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Eddie: When did you first start studying Jiu-Jitsu?
Marcello Monteiro: My parents
started me in jiu jitsu when I was 6 years olds, but since I
was so young, I enjoyed playing around more than training. It
wasn't until I was 16 until I began to take it serious. Then
from 19 until now, I haven't stopped studying Brazilian jiu
jitsu, always trying to perferct new techniques.
Eddie: Have you studied other martial arts?
Marcello Monteiro: Yes,
I studied a little judo, capoeira, and boxing, but BJJ was always
what interested me the most.
Eddie: Where are you currently living?
Marcello Monteiro: I am
currently living in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Eddie: What are some of the biggest differences you first
noticed about Jiu-Jitsu when you came to the United States?
Marcello Monteiro: In Brazil
the fighters train a lot more positions: half-guard, De La Riva
guard (an offensive game) and I have not seen this here. Fighters
tend to think more about points and again I have not seen much
of this here. Points are very important as they were created
to develop your game strategically. If you fight thinking about
points you will learn to better control your opponent and then
find yourself in situations that you will be able to finish/submit
your opponent.
Eddie: Will you stay in the United States and continue teaching
or would you like to return to your native country?
Marcello Monteiro: I intend
to give out a lot of black belts here in the U.S. in the future.
I will make my students the best and my team the strongest,
but to be able to do that, I will need to stay here. I came
to the U.S. to stay!
Eddie: What do you miss most about Brazil?
Marcello Monteiro: The Brazilian
women.lol!
Eddie: Did you have any other teachers other than De La Riva?
Marcello Monteiro: I like
to say that I learned 90% of my techniques from De La Riva and
the other 10% came from a combination of other black belts.
Eddie: Which do you enjoy more, teaching or practicing Jiu-Jitsu?
Marcello Monteiro: I really
enjoy teaching. It makes me happy to see my students winning
their fights using my sequences of positions with all of the
correct details. There is nothing betting in the world that
seeing my students winning important competitions. For me, it
doesn't get any better than that!
Eddie: What is the name of your school?
Marcello Monteiro: I teach
out of Ring Sports Academy. At Ring Sports we have muay thai,
boxing, and BJJ. My students in the U.S. fight with my name
and academy symbol on their gis. In Brazil, they used De La
Riva's to honor him.
Eddie: Do you have any seminars coming up?
Marcello Monteiro: I always
have seminars going on and have many planned out from now until
the end of the year.
Eddie: How many blackbelts has De La Riva given out?
Marcello Monteiro: Black
belts like me that started with him as a white belt and continued
all the way until their black, not very many.
Eddie: From who did De La Riva receive his blackbelt?
Marcello Monteiro: Carlson
Gracie
Eddie: Who is one of the strongest people you have ever grappled
or done Jiu-Jitsu with?
Marcello Monteiro: The most
technical of anyone in my life is Ricardo De La Riva.
Eddie: It is said by many that Rickson Gracie is the best
Jiu-Jitsu master in the world. Do you agree with this. Also,
who are some individuals whom you believe have world-class Jiu-Jitsu
skills?
Marcello Monteiro: In my
opinion, Rickson was the best N.H.B.(vale-tudo) fighter of the
world. Many years ago he traveled the world challenging and
taking challenges against the best fighters of the world to
begin to promote BJJ. Today the best fighter in the world is
Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira. The two most technical BJJ fighters
would be Royler Gracie (Rickson's coach for his fights) and
Ricardo De La Riva (who developed and refined the many open
guard techniques).
Eddie: What are some of the ways Americans are different
to teach than Brazilians?
Marcello Monteiro: Yes,
I prefer to teach to Americans because they are more disciplined,
serious, and loyal than Brazilians. Many of the best Brazilian
fighters become famous, switch teams and forget their roots
and who taught them what they know and brought them to this
level.
Eddie: Have you ever grappled with any of the Gracies?
Marcello Monteiro: The Gracie
family is very big. I have trained and traded techniques with
some.
Eddie: Which do you like more sport or combat Jiu-Jitsu?
Marcello Monteiro: I like
both!
Eddie: Have you ever heard of Orlando Cani? If so, do you
believe his Yoga is helpful in bettering a person's Jiu-Jitsu
skills?
Marcello Monteiro: The yoga
techniques help the fighter with stretching and to better channel
their energy making them more efficient.
Eddie: What do you think of the different confederations
now in Brazil and having two World Championships held at the
same time?
