Marcio Feitosa is on his way to the Abu Dhabi Championships. Brazil has been given five slots to fill for the Abu Dhabi championships. The best jiu-jitsu, wrestling and lutra livra guys are battling it out for those spots.Marcio Feitosa is on his way to the Abu Dhabi Championships. Brazil has been given five slots to fill for the Abu Dhabi championships. The best jiu-jitsu, wrestling and lutra livra guys are battling it out for those spots. He has just one more trial to fight in on January tenth. He has already fought the toughest Jiu-Jitsu guys in Brazil and won. Now he will be taking on the toughest wrestlers and lutra livra fighters. We’ve been lucky enough to hang out quite a bit with this champion. He is one of the greatest people you will ever meet. He has been a tour guild for training and parting for us since we got here. He is also the master at pulling girls, we’ll have more on that later. Right now we’re going to hear a little about what’s been going on with his training and what he has coming up. Thanks for sending in your questions we got a few of them answered.
OTM: Congratulations on doing so well in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Combat Club tryouts can you tell us who your fights were with and how they went?
MF: First fight was Leo Santos from Nova Union. (Feitosa passed his guard and the fight ended because Leo was hurt) Second fight was “Jucao” from Carlson Gracie. (Time ended with the score 0 to 0, over-time first person to score won and Feitosa got a single leg take down) The finial fight was with Wander Baraga from Jorge Pereira. (Feitosa won on points but he had Jorge in a vicious heel hook that Jorge escaped)
OTM: What do you think of the rules and point system for Abu Dhabi?
MF: I think they try to make the rules to make the game have more movement in the fights. I think the rules are good for wrestler guys but a little bit harder for Jiu-Jitsu guys.
OTM: Do you think the first five minutes no points makes the guys stall a little bit?
MF: I think it depends on some guys style, maybe its good some guys make more movement and get a tap and make the fight more open. Some guys prefer to rest to the end and go hard.
OTM: Have you changed your style of fighting to fit the rules better?
MF: Yes, because I went to the US with Carlinhos so I was not in good shape for these fights, so I prefer to fight slow.
OTM: In the Abu Dhabi Championships how will you make the rules work better for you?
MF: I will try to make the rules work better for me. Especially if I fight a wrestler guy. I will try open more the game when it is no points try to sweep and work for the submissions.
OTM: What is your strategy for the wrestlers?
MF: I will try to move a lot when there is no points and try to make the guys tap. If I can’t when the points begin I will try to be in my guard, because when the points begin if you sit to your guard you will loose points.
OTM: What is your prediction for the super fight between Mario Spearry and Roberto Traven?
MF: I think Ze Mario is better for no gi. That my opinion. Traven has a very good guard but I don’t think Ze Mario will give him the chance to tap with armbar or triangle. I think he has good control with passing guard.
OTM: Who have you been training with for Abu dhabi?
MF: Now with the no gi train here the most we learn from Renzo, because at his academy they are training a lot with out gi. Renzo is the best fighter I saw training all my life. For me Renzo is the best fighter. Here (Gracie Barra) we don’t used to train a lot with no gi, but now him and Cachorrinho come to brazil and are teaching a lot of positions to us. I am training with Nino, Cachorriao, Soca, Gordo and a lot of my students the purple belts and blue belts they are helping me a lot.
OTM: I remember in the US there was a big stir about you after you were the only person to beat Ramino Sato in Canada. Tell us a little about that tournament.
MF: I went to Canada to teach for Carlinhos, because he open an academy there. Then I saw a flyer for this tournament and I ask the guy to take me to Toronto. He said ‘no problem’. I thought this was a small tournament. Because I fight a lot, all the tournaments in Brazil very hard tournaments. I try to make all the tournaments and no body knows me. Then I fight Canada Jiu-Jitsu and now lots of people say they knows me from Canada Jiu-Jitsu. It is very nice.
OTM: Did you know who Ramino was before this tournament?
MF: Yes I was supposed to fight him once before, but we have no negotiations. Then I went to Canada, then I fight him there.
OTM: Why did you fight with your gi at this tournament?
