Lucas jubilant following win / Photo: Deb Blyth

The last time the Gracie Barra brown belt won gold was in the middleweight division as a brown belt at the 2010 Pan. “That was the last tournament I won,” he says, “I went one year without winning.” Rocha said it has been hard on him. He was used to winning regularly as a purple belt.

The Samurai Pro was a good tournament for him. “I remembered how to win again,” he says, “Now, I am back. I lost my focus, but I have found it again.” In his middle heavy division Rocha had two matches. He won the first with a flying armbar and the second he submitted his opponent with a wrist lock. “Both were two-minute fights,” he says.

Normally, it takes Rocha awhile to find his stride at tournaments. He starts out slow and then gradually gains momentum until he is unstoppable. “This tournament was different,” he says, “It was all the way forward from the beginning. I had no slow starts.”

Lucas celebrating / Photo: personal archive

In the absolute Rocha had four matches. He won the first and second by points. In his third match, he swept his opponent and then landed in full mount, from where he finished with a choke. In his fourth and final match, against Beniel Dariush of Ralph Gracie, Rocha swept Dariush and got mount. He scored six points. Dariush recovered guard. “I tried to apply a foot lock, but he defended,” Rocha says, “After that, I just waited to finish the fight.”

Rocha says it was a perfect day. “I could feel the guys as I was fighting,” he says, “I was able to change my game for each one. My posture, my vision… I did very well and played different games.” Rocha says he felt more comfortable at this tournament than at any other he’s ever fought in before. “This was the first tournament in my life where I felt so confident about winning from the beginning,” he says, “I don’t know exactly how or why, but that’s how I felt. My mind felt strong.”

Rocha says he hopes this positive mental state stays with him for the Worlds. “I said before the tournament, ‘I don’t know about next week or next month, but today I can’t lose.’ My focus was there.”

Rocha left California in August 2010 to go back to Brazil and returned in March 2011. He trained regularly in Brazil with his GB team under his uncle Professor Ze Radiola. “I trained with some of the guys like Bruno Almeida Alves, Otavio Sousa, and William Marcin,” he says, “I also trained with strong purple and blue belts over there. They look like black belts. They all really helped me in my training.”

Teammates Lucas Rocha and Otavio Sousa with their medals and the GB Cup / Photo: personal archive

Now he’s back training at the GB Headquarters in Irvine, CA. “I got my visa and I’m training hard and competing as much as I can,” he says, “I’m back training with all the GB greats: Otavio Sousa, Romulo Barral, Kayron Gracie, Philipe Della Monica, Rodrigo Simoes, Rodrigo Augusto, Bruno Antunes, Bruno Rocha, and Fabiana Borges.”

Rocha says he’s ready for the Worlds. “Now that I’ve done this tournament, I’m confident to take on the Worlds,” he says, “I’m looking forward to facing all my competitors.”

As for his goals for 2011, Rocha says, “To be honest, I’m working on getting my black belt in 2011. I want to throw myself into the tournaments as a black belt to test myself and see who I am.”

Werdum and Pires planned this event over a year ago. They changed the date a couple of times because of Werdum’s surgery and fight schedule, but finally agreed on the May 8th date. “It was difficult to do, but everybody did really good work,” Werdum says, “We were all here until 2:00 a.m. the night before the tournament getting it ready.”

Werdum honors those who helped him organize the Samurai Pro. Photos: Deb Blyth

Werdum was pleased with the turnout and says he’s happy to have offered such a great family event for his own family and friends, and also to the Jiu-Jitsu community. “It’s a family tournament,” he says, “It’s just my family and friends who helped organize and run it. Lucas (Pires) is the man!”

Werdum says all the “thanks” needs to go to Pires for putting the whole event together. “I’ve been focusing on my training,” he says, “I want to win my upcoming Strikeforce tournament against Alistair Overeem, so Lucas did everything. I think 500 competitors for your first tournament is really good.”

Cobrinha, Demente, Laercio Fernandes and Rehan Muttalib hanging out at the Samurai Pro

Werdum called around to his friends and got over thirty black belts to compete at the Samurai Pro as well. Stars like Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles, Romulo Barral, Joao Assis, Kayron Gracie, Andre Galvao, Clark Gracie, Ricardo “Demente” Abreu, Philipe Della Monica, Marcel “Lapela” Mafra, Bill Cooper, Antonio Braga Neto, Bruno Antunes, Rafael Dallinha, and Diego Herzog to name a few showed up to support their friend and fellow black belt in his endeavor. Throw in $30,000 in cash and prizes, and that is a formula for success.

Jacare dropped by with his baby to support Werdum at the Samurai Pro.

“I got good black belts to come,” Werdum says, “All the black belts living and teaching locally came to show their support and compete. Thanks to them for that. I know how busy they all are, but they are all my friends and I am so happy they were here today. I know they are all tired own, but happy.”

Werdum was also pleased with the kids enrollment numbers. “We had 180 kids here competing today,” he says, “It was really good.” The next tournament, Samurai Pro 2, is slated for October 2011.

Werdum himself was tired and preparing to leave on a flight at 7:00 a.m. the next morning after his Samurai Pro tournament to go to Las Vegas to promote his upcoming Strikeforce fight taking place on June 18th in Dallas. “I fight Overeem in the first round of the (Strikeforce Grand Prix Heavy Weight) tournament,” he says, “I’m prepared for it.”

