Samir Chantre is another black belt ready for the 2014 World Championship. Going for the featherweight gold medal this weekend, Samir is a Caio Terra Association black belt who has much competition experience.

Graciemag spoke with the black belt on his training, Caio Terra’s status and the submission-only formats for tournaments:

GRACIEMAG: How is your training going for this years worlds? Are you doing anything different this year to prepare than in previous years?

SAMIR CHANTRE: Training has been amazing. It’s been a very busy season for me with a lot of tournaments lined up so I’ve been training a lot non stop. For Worlds, like we always do prior to the major tournaments, we are having our camp at the Institute of Martial Arts with a lot of good guys to train and led by Caio.
One thing I’m doing different is conditioning training that I never did before. Alan Moraes, my first instructor back in Brazil, is the one that is taking care of my conditioning training, sending me my training all the way from Brazil. It has been amazing and I’m feeling great and most importantly, I’m injure-free even with all this hard training.

You recently fought in Metamoris. How was that experience and do you prefer that style of matches vs IBJJF?

It was a really good experience. I felt a lot of pressure and to be honest that was my biggest challenge on that night. Afterwards I felt I could have done much better… It wasn’t myself up there..
Comparing both styles, Metamoris and IBJJF, I like submission-only a lot but we can’t have tournaments for everyone in this style. Imagine a 3000-competitor tournament with sub-only? So I think one compliments the other.

A lot of people are talking about Caio as he did not defend his Pan title and isn’t defending his Worlds title this year. How is his health and do you think he will compete again?

I’m sure he will compete again and that’s what I pray for! But I think right now is not the best time. We spoke a lot last week because he was struggling himself to train so he could fight, but he is not well… A couple of days he had to stop training because he was feeling really bad, the other day he couldn’t even finish teaching a class..
Right now is time for him to recover, start thinking about his future. Better to see him out this year but healthier and stronger for the next season.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I want to thank my sponsor CTRL Industries for all the support for all these years. Also I would like to say that CTA will go very strong for this year’s Worlds. Caio may be out from fighting but he will be there to coach us and we will do our best to make him win as a coach instead! He deserves it! We will be fighting not only for ourselves but for him too!

Gabriel Moraes (in white) is the light featherweight world champion of 2013. Photo: Ivan Trindade.

Veteran black belt competitor Gabriel Moraes hadn’t won at the BJJ Worlds since 2004. With his 2013 title, he is now the black belt with the furthest apart gold medals in history. (Gabriel Vella had the old record with wins in 2002 and 2009.) However, it was not through this hiatus that the CheckMat fighter proved his persistence. In his fights at the Worlds last weekend, he would never give up until he heard the whistle. On Sunday, Gabriel had to hack away until the very end to sweep Gabriel Willcox and beat him, 6-4.

In the semifinal he came across Daniel Beleza, who had knocked out Gui Mendes in a decision. Once again, victory came only with the last move, and he wasn’t even sure until he left the fighting area. “All I know is I was losing and then I kept pressing and pressing–I have no idea how I won or how I got the advantages,” he smiled.

Ary Farias’ drama

In the final, Gabriel did all he could to stop 2010 champ Ary Farias from scoring. Ary went to the back, Gabriel defended. Ary tried to catch a limb, Gabriel freed himself. And the fight went on tied with no points, Ary leading in advantages. The whistle blew and Ary was the champion for the next couple of seconds. That was when his emotions betrayed him and he took his two fateful steps toward the podium. The rule, although new, is very clear: The athlete that leaves the fighting area to celebrate will be punished with one advantage being given to their opponent.

Referee Muzio de Angelis had no choice but to grant Gabriel an advantage, thus changing the score to a draw in advantages, except Gabriel had one less penalty and had just become the world champion.

Devastated with the turn of events, Ary said of the lost title, “I fight five times against those lions, beat the toughest men in the division, and then this happens.”

GRACIEMAG.com was present in Hollywood, CA on Saturday for a noon No-Gi training session with Paragon’s Milton Bastos. A light featherweight champion in No-Gi as well as a long-time wrestler, Milton has many moves to show sans kimono.

He normally teaches with his professor, Ricardo “Franjinha” Miller in Ventura, CA but travels along the coast often as a substitute teacher of sorts. This time he found himself at the academy located most south of headquarters, giving you an exclusive look at an old school technique.

Here, Milton teaches a guard pass when you have taken your opponent down, or are entering their guard, and you are locked in half guard. This type of pass is used when your opponent is very strong.

