Ram Ananda of Cobrinha BJJ is proof that age is just a number. At 36 years young, he won the brown belt light-featherweight division at the 2014 World Championship–his second adult world title.

Ram has been training for five and a half years and has been training full-time under Rubens Charles Cobrinha for three and a half years. In that time he won the 2012 Worlds at blue belt, the 2012 Master and Seniors Worlds at purple belt, the 2013 Masters and Seniors Worlds at brown belt and now the 2014 Worlds at brown belt. His ability to toggle back and forth between adult and master and produce the same results shows that the right mentality is what produces results.

I spoke with Ram about his journey in Jiu-Jitsu and the mindset it takes to win as much as he has in such a short amount of time:

GRACIEMAG: How did you get into Jiu-Jitsu?

RAM ANANDA: I got into BJJ cause there was an open mat in San Francisco at a junior college. I rolled with a portly Filipino guy, this turtle of a man about 5’4″ and probably 190 pounds– not strong at all. He was a blue belt. He just laid on me and beat me up in turtle subbing me a bunch. I’m highly competitive, so since then to see a man non-athletic at all kick my ass so badly, I was hooked on BJJ.

I moved to the Philippines for nursing school so I was doing that full time but I still wanted to train BJJ, so I found a club taught by a blue belt. There was one other blue belt there as well. I trained when I could but it wasn’t much. After a year I had a break from school for a month. I went home to LA during that time and I found a place next to my house called Hollywood BJJ. I trained there every day on my vacation. Sean Williams was the black belt there at the time. On my last day there he promoted me! I wasn’t his student but I guess he saw I loved BJJ and worked hard.

What is your approach to training?

Training is effortless, I love it. As long as my diet is right then it’s easy to train. In terms of “success”, I set goals like no one else. I make sure I’m more mentally prepared than anyone else as well. Physically, I played soccer and I’ve always had good cardio.

Are there any differences between adult and master divisions?

I’ve only done the masters division three times. Honestly I’ll only do masters if it has the title “Worlds” in it. It’s a good way to do tournaments. There isn’t a big difference between the two age divisions. I was expecting a dropoff, but the guys at masters are freaking strong. Most guys over 30 have that serious old man strength.

The most common complaint I always hear older guys say is, “I wish I started BJJ when I was younger!” I am proof that it’s just a self imposed limiting belief.

How was your run this year at the 2014 Worlds? Toughest match?

I had five matches with one submission. In my toughest match I was losing 0-6 in my quarterfinal, 36 seconds to go and the guy knew he was winning so he was just running away. Time never runs so fast when you’re losing. He pulled closed guard, somehow I got out, went for a footlock, couple ankle pops with 13 seconds to go and I had won that match.

This is what happens.

Meet traditional Calcio.

Calcio Storico is one of the most strange and old games ever played since the Renaissance. It has always been played in Santa Croce Square in Florence and known as Giuoco del Calcio Fiorentino (Florentine Football).

It is considered as a mix between football and rugby – with a good dose of bare-knuckle boxing, and started in 1530 but faded put during the 18th century. In the 20th century it was associated with the celebrations of Saint John’s Day, Florence’s Patron Saint Day.

José Aldo says he would like to face Bendo at crowded Maracanã. Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

The routine of Jose Aldo, featherweight champion of the UFC, is always fast-paced. In the midst of travel, fans and the always-tough training sessions at Nova União, Aldo booked five minutes of his busy schedule to chat with GRACIEMAG about his next opponent, consecutive “supermatches” and Ben Henderson’s request to face him at a soccer stadium.

During the chat at the end of a long day at Nova União, Aldo said he hasn’t begun to outline a strategy for his fight scheduled for Aug. 3 against Pettis yet. The champion examined the ground work of his opponent, and said he is not intimidated by the fact that he is sharpening his Jiu-Jitsu.