MF: Because I didn’t train with out a gi for this tournament and I feel during the first fight the guy was slipping too much. I don’t think that Ramino knew how to use the gi against me because he does not train with the gi. That is why I used the gi.
OTM: How would you describe your style of fighting?
MF: When I fight sometimes I a too much excited because I really want to win. Then I can not let my game go like I can at the academy. Sometimes I don’t think that I fight well because I am to enthusiastic. I don’t let my game flow, I just try to go, try to go. I use too much strength. I think when I get more experience I will let my game flow better and I will learn to fight better. Sometimes I loose my concentration like yell with the referee or the guys. I think more experience I will get better.
OTM: Who are your favorite fighters in Jiu-Jitsu right now?
MF: Renzo, for me he is the best. Renzo is the best for everybody.
OTM: Do you have any tips for gringos on how to pick up Brazilian girls?
MF: Yes, you have to take the girls like a take down and don’t let go till you get the kisses. Then you have to learn some Portuguese words. After the tournament we will start again. (Feitosa is talking about his dedication to helping us meet Brazilian girls and partying at the clubs.)
OTM: Do you have anything else you’d like to add?
MF: I would like to come to America and do some seminars. Soon we are going to have a Gracie Barra page for contacting and information. I can also thank my sponsors; CYClone, The Loft, Machado Kimonos, and Kuifadra Plastics.
PART 2: After the Second Trial. Feitosa Wins!
Feitosa fought one fight at the last Abu Dhabi trial here in Rio. It was against a Lutra Livra fighter named Maicom. We got a quick blow by blow from the man himself. Here it is….
OTM: Can you tell us about your fight, how did things go?
MF: We begin standing up, then I throw him with a foot sweep. Then I passed the guard. I passed the guard many times. He just stayed in a very defensive position, it was difficult for me to try to attack. He don’t try to turn to his knees or escape he only try to put me back in the guard. I put knee on stomach and mount. Almost all the fight was like that. I win on points.
OTM: We’ve seen some rumors on the Internet about you fighting Jean Jaque Machado in a super fight. Is this true? Would you fight him?
MF: No one has come to me about making this fight. I think it would be a good fight. I am ready to fight anyone.
OTM: What happened with the other Jiu-Jitsu fighters?
MF: All the Jiu-Jitsu guys won!
OTM: What happened with Cachorrinho (little dog)?
MF: Paulo hurt his knee, Cachorrinho was out of town with my sister. We had good luck because the day Paulo hurt his knee, Cachorrinho was at my grandmother’s home. So we call and said you have to come this is you chance. He flew in on Sunday night and fight on Monday and fly back to the north of Brazil that afternoon.
OTM: How did his fight go? Who did he fight?
MF: He fight with Leiteo, he is the best wrestler in Brazil. Leiteo shoots in on him and Cachorrinho tried to attach his neck with a guillotine. Then Leiteo escaped and Cachorriho pulled to the guard and loses one point. Then he almost make Leiteo tap with a triangle arm lock, but Leiteo escaped. Then they stand up again, Cachorrinho sit to his guard. Then again they stand up and Cachorrinho sit to his guard. Now he is negative three points. This time he sweeps and smash the guy. He passed the guard and control with knee on the stomach.
OTM: Did he make the guy tap?
MF: No he couldn’t make the guy tape, because the guy is very defensive. Then with about three seconds left the guy says to Cachorriho “I give up”. Then they stand back up and the guy tried to to take him down, but they stayed based and the time ran out.
OTM: What happens next for you?
MF: Now I think we go to Abu Dhabi, first we take a little break for a week and party. Then we train hard and go to Abu Dhabi.
Feitosa said most of the guys had easy fights. The best guys from Lutra Livra backed out because they were a little butt hurt about not having any guys be directly invited. So as my mom would say ” they cut off their noses to spite their faces”. Lutra Livra guys have always said they are the best with out gi. So I can’t understand what they would not take this opportunity to show it and earn what is an obscene amount of money here in Brazil. May be they are scared.
Thanks a lot to Feitosa for all the great training. We miss ya!
We want to wish all the Jiu-Jitsu guys good luck in Abu Dhabi. Make us proud to carry the Jiu-Jitsu flag. Look for us to have more interviews coming and coverage from the event. Stay tuned………