Gordo no internacional de Masters 2010, em sua última competição. Foto: Gustavo Aragão/GRACIEMAG

Dez anos depois, professor Roberto “Gordo” Correa decidiu matar as saudades do Pan de Jiu-Jitsu, na Califórnia, cujas inscrições vão até 12 de março.

O faixa-preta carioca não disputava a competição desde 2003, quando ainda disputou o ouro no adulto. Desta vez, Gordo vai de sênior 2, no peso pesado, e vai aproveitar a viagem para afiar o jogo de chão do pupilo Rafael dos Anjos, peso leve do UFC que hoje mora em Newport Beach.

Gordo vai se preparar para o Pan num camp especial na academia de seu parceiro Sandro Batata, entre os dias 9 e 17 de março, com a presença de Braga Neto e Rafa dos Anjos, que se prepara para encarar Evan Dunham no UFC no Combate, dia 18 de maio em Jaraguá do Sul, em Santa Catarina. Roberto Gordo gostou do adversário escolhido.

“Hoje o Rafa está em oitavo no ranking oficial do UFC e o Dunham não aparece entre os dez, mas isso de fato pouco importa. O cara é faixa-preta do time do Couture, vem de vitória contra o Tibau e é um bom nome. O que me chama atenção é que ele, como o Rafa, gosta de ir para dentro o tempo todo, então é um desafio interessante, promessa de luta boa para os torcedores brasileiros”, lembra Gordo, em papo por telefone com o GRACIEMAG.com.

Evan (14v, 3d), um bom pegador de costas, coleciona seis finalizações na carreira, em especial na guilhotina e no armlock – em sua última manobra de chão bem sucedida, ele pegou o braço de Efrain Escudero em janeiro de 2010 – foi a finalização da noite. Ainda assim, nada que impressione Gordo em termos de Jiu-Jitsu.

“Ainda não vi nada que ele faça de Jiu-Jitsu que tenha me impressionado, mas estou indo encontrar o Rafael na Califórnia para analisarmos isso melhor. O Rafa vai cair dentro e vamos trazer mais essa se tudo correr bem”, conclui Gordo.

Pan 2013 recheado de professores

Além de Gordo, as divisões master e sênior do Pan trazem muitos nomes clássicos do Jiu-Jitsu. Já estão inscritos Rodrigo Comprido, Alberto Crane, Raphael Abi-Rihan, Marcos Torregrosa, Renatinho Tavares, Ricardo Franjinha, Bruno Bastos, Fabio Leopoldo, Suyan Queiroz, Bernardo Pitel, Reza Monfaradi, Léo Peçanha, Ricardo Feliciano e Adriano Silva.

Para ver todo mundo que vai lutar no Pan, de 20 a 24 de março em Irvine, veja a lista oficial de atletas, aqui.

SANDRO BATATA BJJ

PROFESSORS:

Black Belt Sandro Batata

Black Belt Julio Echeverria

ADDRESS: 2330 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA, ZIP: 95060

PHONE: (831) 425-7795

ADDRESS 2: 2360 S Bascom Ave. Campbell, CA , ZIP: 95008

PHONE 2: (408) 596-0055

WEBSITE: www.batatabjj.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/sandro.batatabjj

ABOUT:

Sandro “Batata” Santiago is a champion and the first black belt under master Roberto “Gordo” Correa , from the world famous Gracie Barra in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil.  Batata currently teach in Campbell ,CA and is always competing in the largest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments. He’s a 3rd degree black belt and has been training for over 19 years. Batata also trained wrestling for over 2 years at STANFORD UNIVERSITY under coach Chris Horpel. When he’s not busy training , competing or teaching , Batata travels around the world passing on his vast knowledge of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Julio Echeverria is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Julio has competed in all major Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments in Brazil and USA , including the Worlds Championship, Pan Ams , Brazilian Nationals ,Brazilian Team Nationals and more.

He’s been training for over 14 years , most of it in Brazil with half – guard master and World Champion Roberto “Gordo” Correa and Sandro Batata (who was also an instructor at Gordo BJJ in Brazil).  When he moved to U.S.A  he continued training with Sandro Batata (Gordo’s Black Belt) in Mountain View ,CA at Ralph Gracie Jiu Jitsu where “Batata” was the head instructor at the time. Now Julio Echeverria is the head instructor at Sandro Batata BJJ in Santa Cruz ,CA.

VIDEO:

Sandro Batata graduates first black belt

GMA member Sandro Batata recently graduated his first black belt.

Student Arash Dibazar had the honor of receiving the graduation.

Touched by the moment and aware of the importance of it, Dibazar wrote a beautiful text to his master.

The lessons learned and taught on the mat cannot be learned anywhere else in life.

Everyday we face our fear, our insecurities and our doubts.

