In the south of Brazil, you have an academy and a social project focused on Jiu-Jitsu, both highly praised, works of excellence. What can we expect now with your move to the United States?

MARCOS CUNHA: My move to the U.S. seeks to expand my team, to build a base to support my athletes, who aspire to compete in major events and this was a difficulty for all of us. Today we have been able to build this base and we have two more branches here in the USA. This way I can generate opportunities for my athletes and my teachers. For next year I aim to open more branches and strengthen my competitive process here.

Regarding your career as a competitor, what were your main achievements and what did you learn from them?

I’ve competed a lot in these 32 years of Jiu-Jitsu, competition is in my blood, I’ve learned over the years that the biggest competition is internal and that this is our biggest opponent. I’ve won Brazilian Nationals, several Opens, I was on the podium at the European Championships and I still have the dream of winning the World Master. Today my main focus is not to compete, but to train my students and help them achieve great results. As we always train together, at one time or another I sign up for a big event to kill the nostalgia (laughs).

What’s the secret to turning an average athlete into a great champion?

I’ve trained many athletes and today I’m with a new crop that are the athletes Bruno Sena, Patrick Possamai, Duda Tozoni, Mila Reis, Carol Fernandes, Jonatas Mogli, among others… The secret to building these good results is to try to understand what the athlete really wants, to have a vision of whether or not he has the conditions and explore what he has best, to create a relationship so that an athlete has confidence in the other athletes in the team. And so be able to extract from them things that even they don’t believe they can do. And lastly is to be passionate about what you do, and I’m passionate about the competitive process and my work.

You’re always training with a great performance against the kids on your team. What are the tricks for the athletes of the Master division to do well against the adult athletes?

Understand that old age is in our head and train without laziness, full of will and willingness. It motivates me and keeps the kids motivated as well.

What’s the motivational phrase you like to repeat to yourself when you’re going through a difficult career situation?

No obstacle came to stop me, but to make me stronger for the new challenges. Nothing is by chance, don’t ever give up!

What is the philosophy behind your school?

Quality in teaching, because we really care about knowing if the student is learning, so that he gets the positive life change and learns all the benefits that sport can give him, on and off the mat.

Carlson Gracie Jr. e Mauro Ayres no QG da Mauro Ayres BJJ. Foto: Divulgação

Para deixar ainda mais grandiosa a graduação de seus alunos, nosso GMI Mauro Ayres, da Mauro Ayres BJJ, organizou um seminário de peso.

Líder da Carlson Gracie Team, o professor faixa-preta sexto grau Carlson Gracie Jr. estará passando todos os macetes da tradicional escola, aprendidos direto da fonte com o saudoso pai, o grande mestre Carlson Gracie.

O seminário rola nesta sexta-feira, dia 1° de dezembro, as 19h, na sede da equipe, em Ipanema. Para maiores informações, entre em contato nos telefone (21) 3594-2991 / 99148-7817 ou na recepção da academia, na rua Visconde de Pirajá, 318, Sobreloja 205 A. Não perca esta oportunidade!

Mauro Ayres BJJ
Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 318,
Sobreloja 205 A, Ipanema
# (21) 3594-2991 / 99991-0391
bjjmauroayres@gmail.com
www.mauroayresbjj.com

JT vs Leandro Lo at inaugural Copa Pódio, last December / Photo: Ivan Trindade/GRACIEMAG

Which coat of arms is Jiu-Jitsu’s most popular? That’s the question the promoters of Copa Pódio are asking in a Facebook poll that you can take part in by  click here.

The purpose of the poll, besides helping to find out which are web surfers’ favorite academies, is to figure out what to do with the final berth in the Heavyweight GP coming up December in Rio de Janeiro, where the likes of Marcus Bochecha, Rodolfo Vieira, João Gabriel Rocha and others will be taking to the mats.

According to the promoters, the poll-winning team will get a chance to select the challenger who faces Leandro Lo, who is confirmed for the event-opening super match.

“During the first week of the Facebook poll we were obliged to come up with a new criterion and nix from the list academies that didn’t reach a minimum 10 votes, since the page options didn’t allow us to list of over a hundred academies. But we’re working on it. The thing is to get on there and vote for the team you love most,” explained Jeferson Maycá, Copa Pódio head director.

Copa Pódio is held in Brazil but usually includes athletes from the USA and other countries, and the organizers recently wrapped up the card for their next event, the Middleweight Grand Prix, set for July 21 in Rio de Janeiro. (Check out the card here.)

So far, Gracie Barra, Nova União and GFTeam lead the poll. To vote on your favorite team click here, “like” the Copa Pódio page and click your academy of choice. Only votes by page “likees” will be counted.

What about you, gentle GRACIEMAG reader, which is your best beloved Jiu-Jitsu team? Which is the people’s team?

Let us know in the comments section below, because we’re certain folks keep an eye on GRACIEMAG.com when the subject is Jiu-Jitsu, too.