Lúcio Lagarto em ação na final do Europeu 2017. Foto: Max Rose-Fyne

Aos 36 anos, após longa jornada nas competições da IBJJF, Lúcio Lagarto fecha um ciclo no Jiu-Jitsu. O anúncio veio silencioso, após conquistar a prata no Europeu de 2017, no último domingo, dia 22. Joelhos no tatame, faixa-preta estendida à sua frente e uma reverência. Assim, Lagarto dizia que encerrava sua participação como adulto nos torneios de Jiu-Jitsu.

O torneio em 2017 lhe reservou a prata, após final contra Mahamed Aly. Contudo, o caminho da fera foi proveitoso durante a carreira. Nos Europeus, por exemplo, Lagarto tem no currículo a conquista de peso e e absoluto na primeira edição do evento, em 2004, seu primeiro ano como faixa-preta. Com quatro títulos no torneio, o mais recente veio em 2015, porém o mais especial certamente foi o de 2011, após vencer a maior de suas batalhas.

Lagarto foi diagnosticado com câncer em 2007, e lhe foi dito que o mesmo não poderia mais praticar ou competir no Jiu-Jitsu. A fera nadou contra a corrente, se recuperou e em 2011 foi campeão superpesado no Europeu, ao bater o campeão mundial Rafael Lovato na final.

Por essas e outras, o querido Lagarto deixa seu posto no adulto com a certeza de missão cumprida. Relembre abaixo a conquista de Lagarto em 2011 e deixe nos comentários a sua mensagem para o professor da Gracie Barra.

Alexander Trans works to open Lagarto’s closed guard at 2013 IBJJF European Open / Photo by Ivan Trindade

Black belt Alexander Trans has always been a force at the IBJJF European Open in Lisbon, Portugal. Since 2010 he has accumulated six gold medals, at least one each year and at three different belts.

From Copenhagen, Denmark, he travels the world competing and accomplishing titles in the ultra heavyweight division for his Checkmat team. At the 2013 European Open last month he won his division and placed third in the absolute. In the process he conquered names like Lucio “Lagarto” Leonardo Nogueira and Rodrigo “Cavaca.”

We asked him questions regarding his specific matches with Leonardo Nogueira, Cavaca and his future plans:

You had two fights against Leo Nogueira in Lisbon. First he choked you from the back but in the second match you swept and passed his guard to win. Why do you think the two outcomes were so different from each other?

I think they were so different because when I fought him on Saturday I was completely exhausted. I didn’t eat well during the day, my matches started a lot later than I had expected, and then after my fight with Lagarto, that was extremely hard. I didn’t have any energy left and was feeling really dizzy. But that’s my own fault, and my own responsibility, so it’s not an excuse just my thoughts about what happened. I could tell that he felt I was weak too and so he went after me from the start. But he was on his day, and he felt really strong. I just would have liked to have made a better performance, because that wasn’t me in there.

I just would have liked to have made a better performance, because that wasn’t me in there.

Leo Nogueira told GRACIEMAG that he controlled the whole match on Sunday and that you fought for only 30 seconds to win. Do you agree with that? Why?

I don’t know if I agree that lying on bottom in closed guard necessarily is the same as controlling the fight. I felt like I was trying actively to open his guard, and I actually got swept because I was taking a risk trying to open it. But when he swept he was obviously in control of the fight. I think I swept with a minute left, so I guess I controlled the last minute of the fight and he controlled the part from where he swept, until I swept. But I do agree that I only swept him and passed his guard because he made a mistake trying to pass my guard, and another mistake when he landed on bottom. I think the same goes the other way around, too. He swept me because I made a mistake trying to open his guard, but that’s kind of how it is you know? If I just sat in his closed guard with both hands on his collars, I think he would have had a hard time sweeping me too, but then we would be sitting there for 10 minutes. But it was a tough match, he’s very strong, and he’s in a really good phase. I was happy to get the chance to fight him.

You had some amazing results as a brown belt but struggled a bit when you came to the black belt division. Could the title in Lisbon mean that Trans is now a serious contender in the category?

