my mind.” Felipe says he’s going to try to recreate that feeling at every future tournament he attends.

Felipe Guedes and crew

Felipe says he normally puts a lot of pressure on himself to perform, but not this time, and he thinks this is the winning formula he needs to tap into for all his future competitions. “I thought about this story that Professor Flavio (Almeida) told us this week in class,” Felipe says, “His grandfather took him to the horse races when he was a kid and told him to watch the horses run. ‘They just run,’ his grandfather said, ‘they will run until they die. That’s the only thing they know how to do. They run for first place.’ There’s something to learn from that. If you want something, you gotta keep pushing for it.”

Dante and Saulo Ribeiro (left) / Photos: Deb Blyth

In his featherweight division, Dante had four matches. He won the first three by submission and then lost in the final to Matthew Fox of BJJ Revolution. Having come in second in his division, Dante was none too pleased. “I got armbarred,” he says stoically, explaining how he lost to Matthew, “I made a small mistake and he was good enough to capitalize on it. I will be going back to the gym to make sure I don’t do that again.”

The serious and mature 16-year-old, who would appear many years older than he is if it weren’t for his bright blue eyes and baby face, then signed up for the open class, determined to turn his day around. He had another three matches in the absolute, winning the first on points and submitting his second opponent with a footlock.

Dante (David) and Mike Quintero (Goliath)

In his third and final match, Dante came up against Mike Quintero, an ultra heavyweight from BJJ Revolution. Dante, who is a 5’ 8,” 150-pound juvenile – about 6 inches shorter than his stalwart opponent and somewhere in the range of 70 pounds lighter –, took on his adult opponent with gusto, completely unaffected by Mike’s looming presence.

Dante pulled guard and tried to play his game with the big man. “I looked for an attack,” Dante says, “But he was really strong and really good. I felt like I controlled the pace the whole fight. I feel that way in every fight.” Dante scored some advantages on Mike and won the final, taking home that gold he was so bent on winning on Sunday.

As Dante confidently walked to the podium to receive his gold medal, teammates and fans alike approached the juvenile who appeared like a David slaying Goliath, giving him high fives, knuckle bumps and congratulations on his remarkable feat.

Dante has been training Jiu-Jitsu since he was 12 years old. It’s not easy for him to get to Jiu-Jitsu class. He trains in Detroit, Michigan, so he has to cross the border from Canada to the US every day to get back and forth to and from class. But he  doesn’t care and no one pushes him to do it. Jiu-Jitsu is his passion and he loves it. He’s completely dedicated to the gentle art. “It’s my life,” he says, “I do it because I love it more than anything. I can’t explain it. It’s my complete passion.”

One of the main things he loves about Jiu-Jitsu is the fact that it’s just about him and the sport. “Getting your hand raised or not,” he says, “It’s all on you. I want to do Jiu-Jitsu for my whole life. I want to compete and win as much as I can.”

For being so young, Dante definitely has a handle on his maturity and his philosophical knowledge of the gentle art. “I have a lot of moves that I really like in Jiu-Jitsu,” he says, “But my favorite move is the one that my opponent gives me.” Spoken like a true veteran of the sport.

Dante tops podium, doing splendid as an adult at just 16.

Dante won gold at both the 2011 Pan and the 2011 Worlds as a juvenile. He has now officially decided that he will only compete at the adult level, regardless of his age. “I compete at the adult level because it’s more challenging,” he says, “From now on I will not compete as a juvenile. I will only compete at the adult level.”

Dante would like to thank his coaches Chris Blanke, Danny Agemy and John Walus, his training partners, and his family for their support. “I couldn’t do this without them.”

Caio, absolute champ, atop podium with Vitor Oliveira in second, Osvaldo Moizinho and Samir Chantre in third / Photo: Deb Blyth

Last weekend, California State University Dominguez Hills hosted the American Nationals, where some of the most talented competitors in the USA took to the mats for Gi and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu contests and Caio Terra was again crowned absolute champion, in the gi. (Check out the  official IBJJF results here.)