Marcello Monteiro: The Worlds
held by the CBJJ to me is still the official Worlds and merits
the winners the official title of World Champion. The other
shootoff, the CBJJO, is based more on money. This was brought
on by a disagreement of power and who loses here is the public,
because its keeps top fighters from fighting with each other.
Eddie: What is exciting about the future of Jiu-Jitsu for
you?
Marcello Monteiro: Jiu jitsu
is growing all around the world and is becoming more and more
popular. Me, I was born and grew up with jiu jitsu in Rio de
Janeiro. I have also helped in spreading jiu jitsu into the
world and right now I am sure that my current students that
are training with me at my academy and in seminars will connect
me to all of my friends in the future.
Eddie: What are some ways to approach learning Jiu-Jitsu better?
For example, some people suggest do a move over and over to
place it in the muscle memory. Do you agree with this?
Marcello Monteiro: It is
important to say that as a professor there is a big difference
between "showing" a position and "explaining" a position. Many
professors show a position for their students to memorize and
repeat, but that is wrong. The position needs to be explained
in detail so that the students understand how the position works
and then it needs to be shown as part of a sequence. Once the
understanding is conveyed, then I agree that repetition and
practice is important.
Eddie: Some people like your instructor De La Riva are credited
with innovation in Jiu-Jitsu's techniques. Is Jiu-Jitsu always
being innovated and changed in Brazil?
Marcello Monteiro: In the
future, probably not, but now in the present, yes. Some details
are still being modified to facilitate the execution of specific
movements. For example, 3 months ago, I was working with De
La Riva on some new positions to better control the opponent
while passing the half guard.
Eddie: Do you think these innovations have made Jiu-Jitsu
a better fighting art?
Marcello Monteiro: Yes
Eddie: What do you think of George Mehdi? Have you ever had
Judo lessons from him?
Marcello Monteiro: I never
had any classes with him but I know that he was a very technical
and intelligent judo fighter. He was not only a great fighter
but also a great teacher. His academy is on Ipanema in Rio de
Janeiro.
Eddie: Here in America there are many Jiu-Jitsu masters spread
out all over the country and yet I have heard in Brazil many
of the masters know each other. Is this true?
Marcello Monteiro: Yes,
a lot of them know each other.
Eddie: I read about De La Riva fighting in the Mundials at
age 35, is this unusual to participate in the Mundials at this
age?
Marcello Monteiro: I thought
that this was great. His objective was not to go and win the
Worlds title fighting these younger fighters, but to fight as
an incentive to compete for the newer generation of fighters.
Also, De La Riva was 37 not 35.. lol!
Eddie: Do you like tournaments? Do you encourage all of your
students to participate in them?
Marcello Monteiro: Yes,
and I have fought a lot myself, but have been forced to stop
to be able to concentrate better on teaching. I have students
that have won Rio de Janeiro state titles, Brazilian championships
and worlds. I enjoy motivating my students that like to compete.
Eddie: It was said that when Masahiko Kimura was 45 years
old he could have still entered the All Japan Judo tournament
and defeated everyone. Are there any Jiu-Jitsu masters you know
of that are also older but very capable of defeating their younger
opponents in the Mundials?
Marcello Monteiro: Yes.
I know a lot of guys that could go into the Worlds and win a
fight, but the problem is to win Worlds you need to win various
fights. It is hard to have the endurance to do this at that
age.
Eddie: Have you ever met Sergio Penha? Were his Jiu-Jitsu
skills as good as many have said they are?
Marcello Monteiro: Many
years ago, when I was a blue belt, Sergio Penha would come in
on occasions to De La Riva's academy to train. I had the opportunity
at these times to be able to train and learn from him. He is
very technical and has fought some big fights in the past against
good opponents. Rickson was one of them.
Eddie: What is two of your favorite submissions? Have they
always been your favorites?
Marcello Monteiro: A certain
choke and arm lock from the guard with a wrist lock at the same
time. These are two positions that I like to do and I do them
with some details that very few people know. One of them I learned
from Sergio Penha and I still use it today.
Eddie: How long did you study with De La Riva?
Marcello Monteiro: 14 years.
Eddie: Were you a student of his when he introduced his famous
De La Riva guard?
Marcello Monteiro: He has
always given me special attention. He began teaching me his
guard right as I began training. I am lucky because I have the
same weight and height as De La Riva and because of this he
has always liked training positions with me.
Eddie: Many people would like to learn more of your Jiu-Jitsu.
How do they contact you for a seminar?
