Gomez spent most of the match unraveling Terra's omoplata. Photo: Jerry Roberts.

Mikey, 29, had two contests in the absolute. In his first, he went against medium heavyweight Ben Baxter of University of Jiu-Jitsu. “He seemed like he was a wrestler type,” Mikey says, “So, I pulled him into my closed guard and did this move that Bráulio Estima showed me a long time ago. I was able to climb my legs up him and get his arm. I got him in an armbar in about 20 seconds.”

His next match was against Caio Terra. Mikey says he’s never met Caio before and was excited about their impending bout. “Caio was really cool,” Mikey says, “He came up to me and shook my hand and introduced himself. Then he left and came back and said, ‘If you catch me in any submission, I’ll tap, but please don’t hurt me.’”

Mikey says he was a little taken aback by the request and didn’t know what to make of it. “I have a lot of respect for Caio and what he’s done for Jiu-Jitsu,” Mikey says, “Coming from such a high-caliber guy and world champion who’s used to competing in all the open classes, I was surprised that he would ask me something like that. All I could think of was that maybe he was hurt or maybe he was trying to psych me out, which he did subconsciously.”

Caio pulled guard at the outset. “Then we were in half-guard,” Mikey says, “I was trying to pass, and he went for a triangle. I started to posture up and he came up with me and put me in an omoplata. I was in that for like six or seven minutes. I was just holding it trying to get out without giving him the advantage points.”

Still struggling to break free of the omoplata / Photo: Jerry Roberts

With less than a minute left in the match, Mikey was certain the ref was going to give Caio the match. “He had the submission right there,” he says, “I couldn’t really move my arm in the right direction to escape. Then at one point we ended up in a weird position and he got my arm in an armbar. I tapped.” Once it was all over, Gomez took third in the open, sharing the podium spot with Kron Gracie’s Rodrigo Teixeira.

Gomez, who is an MMA fighter looking to make it into the UFC middleweight division, says, although he thought the situation was a little strange, he was ok with it because competition isn’t his life. “It’s his life, not mine,” he says, “I wasn’t gonna rough him up, but I did take it easy on him. I’m not out to hurt anyone. It’s not a fight. It’s a Jiu-Jitsu match, but it was kind of scary competing against him. I felt like I could break him in half.”

Once it was over, Gomez had lost the match but beat the omoplata. Photo: Jerry Roberts.

Gomez does Jiu-Jitsu for the love of the sport and owns the newly-opened Gracie Barra Temecula academy. “I just enter as many of these tournaments as I can to stay active in the sport,” he says, “With my new school having just opened and not having had the opportunity to really train the way I like to, I wanted to compete at the Las Vegas Open to start getting in shape again for my next MMA fight.”

Mikey won the super heavyweight division because the competitor he was supposed to face moved up to masters.

All in all, the tournament was a great experience for him. “I love competing with the gi,” he says, “This is such a great environment. I’m always excited to be around Jiu-Jitsu. I love training in the gi. It’s how I started out. I get to train with guys like Otavio Sousa, Kayron Gracie, Romulo Barral, Rodrigo Simoes, Marcio Feitosa, Flavio Almeida, Marco Joca, and Luciano Cristovam, who just moved here and is the head instructor at Gracie Barra Santa Monica. He’s just one more guy to kick my butt on a daily basis.”

Gomez has been a black belt since 2006, but has been teaching for other people for about 10 years, since he was a blue belt. He’s always wanted to own his own school. “It’s about time,” he says, “This opportunity showed up and I took it. Temecula’s a great spot. There are lots of families here. People love Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, and fighting.”

Mikey Gomez competing again after a four year hiatus / Photo: Deb Blyth

Gomez started out at Nova União in Paraguay at 16 years of age. When he got his blue belt, he moved to Boston, but at that time there were no Nova União gyms in the States. “Kenny and Keith Florian were teaching classes under Roberto Maia. I tried it for a month, but it was too cold for me!” he laughs, “I was going to go to Renzo’s, but that was New York, so it was still too cold for me.”