The Jiu-Jitsu road show doesn’t stop there, and next up are the October 1 No-Gi Pan in New York and the London Open in London on the same day. It’s worth remembering that the 1st of October is Helio Gracie’s birthday, so doing some gi-clad combat is a great way to pay tribute to the late Grandmaster.

If you haven’t signed up to compete tomorrow, the next major event on the calendar is the October 22 Miami Open. But you’d better hurry, as tomorrow is the deadline to pay the early-registration, reduced rate.

Click here to find out more.

"Pega Leve" and Stephen Hall (left)

Pega Leve fought two matches in his ultraheavyweight division on Saturday in the gi. He fought Stephen Hall of Alliance in the final and won on points to take gold. “My takedowns worked very well,” he says.

Pega Leve, who lives in Portland, Oregon, enjoys competing at the American Nationals. “I won the Brazilian National Champion six times,” he says, and he considers the American Nationals to be on par with that. This year, Pega Leve also decided to sign up for the Abu Dhabi World Pro Trials in San Diego. He took gold in his No-Gi matches in both his division and the open and came in third in the gi. “I lost to Buchecha,” he says.

"Pega Leve" not taking it easy / Photos: Deb Blyth

The 39-year-old still competes in the adult division and does very well for himself, although he intimates those days may be coming to a close. “It may be my last year in the No-Gi Worlds as an adult,” he laughs, “Those ten-minute rounds are pretty long.”

Pega Leve did not register for the Gi open class at the American Nationals but showed up on Sunday ready to go in the No-Gi tournament. He had one match, against Stephen Hall of Alliance, and won it on points to take gold in his division and then competed in the open, where he took third. He took on Matthew Jubera from Ribeiro JJ in his first match and won, but says, “I came into the tournament with an injury to my bicep. I put so much pressure on my opponent (Jubera), I hurt myself.”

Absolute podium

Pega Leve is originally a Brazilian Top Team black belt. He says he received his black belt  in 2002 after only four years of training. “The longest belt I was in was my brown belt,” he says, “I was in it for one year. All my other belts I was in for under a year each because I kept winning everything.”

Eventually, Pega Leve followed the path that many Jiu-Jitsu athletes follow and he got into MMA. Although his record is even at 8-8, he did fight twice in the UFC, against Brandon Vera and Gabriel Gonzaga, and once in the IFL, against Roy Nelson.

These days, Pega Leve is back to business as a Jiu-Jitsu competitor and an instructor at Team Quest in Portland. We will see him next at the No-Gi Worlds.

Lapela taking on Fabiano Monteiro / Photos: Deb Blyth

Lapela then entered the open class and defeated Fabiano Monteiro of American Top Team but lost to Caio Terra of Gracie Fighter in the semifinals, earning him third-place honors in the absolute.

Lapela wanted to be at the ADCC but was not extended the invitation. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t get invited but hopes he’ll be at the next one, in two years’ time. “More than being disappointed for myself, I’m disappointed that Lucas (Leite) wasn’t invited,” Lapela says, “I want to be like him, so I’m sad I didn’t get to see him go.”

Lapela is now setting his sites on the No-Gi Worlds and says he will train over the next six weeks with his CheckMat team to ensure the best results possible. “I train with Lucas, João Assis; I have great teammates,” Lapela says, “I have also been training with Robert Drysdale, Fabricio Werdum and others. We train a lot and a lot of conditioning. We train mind, balance, and body. We train everything.”

Like other Jiu-Jitsu athletes, Lapela is getting his feet wet in the MMA world. Next month, on October 22, 2011, Lapela will be in Oklahoma for his second pro fight. “I won my first fight in 45 seconds,” he says, “So, I will do my pro fight in October and right after that will come back and compete at the No-Gi Worlds.”