Bantamweight Bibiano Fernandes on bottom against Gustavo Falciroli in One FC 5 main event / Photo: ONE Fighting Championship

A little guy with a massive arsenal of techniques, Bibiano Fernandes, 32, was overjoyed after winning a unanimous decision over his countryman Gustavo Falciroli in the One FC 5 main event last August 31 in the Philippines.

Besides a round of applause from the crowd and the promoters, the Amazonas State native got a hearty embrace from his old black belt chums Renzo, Rolls, Igor, Gregor and Roger Gracie. “Renzo caught up with me and said that I’m one of the most beloved Jiu-Jitsu guys around, that there isn’t anyone who doesn’t like me… Can you imagine that?” said the three-time World Championship-winning light featherweight (2003/05/06) with a chuckle.

In a conversation with Roger, Bibiano was asked about a special move he used early on in the third round, when “The Flash” got hit with a takedown and, woosh, he materialized on his opponent’s back. Check out the move, starting at 16:30 in the following video.

“I explained to Roger that I learned that one in wrestling training in Canada. I plant my foot and pretend I’m falling, and the guy thinks he’s taken me down. But I have a hook in his leg. So I spin over him and land on his back. It’s really efficient,” explained the champ.

What about you, do you feel the move is useful?

First, take a look at Philip Westman’s film about the Alliance fighter who like so many other girls was once shy, and is now an athlete brimming with health and friends. Afterwards, comment: how do you train to compete and win in Jiu-Jitsu? How many hours do you dedicate to winning each day?

http://vimeo.com/45334141

Rafael & Guilherme Mendes taiking in a sunset and—a new stage in their careers, as they describe here on GRACIEMAG.com. Photo: personal archive.

The brothers Rafael and Guilherme Mendes are training hard as ever to defend their Jiu-Jitsu World Championship featherweight and light featherweight titles, respectively.

GRACIEMAG.com had a chat with the pair. If you haven’t secured your spot at the World Championship, already counting over 2,200 athletes, the deadline is midnight tonight California time. Register for the competition here.

Rafael, will we finally get to see you in the absolute division at the World Championship this year?

No, I won’t be doing the absolute this year. My focus is on winning my division, and even though I know I ‘d do well in the absolute, there’s a chance of getting hurt or even wearing out against the heavier athletes, in which case I wouldn’t perform as well the next day. André, Calasans, Ramon Lemos and the rest of the gang are always asking me to join the mix, saying I have a chance, but I don’t feel it’s time yet. I want to be 100% when I fight in my division, to hold on to the featherweight world title. For the time being that’s my focus. I do want to do the absolute at the Worlds some day. I’ve got time to do that, but unfortunately this won’t be the year.

Gui, both you and your brother are two-time world champions. Are the two of you at all in competition with each other?

We only compete against each other in training, and it’s like being in a World Championship final. We don’t go easy or slow against each other—one tries catching the other, and we count advantage points! (Laughs) But aside from that there’s no competition between us whatsoever. We’re always training together and trying to correct each other. One time an instructor told us: “Always stay together. Separate you guys are good, together you’re brilliant.” I feel Rafa’s been doing a great job and has shown it in competition, winning everything, breaking records, and he deserves it all. I’ve trained with athletes at different academies, big-time champions, and I guarantee I’ve never seen anyone with the same focus and drive that he has. I’m truly happy with every one of his conquests; he deserves it!

Let’s take a look back at the Pan, the GRACIEMAG coverage of which has drawn accolades. How did the title and outstanding final against Rubens Cobrinha affect you, Rafa? After that armbar, a lot of folks started pointing to you as being the greatest pound-for-pound Gi Jiu-Jitsu fighter around…

I’m honored to be addressed in such a way. It makes me extremely happy and proud. But that doesn’t affect my personality or the way I am; I’m still the same as when I started out in Jiu-Jitsu, training with the same objective—winning. I never let winning go to my head. I’ll always remember my performance at that event. It’s unforgettable to me, but my focus is already on something else: now I want a third world title! I’m training to carry on at the same pace, but my training is always geared towards the future.

Gui, how did losing at the Pan change you as an athlete?

I’ve been working a lot on evolving ever since I first started training. I want to be a complete athletes, feel comfortable in whatever fight situation I happen to be in. That’s why I practice takedowns, guard passes, sweeps, submissions. I don’t want to be the kind of athlete who pulls guard and lies there for ten minutes waiting for the other guy to get up. Every time we come back from competition, whatever the result may be, we study what happened.