“I think he trains Jiu-Jitsu more to defend himself,” Aldo said of Pettis. “His game is not on the ground. He has to work well on the ground to be able to use his stand-up game. His Jiu-Jitsu is better. But I also make good use of my Jiu-Jitsu. If I play well standing up it is because if it goes to the ground, I’m confident and I submit.”

When asked about the fact that the UFC just scheduled supermatches for him, Aldo talked about the injustice done to the athletes of the division, but stresses that he works for the UFC and that he is ready to “do what he is told.”

“The UFC guys are the bosses, we are employees,” he said. “I don’t think it’s fair if a guy who just got to the division [immediately gets] a chance to battle for the belt. It’s good for me because it praises the division and my career as an athlete, but it isn’t cool for those who  have strived in the division for a long time, looking for a shot to fight for the belt. But I just want to keep winning and doing my part. If I had a company, I’d send my employee to do something and he would have to do it, right?”

Still on the supermatches, Aldo talked about his next possible fight with the champion of the lightweight division, Henderson. Aldo didn’t fail to remember that his focus is on the fight against Pettis, but talked about “Bendo” as an athlete, and on the willingness of the American to fight him at a Brazilian soccer stadium.

“Ben Henderson is such a nice person. I’ve known him since the now-extinct WEC,” he said. “We had several fights during the same night. We cheered for each other in our fights. He said he dreams of fighting in Brazil. It will be great if that happens. If it happens at a soccer stadium it would be even better. Maracanã will already be renovated. It could be by the end of the year or early next year. It would be a great show.”

Scott Jorgensen holding the Vasco da Gama team jersey he received from the player of the game / Photo: Diego Moraes/publicity

At the invitation of his tour guide, Jiu-Jitsu black belt Diego Moraes, top UFC bantamweight Scott Jorgensen showed up at São Januário stadium in Rio de Janeiro to catch the game between Vasco da Gama and Lanus in the Libertadores Cup round of 16.

He left the stadium drenched and with player of the game Diego Souza’s jersey.

“It was fantastic. The crowd went wild when Diego Souza made a goal. It was insane. I got stoked by the energy of the crowd, and the fact that they were there in the rain singing the whole time was inspiring,” said Scott, who at the players’ request visited the dressing room to speak with them. He shot the breeze some and was then given the game jersey by the Vasco number 10.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_jOtcwgtiw

“I’ve got a new favorite team for the Fifa game on Xbox,” said the UFC star. “When I come back to Rio I want to go to another game. I found the crowd to be totally different from the ones at NFL and NBA games, where the crowd is more reserved. The noise and energy of the Rio fans is incredible.”

The purple belt, who has a fight with Eddie Wineland coming up on June 8 under the UFC banner, has a meeting scheduled with another ace in Rio de Janeiro, but this time it’s a star from the ranks of Vasco’s cross-town rival team Flamengo. On the 5th, he and UFC featherweight champion José Aldo will be doing a seminar at Team Moraes. More on this in the following video.

“Palmeiras, Chael Sonnen here from the USA. I want to congratulate you guys on an awesome season,” Sonnen began, speaking directly to the team and its fans, before promising Palmeiras’s long-time goalkeeper, Marcos, that he will get to wear the UFC world title next year.

In order for Sonnen to get his shot at the belt and keep his promise to Marcos, though, he’ll have to get past Mark Muñoz at UFC on FOX 2 on January 28 in Chicago first.

Gabi Garcia between Corinthians' big boss and Aranha. Photo: Disclosure/Personal Record.

After being champion of everything in 2011, from the Worlds to ADCC, Gabrielle Garcia (Alliance) had a quick chat with GRACIEMAG.com this week. As topics, her role as a Corinthians athlete, her meeting with Anderson Silva and the plans for 2012.

What will be your role in Corinthians? Athlete & Jiu-Jitsu professor in the academy led by Anderson Silva?

Yes, but they will still make an appointment to set everything right, about the team, schedules, and how I will make part of the club. The board and Corinthians are investing heavily in the fighting, and this will open many doors for Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil. I hope to continue winning with the new shirt, and I will dedicate myself even more to honor the club’s shirt.