For me, nothing’s changed. I’ll just keep concentrating on training hard everyday, and doing my best everytime I fight. I don’t have any expectations, I’ll just do my best as always.

The ultra-heavyweight final was against one of CheckMat’s leaders, Rodrigo Cavaca. Was it strange for you to compete against him since you are on the same team?

No it was normal. We’ve never trained together. It would have been strange for us not to fight. I would never fight a good friend and training partner, but for the sake of the sport, I think people should fight when its possible. I prefer fighting people from other teams, but on the other side, its good for the team that its two CheckMat guys doing the final.

In the final against Cavaca you also got the pass in the last seconds. Is that something you planned or it just happened?

No not at all, I was trying to open his guard but he controlled my posture really well. He’s really strong, especially in his legs, and very flexible. He had a good strategy, trying to keep me in the closed guard and getting advantages without opening the legs. I think sometimes the judges should give stalling calls for the guy on bottom in closed guard too, if he doesn’t open his legs, and not just for the guy on top  if he can’t open the guard. I got two minus-points that I didn’t really understand. I was told after that one was for tying my belt when my gi was pulled off, and then I took a risk trying to open his guard and it worked out. Then I spent about a minute trying to put pressure to get to half guard, and from there I managed to pass.

Where will you compete next and what else is currently on your agenda besides training?

I’m going to fight the Pan, and after that I’ll travel to Brazil to train, and do the Brasileiro and the Mundial. I would like to thank my sponsors, Keiko, Knockoutsports.dk, and Workout Copacabana, and to my team and my family for supporting me.

Braga Neto é uma das feras no GP dos Pesados da Copa Pódio.. Foto: Dan Rod.

Recuperado de uma lesão no joelho, o faixa-preta Antonio Braga Neto (Gordo JJ) está com os treinos a todo vapor na academia de seu professor, no Rio de Janeiro, para tentar surpreender os favoritos na Copa Pódio.

Para Braga Neto, há outros lutadores com mais ritmo para vencer o GP dos Pesados, no dia 13 de janeiro, mas ele tem um diferencial interessante.

“O bom é que não tenho jogo definido. Gosto é de finalizar, por baixo ou por cima. Gosto de sentir os três tapinhas”, disse ele, em papo com o GRACIEMAG.com.

GRACIEMAG: Seu grupo tem Lucio Lagarto, Bruno Bastos, Alexandre Souza e o faixa-marrom João Gabriel. Alguém te preocupa mais?

BRAGA NETO: Rapaz, acho que todos têm condições de ganhar. O meu grupo está forte mesmo. No meu ponto de vista, o Lucio Lagarto e o Alexandre Souza são os favoritos para avançar para a próxima fase.

E quem você vê forte na disputa para levar o caneco do GP dos Pesados?

Os nomes mais fortes para mim ficaram no outro grupo: Xande Ribeiro e Rodolfo Vieira.

Como está o joelho?

Pois é, venho de uma cirurgia no joelho, fiquei me recuperando em Porto Velho, Rondônia. Lá fiz minha fisioterapia e fortalecimento na Companhia do Movimento. Meus treinos começaram há cerca de um mês, já estou no Rio treinando com o meu professor Roberto Gordo. Estou treinando bem, estou me preparando para todas as situações, para passar ou fazer guarda. Venho de um período difícil de lesão, então voltar logo no GP dos Pesados, um evento que valoriza os craques do Jiu-Jitsu, é ótimo. Então todos podem esperar um Braga Neto dando o seu melhor.

Seus oponentes têm estilos bem diferentes. Como você treina para anular o jogo deles?

Para mim é simples lutar com qualquer pessoa, pois eu não tenho um jogo fixo – eu busco sempre a finalização, não importa de que jeito. Gosto de sentir os três tapinhas!

O que muda num combate com duração de seis minutos?

Acho que a estratégia e a explosão são as principais ferramentas, os aspectos que ajudam bastante nessas regras. É preciso também ficar atento para não perder posição, isso será o grande diferencial.