Lucas, who traditionally competes at middleweight, explains that his sponsor, Hakai Kimonos, mistakenly put him the medium heavy division, which is why he was a division up for the Nationals. “It’s ok,” he laughs, “I didn’t have to diet.”

Despite the advantageous position, Leite didn't have the strength to finish. Photos by Deb Blyth

It didn’t seem to make a bit of difference, because Lucas pulled off the win anyway. He says he couldn’t put a lot of pressure on Jubera’s neck because he didn’t have the strength. “Usually when I take the back, the match is over,” he says, but he was unable to capitalize on having made it to the position due to his injured forearm.

Lucas was unable to compete in the absolute, so he allowed his teammates Marco “Sharpei” and Marcelo “Lapela” to move on instead. “We’ve been training in our camp all year,” Lucas says, “Me, Lapela, Sharpei, João Assis –we train four times a week. Now, we’re training for the No-Gi Worlds.”

Lucas, who took third at the 2010 No-Gi Worlds and first at the 2009 No-Gi Worlds, wants to get back to where he was in 2009 this year. “I want to win the No-Gi Worlds this year,” he states.

Lucas, who’s wife, Nikki, also won gold at the American Nationals, says he didn’t expect to be invited to this year’s ADCC, so he wasn’t offended when an invitation didn’t come. “I just got married,” he says, “I hope to do the ADCC in two years. Hopefully, me and my wife together. I really want to thank her family for supporting me in the US. Greg and Paulette have been very helpful to me and I’m proud to have their support.”

Triumph against bigger competition

Lucas was happy with CheckMat’s presence at the ADCC. “Leo (Vieira), Joao (Assis), and Michelle (Nicolini) all took second place,” he says proudly, “It’s a big accomplishment. People don’t realize how hard it is to make the finals in a tournament that big. I’m happy because I helped João train for the event.”

It was a good thing that Lucas didn’t compete in the absolute at the American Nationals because he wasn’t rested at all. “I was up all night watching the ADCC!” he laughs, “I’m glad I’m not doing the open. I only slept a couple hours last night.”

Lucas wants to thank Leo Vieira for teaching him everything he knows. “I will always fight for his team.”

In Philipe’s first match, he faced Marcos Torregrosa of Lloyd Irvin, winning by referee’s decision. His second match had him up against renowned Jiu-Jitsu artist and world champion surfer Joel Tudor. “I got my knee on his belly and then got a baseball choke in from side control,” Philipe says, explaining how the match played out after he pulled guard and managed to sweep.

Della Monica's hand raised, to surfing legend Tudor's dismay. Photos: Deb Blyth.

The win over Tudor led to the third and final match, which he and Simões were thrilled about, as they closed out the bracket for their team. The two agreed that Philipe should take the gold this time around. “I won the American Nationals last year,” Rodrigo says, “so this year I gave the title to Philipe.” To get to the finals himself, Rodrigo had a difficult road, having to face off against the one and only Megaton during his journey.

Lightweight podium – from the left, Simões, Della Monica, Megaton, Tudor

Philipe decided not to register in the Gi absolute because he wanted to conserve his energy for the No-Gi competition on Sunday. It turned out to be a good thing because, once again, Philipe cleaned out the competition, taking gold in the No-Gi lightweight division.

Philipe had two No-Gi matches on Sunday. The first saw him take on Osvaldo “Queixinho” Augusto from Gracie Fighter. Philipe won by advantages, but when the buzzer rang, Philipe had taken his back and had a choke in ready to strike. In his second match, the divisional final, Philipe encountered Marcos Torregrosa, who had just defeated Philipe’s teammate Rodrigo Simoes. Philipe ended up winning by points, taking Marcos down and passing his guard in the first minute of the match, then trapping him in his guard. In the end, it was a close match but Philipe held out, winning gold on the day.