Everyday we come face to face with our raw emotions. It’s just us and our opponent. No mother, no father, no religion. There is no savior on the mat but our own hard work, our own skill and our own determination.

It doesn’t matter how much money you have in the bank or what certificates or diplomas you have on the wall. It doesn’t matter who you know, how old you are, or what you look like or what color your skin is. All of those things have zero value on the mat. It does matter how much heart you have. It matters how much skill you have and how much time you have put in. It does matter how brave you are and how much you believe in yourself.

We are faced with a raw, uncensored truth of who we are every minute on the mat. Our opponent can try to hide it with a smile or puff out his chest or fake an injury or tell us he didn’t sleep the night before but we can see it in his eyes. He also cant hide the truth. On the mat, no one cares about your excuses. Whether you are injured, going through a divorce or  a break up, or that you didn’t sleep the night before or you had no breakfast, or you lost your job. The only thing that matters is your skill, you heart and your determination. There are no excuses on the mat.

On the mat the boy will turn into a man, the man will turn into a warrior, and the warrior will turn into a legend.

Our instrument, our weapon is our body and our minds. On the mat a stranger quickly becomes a friend and the friend becomes a comrade and the comrade becomes our brother. Our teacher becomes our guide and our guide becomes our best friend.  On the mat our friends become our teammates and our teammates become our tribe.

Pain and humiliation are things we quickly learn to get used to and the sweet taste of victory, as sweet as it is, only lasts but a brief moment. When we eat we are thinking about how the food affects our training. When we sleep our minds are occupied going over the day’s matches, thinking about tomorrow opponents and trying to work out the newest move or technique to add to our arsenal.

Some say we are extreme and obsessed but we know the truth, and the truth is, they are mediocre and lack passion. Some of us are gifted with physical strength that surpasses others, some of us with speed, some of us with intelligence. And some of us make up for all that with sheer determination and an iron will but no matter what quality or qualities we possess without loyalty, all of these qualities are not only worthless but dangerous. As surely one day they will serve our enemies.

Where people run away, we move forward. Where others shrink into themselves, we expand into the environment. Where others flinch and are scared to look, we open our eyes wide and confront the situation with our whole being.

On the mat we learn the definition of true respect. On the mat we learn tolerance and self-control. On the mat we learn how to win and more importantly how to lose and yet not be defeated in spirit. We learn that’s there’s no way around hard work if we want success. That we get what we deserve and that nobody in the world but us is responsible for our life.

The relationship between teacher and student is a sacred one, which requires both to give of themselves completely. This is a true definition of trust. On the mat we learn that with correct timing, leverage and technique we can overcome any obstacle. These are things that can be talked about but cannot be taught in schools. These are qualities that a man must possess and without them, no matter how much money or fame he has or how many diplomas he owns or how many books he’s read he’s still only a fraction of a man.

  All of these things and more we have learned on the mat but the most important lesson and the most valuable and the one lesson that will insure that we continue to learn on the mat, is that no matter how great or skilled we become, we are to always stay humble in the presence of our teachers who are  responsible for us learning these lessons on the mat…

Dedicated to My Teacher, My Guide and My Best Friend in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Sandro “Batata” Santiago

I Am Forever in Your Debt. Thank You.

Master of Masters…. Arash Dibazar 

Congratulations to Sandro and Arash!

For more info, go to batatabjj.com

Augusto Mendes, o Tanquinho, manobra rumo ao ouro absoluto do Sul-Americano de Jiu-Jitsu, em 2010. Foto de Hugo Valente.

Campeões de Jiu-Jitsu e astros do UFC são humanos como você e eu, e uma das (poucas) provas disso é que eles também se machucam.

Olha o que o campeão do UFC GSP postou esta semana no Facebook. “Passou um mês desde que operei (o joelho) e estou muito feliz com os resultados. É realmente incrível do que o corpo humano é capaz. Agora é fisioterapia, terapia manual para cicatrização, gelo, ultrassom, compressão, exercícios de ligamento, pedalada… Adoraria ouvir mais dicas de vocês para me ajudar”.

O tópico anda bombando por lá, com mais de mil comentários. No mundo do pano, outra fera também trabalha duro com fisioterapeutas para se recuperar de uma contusão preocupante na cervical. Augusto “Tanquinho” Mendes (Soul Fighters) foi operado no dia 23 de novembro. Prova de que o que não mata só fortalece, o faixa-preta retornou aos treinos fazendo vários giros e drills, fazendo repetições de posições de forma bem leve com a namorada Mackenzie Dern.

(Confira Tanquinho contra Sandro Batata, no Mundial 2011:)

“Tem um mês e meio da cirurgia e me sinto melhor a cada dia. Estou progredindo bastante, mas não tenho previsão de retorno. Espero voltar aos treinos em até três meses e, quem sabe lutar o Mundial, no finzinho de maio”, comentou com o GRACIEMAG.com o medalhista de prata dos penas, em 2011, em temporada nos Estados Unidos.