So, in 2001, Gomez ended up making the move to Florida and began training at GB Orlando with Marcio Simas. “I was 19 years old and didn’t have the money to train,” he says, “I worked at a clothing store, folding clothes. It was my first job ever. After work I would go to GB Orlando and watch the classes until I saved up enough money to train.”

Gomez loved Jiu-Jitsu so much, he asked Professor Simas if he could start a kids program for them. “That’s how I started teaching and getting paid,” he says, “I started teaching the kids and then slowly started helping with adult classes and eventually took over. I loved GB Orlando. It was great. I call that ‘home’ now. I lived there for 9 years.”

Gomez says competing in Florida was “crazy.” He had to travel all over for tournaments. “Miami, Jersey, California, different parts of Florida… I had to travel all over to compete,” he says, “Then I would go to the Worlds in Brazil to gauge myself and see how I was progressing. I never placed, but I always won three or four matches and I’d win them all by submission.”

Gomez started training in MMA in 2003. He spent one year training and by this time, he was a purple belt in Jiu-Jitsu. In 2004, his instructor, Todd Broadway, told him he was ready to have his first fight. Gomez took that fight and won.

Mikey in MMA / Photo: Steadfast Videos

By the time Gomez took his third fight, he was feeling pretty good. He took on Carlo Prater, whom Gomez says was “like 22-2,” and lost on a decision. “I didn’t have a manager,” he says, “It was just me doing my thing. After that it was so hard for me to get fights. People kept dropping out.”

Gomez then made the mistake that many fighters make by trying to make it big in MMA. “I started fighting just for the money,” he says. Like many before him, he’d take fights on a couple of days to a couple of weeks’ notice and won a few of them, but lost many, too. With no manager and no routine training schedule, Gomez was lost. He took two professional muay thai fights. “I lost my first fight against UFC fighter Thiago “The Pitbull” Alves,” he says, “I only had three weeks to get ready for that fight and I lost to a decision.” Gomez won his second fight. “The guy I fought had a record of like 24-0. It was a title fight and they brought me in to lose. I ended up winning by TKO in the third round and won the belt,” he laughs, “I never stopped training after Thiago.”

Gomez moved to California in 2009. “I needed to fight out of Florida,” he says, “I was known in Florida and felt I couldn’t get the exposure I needed to fight in bigger shows. I wanted to get noticed.” So, Gomez hooked up with Renato “Babalu” Sobral and started training muay thai at GB Cerritos. “I wanted to train more,” he says, “I felt like everyone was getting better but me. I wanted to be a student again.” But once again, Gomez got lost in the shuffle of freeways and busy cities in California and couldn’t get it together. “I didn’t know California was so crazy with everything so far apart,” he says, “It was really difficult for me to train and I didn’t have a set camp.”

Gomez and teammate Fabiana Borges winning Gold / Photo: Deb Blyth

So, with a record of 12-8, Gomez decided to take some time off from being the student and once again, became the instructor, teaching at different GB schools in Southern California. He became roommates with Fabiana Borges and Rodrigo Simoes and they enjoyed a year of training and friendship together. “We helped each other be better,” he says, “Living with them was great. It was like heaven. That was my little family last year.”

Gomez has now returned to the MMA scene with a new perspective and a new training team, but he still trains everyday with his GB team. “I never stopped training with the gi,” he says, “It makes everything tighter.” Gomez trains with GB greats Otavio Sousa, Kayron Gracie, Romulo Barral, Flavio Almeida, Marcio Feitoso and even Master Carlos himself. “It’s been so great,” he says, “I love training Jiu-Jitsu with such a high-end team.”

Gomez is training so much now, he’s even started competing in Jiu-Jitsu again. Gomez won the 2010 No-Gi Nationals. “It was really great because I hadn’t competed since ’06,” he says, “I won my first match at the 2010 No-Gi Worlds, but then I let Tussa keep on going because he was the defending world champion.” Gomez says he’s honing his skills. “I feel great in my game now,” he says, “I’m a completely different fighter. I have better listening skills, better striking, my Jiu-Jitsu is better. I’m better all the way around.”