Philipe playing guard against Marcos Torregrossa

Philipe likes both Gi and No-Gi but trains more in the Gi. “I train No-Gi once a week,” Philipe says, “I like the stand up part and the takedowns. I’ve come in third place the last three years at the No-Gi Worlds, and I’m hoping to come in first this year.”

Gracie Barra has already started their camp for the No-Gi Worlds and Philipe says he thinks his team will do very well there. Gracie Barra placed first as a team at the American Nationals, so he’s hoping they can do the same at the No-Gi Worlds.

More than the actual act of competing and winning, Philipe really savors the journey of getting to the tournament. “I come here to enjoy myself,” he says,” I love to train, to diet and to prepare myself for a tournament. It makes me feel healthy.”

Celebrating with Gracie Barra teammates

For Philipe personally, he has been focusing more on his role as a professor than he has on being a competitor. He has been competing since he was 13 years old and got his black belt at 20 years of age. Now 26, he has a different focus and passion. “I love to compete,” he says, “I’ve been to all the big tournaments and have been involved in all competitive situations. I’ve won a lot and I’ve lost a lot and I feel like I’ve fulfilled that part of my life. I’m a very competitive person, and I like to win, but my focus is not on winning gold medals anymore. Now, I like to share my competition life with my students and give them whatever they need on and off the mats.”

Philipe doesn’t have the time or the desire to maintain the “competitor lifestyle” that is required to win all the big tournaments but says that he will keep competing and that he will always make sure he’s ready to do his best at every tournament he attends and try to win all of them just the same.

You can find Philipe coaching his students at the upcoming October 15th Gracie Barra CompNet Tournament in Irvine, after which he will compete in the November No-Gi Worlds.

In the first open class match, Caio Terra of Gracie Fighter faced off with Rodrigo Simoes of Gracie Barra. Caio took the match with a foot lock and moved on in the bracket. Next, Matthew Jubera of Ribeiro JJ took on Fabiano “Pega Leve” Scherner of Team Quest. The big man, “Pega Leve”, won the match on points and moved on as well. Then Marco Sharpei took on Pedro Elias of Caique JJ. Sharpei took the honors in that one. Marcelo “Lapela” Mafra took on Fabiano Monteiro of American Top Team and won, rounding out the semifinals bracket.

"Pega Leve" (top) wins his match with Matthew Jubera but cannot continue. Photos by Deb Blyth.

At that point, “Pega Leve”, which means “take it easy” in Portuguese, stepped out of the competition, holding an ice bag on his biceps. He came into the tournament with an injury and his match against Matthew Jubera only exacerbated it. “I put so much pressure on my opponent, I hurt myself,” he laughed.

So, with “Pega Leve” out, that left Sharpei with a bye. “Lapela” and Caio got the next matchup. In his ninth  match of the weekend, Caio went past after “Lapela” was left writhing in pain on the mats after his knee popped out.

So it was Caio and Sharpei in the final. The two fought valiantly for 10 minutes, with Sharpei getting the better of Caio by an advantage point. He hooked Caio’s head and spent about eight minutes trying to pass, getting an advantage for his efforts and taking gold in the process.

As the two walked off the mats laughing, Caio was visibly exhausted and Sharpei was holding his forearm talking about how tight and swollen it was from the strong grip he’d had on Caio’s head the whole time. “It was a tough match,” Caio says, “He’s strong and his pressure was really good. He did a good job making me feel uncomfortable.”

Asked whether he felt like he’d “dodged a bullet” not having to face ultraheavyweight Pega Leve, Sharpei laughed and intimated that it was no better having to deal with his smaller opponent, Caio. “I have not fought either of them before,” he says, “Caio moved really well. It was very hard to pass his guard. I had to use my weight to control the match.”

Sharpei says he came to the American Nationals to prepare for the No-Gi Worlds. He’s already got his training camp underway, which includes: Joao Assis, Lucas Leite, Lapela, Yuri Simoes, and others who have really helped him step up his game. He says the American Nationals was a good experience for him and allowed him to test how the camp is working out. “I faced really good competition today, so it was great  preparation for the Worlds. They were all high-level guys.”