Braga Neto is one of the aces on tap at the Copa Pódio Heavyweight GP. (Photo by Dan Rod)

Having recouped an injured knee, Gordo JJ black belt Antonio Braga Neto is now training balls to the wall at his master’s Rio de Janeiro academy, in hopes of ousting the favorites at the upcoming Copa Pódio event.

To Braga Neto, there are other fighters in the Jan. 13 Heavyweight GP who are at a better competition; still he feels he has an interesting difference going for him.

“The good part is that I don’t have a set game plan. What I like is getting the finish, whether on bottom or top. I like to feel them tapping out,” Braga told GRACIEMAG.com.

GRACIEMAG: Your group includes Lucio Lagarto, Bruno Bastos, Alexandre Souza and the brown belt João Gabriel. Does anyone concern you more than the others?

BRAGA NETO: Man, I feel they all have what it takes to win. My group is really deep. From my point of view Lucio Lagarto and Alexandre Souza are favorites to go through to the next phase.

The strongest names from the other group to me are Xande Ribeiro and Rodolfo Vieira.

How’s your knee?

Right, well I’m coming off knee surgery. I went through recovery in Porto Velho, Rondônio [Brazil]. There I did physiotherapy and strength work at Companhia do Movimento. I started training again about a month ago. I’m already in Rio training with my coach Roberto Gordo. I’m training well. I’m preparing myself for everything, to pass or play guard. I went through a rough period of injuries, so heading straight into the Heayvweight GP, an event that values Jiu-Jitsu aces, is great. So everyone can expect to see a Braga Neto giving his best.

Your opponents have different styles. What are you doing in training to neutralize their games?

To me fighting anyone is simple, since I don’t have a set game plan—I go for the finish; it doesn’t matter how I get it. I like to feel them tap out!

What changes with a six-minute match duration?

I feel that strategy and explosiveness are the main tools, the aspects that help a lot under these rules. You also need to make sure not to lose positions—that’s a big differentiating factor.

Lucio Lagarto é uma das feras no GP dos Pesados da Copa Pódio. Foto: Ivan Trindade/ GRACIEMAG

Na reta final dos treinos para o GP dos Pesados da Copa Pódio, que ocorre no dia 13 de janeiro, Lucio Rodrigues, o Lagarto, não vê a hora de cair dentro do dojô do Clube Hebraica, no Rio de Janeiro.

O experiente faixa-preta da Gracie Barra está no grupo verde, ao lado de Bruno Bastos, Antonio Braga Neto, Alexandre Souza e o faixa-marrom João Gabriel.

Ele falou ao GRACIEMAG.com sobre seus treinos e mostrou confiança: “Se eu precisasse apontar um favorito ao título do GP, seria eu mesmo!”

Para assistir à Copa Pódio pela internet, clique aqui.

GRACIEMAG: Como você está se preparando para as lutas de seis minutos da Copa Pódio?

LUCIO LAGARTO: Uma luta de seis minutos não permite muitas falhas, é preciso desenvolver o jogo de forma inteligente. Obviamente, quem errar menos deve prevalecer. Meus treinos estão irados, só treino duro e todos os meus companheiros são altamente competentes. Eu, particularmente, estou focando de tudo um pouco, tanto guarda como passagem, de forma bem completa. Agora é realmente esperar o dia 13, eu acredito ter muitas surpresas para mostrar ao pessoal. Os treinos vão continuar pesados e disciplinados, além de uma alimentação que tem de estar de acordo.

Como você avalia seu grupo?

O campeonato só tem fera, e não apenas no meu grupo. Não tem para onde correr, e essa é a ideia principal. Sinceramente, não vejo a hora de começar a brincadeira!

Quem é o favorito ao título, na sua visão?

Cara, é difícil apontar um favorito, se eu fosse apontar seria eu mesmo (risos)! Estou amarradão, e me sentindo 100% para a disputa. O que podem esperar de mim, fatalmente, é um Jiu-Jitsu pronto para qualquer situação, pronto para ótimos resultados.