One major reason for his improvement is that he now trains at Reign with Mark Munoz. “There I train with Mark Munoz, Fabricio Werdum, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, Brett Cooper, and Marcel Louzado to name a few,” Gomez says, “They’ve helped me so much. It’s the first time I have an actual team.”

Gomez also finds strength through his training at Juggernaut Training Systems with Chad Smith. He trains there with all of his GB friends, like Fabiana Borges, Rodrigo Simoes, Romulo Barral, Kayron and Ronis Gracie and Bruno Antunes. “For the first time, I’m really getting stronger,” he says, “A lot of times when I lost to Division 1 wrestlers by decision I didn’t have that raw strength that they did. Now I feel like I do have it. I’m stronger and more explosive.”

Gomez prepping for James Brasco / Photo: Steadfast Videos

Put all that together and you have a new fighter with a strong mind and a well-conditioned body to go with it. Gomez recently put his new skills and training to the test when he faced James Brasco in his WEF fight last week and won by TKO in the first round. Gomez trained seven weeks for the fight. “I stunned him (Brasco) with a jab and tried to finish it, but I slipped and fell,” he says, “We traded some punches and he stunned me for a second. I worked in a few punches and stuffed his takedowns. Then he clinched and I threw a knee to the body that dropped him. I followed with punches from the guard then from half-guard. The ref eventually stopped the fight.”

The win stoked Gomez’s MMA fire more than ever. “I want to fulfill my own dreams as a fighter,” he says, “I didn’t go on to school because I always wondered if I’d have regrets about not fighting. So I followed the fighting path. I don’t regret a single thing. I want to get into the UFC and make a run for that 185-pound title.”

Big dreams for a kid out of Paraguay who, at one time, was folding clothes in a store to make enough money to train Jiu-Jitsu. But while he has his own personal dreams to realize, as usual, this born-teacher is helping others manifest their dreams as well. “I’ve trained so many fighters and they’re doing great,” he says, “Jim Ailers, Bruce Connors, and Frank Sharipov. They all have a shot at getting in the UFC. I helped Jonathan Brookins before he went into the TUF house. All those guys back in Florida. I’m really proud of that.”

And now Gomez has his own school in GB Temecula. “My goal for the school is to be successful and to help people,” he says, “I like teaching a lot. I’ve seen grown men who’ve been bullied their whole lives. I like helping them out. Seeing them progress and watching them become so confident. I like to make good fighters. Everyone’s fighting for something – being more confident, losing weight, becoming an MMA fighter. I like helping them in their lives.”

Gomez says he lives his life by the tenets his mom taught him. “She always said, ‘Every time someone leaves your life, they should leave feeling like they gained something positive from you.’ That’s what I try to do,” he says, “You always start somewhere. Someone always gave you a hand along the way. I want to be that person to others. My reward is being a positive addition to anyone’s life.”

Bruno Antunes wrestles a tractor tire during training

Juggernaut is a strength and conditioning facility that Smith says, helps Jiu-Jitsu athletes increase their power, strength, coordination, and speed. “It’s great for their cardio,” he says, “They will have the ‘explosion’ they need, when they need it.”

Smith and his business partner, Nate Winkler, opened Juggernaut in September 2009. Smith is a two-time National Shot Put champion and is currently ranked 3rd in the world in his weight class as a power lifter. “My weight class is the 308’s,” he says, “I’m a very physically dense person.” Smith isn’t kidding. With his 6 feet tall, 300-pound frame, he’s a very solid and imposing individual.

Smith says, he had a tough start in the business. “I got laughed out of one guy’s office,” he says, “It couldn’t have been a worse experience, but then I connected with the Jiu-Jitsu community through Fabio “Gigante” Vellela. He was totally into strength and conditioning for his athletes.” After that, Smith met Mikey Gomez who took him to meet and train with Renato “Babalu” Sobral, Alexandre “Dande” Santos, Philipe Della Monica, and Ulpiano Malachias, to name a few.