Sharpei, who teaches five times a week in the evenings and then trains every day, got his black belt three years ago. He says he’s making good progress. “I’ve had good moments,” he says, “I fought in the gi and did very well early on in the year but then didn’t do so well. Now, it’s turning around again. I like No-Gi. It has more speed and I do well in it.”

"Sharpei" and co.

Currently, Sharpei is working on his takedowns and his wrestling skills in order to help improve his game. “I have such a good team to help me with this,” he says, “I really want to win the No-Gi Worlds. That’s my goal. I really want it and I’m thankful to the guys in my camp for helping me so much to get there.”

“They say the voice of the crowd is the voice of God. If that is the case, then today I am humbled.” Saulo Ribeiro on double gold win at the American Nationals

No, that was not a 7.0 earthquake shaking the gymnasium at CSU Dominguez Hills on Saturday during the American Nationals Gi Jiu-Jitsu portion of the tournament. It was the crowd erupting when legendary Jiu-Jitsu great Saulo Ribeiro took to the mats for his first match in the Seniors 1 heavyweight division.

Saulo has not competed since 2010, when he won both his division and the absolute at the Masters and Seniors tournament in Brazil. Last December Saulo had three surgeries at once on his shoulder to repair his rotator cuff, his labrum, and to reattach his biceps. But that didn’t stop the fighter, who seemed more machine than man on Saturday.

Saulo concentrating / Photos by Deb Blyth

As Saulo stood stoically in the match area, his body straight, his head looking down at the mats in full concentration, a small voice in the crowd called out, “That’s my coach!” As the crowd pushed against the barricades trying to get a better view of the man who has inspired so many, the referee called a start to the contest.

In his first match, against Rhodisley Rosa Junior of Nova Uniao, Saulo came at Rhodisley like a bull and submitted him in 25 seconds flat. The crowd went crazy cheering, shaking the gym all the way to the rafters.

Saulo took his assigned time to rest and then came back out for the final against Leandro Valdes. Once again, Saulo was focused on his mission. He threw Valdes and then got him in a tight classic choke from the mount that Valdes could not defend, just one-and-a-half minutes into the match. Valdes walked off the mats looking a little dazed. “I fought Saulo six years ago as a purple belt,” he says, “He’s still so tough… he is strong!”

Saulo makes quick work of Leandro Valdes from the mount.

“I feel great,” Saulo says, referring to coming back from such an extensive injury, “It’s a mix of happiness for coming back to the mat. I felt like I was in jail for a year not doing what I love the most. I wasn’t free.”

Saulo has been working a lot, so he didn’t have a lot of time to train for the event. He takes care of his Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu organization, his University of JJ, and his students, for whom he has a clear passion. When he comes to compete, for him it’s just plain fun. “Competing is the true expression of myself and who I am,” he says, “I want to lead by example. Today, I’m here as a soldier to earn points for my team.” Saulo certainly did his part.

Saulo came back out to compete in the absolute, and once again the crowd was on its feet. He had two matches in the open weight class, winning both by submission and making him a double gold medal winner for the day. When asked if he expected to win so seemingly effortlessly and easily at the American Nationals he said, “I expect to push the pace of the fight and bring the best of me. When you expect to win, you open yourself up to frustrations. When you’re happy, you give your best. I’m a hard worker. Today I pushed myself beyond my expectations. I’m happy.”

Although people tell Saulo that he is a warrior, he considers himself more of a slave to the sport. “I love Jiu-Jitsu,” he says, “It’s my passion. My payback is the smile on kids’ faces and how it makes my students better people.”

