Fighters Only

Issue 150

Q: When you began training Junior, what level was his jiu-jitsu at and how long did it take for him to take to the ground game?

Yuri: Junior began to train with me in 2005 and had never trained jiu-jitsu before, a real white belt who had never seen the sport – but in that same year he won a local competition against white and blue belts.

“A year and a half later, he was already in mixed martial arts and his sequence of learning was very quickly. He learned the ground game easily.”

Q: His stand up is so strong he never has to use his jiu-jitsu. For that reason, do you think people underestimate his ground game?

Yuri: They underestimate him completely. If the fighters can’t take him down, because he knows a lot of ground game. I use to tell my students that, for a fighter not to be taken down, that’s because he knows what he’s doing, he knows the position, so the block happens.

“Our game is very effective for MMA takedowns, that’s something he has already shown. He’s put good wrestlers down. It’s about knowing the position. This is to know how to play on the ground and also taking down. It doesn’t work only blocking, but also attacking.”

Q: As his coach, what areas of his jiu-jitsu game would you him to improve upon?

Yuri: I would like him to improve the way he blocks the entrances. He does it easily but he has to use his waist more to do some sprawls, that he sometimes avoids. But not because he doesn’t know, because he feels secure.

“I’d like to see him defend the takedowns on the feet. I like a sprawl and it’s beautiful to see. But Cigano on the top is immortal. If you let him beat from the top, nobody will survive, you can be sure. He trains ground ‘n’ pound a lot and does it very well, having a good and quick game. The moves from boxing and jiu-jitsu are very similar in speed and he is a tough guy, he likes to beat people up.”

Q: Is he more explosive or technical in jiu-jitsu?

Yuri: Today he mixes explosiveness and technique well, that’s something he’s improved on whilst he’s been training. He still has to mature himself, of course, to the same level of other black belts. But I see him fight world champions at the same level. I don’t see any difficulty for him to do a jiu-jitsu move during his UFC fights if he needs too.”