I always watch the matches with the aim of learning, spotting mistakes; I analyze everything I could have done, everything I did during the tournament. I know I’m getting better with every year. I want to be the best I can be, and the results will come as a consequence of that. Winning and losing are part of the life of an athlete. Getting things right and wrong are part of human life. Of course I don’t want to lose. I hate the feeling, and I train to be first place. And I want to fight for my third world title at black belt as though it were my first.

The two of you are on the cusp of a new phase in your lives, which begins right after the Worlds. Does dividing your time between training and having a new academy get in the way of your concentrating on competing in Long Beach?

Thank God we have marvelous people on our side. Throughout our entire training for the Pan and Worlds we had people helping out so we could focus solely on the competitions. We’re the same as we were at blue belt; we arrive at the academy at nine in the morning and only leave at nine at night. We spend the entire day just training and getting prepared. We’re ready for the Worlds!

We want to thank the gang in San Diego, André and Angélica Galvão and also all the students, for the training. We like training in places where we feel good, with good people who share the same objectives as we have. Everybody who was with us training in San Diego was essential in our preparations. We’ll be inaugurating our new academy on June 4, just after the Worlds—we’ll be holding a free seminar with a bunch of Atos black belts, food and music to celebrate! The academy is getting beautiful and huge, with two massive mats, fully equipped dressing rooms and a laundry system for the students. It’s located in Costa Mesa, California.

Everyone, regardless what team they belong to, is invited to the inauguration. They just have to contact us via our site www.mendesbros.com and get filled in on the details.

Guilherme Mendes at 2011 in photo by Kinya Hashimoto

Current world light featherweight champion Guilherme Mendes was tuned in when the fighter sharing his same last name, right in the octagon, performed a daring maneuver to avoid the nuisance of Rani Yahya’s guard last Saturday at UFC 133.

What risks did Chad Mendes’ somersault at the UFC pose? When’s the right time to be daring, like the UFC featherweight was? Our commentator for a day, Guilherme Mendes, agreed to put the move under the microscope for GRACIEMAG.com readers.

Risks:

“There’s a great chance of that move going wrong. Even so, Chad wasn’t afraid, he didn’t think about the cons when he did it, and that’s what made him take the plunge. The result was real cool, it dazzled the fans. He was daring and wasn’t afraid to take a chance, which is quite rare in a fight because of everything that comes with a move gone wrong and a loss.”

The time to be brazen:

“A lot of folks simply “stall”, or don’t take chances, in competitions, and they don’t end up doing what they trained to do because they’re afraid to take risks or, even worse, because they’re afraid to lose. That causes you to not just lose to your opponent but to your own self. During a fight you have to use your confidence and daring. Confidence makes you see the fight the way a winner would before even having won, while daring is what catches your opponent by surprise. You surpass your limits.”

Unprecedented move?

“In Jiu-Jitsu it probably isn’t. André Galvão did a similar move at a major championship (rewatch it in the video below, at around the 2:20-minute mark). André is the kind of athlete who, like Chad, shows he has this attribute, he’s not afraid to take a chance with daring and different moves. In my opinion that’s what makes his Jiu-Jitsu one of the greatest ones to watch.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LYoKjGM83o

Robson Moura, the character in question, went and bought a couch.

An indication ADCC 2011 approaches, but on of the greatest (and lightest) champions sport Jiu-Jitsu has ever produced isn’t losing any sleep.

“Sorry to be calling you kind of late, I spend the whole day buying furniture for our new gym in West Chase (north of Tampa),” said the light featherweight, our GMA in Florida. On mats alone Robson spent around 50,000 dollars. “It’s a heck of a chore… But I’m excited about it. Because of all that, I’m only starting the physical conditioning and wrestling part of training now, with a tough bunch of guys here at the gym. I’m already training No-GI, putting on the gi once a week to refine my game,” he explained.

The stalwart competition doesn’t shake the nerves of the seasoned Nova União teacher, who to tell the truth is still only 33 years old. “If there’s anyone thinking I’ll entering a championship just to take part, they’re wrong. I’m going to fight to win!” he asserted.

“Of course I know how tough it will be, I’ve fought Rafael in Abu Dhabi before. He, his brother and the rest of the gang are at an excellent level and are at that pace I was at when I was 20 – they just train the whole day and are only concerned with competitions. I have other objectives, obligations, my academy, the new one, more than 22 associate schools, but I’m going to do fine amid all those beasts. I’m certain I still have plenty of fuel in the tank, for Jiu-Jitsu and even MMA, I just have to get organized over here,” he remarked.

