Lightheavyweight submission & jiu jitsu competitor of Nova Uniao, Bruno Bastos, earned some outstanding Brazilian submission trophies in 2005. By these conquests, Bastos can be named the best Submission Fighter in Brazilian territory of 2005.The best Submission Fighter in Brazilian territory of 2005, Nova Uniao’s BRUNO BASTOS
Lightheavyweight submission & jiu jitsu competitor of Nova Uniao, Bruno Bastos, earned some outstanding Brazilian submission trophies in 2005. By these conquests, Bastos can be named the best Submission Fighter in Brazilian territory of 2005. Trying to get involved more deeply with MMA in 2006, Bastos shared with us his thoughts on this interview about career highlights and his plans. Denis Martins: You had a great year into your submission career in 2005. Even so you didn’t fight ADCC 2005. You fought and won a few submission grappling tournaments, so I consider you the bestBrazilian submission fighter in 2005. How do you analyze you career in 2005?
Bruno Bastos: Well, foremost I want to thanks for the symbolic award of best Brazilian submission fighter in 2005. This is a great recognition over my job. I did think that 2005 was excellent for my career in submission, because even when I was defeated I fought pretty-well. However I’m conscious that I need to improve to reach better results. Denis Martins: You got invited to ADCC 2005. Why didn’t you compete there?
Bruno Bastos: Sincerely I didn’t expect the invitation because I didn’t fight at Brazilian Trials 2005. But I got it, and I made an extra-effort to fight there, because that was a huge chance for me. But the American Embassy “submitted” me (laughs) in all attempts of getting my visa. I went to the Embassy in the same day that fighters such as Roan “Jucao” Carneiro, Leticia Ribeiro and Leonardo Santos did. Inexplicably they got their visa and my one was denied, I had all papers required, but I didn’t. It was very frustrating for me, because I wanted to compete in that tournament, but thinking about it with more calm, I realized the American Embassy had its reasons to deny my visa, and in a future opportunity I guess they’ll not deny it again. Denis Martins: Talking frankly, which would be your real chances at ADCC 2005? Bruno Bastos: I didn’t go there just to know USA, I wanted to go to grab the title of my category. But if I placed between the first 4 fighters, I’d be happy. I think that the first three fighters who were in the podium were the best. The fighter who I thought that could be a tough opponent for me was Jon-Olav Einemo due to his height. But I was very-well prepared in the technical and psychological aspects. Denis Martins: Did you watch the ADCC 2005? What did you think about it?
Bruno Bastos: I watched a little of it. But about what I got to watch, I wasn’t surprised by my category(88.0kg-98.9kg). I only believed that Xande Ribeiro or Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira would beat Roger Gracie. In the other categories, my surprise was that Wagnney Fabiano didn’t reach the finals. Also Roger to conquer the absolute and Demian Maia overwhelms Saulo Ribeiro were surprises for me. Iconsider Ribeiro one of the best submission fighters of the planet. Denis Martins: In 2003 you were finalist of Brazilian Trials in under 88kgs category. After two great performances, you didn’t fight well in the final against Ronaldo “Jacare” Santos. What happened inthat opportunity, did you have a mental blockage? Bruno Bastos: I took that 3 fight into the tournament on short notice. Four days before the tournament, the organizers called. I fought in quarter-finals’ and in semifinals’ matches were the extra round was needed. I fought 40 minutes of fights, while Jacare fought a half of it. I reached the final completely exhausted and I didn’t get to block any of Jacare’s attacks. Denis Martins: You improved your technique a lot in last two years. So a fight between Jacare and you nowadays would be very different?
Bruno Bastos: In equal conditions, of course the fight would run different. Doesn’t matter the final result, I’m sure I’d show myself better than that time. Jacare has more international experience than me, but I grew from the results of my fights in last two years. My moment is superb now! Denis Martins: Marcelo Garcia was a great name in ADCC 2005. You already fought him, what’s your opinion about him?
Bruno Bastos: Garcia is very technical, fast and compact fighter. Due to his short size, and his flexibility – he’s hard to control. However I think Leonardo Santos proved that Garcia isn’t the best of the best into his weight class(-77kg). I guess if Fernando Terere had competed, Garcia would have problems. Even so Garcia submitted Andre Galvao twice, I’d like to se a fight among them nowadays, other two good fighters to make great fights against Garcia, areLeonardo Pecanha, and Guto Campos. But if ADCC wants to make a great super-fight in next events, I’d suggest Garcia x Matt Hughes or Jean Jacques Machado. Denis Martins: I didn’t cover much BJJ in 2005, so what can you tell of your career in Jiu Jitsu in 2005, plus your main titles? Bruno Bastos: My main titles are 3 times Copa do Brasil champion, 3 times Copa do Mundo medalist and State of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo champion. Copa do Brasil 2005 was my main award because I won 6 fights and nobody got to score points against me. Copa do Mundo 2005 wasn’t good for me, I wanted to prove that I should be in ADCC 2005, and I put a heavy in my shoulders, so I think I didn’t render what I should do. Denis Martins: Will you get to conciliate your Submission and BJJ career this year?
Bruno Bastos: I think so. I think that to not train with gi is a mistake, even you’re going to fight submission or MMA. The gi gives more sources than you can imagine, and you only need to adopt it to the modality you’re going to dispute. I’ll share my priorities in 2006, and I’ll not have problems of fighting submission, and BJJ Denis Martins: Was the Copa Cyclone de Submission 2005 your most important award?
