FROM GRACIE MAGAZINENo-gi Jiu-Jitsu officially introduced at Pan-American
Feitosa balances in Theodoro Canal's half-guard, during the semifinal / Photo: Luca Atalla
Saulo, Feitosa, Comprido, Cachorrinho and Titi win first golds
Luca Atalla
Carlson, USA. When Márcio Feitosa and Lucas Gomes, in a riveting match, drew the crowd's attention to the mats laid out in the Cal State University Dominguez Hills gymnasium, before 8 pm this Friday, 30th of March, they were finishing up the competition of an historic day: the addition of no-gi Jiu-Jitsu to the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation calendar.
Feitosa, who, by the excitement he showed for having won his gold medal, seemed to be a novice winning his first tournament, wasn't the only one from the old guard to leave the gi in the dresser and don the lycra rash guard identifying the competitors. The six-time world champion Saulo Ribeiro, now living in San Diego, submitted the instructor at ATT Edson Diniz and, after a hotly disputed 2 - 2 against Rômulo Barral, was the one to have his arm raised by the judge.
“We are the only ones getting warmed up, eh?” joked Saulo as he passed Feitosa on his way out. He was referring to the fact that, of the Jiu-Jitsu fighters already chosen to dispute the prestigious grappling tournament of the ADCC, in May, they were some of the few to participate in the tournament, although two adversaries in the under-77kg category, Marcelo Garcia and André Galvão, were in the stands watching it all (Garcia came from NY to fight only in the gi, while Galvão claimed to suffer a contusion that could be aggravated were he to compete). "Like hell I'm warmed up, my body is just torn up,” Feitosa responded, also in a humorous tone.
Saulo had forgotten the other names. Rodrigo Comprido, who snatched up the super-superheavyweight title upon beating by points Eduardo Correia and arriving at the final with his teammate at Brasa Rodrigo Cavaca, should also dispute the ADCC. Not to mention the winner of the Brazilian under 99kg trials, Cristiano "Titi", who sharpened up his guillotine on his first opponent, then going past Eduardo Telles, before finishing off the super-heavyweight category with his Gracie Barra colleague Flávio Cachorrinho.
Returning to action and now living in Califórnia, Cachorrão’s little brother showed grit in defeating Fernando Soluço in the first fight and going, with a takedown, past the stellar North-American from Oklahoma, Rafael Lovato, in the semifinal. In the lightest division, Alex Taveira was the champion, after winning the BJJ teacher in Pennsylvania Rogerio Taborda.
The athletes must still return to the mats on Sunday, to compete in the gi. “It doesn’t matter if it’s in the gi, what's important to me is that I fight as many times as possible in order to get back into rhythm, since I haven't fought in over a year," stated Saulo, who is signed up for the over 30 year-old division.
The instructor Feitosa, on his part, is faced with the adult category, in which, among other beasts, the same Lucas Gomes and Theodoro Canal he crossed paths with this Friday afternoon are enrolled.
“I am dismayed by my not being in there, there are so many good fighters to face," complained the current absolute world champion Xande Ribeiro, who is recovering from a knee injury he suffered during the final of European tournament, in January this year. "Cachorrinho, Lousada, Titi, Comprido, Marcelinho, Barral," he listed, predicting a great absolute championship, even better than the one last year that was won by Roger Gracie.
“It was good, Roger, Bráulio [Estima], Demian [Maia] and I were there, but this year is more diverse, it will be exciting,” he predicts.
Another promising division is the under 67 kg one. “If I stand out in there, it will be like a World Championship,” said the veteran Wellington Megaton, who has in his path, among other hot shots, no less than four world champions: Rubens Cobrinha, Frédson Paixão, Mário Reis and Bibiano Fernandez.
Too much excitement for the start of the weekend? This is just the beginning. Stay tuned to GRACIEMAG.com and find out more.
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