“Acho que nada acontece por acaso, Deus está sempre no controle. Se ele me escolheu para passar por isso é porque eu precisava, acredito que ele tenha algo muito bom reservado para mim no futuro. Sei que vou ser um homem melhor após mais essa lesão”, reflete.

Tanquinho concluiu passando cinco principais receitas para você se recuperar bem de uma contusão, e voltar aos treinos ainda melhor.

1. Mantenha a calma

Uma das lições mais úteis do Jiu-Jitsu, em qualquer situação de luta, também é vital para quem se contude. Não entre em pânico ou se desespere. Uma contusão, mesmo séria como a hérnia cervical que afligiu Augusto Tanquinho, não significa o fim da carreira ou dos treinos de Jiu-Jitsu.

2. Procure ajuda de um especialista

Com saúde não se brinca. O Jiu-Jitsu ensina você a ir sempre atrás da melhor saída. Com uma contusão, a solução mais eficiente é um médico especialista, o melhor que você achar.

3. Não invente

Confie no “mestre” que você escolheu para ajudar a curar seu corpo. Siga rigorosamente as recomendações do médico, especialmente no período pós-cirúrgico.

4. Paciência, qualidade do Jiu-Jitsu

Vá devagar, tenha paciência! A recuperação é lenta e você não vai sair da mesa de cirurgia e estar pronto para vestir o kimono numa semana ou um mês.

5. Fisioterapia é disciplina

Se você busca ser um artista marcial melhor, nenhuma provação é melhor que a fisioterapia. Dedique-se ao máximo, é a hora de fortalecer o corpo para as futuras batalhas.

Augusto "Tanquinho" Mendes maneuvers on his way to winning the absolute division of the 2010 South American Championship. Photo de Hugo Valente.

Jiu-Jitsu champions and stars of the  UFC are human just like you and me, and evidence of how that is true is the fact that they get hurt too.

Take a look at what UFC champion GSP posted this week on Facebook: “A month has gone by since the operation [on his knee] and I’m pleased with the results. It really is unbelievable what the human body is capable of. Now on to physiotherapy, manual therapy for scarring, ice, ultrasound, compression, ligament exercises, pedaling… I’d love to hear more tips from you guys to help me.”

The topic has been off the hook, with over a thousand comments. In the gi competition world, another slick martial artist has been working hard with his physiotherapists to recover from a troubling injury, to his spine. Augusto “Tanquinho” Mendes  Augusto “Tanquinho” Mendes (Soul Fighters) went under the knife on November 23. Proof that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, the black belt returned to training for some drills and spins, doing light repetitions with his girlfriend, Mackenzie Dern.

(CHECK OUT TANQUINHO AGAINST SANDRO BATATA AT 2011 WORLDS)

“It’s been a month and a half since surgery and I’m feeling better with every day. I’m making great progress but don’t have a return date yet. I hope to be back in training within three months and maybe even compete at the Worlds by year end,” the 2011 world runner-up told GRACIEMAG.com from the United States.

“I feel everything happens for a reason; God is always in control. If He picked me to go through what I’ve been going through, it’s because I needed it; I believe He has something good in store for me in the future. I know I’ll be a better man after getting through this latest injury,” he reflected.

Tanquinho wrapped up by conveying five recipes for you to recover from injury shipshape—and return to training even better still.

1. KEEP CALM

One of Jiu-Jitsu’s most useful lessons, in no matter what fight situation, also applies to those suffering from injury. Don’t panic or despair. An injury, even a herniated disc like the one afflicting Augusto Tanquinho, doesn’t mean the end of one’s career or Jiu-Jitsu training.

2. SEEK EXPERT ASSISTANCE

Health isn’t something to take lightly. Jiu-Jitsu teaches you to always seek the best way out. Where injury is concerned, the most efficient solution is to consult a medical specialist, the best one you can find.

3. DON’T GO OFF HALF-COCKED

Trust the “master” you’ve picked to help you get well. Follow the doctor’s orders rigorously, especially during the post-operative stage.

4. PATIENCE, A TRAIT OF JIU-JITSU

Take it slow, be patient! Recovery takes time, and you won’t leave the operating table and be ready to put your gi back on in just a week or a month.

5. PHYSIOTHERAPY IS DISCIPLINE

If you seek to be a better martial artist, nothing puts you to the test more than physiotherapy. Dedicate yourself to the max; it’s time to bolster your body for future battles.

GMA member school Sandro Batata JJ invites for a special seminar next month.

Black belts Sandro Batata and Julio Echeverria will welcome no other than Roberto “Gordo” Correa.

The half guard expert will be in Campbell, California, on November 20th.

