can beat anyone in the world. The top guys in the game are so highly skilled that very small details are the difference between winning and losing.



Bevois: Did you make it to the North American ADCC trials last weekend?

Cameron: No, unfortunately.



Bevois: What about gi competition. Will you be doing the Mundials as a black belt this year?

Cameron: Yes, I will be doing the Mundials. I look forward to testing my game out against the world’s best at black belt. I think this year’s tournament is going to be very exciting and extremely challenging as many of Jiu-Jitsu’s biggest names have stated their intention of competing.


Bevois: You have also competed at FILA’s grappling trials here in Las Vegas two years ago. What are your thoughts on what FILA’s trying to do? If they make Grappling an Olympic sport by 2016, you will only be 31 years old. Is that something you would like to see happen?

Cameron: I think the idea of taking grappling to the Olympic level sounds fantastic. I don’t like the sacrifices that the grappling arts are going to have to make in order to get there. I think that at the highest level, all submissions should be legal. I even think that slamming should be legal for professionals. Maybe not on the head, as the very last thing that I would like to see is a death or serious injury, but slamming someone on their back should be allowed. The more rules involved, the further away from a true self-defense art we get. I am referring to the points, as well as legal submissions. People don’t realize how much points and advantages affect Jiu-Jitsu. It is impossible to run an organized event without them obviously, but I think that the rules should stay true to trying to replicate fight Jiu-Jitsu. For example, I feel like the turtle is overused in sport Jiu-Jitsu. If a point were given for a pass that caused your opponent to turtle is would keep the match more exciting, and it would support the goal of staying true to fight Jiu-Jitsu. I think it is important to stay true to Jiu-Jitsu even if it doesn’t make it to the Olympics.


Bevois: What do you think are some of the things that need to happen in this sport before we see that happen?

Cameron: I think that a new level of professionalism needs to be brought to the sport. The high level guys need to act like professional athletes. I think Jiu-Jitsu has a tendency to attract people who are looking for a laid back lifestyle, which is fine, but some people take it too far. If we want to be taken seriously, we need to act seriously. As far as competitions, there needs to be more unity in what rules people are using, and we need to figure out a way to create a true professional level. Part of the solution goes back to what I first said, as being more professional will help the athletes to get more professional sponsors. The promoters also need to be working to get Jiu-Jitsu to a broader market. I don’t think that the Olympics should be the standard of what we are seeking. There are plenty of Olympic sports that do not create a career for the athletes. Wrestling for example, these guys work so hard and are so talented, but they struggle and have to sacrifice so much due to the lack of popularity. Our goal should be to take Jiu-Jitsu to the next level by making it mainstream. I don’t see why this isn’t possible with the rise of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. There are plenty of people that do not want to fight for a living, but maybe they want to do some component of fighting: Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, or Kickboxing. They find their fulfillment in one of these areas. The Mixed Fighters will always need the high level guys in individual fields to help them, so the demand will be there, but it would be nice if we could be successful based on our own sports as well.



Bevois: What are your future goals? Will you continue to compete in Submission Grappling and Jiu-Jitsu tournaments for the time being or has the thought of making a splash in MMA ever crossed your mind?

Cameron: My future goals include winning all of the big Jiu-Jitsu tournaments at the highest level. I hope to help create a team of successful Jiu-Jitsu competitors and MMA fighters. I also like having a school where everyone from the hobbyists to the professional can train, so I look forward to our school continuing to grow. As far as MMA for me, I definitely kick the idea around, but I have a lot of goals to achieve before I seriously consider it.



Bevois: We will definitely continue watching out for you and your team. Good luck with everything and thank you for your time, Cameron. Is there anything else you would like to add before we wrap this up?

Cameron: Yeah, I would like to take this time to thank first my family and my girlfriend for supporting me and all of my dreams. Second, I would like to thank all of my friends, students, and training partners for all of their help. Finally, thanks to OTM Fight Shop and Scott Bieri for sponsoring me and OnTheMat.com for doing this interview with me.