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After shining in the absolute, Monique received her black belt from the hands of Mario Reis. Photo: Erin Herle / GRACIEMAG

Monique Elias nearly had a perfect performance at the World 2014, with seven fights, seven wins and six submissions. The Student and wife of world champion Mario Reis, Monique shone at the light heavyweight and absolute brown belt, and was crowned with two respected IBJJF medals and deserved the new black belt.

There was not an unexpected result, as Monique keeps wining big since the blue belt when she also took the weight and absolute divisions, in 2012.

Happy with her victories and the new graduation, the Alliance Star talked about the Worlds campaign in 2014, analyzed her victory over Dominyka Obelenyte at the end of the open class and commented the lessons she absorbed from her experience in the tournament.

GRACIEMAG: Monique, how you define your campaign in the Worlds 2014?

MONIQUE ELIAS: I think it was the best tournament of my life. I fought seven matches and finished six. I felt pretty good in my head and the techniques came naturally. I was strong and fit. I have so much to thank my teachers and my trainer Zaccani Wagner, who has done an extensive work with me. I’ve learned throughout my career that to be a champion you have to earn it, you gotta work hard for it. My ankle was injured before the Worlds so I suffered to endure training while feeling pain. I had to go over my cry and let my body ready. This really helped prepare my mind. Before getting on the mat I talked to myself: “No one has suffered more than you to be here!” My victory confirmed that thought.

What did you do to defeat Ashley Easton, at the final match for the light heavyweight tittle?

I finished with a triangle choke, a move that Mario adjusted with me at the last Brazilian Nationals. Thus, using these adjustments he passed me I had success in the fight.

In the Absolute division, you won gold again. And in the end, you fought your teammate Dominyka Obelenyte. Are you against making agreements in the finals?

We face each other since the purple belt, which was the first time we met in a final match. I’m actually not against it; I think there are different scenarios. In our case, we have never trained together and we did not participated in the same training camp together. We only belong to the same team. I think it’s cool to have her as my partner. Dominyka is an athlete, I know that if I do not reach the finals, she will be there and it ensures points for the team. She is the toughest opponent I’ve ever had. Because she is my partner, I only face her in the finals. For example, people who train together and go to training camps together, if they reach the finals, I do not think it’s cool for them to fight each other; the person who helped you to be there. It is a victory for both of them.

How did you beat Dominyka at the Absolute?

As always it was a tense final. I pulled guard and she tried to pass. I got a straight foot lock; she weighed her hip to defend and we stayed there for five minutes. Then I got away from her hip and tried to sweep in every way I tough it was possible, but I could not do anything, not even an advantage. The fight ended in 0-0 and my victory came from the judges. It was exciting for me to be once more a champion in my weight class and the Absolute division. I got this done in all my belts up to the brown. I hope to be able to also realize this dream in my new phase, now as a black belt.

Roger Gracie will fight again in Asia, and may return to the UFC with two good wins. Photo: Strikeforce

Without renewing his contract with the UFC after a decision loss to Tim Kennedy last July 6, Roger Gracie, 31, is closer to One FC, an organization based in Singapore.

He, who had a good first round before losing stamina following a 15 kg drop in weight for the bout, should now return to his home, the light heavyweight division (under 93kg).

“In the next fight he will return among the light heavyweights,” said Jorge “Joinha” Guimarães, in a conversation with Brazilian news portal R7. “I talked to Dana White and Joe Silva, and it was agreed that, if he wins two fights, he’s back to the UFC. Even so, we are closing with One FC, where he will not be bound by the contract,” said the manager.

Changes around Roger do not stop there. The Gracie should spend more time during the year in Los Angeles to train with Lyoto Machida, Glover Teixeira and other athletes of Black House MMA.

The three-time world absolute Jiu-Jitsu champion talked to GRACIEMAG about the new direction, and dismissed the possibility of returning to competitive BJJ: “I knew, even before my fight with Tim Kennedy, that it was my last fight under that contract (there was only one fight left in my old Strikeforce deal). I knew, therefore, that there was nothing certain after that bout. But I did not get where I am in Jiu-Jitsu only with victories. I did not achieve all I did in the gi by winning every fight, and I did not win ten world titles at black
belt without losing any fights. Now I have decided to devote myself to MMA, and that’s what I will do till the end of my career. No matter where I fight or for what promotion. I train to be number one. That defeat at UFC 162 was just a setback; a lot has yet to happen,” Roger assured us.

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