The cost is $45 for non-SBJJ members and $30 for members if you pre-register.

At the door, the cost goes up to $50.

For more info, go to batatabjj.com

Lucas Lepri (pictured, in photo by Luca Atalla) is one of the favorites to win gold at the 2011 Pan.

The one who wins the IBJJF Pan can, throughout an entire year, metaphorically pound his chest and claim he’s the best Jiu-Jitsu fighter in the Americas.

And the winner of the lightweight division at this year’s Pan may be able to gloat about even more. That’s so because pretty much all the best in the world will be there, as you can see in the official list from the IBJJF below. Plus, as GRACIEMAG.com has ascertained, a a burly surprise could show up at the last minute. . .

Among those guaranteed to be there: Lucas Lepri, Augusto Tanquinho, JT, Davi Ramos, Sandro Batata, Rodrigo Freitas, Zak Maxwell. Get the picture?

How about you, you secured your spot in the thick of the action yet? Sign up here, today’s the last day!

Adult black belt lightweights

Edson Pereira (Alliance)

Lucas A. Lepri (Alliance)

Davi Ramos (Atos)

Rodrigo Caporal (Atos)

Francisco Tavares (Combative Martial Arts)

Rodrigo Freitas (Gracie Barra América)

Zak Maxwell (Gracie Humaitá)

Jonathan Torres (Lloyd Irvin)

Evan Michael (Lotus Club)

Leandro Nascimento (Manimal)

Alexandre Henrique (Ryan)

Sandro Santiago (Sandro Batata)

Julio Armando (Sandro Batata)

Augusto Mendes (Soul Fighters)

What do you think of the list so far? Who’s going to take it? Opine below!

Lucas Lepri, em foto de Luca Atalla, é um dos favoritos ao ouro no Pan 2011.

Quem se torna campeão do Pan da IBJJF pode, durante um ano inteiro, bater metaforicamente no peito e se dizer o melhor lutador de Jiu-Jitsu das Américas.

No peso leve do Pan deste ano, o vencedor vai poder se vangloriar talvez até mais. Isso porque quase todos os melhores do mundo estão lá, como você pode ver abaixo na lista oficial da IBJJF. E, segundo apurou o GRACIEMAG.com, uma surpresa cascuda ainda deve pintar nas últimas horas de inscrição…

Entre os lutadores garantidos na arena, Lucas Lepri, Augusto Tanquinho, JT, Davi Ramos, Sandro Batata, Rodrigo Freitas, Zak Maxwell. Já imaginou?

E você, já garantiu sua vaga para ver essa batalha de perto? Faça sua inscrição aqui, que o prazo vai somente até hoje!

Faixa-preta peso leve adulto:

Edson Pereira (Alliance)
Lucas A. Lepri (Alliance)
Davi Ramos (Atos)
Rodrigo Caporal (Atos)
Francisco Tavares (Combative Martial Arts)
Rodrigo Freitas (Gracie Barra América)
Zak Maxwell (Gracie Humaitá)
Jonathan Torres (Lloyd Irvin)
Evan Michael (Lotus Club)
Leandro Nascimento (Manimal)
Alexandre Henrique (Ryan)
Sandro Santiago (Sandro Batata)
Julio Armando (Sandro Batata)
Augusto Mendes (Soul Fighters)

Que tal a lista até agora, leitor? Quem será o vencedor? Opine abaixo!

GMA member school Sandro Batata BJJ had its ceremony recently.

The whole team came together at the HQ in Santa Cruz, California.

Black belts Batata and Julio Echeverria awarded degrees and new belts all around.

Here are some pictures of the evening.

For more info, go to batatabjj.com

Do you own a Jiu-Jitsu academy and want to have your school featured on GRACIEMAG.com? It’s easy, all you need to do is to become a GMA member. Click here and find out how.

Once again, our GMAs excelled at the event, conquering a huge amount of medals.

In the team’s competition, Rocha JJ/Gracie Humaitá was the adult male and female champion and came third in the Master & Senior.

Eduardo Rocha and the US open trophies

Ralph Gracie (2nd) and Pitbll BJJ (3rd) completed the female podium.

Claudio França BJJ was second at the juvenile and Master & Senior competition.

Sandro Batata BJJ finished third in  the adult dispute.

Other than that, Batata had some impressive individual results, as he tells us: “Gabriel Haro and Manuel Diaz closed out the blue belt absolute and their weightclass. Both were promoted to purple belt. Aarojn Zabalos also won and was promoted to purple belt.”

As usual, congratulations to all GMAs that took part in the US Open, itself a GMA event under Claudio França.

Do you own a Jiu-Jitsu academy and want to have your school featured  on GRACIEMAG.com? It’s easy, all you need to do is to become a GMA member. Click here and find out how.