Os grupos em disputa no GP dos Pesados da Copa Pódio. Foto: Gustavo Aragão/ GRACIEMAG

Lucio Lagarto is one of the aces in the Copa Pódio Heavyweight GP. (Photo by Ivan Trindade/ GRACIEMAG)

Now in the final stretch of training for his Jan. 13 challenge at the Copa Pódio Heavyweight GP, Lucio “Lagarto” Rodrigues can’t wait to hit the mats at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s Clube Hebraica arena.

The seasoned Gracie Barra black belt is in the Green Group alongside his black belt counterparts Bruno Bastos, Antonio Braga Neto, Alexandre Souza and brown belt João Gabriel.

And in a recent chat he had with GRACIEMAG.com about training, he came off as plenty confident in himself: “If I were to point out a favorite to win the GP title, it would be me!”

To watch the Copa Pódio event over the internet, click here.

GRACIEMAG: What are you doing to prepare for the six-minute matches at Copa Pódio?

LUCIO LAGARTO: A six-minute match means you can’t make mistakes. You have to be intelligent about the game plan. Obviously, the one to make the least mistakes will prevail. My training has been going great, though. I only train hard, and all my training partners are highly competent. Me in particular, I’ve been focused on a bit of everything, both guard playing and passing in an all-around way. Now I just have to wait till the 13th. I believe I have a lot of surprises to show everyone. I’m still training hard and disciplined, not to mention that my diet is going accordingly.

What’s your take on your group?

There’s nothing but aces in the whole championship, not just in my group. There’s nowhere to run, and that’s the idea behind the thing. Sincerely, I can’t wait till the fun begins!

Who, in your view, is the favorite to take the title?

Man, it’s hard to point out a favorite. If I had to, I’d say it’s me (laughs)! I’m stoked and feeling 100% for this competition. What everyone can expect from me is Jiu-Jitsu that can handle any situation, that’s ready to bring in great results.

The Copa Pódio Heavyweight GP brackets (photo by Gustavo Aragão/ GRACIEMAG).

Keenan submits an opponent at the 2012 No-Gi World Championships / Photo by Erin Herle

Originally, Keenan Cornelius from Team Lloyd Irvin was planned to have a superfight with fellow brown belt champion, Felipe Pena in the Copa Podio 2013 Heavyweight Grand Prix event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Due to interferences with the Lloyd Irvin BJJ Kumite tournament on Keenan’s home turf this month, the superfight was cancelled.

With some new arrangements, however, the brown belt ace will now be attending for sure as a member of the yellow team. This tournament is designed for heavyweights, a small jump in weight for Keenan who resided in the middle weight category for most of this year. 

Top of the podium at the 2012 Abu Dhabi World Cup Trials New York

He is no stranger to absolute divisions as he conquered all of which he entered on his way to becoming the 2012 Grand Slam Champion, weight and absolute. He further showcased his abilities to match with heavier opponents at the 2012 Abu Dhabi World Pro Cup Trials in New York back in October as he won the -92kg brown/black belt division as well as placing third in the heavy absolute (+92 kg). In his path, he defeated world champion Roberto “Tussa” Alencar who is a native to the heavyweight divisions as well as champion of numerous absolutes.

Keenan shows no hesitation in his search for gold medals as a full-time medal chaser at the Team Lloyd Irvin Headquarters in Camp Springs, MD by his willingness to go against the top guys in the world, whatever weight they may be. When asked how he was approaching this event he told GRACIEMAG.com, “Go big or go home.”

In terms of  the Copa Podio Jiu-Jitsu event next month, Keenan is set to be included in a pool with Rodolfo Vieira, Leonardo Nogueira, Alexandre Ceconi and Xande Ribeiro. His first match is against Leonardo Nogueira of team Alliance, current super heavyweight world champion. In the green group, there is Alexandre Souza, Antonio Braga Neto, Lucio Lagarto, Bruno Bastos and Joao Gabriel Rocha.