How was the press conference at the club? Did your years of experience being interviewed by GRACIEMAG help?

Of course! It was very rewarding to spread the word of female Jiu-Jitsu in the company of Anderson Silva. This is recognition after years of work, and I hope it is just the beginning. With Corinthians and other Brazilian soccer clubs investing in Jiu-Jitsu and MMA athletes, I feel it will be good for us all. GRACIEMAG has always helped me and still does it, is our biggest display and one of the largest media of our sport.

What is your next appointment wearing a gi?

I went through troubled phase in my life this holiday season. I have lost a loved person in September (her brother) and was full of bruises, at least everything came at the end of the season. I’ll come back with full force in the training, with more gas and more skills next year. I’ll fight during Abu Dhabi trials, in Rio de Janeiro, and everything else yet to go on. I wanna win the Word Professional JJ Championship in Abu Dhabi and the World Championship 2012, weight category and absolute, and I will devote a lot for this. I know I’ve been only collecting great results only because I devoted myself, and I want to stay on track. I know that 2012 will be even more complicated because the girls are studying a way to beat me. But I can already promise a change, you will see a new Gabi in 2012!

Gabrielle Garcia bursts with emotion after hard-fought win over Hannette at ADCC in England. Photo: Dan Rod.

The number-one placed team in the Brazilian soccer league this year, Corinthians didn’t mess around when signing a fighter for their ranks. Gabi Garcia, the absolute world champion of Jiu-Jitsu and over-60 kg ADCC winner, this Monday took a call from the São Paulo club and agreed to their offer.

“I just got a call from the directors at Corinthians,” she told her fans via Facebook. “Next Monday (24) I’ll be alongside Anderson Silva and Ronaldo to inaugurate the team’s martial arts training facilities. It will be an honor to be there with two big names of sport at the press conference! More news and projects to come.”

The MMA training center at the club will be open to anyone wishing to enroll, with Anderson teaching classes sporadically. Ramon Lemos, the champion’s Jiu-Jitsu coach, will head gentle art training.

“We’re finishing up the layout of the place. It will be behind the club’s workout facilities and will include the finest MMA equipment on the market, for Anderson and the other athletes to take advantage of,” said Corinthians Marketing Director Caio Campos in a recent interview with website IG, highlighting the fact that the club’s investment will also target an outreach project meant to teach martial arts to youths and children.

The training center’s dojo will be around 130 square meters and include a replica UFC octagon nine meters in diameter, according to information released by the club.

But what about the “Spider” actually playing ball, you seen that yet? Well now’s your chance. Check out Anderson wearing the Brazilian national soccer team jersey at an easy-going pickup game in the US, and judge for yourself if he’s as good a winger as he says he is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn6BYXaqwwo

UFC champ with Cristiano Ronaldo / Publicity photo

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t just one of the best players in the world, having been voted best player on the planet in 2007. He’s also one of the most famous MMA and Jiu-Jitsu enthusiasts on the planet. Months after learning some moves from the Valentes and Royce Gracie in California, he went for another round and met up with the best heavyweight around, Cain Velasquez, at UCLA campus in Los Angeles.

The two beasts, of the same stature but different weights, swapped presents: a Real Madrid jersey for UFC gloves. Cain is undefeated in the UFC and in MMA with nine fights, and he’s set to face Junior Cigano later this year.

Publicity photos

Everybody loves them. But don’t be fooled, a sporting contest is won on defense.

To come, GRACIEMAG, the website that most prizes self-defense on the planet, pays tribute to some of the sport’s monster defenders. Which is the best defensive display from the selection below?

Rodolfo Rodriguez, Santos goalkeeper (Campeonato Paulista 1984)

Roger Gracie and Marcelinho Garcia, fighters (Worlds 2004)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3hfXYoshzk

New Orleans Saints, NFL team (Super Bowl 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3L09liVopc

Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls forward (from 1987 to 1998)

Yuki Nakai, fighter (Vale-Tudo Japan Open 1995)