After the Fedor fight last June, Werdum had to take some time off to have surgery on his elbow, but went back to training a couple of months after that and has not stopped training since. “I feel good,” he says, “I feel confident – just like my last fight against Fedor.”

Werdum says his fight against Overeem is going to be even better than that. “I fought Fedor last June and won and now I’m fighting in June again and am going to win again,” he says, “June is my month! I have the same feeling as before, I have the same training camp, the same guys, and the same energy. I’m training with pro fighters, Babalu, Shogun, Munoz, Miller, and others. Krzysztof Soszynski’s conditioning system is amazing! I’m just spending my life training.”

GB black belts show up to the Samurai Pro to compete.

Werdum’s next goal is to win the Overeem fight and then go on to beat the others in the tournament to win the Strikeforce heavy weight belt, but his biggest goal is the unification title. “Everyone told me it wasn’t possible,” he says, “But it’s what I’ve wanted. Everyone said that Strikeforce and UFC were two different shows so it wouldn’t happen, but now with the Strikeforce UFC deal, it’s possible. When I win the Strikeforce heavy weight belt, I’m going to ask Dana (White) if I can try for the unification belt.” With Werdum, anything is indeed possible.

A-Team takes first place at the tournament. Photos: Deb Blyth

A-Team brought about 18 kids to the tournament and most all of them medaled and made it to the podium. Nine-year-old yellow belt Alyssa Wilson took gold in her division. Wilson is no stranger to the competition circuit. She travels around California and to other states along with with her family competing in Jiu-Jitsu tournaments with other A-Team members. She wins gold regularly.

At the Samurai Pro, her performance proved no different. Wilson only had one match, but says she gave it her all. “I submitted her with my secret move, the OMAR #9,” she says slyly, “But I can’t tell you what it is!” This little spitfire says her favorite Jiu-Jitsu move is “The Paintbrush”. It’s like an americana,” she laughs.

Wilson, who’s been training since she was about four-years-old says her dream is to be a black belt one day. “I love doing Jiu-Jitsu,” she says.

Aalijah Pineda with her dad, Jeff

Seven-year-old Aalijah Pineda has been training Jiu-Jitsu for 1 ½ years. She’s currently a gray belt (equivalent to a yellow/white belt) at Cleber Jiu-Jitsu in Huntington Beach, but her long term goal is to be a MMA fighter. At the Samurai Pro, Pineda had three matches and competed in all of them against boys. The first match she won by points, and the second and third she won by armbar.

“I had a good day,” she says, “I had fun. I had tough opponents.” Pineda’s dad moved her up in weight classes because he says he wants her to get to used to fighting up. “Aalijah fights pankration,” he says, “She just came in second in the States.”

While Pineda trains MMA at Rukkus MMA, her first love is still Jiu-Jitsu. “I love it when people are cheering for me during tournaments,” she says, “I love Jiu-Jitsu the best. I love fighting.”

Kaitlyn Harper with Fabricio Werdum

Kaitlyn Harper of GB Pasadena is an eight-year-old yellow/white belt who’s been training in Jiu-Jitsu for 1 ½ years. This sweet little girl with sparkles dusted all over her head and a pink and white polka dotted bow in her hair turns into another child altogether when she gets on the mats to compete. “She’s all girly off the mats, then she tears the other kids up when she gets on the mats!” her coach Orlando Sanchez says, “I love this girl! She’s so great!”

Harper had two matches on Sunday. She won both with armbars. “We all have fun”, she said. As for competing, she says she doesn’t do it often, but she does like to come and meet other competitors. “I got nervous today,” she says, “I felt like I was going to cry, but once I started competing I felt great.”

Ellie Tsang with her dad, Andrew, and her coach, John Munoz

Ellie Tsang, an 11-year-old white belt from C-Quence Jiu-Jitsu fought two matches, both against the same boy. She won her first match by triangle and her second match by points.

“I like to learn new techniques,” she says, “My favorite move is the armbar.” This was Tsang’s third tournament and she had a lot of fun at the Samurai Pro. “I had fun today,” she says, “But I was nervous.” In her final match she had to come from behind to win. To get over her nervousness, she says, “I just do my thing!”

Tsang’s professor is John Munoz, and he says that Tsang is a tough girl and very technical for a white belt. “She’s always willing to listen and learn,” he says, “She pays attention in class and has a really bright future. Her family is supportive and her dad is really helpful.”

Fabricio Werdum and friend and partner Lucas Pires at California Jiu-Jitsu tournament / Photo: Deb Blyth

Registration for both the Samurai BJJ Tournament and the Samurai Black Belt Pro ends at 12:00 a.m. PST Tuesday night. Registration fees are as follows:

Kids $65.00
Adult Female $75.00
Adult Male $85.00

Andre Galvao, Antonio Braga Neto, Joao Assis, Kayron Gracie, Clark Gracie, Otavio Sousa, and Roberto “Tussa” Alencar have all signed up for the Samurai Black Belt Pro and will be vying for the $3,000 1st place prize.

If you are interested in signing up for this prestigious event, you need to act fast! Sign up here.