Laércio Fernandes attacks Carlos Esquisito’s guard at the 2013 European Open. (Photo by Ivan Trindade/GRACIEMAG.com)

Prior to the 2013 European Open, Lotus Club black belt Laércio Fernandes promised he’d raise the roof in Lisbon. Said and done. In the light featherweight’s first two matches he took the back and finished in style.

In the final, Laércio, the current world runner-up, defeated CheckMat ace Carlos “Esquisito” Holanda by an advantage point.

“He’s strong and technical. That’s why I knew the match would be won on details, and that’s just what happened. He made a mistake and I scored an advantage for a guard pass. I didn’t manage to stabilize the position, as Carlos defended really well,” added Laércio.

“I need to highlight the training camp I did with [Rubens] Cobrinha in Vigo, Spain. It was sensational. At the European Open I did attacking Jiu-Jitsu, and it worked for me. That guard-pass attempt in the final is something I worked on with Cobrinha,” he added.

The professor at Lotus Club also warned that he’s gunning for gold at the Pan next March. And after that, the goal is the Worlds… But what will he be packing up his sleeve to surprise the current light-featherweight world champion, Gui Mendes?

“My next stop will be the Pan. I’m already training hard for the championship in Irvin and I hope to be in good shape when I get there. After that I’ll go to the Worlds, but I’m not thinking only of Guilherme, as I could end up beating him and then losing to someone else, which wouldn’t do me any good. My objective is to prepare to fight well, and that way victory will come naturally. He’s certainly the favorite, being the world champion and all, but there are a lot of tough guys at light featherweight who have what it takes to win,” said the black belt in closing.

Laércio Fernandes ataca a guarda de Carlos Esquisito no Europeu 2013. Foto: Ivan Trindade/GRACIEMAG.com

Antes do Europeu de Jiu-Jitsu 2013, o faixa-preta Laércio Fernandes (Lotus Club) prometeu levantar a galera em Lisboa. Dito e feito. O peso-pluma, em suas duas primeiras lutas, pegou as costas e finalizou com estilo.

Na final, Laércio, atual vice-campeão mundial, venceu Carlos “Esquisito” Holanda (CheckMat) por uma vantagem.

“Ele é forte e técnico, por isso sabia que a luta seria vencida nos detalhes, e foi o que aconteceu. Ele cometeu um erro e fiz a vantagem da passagem de guarda. Acabei não estabilizando a posição pois o Carlos defendeu muito bem”, completou Laércio.

“Tenho que destacar o camp que fiz com o (Rubens) Cobrinha em Vigo, na Espanha. Foi sensacional. No Europeu, fiz um Jiu-Jitsu ofensivo e deu certo. Essa tentativa de passagem de guarda da final treinei com o Cobrinha”, completou.

O professor da Lotus Club já avisou que vai buscar o ouro no Pan, em março. E, depois, a meta é o Mundial… Mas o que ele vai preparar para surpreender o atual campeão dos plumas, Gui Mendes?

“Minha próxima parada será o Pan. Já estou treinando forte para o campeonato em Irvine e espero chegar bem. Depois vou ao Mundial, mas não penso somente no Guilherme, pois pode acontecer de eu ganhar dele e perder para outro, e assim eu continuaria na mesma. Meu objetivo é me preparar para lutar bem, e assim a vitória virá naturalmente. Ele certamente é o favorito pois é o atual campeão mundial, mas no pluma tem muito cara bom, que também têm condições de vencer”, concluiu a fera.

Caio Terra. Photo: Alicia Anthony

“I was better off than Esquisito the whole match and I clearly won. What the judges did to me was a complete lack of attention,” says Caio in protest. “All you have to do is watch the match to draw that conclusion,” says the fighter, who complains of two points not being rewarded for a reversal against Esquisito. (Judge for yourself by watching the video below).

“I still would have won were it not for the last two points the judges handed him, which wouldn’t even have happened if they had gotten the scoring right because I wouldn’t have had to take that risk. And, even so, I also disagree with the points they awarded Esquisito,” he says in closing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WelFl8NEyqY