Speaking of his other activities, this Thursday Robson will be taking off for England, the ADCC 2011 host nation, to teach a week’s worth of seminars (Check out the program at www.robsonmoura.com).

Robson launches foot assault on Alexandre Soca at ADCC 2001. He only came up short against the winner of the event, Royler Gracie. Photo: Gustavo Aragão.

After that, though, his sights are set on submission grappling. “August 1 I arrive in Brazil, I want to do my preparations with the gang at Nova União too, to show up in tip-top shape. Here in the USA, I do a lot of training with Gustavo Dantas, André Ushirobira, Marcinho, who became purple belt world champion at 16 years of age,” he enumerates, before revealing his strategy for winning the under 66kg division.

“To be able to teach, I can’t let myself get out of touch with Jiu-Jitsu’s evolution, so I’m tuned in to the kids’ techniques. And ever since I started competing all the time I’ve had but one strategy: to get the tapout. I still have the Jiu-Jitsu to fight anybody, and I’m going in with the same old strategy,” he said in closing.

WEIGHT -65.9kg

1. Rafael Mendes. Brazil (ADCC 2009 champion)
2. Greger Forsel. Finland (European champion 2010)
3. Marko Ramos. USA (North American champion 2010)
4. David Marinakis. Australia (South Pacific champion)
5. Tetsu Hadairo. Japan (Asian champion)
6. Jeff Glover. USA (North American champion 2011)
7. Bruno Frazatto. Brazil (South American champion)
8. Timo-Juhani Hirvikangas. Finland (European champion 2011)
9. Ryan Hall. USA
10. Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles. Brazil
11. Tom Barlow. UK
12. Baret Yoshida. USA
13. Rani Yahya. Brazil
14. Robson Moura. Brazil
15. Denny Prokopos. USA
16.

WEIGHT -76.9kg

1. Jorge Britto. Portugal (European champion 2010)
2. Vagner Rocha. USA (North American champion 2010)
3. Davis Hart. Austrália (South Pacific champion)
4. Takanori Gomi. Japão (Asian champion)
5. Enricco Coco. USA (North American champion 2011)
6. Murilo Santana. Brazil (South American champion)
7. Daniel Strauss. UK (European champion 2011)
8. Léo Vieira. Brazil
9. Gunnar ‘Viking’ Nelson. Islândia
10. Marcelo Garcia. Brazil
11. Kron Gracie. Brazil
12. JT Torres. USA
13. Augusto Mendes. Brazil

WEIGHT -87.9kg

1. André Galvão. Brazil (runner-up 2009, Braulio in superfight)
2. Marko Helen. Finland (European champion 2010)
3. Rustam Chsiev. Rússia (North American champion 2010)
4. Cameron Rowe. Austrália (South Pacific champion)
5. Jeon Doo Kwang. Coreia (Asian champion)
6. JJ Holmes. USA ((North American champion 2011)
7. Claudio Calasans. Brazil (South American champion)
8. Zbigniew Tyszka. Poland (European champion 2011)
9. Rafael Lovato. USA
10. Rousimar Palhares. Brazil
11. Romulo Barral. Brazil
12. Sergio Moraes. Brazil
13. Paulo Filho. Brazil
14. Pablo Popovitch, Brazil (ADCC 2009 champion, 77kg)
15.
16.

WEIGHT -98.9kg

1. Xande Ribeiro. Brazil (ADCC 2009 champion)
2. Kari Peltola. Finlândia (European champion)
3. Joseph Lee Baize. USA (North American champion 2010)
4. Igor Praporshchikov. Australia (South Pacific champion)
5. Animal Anzai. Japão (Asian champion)
6. James Poupolo. USA (North American champion 2011)
7. Renato Ferreira. Brazil (South American champion)
8. Kamil Uminski. Polônia (European champion)
9. Roger Gracie. Brazil
10. Rodolfo Viera. Brazil
11. Dean Lister. USA
12. Robert Drysdale. USA
13. João Assis. Brazil
14. Radek Turek. Poland
15. Dan Schon. Mexico
16. Antonio Peinado. Brazil