Marcello Monteiro: I always
receive messages off of my website www.bjjcoach.com or by email
mcm@bjjcoach.com. I always try to respond as quickly as possible
and my friends and students Alan and Travis also help me out
with different aspects of business, organizing, and scheduling
dates for seminars and etc.
Eddie: Is the video tape about De La Riva's life available
on video tape? If so how can individuals acquire a copy?
Marcello Monteiro: The video
about the history of De La Riva was released by the company
'Vitamins & Minerals' in Brazil. They are currently working
on a release date in Japan. Anyone interested in getting a copy
can do so at www.mmagear.com.
Eddie: What academy do you train out of and is there a website
address?
Marcello Monteiro: I have
always trained out of De La Riva's academy. There were always
guys, really good fighters, visiting De La Riva's school to
learn and share techniques that I never had to go anywhere else.
I have a lot of friends in other academies because of this and
have at times went to train with them at their schools: Carson
Gracie Alliance, Nova Uniao, Brigadeiro, Osvaldo Alves. I think
over time I have been to every academy in Rio. LOL!
Eddie: What is your opinion of Gi and No-Gi training? Do
you prefer one over the other? Is it true that training with
a Gi first allows a better basis for developing technique?
Marcello Monteiro: Many
years ago I was invited by Andre Brandao who works for Gracie
Magazine in Rio to put together the first book in Brazil teaching
positions without the gi, so I can talk about this. Jiu Jitsu
with the gi is more intelligent.. because there exists more
positions (reversals, passes, finalizations, and immobilizations).
Without the gi is easier to fight because you can use explosion
and physical force to slip and escape positions, and when you
get older you cannot do this as well. If you correctly learn
jiu jitsu first with the gi you will become a more intelligent
fighter on the ground and will be able to apply a position or
escape a position using the correct form (without having to
slide out of the positions to escape), and you will be able
to save energy to apply it only in the correct moments of the
fight. The gi then will make you more of a complete fighter
on the ground. I will tell you a little history: more than 10
years ago there was a challenge fight between two groups of
guys. Luta livre, which were fighters that trained only without
the gi versus jiu jitsu, gi who trained only with the gi. In
this night of fights jiu jitsu won 10 out of 10 fights.
Eddie: Do you see tournaments switching from gi to having
no-gi be more popular like the Abu Dahbi tournament?
Marcello Monteiro: The no
gi competitions are a little more popular because it includes
many different styles: wrestling, Greco-roman, shootfighting,
and man other styles that train without the gi. But still the
best no gi fighters in the world have still trained and competed
a lot with the gi.
Eddie: What brought you to Indianapolis over going to California
or another place?
Marcello Monteiro: A lot
of Americans left messages on my website saying that I should
come to the USA to teach. I had many friends already in Indiana
that helped me come, so that influenced my decision. But I still
travel all over the states trying to show my work in seminars
and teach my jiu jitsu.
Eddie: Do you teach the stand-up self-defense techniques
such as escape from choke, escape from bear-hug etc. that some
of the Gracie's teach?
Marcello Monteiro: I don't
put a lot of emphasis on the self defense stuff as much as I
do on ground work. I teach the same jiu jitsu that the best
fighters in the world learn and that shows as my students in
Brazil continue winning major competitions. I teach with all
the important techniques and the little things that really make
a difference, the small important details that you need to be
a champion. I don't want to die someday and take all of my knowledge
with me, so I try my best to put it all out there. If someone
wants to learn to fight jiu jitsu and compete, that is what
I teach. If someone only wants to learn self-defense, then I
teach self-defense.
Eddie: How many other De La Riva Black belts are currently
in the United States teaching as you are?
Marcello Monteiro: There
is me (Marcello C. Monteiro) and another black belt in Orlando,
William Bittencourt. There was also an ex-student of Marcelo
Grosso, a black belt under De La Riva, that lived in Florida
a few years ago.
Eddie: Are you still selling your book of no-gi techniques in
the U.S.? If so, how can individuals receive a copy of one?
Marcello Monteiro: My book
is a little old now, it was released quite a few years ago in
Brazil, then in Japan by Gracie Magazine. I think if someone
wants to buy it they would need to contact Gracie Magazine.
Before I came to the USA recently, I spent some time in March
putting together my second book with De La Riva particitpating.
This should be released sometime before the end of the year
in Brazil.
Eddie: Why do you think the ground aspect of jiu-jitsu has
flourished so much and not the take down part? Or do you agree
with this? Why or why not?