“I’ve been working with the Gracie Barra athletes to increase their speed and power, so they feel confident going into their fights. They’ll know that even at the last minute of their matches, they’ll still be feeling ‘fresh-ish’ while the guys they’re fighting are gassing out.”

Smith says strength is the basis of everything. “When Jiu-Jitsu technique is the same, strength will win out,” he says, “Like Jiu-Jitsu itself, I’m helping these guys become more effective with less effort. They are doing more with less effort. They aren’t going to gas out when they need to explode.”

Fabiana Borges is excited about the No-Gi Worlds and feels her extra training is going to help her in her matches. “For the first time, I’m going to fight at the light weight division,” she says, “I’m trying to gain a lot of muscle. Since I’ve been doing more strength and conditioning, my cardio is better. I don’t get tired training anymore.”

Bruno Antunes, who’s consistently been medaling on the tournament circuit lately, hopes his additional training will push him into the gold medal bracket. “I’m very excited to fight at the No-Gi Worlds because I think I’m prepared to fight now,” he says, “I started this physical conditioning and I really feel like it’s helped me become stronger and faster. I feel ready to fight and I hope to have good results.”

Rodrigo Simoes agrees. “I feel really good because of all my extra training,” Rodrigo says, “I’m also ready to fight.” Mikey Gomez, who’s been fighting MMA for the last four years, has been training really hard for the No Gi Worlds. “I’m excited to compete in the toughest division there is – the black belt division – after four years of just fighting MMA.”

Fabricio Pitanguy, who recently came out from Renzo Gracie’s school, says, “I feel great. My training’s been awesome. The conditioning has helped me a lot and my Jiu-Jitsu training is really good too, so I just really just want to play my game and see what happens.”

Jeff Schulz says since training at Juggernaut, “I’m not afraid to get tired when I’m fighting anymore because I know I can recover fast. Going out and fighting at the Worlds will be a lot easier than coming here for the training!”

Smith is pleased with all of their results so far. “I see them improving weekly,” he says, “There’s a marketable difference in their work outs today compared to five weeks ago. It’s not even comparable.”

With the Worlds coming up quickly this weekend, it remains to be seen how Gracie Barra will do, but one thing is certain: they are primed and ready to go.

Daniel and Rhalan Gracie. Photo: Publicity

Two-time Jiu-Jitsu world champion at black belt (2003/04) Daniel Moraes was the big winner at the Copa America Submission Grappling Championships in Lakeland, Florida.

Daniel, also no-gi world champion in 2008, defended his absolute no-gi title on Saturday, winning the heavily-anticipated rematch with TUF 6 fighter Matt Arroyo (Gracie Tampa), runner-up last year as well.

Daniel in one of his matches. Photo: Publicity

In the gi tournament, Rhalan Gracie was the highlight. Relson’s son won the title and was Relson Gracie Academy’s guiding light. Rhalan overcame black belt Mikey Gomez (Gracie Barra) with an armbar in the final.

Check out the video from the event below:

http://www.vimeo.com/10222418

(Collaboration Diego Marcello)

Daniel e Rhalan Gracie. Foto: Divulgação

Bicampeão mundial de Jiu-Jitsu na faixa-preta (2003/04), Daniel Moraes foi o grande nome da Copa America Submission Grappling Championships em Lakeland, Flórida.

Daniel, campeão mundial também sem pano em 2008, defendeu seu título absoluto sem kimono no sábado, ao vencer a aguardada revanche contra o lutador do TUF 6 Matt Arroyo (Gracie Tampa), vice no ano passado também.

Daniel em um dos combates. Foto: Divulgação

No torneio de kimono, o destaque foi Rhalan Gracie, filhão de Relson que faturou o título e ajudou a academia Relson Gracie a brilhar. Rhalan venceu na final o faixa-preta Mikey Gomez (Gracie Barra), com uma chave de braço.

Confira abaixo, num vídeo, como foi o evento:

http://www.vimeo.com/10222418

(Colaborou Diego Marcello)