1 odpowiedź w tym temacie

[budo_dollyo]

Australian journalist Adam Orlowski recently interviewed Royler Gracie while Gracie was in Australia. Here's what Royler had to say:


AO: Welcome to Adelaide Royler.

Royler: Thank you.

AO: Can you start by giving us a bit of your competitive history?

Royler: Sure thing Adam. Well, I have been competing in BJJ tournaments since I was 6 years old, but I never took BJJ seriously until I was about 17. I never believed I would become a good fighter, because I was so skinny, weak and scrawny. It took me a very long time before I realized I could become good at BJJ. I used to go to the gym with my brothers and fathers and just play football (soccer) all day long, while they all wrestled on the mats. I thought they were crazy. But, one day I realized I could tap out all my brothers and not even try that hard. It gave me a lot of confidence and I just started training more and more, until I became a world champion.

AO: How about the Vale Tudo part?

Royler: Well, I started competing in Vale Tudo fights in the mid-90's, to test myself as a fighter. I felt that I had accomplished all I could as a BJJ fighter and submission wrestler, so with the help of my brothers, I started to train for Vale Tudo. I was offered a big amount of money to fight in Japan and since I could not attract sponsorship in Brazil for my BJJ fighting, I decided to take up Vale Tudo, full time as a fighter. You know how it is, you have a wife and kids to feed, so you go where the money is. Since then, I have been fighting and teaching full time.

AO: Did you give up competing in BJJ, when you started fighting MMA?

Royler: No, I competed for a few more years still, just not as often. I just got too old to be the best in the world at BJJ, and I needed new challenges in my life, by 1999.

AO: So you stopped competing in BJJ, in 1999?

Royler: Yes and no. You see, I stopped competing in the Mundials, but started competing in the Abu Dhabi Submission Championships instead.

AO: How long have you been competing in BJJ for?

Royler: I competed from the ages of 6 years to 33 years. I'm 39 years old now, so I guess in total, going by my brother Royce's calculations, I've been doing BJJ for 40 years, hahahaha.

AO: Do you prefer fighting in MMA or BJJ more?

Royler: Definitely BJJ. It's where my heart lies, and it's what my life is all about. BJJ has given me everything I have today, MMA is just an athletic pursuit that pays me a lot of money now.

AO: What was your career highlight?

Royler: Winning my first BJJ world championship. I was so proud, I couldn't even talk after I won. I was not just proud for myself either, I was proud for my father, my family, my training partners and all my supporters. I will never forget that moment.

AO: What's the worst decision you made in your career?

Royler: Hahaha, well, that's very, very, very easy. It was last year. I was surfing in the Maldives (Small group of tropical islands, of the southwest coast of India) with some friends of mine and I got a call from a K-1 representative asking me if I'd like to fight in a few weeks time, because they were looking for a new opponent for Genki Sudo. I wasn't interested in fighting MMA for them, so I said no. He said what would it cost to get me to fight? I told him an insane amount of money and he laughed and hung up the phone. I told everyone about this and they all laughed their ass off at the amount I just asked for. Anyway, 20 minutes later, the guy called me back and said "No Problems", I told the man that there was no way possible, that I'd accept the fight on that short notice. He then offered even more money again. Shit man, there's no way I could refuse that!!!

The reason why this was so stupid though, is because I didn't prepare well, I didn't take Genki seriously and I didn't take myself seriously. I made a bad effort in preparing for that fight and I was simply sucked in to taking a fight, that there was no way of winning. I cheated myself in accepting that fight. I am very regretful for that. My father taught me better than that and I suffered the consequences of that poor decision, by being knocked out. I was very lucky that the referee stopped Genki in that fight, because he could have given me brain damage if he kept on smashing my head in, like that, hahahahahaha. I believe you should never fight Vale Tudo/MMA without being paid well, but you should also never accept a fight without being well prepared. Especially when fighting very good opponents.

AO: What's your advice to those thinking of fighting MMA for the first time?

Royler: Some things to consider:

* Don't go in to Vale Tudo fights unless you have prepared by training for at least 9 months, for 5 days or more per week.

* Don't do it if you are trying to prove that you're a tough guy. Just doing MMA training makes you a braver man that 99% of the rest.

* Make sure you have a good trainer, who has your interests at heart, not just the image of your club/team/your trainer's ego.

* Don't be fooled that you won't get hurt, Vale Tudo contests often end with broken hands, jaws, arms and legs. This is a very tough sport and has a history of promoters not willing to take care of fighter medical costs/injuries.

* Only about 20 fighters in the entire world get paid very well. Most professional fighters get paid about the same per year as a call centre worker. If you want to make lots of money, become a boxer, lawyer, or make pornography.

* If you can, try some amateur MMA or Pancrase fights first. There is no point in jumping in at the deep end if you don't have to. Fighting with pads, in an event where there's about 10 people watching, is invaluable experience, as you can learn to get rid of those first time nerves, while being in a relatively safe area.

AO: Were you made to compete in BJJ as a kid?

Royler: No, my father never cared if I competed or not. He hoped I became good at football (soccer), but insisted I do some sort of sport, for my health and fitness. There was never any pressure as a child to even do BJJ, I just joined in because it was fun to jump around on the mats.

AO: What were the family expectations of you, from competitions when you were younger?

Royler: When I was 10, my father said to me that he'd give me $20.00 if I won my tournament and $40.00 if I lost my first fight. I didn't understand this at the time, but later on in life, I realized that losing is just as valuable as winning, because you learn something new from every challenge you face in life.

AO: What Age Were You When You Received Your Black Belt?

Royler: I was 18 years old.

AO: Why not when you were any younger?