Marcello Monteiro: Most
fights end up on the ground. Because of this, the ground fight
has been studied a lot more by professionals of jiu jitsu than
the take down. I agree because it has been because of this that
jiu jitsu has flourished so much in mixed martial arts. Since
then, professional fighters have learned of the necessity to
train jiu jitsu, however, I think it is also important to learn
how to utilize some good takedowns.
Eddie: Have you seen jiu-jitsu explode in popularity in Brazil?
If so, what year or time frame did this happen and what are
some of the reasons?
Marcello Monteiro: For me
it was between 1986 and 1990 that the popularity of jiu jitsu
began. In Rio de Janeiro there has always been a lot of parties
and Rio has always had a very dynamic nightlife. The security
that works these events have always been very aggressive, hitting
everyone close to them whenever there was a little confusion.
But whenever this happened and they attacked a member of my
team or a member of another jiu jitsu school, the security found
themselves asleep or with a broken arm. lol! The security guards
are always 'enormous', a lot of them lifting or even using steroids
to get even bigger, but always lost against the smaller jiu
jitsu fighters. The people watching these smaller fighters winning
against the larger security began wondering how this was happening,
who were these smaller guys and what did they do to be able
to win these fights over and over. Because of this jiu jitsu
began to get its fame in Rio. Jiu jitsu fighters began to travel
to other cities in Brazil and to other countries challenging
the best fighters of other martial arts and winning these challenges.
I don't remember the exact year, but it was after the first
UFCs that jiu jitsu really exploded in Brazil and grew the most
in my city, Rio de Janeiro. The UFC was the final test where
a fighter with a gi on beat the some of the best fighters in
the world in a no time limit competition. It wasn't until a
few years after this that jiu jitsu began to suffer some defeats,
but it was only because the other fighters were also learning
jiu jitsu, principally to be able to block the jiu jitsu fighters
attacks. Jiu jitsu had begun and Brazil was seeing a jiu jitsu
fever. Guys that began training were not able to stop. A passion
for the sport was beginning. New tournaments, competitions were
popping up all over the place along with new federations. Jiu
jitsu also began spreading to other cities in Brazil and other
countries and has continued this way ever since.
Eddie: Have you ever heard of Helio Vigio? Was he as feared
as some people said?
Marcello Monteiro: Helio
Vigio, besides being a bjj black belt is very respected and
well known in all of Brazil. He was a leader of one of the principal
police sectors that tracked down some of Brazil's most dangerous
criminals.
Eddie: Many people I know from Brazil talk about a drink called
Acai. Have you heard of this and is it as good and as nutritious
as people say?
Marcello Monteiro: Acai
is very rich in iron. The fruit has a terrible bitter taste
but when prepared correctly with Guarana it is delicious. Just
thinking about it makes me miss Brazil.. lol! It has to be prepared
correctly though. If you are in Rio de Janeiro someday, you
can not go to just any place and have good acai, because if
it is not prepared correctly, you will not like it. I suggest
that you go to 'Bibi Sucos' in Leblon or in Barra da Tijuca
or to Bblanches or Poli Sucos in Leblon.
Eddie: It is said that one benefit of the Abu Dahbi tournament
was that grapplers from around the globe could train and become
friends through competition. Have you seen this with Luta Livre
and Jiu-Jitsu people in Brazil?
Marcello Monteiro: In luta
livre they only train without the gi and they tend to give a
lot of space for jiu jitsu fighters. Actually bjj in Brazil
in my academy we normally train with the gi, but we also do
classes without the gi. In these classes we work special drills
for no gi fighting. Sometimes I like to put one of my purple
belts with a gi on against a blue belt without the gi. Doing
this forces the purple belt to think more about his movements
and helps the blue belt because the blue belt is able to use
his opponents gi to help him control him. The goal of this though
is to force the purple to get better at his no gi game all the
while making the purple belt also better at his gi game. It
is important to remember that the gi is an important learning
tool that makes you a more complete ground fighter.
Eddie: Do you recommend weight training or any other type
of training?
Marcello Monteiro: When
a student begins to train jiu jitsu with a professor that is
teaching good techniques, I 'don't' recommend training to increase
strength. The professor should be teaching how to apply the
technique and how to economize energy using it only at specific
moments. In the beginning, it is important to learn to train
without using force and depending more on your technique than
on force because if you don't do this it will take you longer
to get better. Once you become better at using technique, then
strength and using explosions at the correct times will benefit
you, but I really recommend doing weight training sometime around
purple belt or even after purple because a blue belt is still
learning the fundamentals of jiu jitsu and you can become a
champion using only the correct techniques. |
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