WEIGHT +99kg

1. Fabricio Werdum. Brazil (ADCC 2009 champion)
2. Janne-Pekka Pietiläinen. Finland (European champion 2010)
3. Mario Rinaldi. USA (North American champion 2010)
4. Mick Wilson. Austrália (South Pacific champion)
5. Sekine Hideki. Japão (Asian champion)
6. Jared Rosholt. USA (North American champion 2011)
7. Gabriel Vella. Brazil (South American champion)
8. Mateusz Juskowiak. Poland (European champion 2011)
9. Jeff Monson. USA
10. Roberto ”Cyborg” Abreu. Brazil
11. Bruno Bastos. Brazil
12. Antonio ”Pezão” Silva. Brazil
13. José Junior. Brazil
14. Gerardi Rinaldi. USA
15. Vinny “Pezão” Magalhaes. Brazil
16. Alexander Trans. Denmark

FEMALE -60kg

1. Luanna Alzuguir. Brazil (ADCC 2009 champion)
2. Lara Jayne Ng. Australia (South Pacific champion)
3. Hashi Takayo. Japan (Asian champion)
4. Cathilee Albert. USA (North American champion 2011)
5. Michelle Nicolini. Brazil (South American champion 2011)
6. Sara Svensson. Sweden (European champion)
7. Kyra Gracie. Brazil
8.

FEMALE +60kg

1. Hannette Staack. Brazil (ADCC 2009 champion)
2. Fiona Muxlow. Australia (South Pacific champion)
3. Penny Thomas. South Africa (North American champion 2011)
4. Talita Nogueira. Brazil (South American champion 2011)
5. Devi Ahuja. Norway (European champion)
6. Gabrielle Garcia. Brazil
7. Cris Cyborg. Brazil
8.

The champion of Brazil and Europe against Malfacine in Portugal / Photo: Ivan Trindade

He won the light featherweight division at the Brazilian Nationals on Sunday, but the season will not permit Ary Farias to celebrate his first domestic gold medal as a black belt.

“Things are going off here in Rio Claro, São Paulo state. We’re training more than we’re drinking water,” says the Atos athlete, whose thoughts are now on the Worlds.

But, to be fair, his performance at the Brazilian Nationals deserves to be highlighted. In winning, Ary had to get past a world champion in the final, the best little guy in the world in 2004, Gabriel Moraes (Clube Pina).

After “using a lot of force,” as he says jokingly, Ary reversed Gabriel and secured gold for Atos.

“It’s my new Brazilian title, and if memory serves correct, I’m the only one to have won so many times, from yellow to black belt. Shoot, who else has done that?” said the ace, referring to the gold medals obtained in 2002, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 2010 and 2011.

“In 2009 I was in the USA and didn’t compete – I blew it,” he says jokingly but with regret. Will Ary be ready to snap up another gold medal, like he did at last year’s Worlds as a brown belt? The throne is currently held by Pablo Silva and Samuel Braga (Gracie Barra), who are no slouches when it comes to putting in training either.

Ary won the brown belt featherweight division at the 2010 World Championship. Photo: Luca Atalla.

At twenty years of age – nine of those practicing Jiu-Jitsu – Amazon state native Ary Farias (Atos) has made it. On his black belt debut, he got the submission in two of his matches in the Euro Open 2011 light featherweight division and won the final with a riveting display against Bruno Malfacine by 6 to 4.

In the hustle and bustle between one seminar and another, Ary had a conversation with GRACIEMAG.com.

What did you do to beat Malfacine?

Only those who put in the work win, and it was a war. If you want to be successful, you have to be totally dedicated, push the limit and give it your best. I think that’s what happened with me and I won, but he’s a phenomenon and is still number one in the division, a true warrior. He has all my respect.

How many hours per day do you train?

I train Jiu-Jitsu in the morning with the Atos competition team, and in the afternoon we do physical conditioning using our trainer Thiago Mendes’s method. At night we do more training. I’m always training, but I confess that now I’m training like never before. The important part is that I’m happy with the quantity of training we do and the support I get from my team.

You’ve been training for nearly ten years. Did you need to drop out of school?

No, even though I’m not a good student, I never had to drop out of school. And every day my dad nags me and my brother about going to college! For now I’m focused on Jiu-Jitsu, but my greater ambition is to go to college abroad. But I know it won’t be easy reconciling training and study, but I’ll try to in the future.

You’ve been a true competition rat since you were a yellow belt. What’s the best match you’ve ever watched?

Ronaldo Jacaré against Roger Gracie at the 2004 Worlds with the Tijuca Tennis Club going off! A historic match!