Bruno Bastos: By the attention that the media gave to this tournament, I don’t have doubts of saying to you, yes! I got to make contact with new sponsors, new supporters, and new fight offers after that conquest.But I consider Submission Wrestling de Campos the most important grappling event of Brazil. I won that tournament in 2003 and I hoped to win it this year too, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. Denis Martins: How did you see yourself at Submission de Campos in 2006?
Bruno Bastos: I did what I could, the lack of a weight category between -88kgs and -110kgs forced me to fight in the heaviest one. I felt the strength difference when I face Antoine Jaoude on the finals, and Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga on the absolute. My cervical was paining a lot when I fought these guys, because I had to make extra strength to control them on the ground, even so I lost to both. Denis Martins: Back to Copa Cyclone de Submission 2005, the fact is, you didn’t fight the quarter-finals and fans talked that it was good to you, because you fought semifinals without wear and tear. What do you have to say about it?
Bruno Bastos: I wanted to fight, but Leonardo Lucio “Chocolate” Nascimenton withdraw of the tournament by his reasons. But I already beat him, and I’d beat again in that day, I’m not going to be arrogant, but no one on that tournament had tools to beat me. I was very well prepared and focused. Now with this Cyclonetitle I qualified myself to face Cacareco in super-fight of 2006. And this will be a great chance for me, because I think Cacareco is the man of my weight class, and I want to be the man who beat the man. Denis Martins: After your fight against Jucao on the final you went to the crowd and screamed something related to “Nova Uniao has heavyweight fighters”. What did you mean?
Bruno Bastos: I affirmed that the Nova Uniao team has good heavyweight fighters too, good like the lightweight ones. But we do not have the same amount of fighters in heavyweight than in lightweight. The prove that we’re good is in fighters like Andre “Marola” Candido, Fernando “Boi” Fernandes, Andre Cardoso, Rafael Carino, PELE, Ricardo Demente, Pato, Ricardo, Victor Hugo, Mario Neto, Tiago Gaia, and a few other that I forgot now (laughs). These are fighters who conquered important titles even training in a team recognized by being the team of the lightweight fighters. Denis Martins: Last year you were sparring of Kazuhiro Nakamura in his fight-preparation to face Yuki Kondo. What did you think about Nakamura?
Bruno Bastos: He’s an excellent athlete, and a nice person. I am proud of being one of his sparring during his preparation for that fight where he beat Kondo. That experience with him added a lot to my career. I consider him the best under -93kgs Japanese fighter nowadays in MMA. He won some good fights, and he proved(too) that it’s good to train in the “lightweight team” even so you’re a lightheavyweight. Denis Martins: You already had two opportunities of fighting MMA. First one was in SHOOTO Brazil 1-“Amateurs”. What can you tell us about that experience?
Bruno Bastos: All experiences are good. I lost to Carlson Gracie’s Ivan Batman in a fight where he did stall a lot. The strikes weren’t allowed on the ground, and I tried to fight on the ground by using my submissions, but I didn’t. Also to fight with head protection is hard, sometimes that harm your vision and you don’t see exactly where is your opponent.
Denis Martins: And the Pro MMA? Where did you fight? Bruno Bastos: I lost by decision in X-Fight MMA to a Brazilian behemoth named Edgard Castadelli, he’s 200cm, 110kgs, 10-1 in MMA, and casual sparring partner of Pride middleweight champion Wanderley Silva. So I didn’t make bad at all, right? (laughs). I lost bydecision in a fight were I didn’t get any hurt in my face. I went to fight in replacement of Pato, who got injured two weeks before the fight. I trained for two weeks and went to fight. Now I expect to fight again with a good fight-salary and in my weight class the -93kgs. The important is a reasonable fight-salary in my opinion. MMA takes too much of your body, and low pursues aren’t enough to payback the suffering you’ve in the trainings. I won good money in Jiu Jitsu competitions without to eat any punch or kick, so the pursuit of a MMA fight needs to be higher. Denis Martins: How was your beginning in Martial Arts? How did you start?
Bruno Bastos: I’ve train since 1990, I started with master Jose Neury, after it I trained with Adilson Brittes, and in 1993 I started with my master Wendell Alexander. In 1995 when Nova Uniao was formed, I already knew Andre Pederneiras, who’s my manager now too. I started in BJJ because I liked the Judo Olympic champion Aurelio Miguel(gold medal in ’88). But there wasn’t Judo close to my home, so like some of my cousins trained BJJ, I did the same. Denis Martins: How’s your life nowadays, are you only training and fighting, or are you teaching too?
Bruno Bastos: I’m focusing on training and fighting. But I’m in the coordination of my students in the academies that have my name, I teach them on Saturdays. They understood it was necessary because I wanted to improve my fighter career. I’ve a social project in partnership with my student Claudio Santos, my brother Ricardo Bastos, my friend Ary Veloso and my cousin Andre Bastos where we support 200 kids I’ve some students in Rafael Cordeiro and Wallace Coutinho who’ll surpass the expectations soon! Denis Martins: Your plans for 2006?
Bruno Bastos: To fight MMA 3 or 4 times, and to conquer the gold medal in both World Championships of Jiu Jitsu. I know I have conditions of doing it. In submission, I want to qualify myself to ADCC 2007.
Denis Martins: Thanks for your time Bruno. Do you want to leave a final-message?
Bruno Bastos: I’d like to say thanks to my masters Pederneiras and Alexander, my friend and idol Leonardo Santos, to my brother Ricardo, my sister Bianca, my cousin Andre, my all family, my fiancée Thais, my students and all people who supported me on the social project. My sponsors Brazil Combat, Keiko Raca, AndreCar, Centro Ortopedico do Valqueire and Don Bastos Buffet. “I will never refuse a fight, this is my mentality”