Newly sponsored by market leader STORM KIMONOS, Felipe “Preguiça” Pena won the Copa Podio MW GP last weekend, defeating Luiz Panza in the finals. Could Pena be the next big champion in Jiu-Jitsu and rival Buchecha and Rodolfo? He has big ambitions.
Fighting lifestyle UAE caught up with future great:
Now you have accomplished so much in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu? What is next for you?
I just turned 23 and I want a lot more. I want be AbuDhabi and ADCC champion, I want be world champion more times, I believe I can and my biggest dream is be a open class world champion. I want be the best in the world.”
The Sport of Jiu-Jitsu has evolved so much over the years where do you see the sport headed in the future especially with stalling and advantages? Please give your opinion?
Every year the sport changes and I am totaly in favor of rules for not stalling. The fights need to be entertaining for the public, that will just help the sport grow.
What do you prefer Gi jiu-jitsu or NO GI and why ?
I like both but I prefer with gi. I think with gi is more techniqal, nogi sometimes equally differentiates in different levels of bjj players.
You have made a lot of noise in the world of BJJ as a new black belt, what are your plans for the year 2015?
I want keep improving and one day achieve my biggest goal of open weight black belt world champion.
Can you talk about your team, training partners and coaches?
I live and train most of the time in Brasil at Gracie Barra BH, Vinicius Draculino school. But Draculino move to US when I was a blue belt and Marcelo Uirapuru and Sergio Benini are the head instructors here. I always go to my good friend Romulo Barral’s school at LA to get ready for the biggest tournaments as well.
Can you tell us about your training schedule? And how do you balance it out with work?
I train 3 times a day, that includes physical training as well. Most of the days I train 2 times BJJ and one time conditioning with my coach Bruno Victor. I have a school here in brasil Preguiça Team, where I manage my day training and teaching
Are there any particular factors you think that separate the elite from the average competitors ?
The elite want more than the others, want more then anything, they are able to sacrifice a lot of things to achieve their goals.
Is there a message you would like to give out to your fans, sponsors, family?
I would like to thanks my fans for all the care and my sponsors STORM, CHOKE and ELEMENTOS DO CORPO for all the support.
