Victor Estima celebrates winning the Abu Dhabi WPJJC Trials in Portugal. Personal archive photo.

Last Saturday, Cascais, Portugal’s Pavilhão dos Lombos gymnasium hosted a leg of tryouts for the Abu Dhabi WPJJC, a professional tournament paying out in big-money prizes next April.

Promoted by black belts Sergio Vita and Zé Marcello, the event featured over a hundred athletes, and the standout among them was midddleweight fighter Victor Estima, a Jiu-Jitsu teacher from Brazil now living and teaching in England.

GRACIEMAG.com had a chat with the champion, who explained his last-minute decision to compete in Lisbon, the move he used to wrap up the final, and much more.

GRACIEMAG.com: Were you training hard for this leg of the WPJJC Trials?

VICTOR ESTIMA: Not exactly, although I was well trained. My trip to Portugal was a short one, as I decided to compete at the last minute. I arrived there on Friday just in time for weigh-ins, and I returned home on Sunday, one day after the tournament. But I had no problem making weight, as I normally weigh 80 kg, so all I had to do was show my Jiu-Jitsu, like I always do.

What was the final, against Mathias Ribeiro, like?

To me it was the best match I was in. I missed passing his guard on two occasions, and I learned that I need to be a bit more patient in such positions. I was going for the tapout, and so I tried passing guard on speed. So I ended up not passing, but I did channel the fight to my best game and ended up tapping him out with a footlock–the “Estima-lock” (laughs).

Of those qualified in your weight class, the under-83 kg division, who is the sternest test in your opinion?

There are so many first-rate opponents, like Lucas Leite, Claudio Calasans, Keenan Cornelius, who did great at the tryouts in the USA. I’m really confident in my game and have already started training for this competition. I know I’m going to need to do some tough matches but I’m focused on my own Jiu-Jitsu, and I’m preparing to fight anybody.

Besides Abu Dhabi, what are your plans for 2013?

I plan to compete at the big Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, like the Europeans, Worlds, Abu Dhabi WPJJC as well as the ADCC–to do that I’ll also have to do the tryouts too. For the second half of the year, the plan is to do a seminar tour in the USA because I’ve gotten a number of invites.

Victor Estima comemora a vitória na Seletiva de Abu Dhabi em Portugal. Foto: Arquivo pessoal.

No último sábado, o ginásio Pavilhão dos Lombos, em Cascais, Portugal, recebeu mais uma seletiva para o WPJJC de Abu Dhabi, evento profissional com prêmios milionários a ser realizado em abri.

A seletiva organizado pelos faixas-pretas Sergio Vita e Zé Marcello contou com mais de cem atletas, e entre eles um dos destaques foi o peso médio Victor Estima, o Carcarazinho, professor pernambucano radicado na Inglaterra.

O GRACIEMAG.com bateu um papo com o campeão, que falou sobre a decisão de lutar em Lisboa em cima da hora, o golpe que usou para encerrar a final e muito mais.

GRACIEMAG.com: Você estava treinando forte com olho nessa Seletiva em Portugal?

VICTOR ESTIMA: Não exatamente, apesar de eu estar bem treinado. Minha viagem para Portugal foi bem curta, pois decidi lutar de última hora. Cheguei lá na sexta-feira, a tempo de fazer a pesagem, e voltei no domingo, um dia depois da competição. Mas não tive nenhum problema com a balança, já que peso normalmente 80kg, e aí foi só apresentar meu Jiu-Jitsu, como faço sempre.

Como foi a final, contra o Mathias Ribeiro?

Foi para mim a melhor luta que fiz. Perdi duas oportunidades de passar a guarda dele, e aprendi que devo ter um pouco mais de paciência nessas posições. Eu estava atrás da finalização, e por isso tentei passar a guarda mais na velocidade. Terminei então não passando, mas conduzi a luta para o meu jogo mais forte e acabei finalizando com minha chave de pé. O “Estima-lock” (risos).

Dos classificados no seu peso, até 83kg, quem são as maiores pedreiras, na sua opinião?

Já são vários adversários de ponta, como o Lucas Leite, Claudio Calasans, o Keenan Cornelius, que mandou muito bem na seletiva nos EUA… Estou bem confiante no meu jogo e já comecei a treinar para essa competição. Sei que vou precisar fazer lutas duras, mas estou focado no meu próprio Jiu-Jitsu, e vou estar preparado para lutar com qualquer um.

