The second edition of the Copa Podio Heavyweight Grand Prix will air from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Feb. 1 via livestream. The schedule has now been released for the event and you can purchase the livestream online ahead of time.

Here is how the day will tentatively unfold:

SCHEDULE (LOCAL TIME IN LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK)

11 AM PST / 2 PM EST – GYMNASIUM GATES OPEN

12 AM PST / 3 PM EST –  CITY CHALLENGE

Magid Hage (San Diego) x Franco Marini (Buenos Aires)

1 PM PST / 4 PM EST – 1st ROUND GP

(Green)      Luiz Panza X Tim Spriggs

(Green)     Rico Bastos X Travis Stevens

(Yellow) Rodolfo Vieira X Alexandre Souza

(Yellow) Alan Belcher x Faisal Alkitbe

1:40 PM PST / 4:40 PM EST – 2nd ROUND GP

(Green) Rico Bastos X Luiz Panza

(Green) Leo Nogueira X Tim Spriggs

(Yellow) Rodolfo Vieira X Faisal Alkitbe

(Yellow) Alexandre Souza X Leandro Lo

2:20 PM PST / 5:20 PM EST – 3rd ROUND GP

(Green) Leo Nogueira X Rico Bastos

(Green) Travis Stevens X Luiz Panza

(Yellow) Leandro Lo X Faisal Alkitbe

(Yellow) Alan Belcher X   Rodolfo Vieira

3 PM PST / 6 PM EST – 4th ROUND GP

(Green) Travis Stevens X  Leo Nogueira

(Green) Tim Spriggs X Rico Bastos

(Yellow) Leandro Lo X Alan Belcher

(Yellow) Faisal Alkitbe X Alexandre Souza

3:40 PM PST / 6:40 PM EST – 5th ROUND GP

(Green) Tim Spriggs X Travis Stevens

(Green) Luiz Panza           X Leo Nogueira

(Yellow) Alexandre Souza X Alan Belcher

(Yellow) Rodolfo Vieira X Leandro Lo

4:40 PM PST / 7:40 PM EST – SEMI-FINALS

(Match 1) 1st  Green Group X 2nd Yellow Group

(Match 2) 1st  Yellow Group X 2nd Green Group

5 PM PST / 8 PM EST – SPECIAL MATCH                                                             

Felipe Preguiça X Guto Campos

5:15 PM PST / 8:15 PM EST FINALS

(3rd PLACE) Loser Match 1          X  Loser Match 2

(GREAT FINAL) Winner Match 1 X Winner Match 2

You can purchase the livestream at www.copapodio.com

The second edition of the Copa Podio Heavyweight Grand Prix will be on Feb. 1 in Rio de Janeiro, BR.

The next event for Copa Podio is the second season of the Heavyweight Grand Prix set for Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. local time in Rio de Janeiro, BR. The organization released the roster today which includes a variety of competitors from all different places, experience levels, backgrounds, professions and styles.

There are Americans, an Emirati, black belt world champions, a UFC fighter, a Judo Olympian, brown belts and lots of talent.

The ten athletes for the Copa Podio Heavyweight Grand Prix.

Rodolfo Vieira and Leandro Lo are the big features of the event but there are enough wild cards that can stir up the pot.

Tomorrow, Jan. 7, the names will be decided for both yellow and green groups. Each competitor will face every other competitor in their own group to gain points. A win via submission earns four points, a win via points earns three points, a draw earns one point for each and a defeat zero. The final tally will bring together the first place of one group against the second place of the other group. In the event of a tie in points, whoever completed more submission finishes will move on.

Another part of the event is the city challenge in which Magid Hage of San Diego, CA will face Franco Marini of Buenos Aires in a match with no time limit. Also, Felipe Preguica will face Guto Campos in a special match.

For more information and livestream purchases, go to www.copapodio.com

February 1, 2014.
Rio de Janeiro
Live stream – www.copapodio.com
01:00 pm (Los Angeles)
04:00 pm (New York)
09:00 pm (London)

CITY CHALLENGE:

San Diego (Magid Hage)  vs. Buenos Aires (Franco Marini)

HEAVYWEIGHT GRAND PRIX (over 189.6 lbs)

Alan Belcher (USA)

Alexandre de Souza (Brazil)

Faisal Alkitbe (United Arab Emirates)

Leandro Lo (Brazil)

Léo Nogueira (Brazil)

Luiz Panza (Brazil)

Tim Spriggs (USA)

Travis Stevens (USA)

Rico Bastos (Brazil)

Rodolfo Vieira (Brazil)

SPECIAL MATCH:

Felipe Preguiça (Gracie Barra BH) vs Guto Campos (Atos)

Here is the information for the Copa Podio Heavyweight Grand Prix 2014

Club Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014

Challenge of Cities:

Magid Hage (San Diego) x Franco Marini (Buenos Aires); fight will have no points or time limit, submission only.

Athletes in the Grand Prix to 98kg:

Rodolfo Vieira (GFTeam)

Leandro Lo (Cicero Costha)

Leonardo Nogueira (Alliance)

Alexandre Souza (AS Team)

Ricardo Bastos (Nova União )

Luiz Panza (Barbosa )

Tim Spriggs (Team Lloyd Irvin)

Faisal Al – Kitbe (UAEJJ )

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Special Fight:

Felipe Pena (Gracie Barra) x Guto Campos (Atos / Guetho)

João Gabriel celebrates his victory in Long Beach. Photo: Dan Rod

Brown belt absolute world champion, João Gabriel Rocha received his black belt in the beginning of the year, during the Heavyweight Grand Prix of Copa Pódio. Now the ace of Soul Fighters prepares to make his debut at the maximum degree, in the WPJJC Abu Dhabi, on April 13 and 14.

Leandro Escobar’s pupil talked to GracieMag.com about his training and the expectation to fight among big names in the desert of the Emirates. Check this out.

GracieMag: How do you feel about debuting in Abu Dhabi?

JOÃO GABRIEL: I’m excited. After all, it will be my first time fighting in Abu Dhabi and also my first tournament as a black belt. It will be fun.

What has changed in your training?

The main change has been the pace, which is a mile per minute thanks to coach Andre Nobrega. My Jiu-Jitsu training is in the hands of Leandro Escobar. I workout in the morning and train in the afternoon and in the evening – an average of six hours of training a day.

What do you expect to find in the black belt division?

In the black belt division, there’s nowhere to run. So I especially trained how to escape from tricky situations like with the guy passing my guard or on my back. Jiu-Jitsu is trying to get comfortable in all situations, and that’s what I try to do. I’ve got a lot of guts and will to win my place. I want to do everything I did at the other belts and now is the time to show my worth and I will fight hard for it. I do not promise titles, but I can promise a lot of willingness to win. Now is the time when the child cries and the mother doesn’t hear (laughs).

What does it take to be a good black belt?

Focusing on what you do, and a lot of love, too. If you have those two things, you get where you want, both in Jiu-Jitsu and in life.