Why did you want Raus to fight as a Jiu Jitsu fighter?

MOA: He was not well accepted because he already had his background in other Martial Arts. But, Ruas is my friend and he has a good heart, character, and he is a good Brazilian, while fought representing us, Brazil.

OTM: Tell us abou the rivalry between Jiu Jitsu and Luta-Livre in the 80s?

MOA: Both sides liked me at that time and I had to settle a lot of brawls on the streets.

OTM: Do you have any good Jiu Jitsu x Luta-Livre's stories to tell us?

MOA: I do not. But I can tell you, Jiu Jitsu has things that the others do not. It's the leadership is the critic element. Things were hard at that time and the leaders of Jiu Jitsu worked to make thing happen and everybody followed them because they had respect for the leaders. I respect Masters Helio Gracie and Robson Gracie because they have this attitude. There was not a middle term with them. I remember when Luta-Livre fighters challenged Jiu Jitsu once in the State of Rio championships tournament. Master Robson accepted in a second without hesitation. And everybody applauded Robson Gracie, this is the Jiu Jitsu's soul, never to back down from a challenge.

OTM: You introduced Jiu Jitsu to Manaus. What are the differences between the Jiu Jitsu of Rio and Manaus?

MOA: Rio is the Meca of Jiu Jitsu. Here are the great masters and the great fighters. Manaus is growing up, they have good titles in kids and juveniles divisions, but when they fight in adult, Rio stops them and Sao Paulo is strong too. I think that actually the big competition is between Sao Paulo and Rio. But some times Manaus creates good fighters like Saulo & Xande Ribeiro, Fredson Paixão, Bibiano Fernandes, Paulo Coelho, Leopoldo, Fredson Alves and Omar Salum. All tough guys with important titles. My ranking is Rio, Sao Paulo, Manaus and out of Brazil, USA.

OTM: What do you think of the USA’s progression in Jiu Jitsu?

MOA: I am not worried with that and Carlos Gracie Jr does a good job with USA. Carlos told me that the best way for Jiu Jitsu to get to be an Olympic sport, it's with the USA's support. Jiu Jitsu as an Olympic sport will be good for Brazilians, because out of 10 gold medals for sure we will get 8 of them. USA is a country that likes sports and now others France, Korea, Japan, Italy, Spain, Canada, and all South American countries; Australia and Portugal will help Jiu Jitsu to have more propagation.

OTM: Where are you from? Manous?

MOA: No, I was born in Acre and came to Rio when I was a baby.

OTM: So how and why did you bring Jiu Jitsu to Manaus?

MOA: Arthur Virgilio Netto, who actually is a republic senator, and Reyson invited me to go there. When we arrived there we went to a Club named Rio Negro, where there were masters of other Martial Arts. I do not know how exactly but Reyson got pissed off with a guy there and Arthur Netto brawled with a big guy. So everybody saw the Jiu Jitsu efficient and started to looking for this martial art, then we founded an academy. I am now very welcomed in Manaus. Nowadays there is not a guy who comes from Manaus that did not train at one of my schools. If he did not train with me, he trained with my students. There is even an event named Copa Osvaldo Alves that is held there once a year for the last 15 years. There is also a room at the Police Academy of Manaus in my homage and I do not know, personally who the person who dedicated the room to me I believe it was the actual governor of Amazonas.

OTM: You gave a lot to Manaus’ Jiu Jitsu. But you have had some problems there too.

MOA: In everyone’s’ lives we will have deceptions and cheers. Of course I have had deceptions with persons who thought that already were great fighters and they turned their back on me.

OTM: More and more people are coming to train with you from outside Brazil, how did you get this reputation?

MOA: I have students in almost all parts of the world and I am known outside of Brazil as the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu encyclopedia. For me that is a great honor. The most interesting thing is that I never paid attention to that title. I am only concerned with practicing the Jiu Jitsu of high quality. But now I am moving forward and I will make a web site soon, because if I got recognition without anything, you cannot imagine if I make a site. (Laughs)


OTM: Nowadays, Fredson Paixão is your top guy. Was he thought to start train when he arrived in Rio?

MOA: All Fredson's game is mine, since he trained with my student in Manaus and then he came to Rio and Bibiano Fernandes, Leopoldo and Rodrigo as well.


OTM: Fredson Paixão is a special fighter, how is he different?

MOA: Paixão is not my best student ever, but at the moment he represents the top fighter in Jiu Jitsu around the World. He has beaten all the top 10 ranked guys more than once. When Fredson was a purple-belt everybody asked me to promote him to a black belt, because he had beat everybody with just a singular talent. So when he was skilled to be black belt I gave him the belt and he beat everybody. Proving he deserved the black-belt..

OTM: This was not the first time you promoted a purple belt to black right? Who else?

MOA: Sergio Penha. When he fought Rickson, he had just gotten his black belt. Master Helio Gracie asked me to promote him because Penha was beating all the black belts.

OTM: What is your secret to find the hot new up and coming guys? What is the secret?

MOA: There are no secrets. Last year 20 students came to fight in the Mundials, we got 18 gold medals and 2 silvers. I believe that we always need to surpass our limits because there is always a guy training harder to be the number one.

OTM: Do you have any plans to leave Brazil to teach Jiu Jitsu?

MOA: I would like to be invited to give some seminars outside of Brazil. I am honest at my seminars.