Além de Abu Dhabi, quais os planos para 2013?

Eu pretendo competir as principais competições do Jiu-Jitsu, como o Europeu, Mundial, WPJJC de Abu Dhabi e também queria lutar o ADCC – para isso vou participar da seletiva também. No segundo semestre, a ideia é fazer um tour de seminários pelos EUA, porque já recebi alguns convites.

Graduation ceremony at Vita JJ

GMA member school Vita JJ, in Portugal, had a very special evening on march 10^th.

Professor Sergio Vita promoted 47 students to new belts, from the grey belt for kids to the much celebrated black belt.

The ceremony had over 150 students in attendancy.

After the graduation, students celebrated the 10^th anniversary of Professor Sergio Vita in Portugal.

Vita spoke to the group: “What matters to me about my students is not the rank they hold but their honor, character, humbleness and loyalty! Never forget that!”

Congrats to all!

GMA member Sergio Vita invites all for the Lisboa/Cascais Portugal WPJJ trials.

The event is scheduled next february 25th-26th, at Pavilhão dos Lombos, Cascais.

The winners of each division will compete at the main event with all expenses paid, next April.

For more info, go to worldpro-portugal.com.

GMA member Sergio Vita has some great news about the recent European Open.

Icon JJ Team, formed by Vita JJ and other schools, had a great showing in Lisbon.

The team finished first for the second year in a row at the white belt division and also won the Master and Seniors division.

Vita talked about the accomplishment: “That shows that our organization is evolving nad getting better. Our goal for next year is to win again.”

Individually, Vita also excelled, as he tells us: “I finished third at the lightweight and was the runner up at the absolute, fighting Saulo Ribeiro at the final.”

Bracket-making meeting for European Open / Photo: Rafael Nogueira

It wasn’t just the black belts of the adult division who put on a show in Lisbon at the European Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

An athlete who made history in the adult division, our GMA Saulo Ribeiro put in an appearance at the event and took the superheavyweight and absolute titles in the senior category. At open weight, he took on our GMA in Portugal Sérgio Vita in the final.

To check out the complete results from the European Open, click here. Check out Saulo in action in Portugal below:

Momento em que as chaves do absoluto são elaboradas no Europeu. Foto: Raphael Nogueira.

Na faixa-preta, não foram apenas os adultos que fizeram bonito em Lisboa, durante o Europeu de Jiu-Jitsu.

Atleta que fez história na categoria adulto, o nosso GMA Saulo Ribeiro prestigiou o evento, campeão no senior na categoria superpesado e absoluto. No aberto, fez a final com o nosso GMA em Portugal Sérgio Vita.

Para conferir todos os resultados do Europeu clique aqui. logo abaixo, confira Saulo em ação em Portugal:

The weekend in Portugal was devoted to the gentle art.

The Portuguese Federation held the second edition of the Nacional Open, in Lisbon.

The event gathered over 430 athletes and had a packed gymnasium.

Many GMA professors took on to the mats and did great.

Icon JJ, a team headed in Portugal by Sergio Vita led the team’s ranking.

Vita’s teammates won the kids and juvenile and master and seniors divisions and finished second at the adult division.

Sergio Vita thanked his athletes: “Without them, none of that would have happened”.

Congrats to all.

For more info, go to vitateambjj.com, fpjjb.com.

GMA member Sergio Vita has been teaching Jiu-Jitsu techniques at a self-defense project for Portuguese police.

The classes have been full and the jiu-Jitsu techniques are very useful for the police job.

Vita talks about it: “To be in shape, to have quickness when taking decisions in critical moments and to learn a martial art are all tools to a safer police job”.

For more info, go to vitateambjj.com.

GMA member Sergio Vita announced today some big news for his team.

Sergio Vita JJ is arriving in Africa.

Vita himself travelled to Namibia for the opening of a school there.

“Going to the airport now! Time to fly our flag in the African continent,” said Vita.

For more info, go to vitateambjj.com.

Black belt Anderson Pereira welomed fellow GMA member Sergio Vita for an Icon JJ Team tournament, recently.

Professors Berilo Júnior, from Barcelona; Zé Marcello, from England and Xandinho Izidro, from France, were also present.

The event had also a seminar by Master Crézio de Souza, a Carlson Gracie black belt.

He taught gi and nogi techniques.

Vita talked about the purpose of the event: “We want to unite the team to make a lot of noise at the upcoming 2012 European Open, in January”.