Saulo, who is now 37 years old, believes you should always just do your best. Winning or losing does not matter, and for him he only fights for his love and passion for the sport. Being off the mats the last year was a real challenge for him. “I always tell people, ‘Jiu-Jitsu cannot be your lover; it has to be your wife.’ You have to take the good and bad moments. If you bring your best to Jiu-Jitsu, it will bring the best back to you.”

While Saulo was competing at the American Nationals, his equally famous brother, Xande, was competing across the pond at the ADCC  in England. “Xande fought today and subbed twice,” Saulo says, “We fight to continue our legacy. We’ve been here for 20 years and we plan on staying.”

Saulo Ribeiro with adoring crowd

Clearly a fan favorite at the American Nationals, Saulo says he doesn’t need motivation to do Jiu-Jitsu. “Everyone is looking at me,” he says, “I need to do my job. I’m always ready to fight and I really respect the competition. If you haven’t trained as hard as I have, it’s going to be a long day for you.”

After being hugged and kissed by the multitude of fans, friends, and students in the crowd, Saulo smiles, “They say the voice of the crowd is the voice of God. If that is the case, then today I am humbled.”

DAY 1: Gi results:

Team placement:
1st Place: BJJ Revolution (This is the 6th time they’ve won this title)
2nd Place: Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu
3rd Place: Gracie Barra

Black belt adult divisional winners:
Light Feather: Caio Terra, Gracie Fighter, defeated Milton Bastos, Paragon
Feather: Osvaldo Queixinho, Gracie Fighter, and Samir Chantre, Gracie Fighter, closed out bracket together with Queixinho taking gold
Light: Philipe Della Monica, Gracie Barra, and Rodrigo Simoes, Gracie Barra, closed out bracket together with Philipe taking gold
Middle: Vitor Henrique, GF Team, defeated Carlos Rodriguez, BJJ Revolution
Medium heavy: Mathew Jubera, Ribeiro JJ, def Raphael Fischetti, Barbosa JJ
Heavy: No one in bracket
Super heavy: Fabio Nascimento, Lotus Club, defeated Alberto Vilanova, Gracie Morumbi
Ultraheavy: Fabiano Scherner, Team Quest, defeated Stephen Hall, Alliance
Brown/black belt female adult divisional winners:
Feather: Tatiana Nascimento, Lotus Club, defeated Tove Sodersten, Alliance
Light: Fabiana Borges, Gracie Barra, defeated Kiri Liao, Ribeiro JJ
Heavy: Emily Wetzel, BJJ Revolution, defeated Luciana Dias, Gracie Humaita

Open results:
Black belt adult: Caio Terra, Gracie Fighter, defeated Vitor Henrique, GF Team
Brown/black female: Emily Wetzel, BJJ Revolution, defeated Fabiana Borges, GB

DAY 2: No-Gi Results:
Team placement:
1st Place: Gracie Barra
2nd Place: BJJ Revolution
3rd Place: Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu

Black belt adult divisional No-Gi winners:
Light Feather: Caio Terra, Gracie Fighter, defeated Milton Bastos, Paragon
Feather: Samir Chantre, Gracie Fighter, defeated Bao Quach, Lotus Club
Light: Philipe Della Monica, Gracie Barra, defeated Marcos Torregrosa, Lloyd Irvin
Middle: Marcelo “Lapela” Mafra defeated Vitor Henrique, GF Team
Medium Heavy: Lucas Leite, CheckMat, defeated Mathew Jubera, Ribeiro JJ
Heavy: No one in the bracket
Superheavy: Fabiano Monteiro, American Top Team (only one in bracket)
Ultraheavy: Fabiano Scherner, Team Quest, defeats Stephen Hall, Alliance
Brown/Black Belt female adult divisional winners:
Light: Ana Maria Soares, BJJ Revolution def Fabiana Borges, Gracie Barra
Heavy: Emily Wetzel, BJJ Revolution (only one in bracket)

Open Results:
Black Belt Adult Male: Marco Sharpei, Checkmat def Caio Terra, Gracie Fighter