levels in the same class, so I couldn’t teach advanced moves because of the beginners, and the advanced students didn’t want to learn basic moves. So I had to teach basic moves with specific advanced details to satisfy both. Each academy has been a unique experience and I have learned a lot from them all.

OTM: What are some titles of which you are particularly proud of winning in your competitive career?

MBC: I’m proud of ALL my titles, but if I had to choose one it would be the IX Atlantico Sul Jiu-Jitsu Cup because it was a classic tournament and it doesn’t exist anymore. At that time, we didn’t have world championships or even the Brazilian Nationals and this was the biggest tournament in the world. It’s also my favorite because it was a really hard tournament in which I had to win 5 fights to be the champion. I won the final in 30 seconds with a flying armbar!

I remember when I was a kid going to the Atlantico Sul Coup to see the best fighters facing each other like Renzo Gracie, Ralph Gracie, Gordo, Draculino, Royler Gracie, Amaury Bitetti, Murilo Bustamante, De La Riva, Wallid Ismail and many more. It was amazing!!!
I also really like the team competitions because all your team mates depend on you and that makes you fight harder. Also you become very attached to your teammates since we support each other during the competition. I placed third in the 1999 Brazilian team nationals as a purple belt submitting all my fights and second in the 2004 Brazilian team nationals as a brown belt, winning all my fights against Black-Belts (brown belts and Black-Belts fight together in the Brazilian team nationals)!

OTM: As a competitor it isn't very difficult to understand Jiu-jitsu as a sport, but as a lifestyle... what has been your experience? How has Jiu-jitsu shaped you into who you are and what are the benefits you feel Jiu-jitsu has to offer in this context?

MBC: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu totally changed my life! When I was a kid I was very shy and fearful because I was always short and slim. When I started Jiu-Jitsu not only did my body start to fill out but, even being a small guy, I was able to beat the bigger guys and that gave me confidence.
Another way BJJ helps a lot is to train you to think and act at the same time. In BJJ you have to react quickly in many different situations and in life you have to do the same.

In the world today you see a lot of kids drinking and using drugs and I think BJJ helped me to stay out of this. I was always a responsible kid, but when I was a teen I saw all my friends starting to drink and when you are a teen you want to do what your friends are doing. As I was always competing and focused on training, I stayed away from parties and drinks. I always sought a healthy life with good food and exercise. And wanted my friends to have this kind of life too.

So the main benefits BJJ offers is to have a healthy life and being able to do exercise using, not only your body, but your mind too. BJJ gives you self-esteem, self-confidence, improves your general fitness, strength, flexibility, coordination, reaction time and, of course, you will learn to look after yourself.

OTM: As a teacher, what is it you hope to offer OTHER than just technical prowess and insight? What are your long-term goals as far as Jiu-jitsu is concerned, both as a competitor and teacher?

MBC: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is my passion and I want to divulge this great lifestyle (like you said before) to as many people as I can. My dream is to have my school and students and one day my students will become Black-Belts and have their own schools and students, and try to bring here what we have in Brazil. My academy in Brazil is not just a place I go to workout. It’s like a home to me. My teammates are like brothers and my master like a father.

As a competitor, I love to compete and I think I’ll compete for the rest of my life! You learn so much competing, winning or losing.

OTM: It seems the Jiu-jitsu world is blowing-up with the UFC, reality television, etc. BJJ is showing an influence on not just the martial arts world, but popular culture in general, especially here in the U.S. Where do you see things going from here and what would you hope to contribute?

MBC: This is a very difficult question and my feelings are mixed on the subject. On one hand, I think it’s great that BJJ is getting popular and, as I said, I will do my part. MMA fights are proving that BJJ is the most efficient ground fight in the world and you can see all the best fighters in the MMA tournaments using BJJ moves. Not only fighters have been watching MMA tournaments and that’s another way how BJJ is proliferating through popular culture. So, as soon as we have more BJJ academies, we are going to have more people join this great Martial Art.

On the other hand, personally, I am particularly against MMA fights because they are too brutal. People only see what happens in the “cage” but you don’t see what’s happening with the fighters’ body. I wouldn’t like to see a student of mine being destroyed and going to the hospital. My students are like my sons and I care about their health and well-being.

Jiu-jitsu has so much more to offer someone than just a means of physically dominating another person in physical combat, though as a method of self defense, it has proven to be most effective in that regard.

FIN

If you want a taste of Mario's seminar (and see him choke his humble interviewer to the point of semi-conciousness) go to the following YouTube link:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vPRHwNz8nqs