Royler: Because we don't give Black Belts to those under 18. They have a different belt and grading system for youth and children. We don't believe a child should ever receive a black belt, as it gives that child a false sense of security in defending themselves in a real life dangerous situation. Children should be taught that no matter how good they are as a competitor, they should not try to fight an adult. I find that seeing an 8-year old with a black belt in a Karate or Ninjitsu dojo is very sad. Because they are really setting that child up to be grossly disappointed when faced with an actual dangerous situation, or fight on the street, because they will be horribly hurt by any attacker. I believe we all have a responsibility as adults and educators, to teach our children better than that.

AO: What's in your near future?

Royler: I will be fighting in the next Abu Dhabi and I will fight 2 or 3 more Vale Tudo fights in the next year or two. After that, I will retire. I'm getting too old for all this now and it's soon going to be time, to hand over the knowledge and opportunity for all my young fighters to take advantage of.

AO: What do you plan to do with your time, once you've retired from fighting?

Royler: I will continue to teach children at my academy in Brazil, as well as privately train fighters each morning. I will also travel a bit more, doing seminars, and attempt to keep spreading Gracie Jiu-Jitsu around the world. I would like to help many of my students go on to become champions now, in both Vale Tudo fighting and BJJ.

AO: How do you deal with students who go too hard in training?

Royler: I don't really have that problem, as I reinforce the fact that training must always be fun, about the technical, the basic elements, and relaxed nature of BJJ. I believe if you always start lessons off by telling the students to not go hard, just concentrate on the technique, you will avoid having this problem. Trainers who allow their students to go too hard, will face the difficulties of lower attendance, as getting injuries stops people from training, or being in the mind-set of regularly coming to training, unless feeling 100% fit. My students only ever go hard when training for a tournament, even then though, they don't go that hard. BJJ is about being aware and thinking two steps ahead of where you are. Rushing and using all your power to throw your opponent around won't lead you to becoming good at what you do, learning to set up your opponent will.

AO: Why do Brazilian fighters always thank Jesus so much, after winning?

Royler: Because you must always pay homage to Rickson... hahahahaha, just kidding. It's because many people are religious in Brazil.

AO: Outside of BJJ and Vale Tudo, what are your major passions?

Royler: My family and surfing. Sometimes I honestly question in what order those are, too. Hahahahahaha.

AO: What defines a truly "great" fighter?

Royler: Far more than what he does in the ring. A truly "great" fighter should be able to teach to others everything that he learns. He should give his time to give advice to children, and he should represent himself and his trainers with respect. Anyone can be good at throwing a punch, but it takes a much bigger man to teach others how to throw, when to throw, why not to throw... you know what I mean?

AO: Have you trained in other styles of martial arts?

Royler: Yes, a little of many different martial arts. Apart from BJJ though, wrestling and boxing is all that I train in. They are the most useful for my fights, especially the boxing.

AO: Why did you start Brazilian jiu-jitsu?

Royler: Because everyone else in my family did it. I grew up around the sport, and apart from football (soccer), there really wasn't much else to do when I was growing up.

AO: What do you think the differences are, in the way Australians train BJJ compared to Brazilians?

Royler: You Aussies seem very serious, and very structured with your classes. You all seem to train very hard and your cardio is a bit better than Brazilians of the same belt level are. Brazilians tend to train a bit slower, but for a longer period of time. We train six or seven days a week though, and seem more focused on BJJ as a sport. Many Australians do it as part of a Vale Tudo curriculum. Take your club for example, Adam, (ABS Extreme Combat): You guys offer BJJ classes five times a week, but only three of those are sport BJJ classes. The other two are from a Vale Tudo style of training. Many of the students here are training BJJ, but you are the only one who competes in it. The others do it because it makes their Vale Tudo skills more rounded.

In Brazil, not as many people work full time, so we can take much more time with our BJJ training. Don't forget, many people live in poverty in Brazil, unlike Australia. BJJ gives many poor people, especially the youth, a chance to do something constructive with their spare time. In general, in Brazil, classes teach more about creativity in your game, not just perfecting a standard stock of moves, positions, and reversals. Our style of BJJ, in Brazil, is a little different to that in Australia, though. It often has to be, as Australians are much bigger and heavier than most Brazilians.

AO: What is your view on the amount of politics in BJJ?

Royler: I think it's bad that it's already gone the way it has. I don't really like it. We have instructors here in Australia that tell their students where they can and can't go. Hell, they threaten to ban them from the club if they go to certain places to train, or go to certain seminars, if it's not being held at their gym. It's really sad, and it totally goes against what these head instructors/managers have been told and trained to do. I always tell my students to feel free to try all different clubs and trainers. Everyone should try different gyms until they find the one that suits them best. You won't ever reach your full potential under an instructor who wants to keep you there and take your money. If my student does not enjoy himself, he should find someone else to train him, which more suits his own needs. There is nothing wrong with this.

AO: What two movie stars would you like to see in an MMA Bout?

Royler: I don't really care, so long as I get to fight them, hahaha.

AO: What's your thoughts on BJJ trainer Bruno Panno?

Royler: Bruno is a great BJJ teacher and fighter, but don't you ever let him fool you, because his surfing is even worse than his English. I mean it, seriously. I think he just walks to the beach, surf board under his arm, and then just stands in front of the water and day-dreams. He is a very bad surfer compared to me.
Hahahahaha, but seriously, Bruno is a wonderful BJJ trainer and he's one of the best in the world at what he does. Anyone who trains with him is very lucky and will learn more than they ever expected. His current students are perfect examples of that.

AO: Thanks for your time Royler.

Royler: Thank you very much.

[budo_partyzant]

If you want to make lots of money, become a boxer, lawyer, or make pornography.

Jeden wystarczy :wink:
Dollyo