Rafael Lovato Jr. is one of the top jiu-jitsu practitioners in the country. In the summer of 2007 he became just the second American to win the Mundials of Jiu-Jitsu as a black belt. He has numerous other black belt titles on his résumé and runs one of the best jiu-jitsu schools in the country, which is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This weekend, he will be looking to add to his grappling legacy as he flies to Barcelona, Spain to participate in the prestigious 2009 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship. Luckily, OTM was able to catch up with Rafael before he boarded his plane to discuss everything from training tips and his future plans in the sport to ADCC and his new signature Lucky Gi.



Bevois: Three months after the last ADCC in 2007, you became the second American along with B.J. Penn to win the Mundials as a black belt. How did it feel to reach that milestone, which made you a pioneer for future Americans in the sport to emulate?

Rafael: That was one of the greatest moments of my life. I will never forget the feeling I got when my arm was raised. It was a dream of mine to accomplish that and it was a long journey to get there.



Bevois: The emotion on Saulo and Xande Ribeiro's face after you won the Mundials was pretty telling on how close you guys have become. What do you think makes them such great instructors?

Rafael: They have a great understanding of jiu-jitsu and all of its fundamentals. It is that knowledge they have that enables them to teach so well. Often times those are the things that people need the most. It is more about how your body is positioned and how to not give up an inch. Also, their experience as competitors translates into their ability to coach, because they know what it takes to win.



Bevois: Speaking of B.J. Penn and Saulo and Xande's coaching prowess, Penn will be defending his UFC lightweight title against your teammate Diego Sanchez in December. What are your thoughts on that bout?

Rafael: I think that it could be one of the greatest lightweight fights ever. B.J. is extremely talented and has the ability to finish the fight everywhere. Diego also has the ability to finish the fight everywhere and he is an aggressive, cardio machine. Anything can happen, but I think if there is anyone out there who could beat B.J. at lightweight, it is Diego.



Bevois: Since the last ADCC two years ago, you also designed your very own signature Lucky Gi. Could you tell us your thoughts on that whole process and a little about the gi?

Rafael: Well, Scotty asked me if I would like to make my own gi and of course I jumped on the opportunity. It was a long process. I never knew how much goes into making a gi, until then. Thankfully, we were able to make a great product and I am very happy to have my name on it. I think it is the most unique BJJ gi on the market. The brushing on the inside is a huge plus and the weight of the gi is perfect. It also looks pretty good. If you haven't checked one out yet, give it a try. It will become your favorite gi to train in, I promise. It is a cool feeling when I go to tournaments and I see other people wearing my gi. Hopefully, we will be able to make a new version next year.



Bevois: You have also moved your school to a much larger location closer to downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. How many students do you now have and who are some of the competitors we should keep our eye on in the future?

Rafael: We're not downtown, but we are in a better location with a lot more space. I am happy to say that we have over 200 students right now and we have a lot of tough competitors from blue to brown, including some young guys I have high hopes for in the future. The competitors that have done very good in competition would be: Justin Rader, Robert Harper, Justin Jacobs, Travis Serna, Zach Adamson, Brian Picklo, Jonathon Combs, Clay Copeland, Rob Wood, Shiloh Roberts, Trevor Cowan, and there are more coming.



Bevois: The UFC just had a show in your hometown of Oklahoma City last week and Strikeforce will be hosting a show in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area this weekend. Has the MMA scene gotten a lot bigger in the state over the last few years?

Rafael: It has always been pretty big here. There are a ton of local shows and of course there are a lot of wrestlers. I think the big events took notice of that and saw the opportunity to come here and make money.



Bevois: The state of Oklahoma has always been known for its strong wrestling programs. Have a lot more been coming to your school to cross-train in jiu-jitsu, especially with the success of so many former OSU wrestlers in MMA?

Rafael: Yes and no. I have quite a few good former high school wrestlers that train with us, but not too many collegiate wrestlers. I think that they either move away to train at a big camp or they want to jump in and fight right away and not take the time to learn BJJ.



Bevois: Three of those former OSU wrestling stars Jake Rosholt (UFC), Johny Hendricks (UFC), and Shane Roller (WEC) all won big fights last month. They have been training