“I was really pleased with my campaign at the South American last November. I had five matches in all – three in the absolute and two at weight. I felt I was in great shape and managed to push the pace in my matches. Ultimately I managed to win my weight division and take third in the absolute,” said the GFTeam black belt, who’s preparations for the lightweight tournament are already underway.

Marinho trains with world absolute champion Rodolfo Vieira wherever he can. GFTeam publicity photo.

“Preparations at GFTeam aren’t focused on just one tournament. We train year around to prepare for any and all competitions or supermatches. These last few weeks, though, Master Júlio Cesar and Professor Theodoro Canal picked up the pace in training, placing greater emphasis our conditioning more,” recounted Vinicius, who joined the Copa Pódio fray as a replacement when Augusto Tanquinho (Soul Fighters) was rendered unable to compete due to injury.

“GFTeam and Soul Fighters have always had a good relationship; we even joined forces at the Brazilian Team Nationals. Since we have such a good relationship, it’s easy to deal with this situation. First of all I’d like to wish Tanquinho a great recovery, I know he’ll be back 200% better than he was. I’d also like to thank him for the vote of confidence and say that I’ll give more than my all to win this title. I’d like to thank Master Júlio Cesar for encouraging, motivating, fighting for and helping me. Thanks also goes out to Professor Theodoro Canal for helping me prepare for the competition. To my family and the entire GFTeam for their support,” he said, before praising his counterparts in the GP.

“The yellow group, as well as the green group only has top-tier athletes. All the matchups are tough. I’ve watched some of the matches of the guys in the yellow group, and I can tell it’s going to be really rough fighting with them,” he said in finishing.

Check out who faces who at Copa Pódio:

The male black belt and female brown/belt champions of the South American Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2011 were defined last Sunday, and Bernardo Faria was the great champion.

In a tense fight, the Alliance fighter won by ​​7 × 4 over Antonio Braga Neto to get the absolute black and win a ticket to Lisbon for the European contest in 2011, at the end of January.

Braga Neto started better in the fight, attacking with an omoplata and applying a sweep. Faria tied with a take-down and then passed the guard. Braga scored with a sweep, but Bernando closed the battle with another sweep.

At the end, Braga Neto lost his temper and swore at the opponent, which earned him some boos from the audience.

The other ticket to Lisbon, drawn out among the black belt and brown/black belt champions, was taken by David Helms (Atos JJ), featherweight champion.

In the brown belt, great performance by Felipe “Preguiça” Pena, a student of Draculino and Romulo Barral. The fighter had eight fights between weight and absolute, ending the fight in five of them. Last Sunday, Pena scored ​​14 x 0 in the finals to secure the second gold.

In the purple belt, highlight to João Miyao. The featherweight disallowed heavier opponents and reached the top of the podium in the open. Along with his brother Paulo, the two got three golds back to Cicero Costha academy in São Paulo, where they live.

In the other categories of black and brown/black, the champions were:

Bantam

Marcus Adriano (GB) x Leandro Luiz da Silva (Checkmat)

Leandro took the title after Marcus was disqualified for crossing the leg over the opponent’s knee.

Pluma

Francielio da Costa (Alliance) x Erick Raposo (Soul Fighters)

Fabio Gurgel’s student debuted in the black belt with the title in unanimous decision after 2 x 2 tie in points and advantages.

Pena

David Lemes (Atos JJ) x Cristyan Martins (Nova União)

A sweep and a ticket guaranteed the 5 x0 by David Lemes, a pupil of Claudio Calasans Jr.

Light

Gabriel Goulart (Alliance) x Vinícius Marinho (GFT)

Vinicius Marine accumulated sweeps to make 6 x 0 over Gabriel.

Middle

Luis Gustavo Lima (Alliance) x Vinícius Corrales (GFT)

In a balanced combat, a sweep more guaranteed the 4 x 2 score and the title to Corrales.

Light Heavy

Rodrigo Fajardo (GB) x Pedro Regis Mello (G. Fpolis)

In another fight with a little movement, Fajardo won by 2 x 0 with a sweep.

Heavy

Alan Regis de Assis (GB) x Nivaldo Lima (Checkmat)

Nivaldo Lima was superior all the time and scored 6 x 0 easily.

Super Heavy

André Campos (GB) x Bernardo Faria (Alliance)

Faria imposed his condition of world champion and won by 14 x 0.

Pesadíssimo

Henrique Marcos (N. União) x Thiago R. Souza (Behring)

With Braga Neto out by WO, Thiago Reinaldo did not miss the chance and submitted Henry with a kimura.

Absolute

Bernardo Faria (Alliance) x Antônio Braga Neto (Ralph Gracie)

Bernardo scored 7 x 4 over Braga.

Female

Feather

Angélica Vieira (Atos JJ) – the only registered fighter.

Light

Marília Vieira (BSB) x Lauriane Mendes (CM System)

Lauriane streched Marília’s arm.

Middle

Leticia Segueto (Checkmat) – the only registered fighter.

Light Heavy

Gisele Moreira (G. Fpolis) – the only registered fighter.

Heavy

Andressa Correa (Alliance) x Luzia Fernandes (GB)

Andressa imposed the pace and scored 10 x 5 over Luzia.

Absolute

Andressa Correa (Alliance) x Luzia Fernandes (GB)

In the response, Andressa was even more efficient and submitted with a choke within the guard.

Results by Team:

Adult

1. Gracie Barra

2. Alliance

3. Nova União

Female

1. Alliance

2. Gracie Barra

3. CM Systems

Juvenile

1. BTT

2. Alliance

3. Nova União

Master & Senior

1. Gracie Humaitá

2. Gracie Barra

3. Ataque Duplo / Sul JJ

White Belt (Newcomers)

1. Nova União

2. Ataque Duplo / Sul JJ

3. Michel Maia JJ

Bernardo in Manaus finals, against Igor Silva. Photo: Carlos Ozório.

Champion of Manaus Trials for the World Professional Championship, Bernardo Faria warns: “My season isn’t over.  I’m still fighting in the South American competition, in Floripa”.

Bernardo is sort of relieved though, as he now has the ticket and accommodation in the WPJJ main event, in Abu Dhabi, in April. Right after the victory, the black belt commented:

“I’m very satisfied. I came to be the champion, to be relieved soon, with the ticket in hand. I’ve been in three fights. At the finals, against Igor (Silva), my strategy was to not let him close his guard at all! I was taken down, but because he didn’t close his guard, it was worth it”.

In the fighting scene, Manaus is known for its excellence in Jiu-Jitsu. To make things even more difficult for the outsiders, according to Bernardo, the city has some peculiarities that hinder those who aren’t used to it.

“It has a good and a bad side.  The good thing is you don’t need to warm up between the fights, you stay warm! The bad thing is, because of the heat, you get much more tired and you can’t get loose that much during the fight, you have to control yourself a little.  Here the temperature is higher than normal. But it was very nice.”

The Alliance fighter still fights this year, but the end of the season is near. Bernardo comments on his plans for 2012.

“I have already achieved many dreams, but next year I wanna the absolute gold, which is the desire of every athlete, after all. I’ve reached the finals, I won the Pan and the Brazilian absolutes, so I want the Mundial absolute. When you shoot for the moon, if you miss, at worst, we stay among the stars. I’ll keep shooting! I have the concern to train like crazy and the goal of becoming an example for future generations,” says Faria.