If you are impressed by Keenan’s invite, his coach Lloyd Irvin, Jr can explain why you should be. From his facebook, he writes:

“This kid Keenan Cornelius is living the BJJ DREAM, 2 years ago no one knew who he was, he wasn’t winning anything, then in 2012 he became the first person to double grand slam ever and next month he will be competing against some of the absolute best black belts in BJJ today! WOW what a ride. Who else goes from not winning any purple belt tournaments to competing against Rodolfo Vieira & Xande in 2 years. Keenan has been added to the BIG BOY tournament”

To know more about the Copa Podio taking place January 13, please visit: www.copapodio.com

Lagarto at the 2011 European Championships winning his weight division. Photo by Ivan Trindade

One of the black belt divisions at the 2012 IBJJF Long Beach Open currently lists one of the best competitors in the super-heavy division on its roster. Lucio “Lagarto” Rodrigues is a known name in the United Kingdom where he resides as well as his home country Brazil, however his lack of presence in American competitions has limited his exposure and recognition. After overcoming Hodgkin’s Disease, a lymphatic cancer, in 2007 he came back to training after one month of chemotherapy and began competing shortly after completing his treatment. In 2011 he had a great run as the 2011 European weight division champion, Abu Dhabi World Pro Trials weight division and absolute champion and Abu Dhabi World Pro Cup division champion winning over some of the top names in the sport today like Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida, Leonardo Nogueira and others. Looking to further his winning streak, he had planned to attend the 2011 World Championships in Long Beach, CA however was unable to obtain a visa for the trip.

Lucio “Lagarto” Rodrigues on the podium at the 2011 Abu Dhabi World Pro Cup

Now, he has high hopes that he will be able to get to the states for the 2012 IBJJF Long Beach Fall Open on December 8 at the esteemed Long Beach Walter Pyramid  as he his applying for his visa and will know the results shortly. The Long Beach Open is the last chance for athletes to win a gold before the year ends and for Lagarto, it’s also a chance to win $5,000.

The IBJJ Pro League, which is happening the night of the Long Beach Open, is an invitation only event that combines the weight classes down to 4 separate categories with cash prizes for first and second place. The brackets have been filled except for the spots available for those who win their weight divisions at the Long Beach Open earlier in the day on December 8. Currently Lagarto is the only person in his division, ensuring his spot into the Pro League brackets along with Bruno Bastos, Gustavo Pires and Roberto “Tussa” Alencar to name a few.

In this chat with Lagarto, he speaks to GRACIEMAG.com about his eagerly awaited result of his visa application as well as his excitement towards finally competing in the U.S.:

How is your preparation going?
I’m currently in Liverpool waiting for my visa to be stamped. I find out tomorrow if I am able to get the visa for my trip to the Long Beach Fall Open. I’ve never been to America. The last time I was able to compete in the biggest tournaments was when the World Championships were in Brazil, but I haven’t seen them since it moved to the states. Other than that, I am teaching and training with Victor Estima and other Gracie Barra guys.

Lucio “Lagarto” Rodrigues against Leonardo Nogueira at 2011 European Championships

If you make it into the Pro League, how do you feel about competing against the athletes that are confirmed already like Bruno Bastos?
I have fought Bruno Bastos a hundred times! Back in Brazil we always used to fight because he is in my weight division. A lot of the guys who are the best guys in the world are people I have competed against or defeated before. But I am not very known because I have never competed in the states at the Pan Ams and the Worlds. So, because I can’t go there, I have to hunt them down elsewhere, haha!

Do you think coming to the Long Beach Open and participating in the IBJJ Pro League will help you get the recognition you deserve?
I don’t really care about having a big name but I want to be remembered and I want to be a good influence for my students. I think the people today have a very short memory because they don’t remember all of the big names in the past. I have students who have no idea who the top guys were some six to eight years ago! I want to believe that after I die I will have been remembered for everything I did and that people won’t forget about me. I beat cancer and I came back and won one of the biggest tournaments in the world. I want to be remembered as an inspirational person.

If you have not registered yet for the 2012 IBJJF Long Beach Open you can still confirm your spot! Don’t forget to do so; you have until Friday, November 30 to sign up. Go to www.ibjjf.org to register. Don’t miss the last chance of the year to put your competition gi to use!