The Phillipines has recently been hit with typhoons that have destroyed much of the country. Death toll has reached the hundreds and the destruction of crops and homes have left filipinos in despair. Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Sim Go who is a native of the Phillipines was asked if he would be interested in doing a fundraising seminar and he accepted. On Saturday October 24, Heroes Martial Arts in San Jose California will hold the Gi and NoGi seminar. This is an interview with Sim leading up to the event.

What does it mean to you to be able to teach a seminar in the art you love and at the same time help those in need with the profits going to charity?

It's awesome. For me, teaching jiu-jitsu isn't a job because it's something that I love and I would still be going over and teaching moves to guys in class even if I wasn't getting paid for it. I'm just happy that I can use jiu-jitsu as a way to give back to those in need because I'm not a rich guy and I don't have much money to give away but I can still help out somehow.

How is your current training and teaching going at CobraKai?

Trainings always been good. I have a lot of tough guys to roll with everyday that push me. Anytime you train with black and brown belts and national champion wrestlers its going to make you better. The teaching has been going great also. I'm just trying to find different ways to break the moves and positions down to the students in a way thats easy for them to understand jiu-jitsu a lot more. We're lucky to have had guys like Jeff Glover, Bill Cooper, Lovato, and other world class guys come into our gym and train and teach, Laimon keeps an open mind and it pays off for the students.

You did a seminar a while back also in the Bay Area, how did that go?

It was really fun. There was a big turn out about 30 people and I enjoyed it. Everybody seemed enthusiastic and eager to learn and those are the best guys to teach. The bay is also a great place to visit. I guess it's easy to appreciate nice cool weather and trees when you live in the desert that's surrounded by casinos.

What is the best seminar you have attented?

I would say Rafael Lovato Jr's. He always shows techniques that are practical and he does a great job at breaking it down and explaining the little intricacies of each move. I also like Robson Moura's seminar, he showed a lot of techniques that I hadn't seen before.

Who are your favorite grapplers/Jiu-jitsu competitors?

There's a ton of guys I like watching. My favorite guy to watch would probably be Marcelo Garcia. Also Robson Moura, Cobrinha, Rafael Mendes, Roger Gracie, Kron, Jeff Glover, Bill Cooper, JT Torres, Lovato, Terere.

Any thoughts on this years ADCC?

I thought the whole event was sick. I got to see some matches that I've been wanting to see like Cobrinha vs Rani, Leo vs Mendes, Garcia vs Kron. Mendes looked like he was on another level that day and I thought it was interesting all the guys who won their divisions were primarily Gi guys. The line up was stacked although I would have like to have seen Lucas Leite in there. ADCC always does a good job of getting the best guys, I just wish they would fix the rules because I think the better grappler doesn't always win with those rules.

What is your most memorable match?

I would say my match with Leo Vieira just because he's somebody I grew up idolizing as a kid. It was cool competing against somebody that I've been watching since I was a white belt and also to compete against someone of that caliber.

Since the Philippines is part of the subject what is your prediction on the upcoming Pacman vs Cotto fight?

I'm not a boxing expert so it's tough for me to analytically break the fight down. I think Pacman is faster and more explosive but Cotto is a lot bigger and hits hard too. It's Pacman's toughest test and I hope he pulls it off.

Where do you see yourself in the next couple of years and in the next 10 years?

I see myself owning a gym in the next few years and teaching jiu-jitsu full time although I wouldn't be suprised if I ended up using my degree and getting a job in the medical field.

Any plugs and thanks you want to throw out there?

I want to thank Marc Laimon and everybody from CobraKai and my sponsors OTM and SUBMIT ONE. CLAE shoes just donated 25 pairs of shoes for the seminar so thank you to them. Also Eugene Ditona for setting this seminar up and Gumby from OTM for letting us do this at his gym Heroes.


Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt SIM GO will be sharing his techniques & methods that have made him a multiple times Grapplers Quest Champion.


- BJJ Beginner’s