South Africa’s Shaughn Vos is one of the best BJJ competitors in his country. He runs his academy Rio Grappling Club Stellenbosch. Shaughn will also be competing at the European trials of the ADDCC, which will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria on October 11th. In this interview with BJJ Eastern Shaughn talks about the growing BJJ scene in South Africa and the rest of the African continent, as well as his preparartion for ADCC Europe:

1. Hi Shaughn, can you please introduce yourself to the BJJ Community of Eastern Europe? 
Hey guys, thank you so much for having me! My name is Shaughn Vos, I’m #@ years old and am a purple belt under Rico Hattingh who is a Black Belt under Roberto Atalla of Rio Grappling Club.
I train 3 times a day at different wonderful gyms. Every morning for 2-3 hours I train at REPS Fitness in Durbanville where I also give class on a Wednesday evening for my instructor Rico Hattingh. Then my time is split between giving class/training at Zebra MMA in Worcester (a beautiful 1 hour drive through rugged mountains) and running my academy in Stellenbosch. Then on a Saturday morning we usually head over to a friends academy in Blaauwberg, Atos Cape Town, for a solid 2 hours of Rolling with some of the best guys in South Africa.

My Main titles in SA are:
South African Grappling Association (SAGA) Ultra Heavy and Absolute National Champion (2013)
SAGA Western Province Champion (2012, 2013, 2014)
SAGA National Champion (2012,2013)
Cape Town International Open Heavyweight Purple/Brown/Black Division Champion
Mother City Winter Open Nogi Champion (2013)
Carlson Gracie Africa Cup 2011 Advanced Absolute Champion

2.How did you discover BJJ and how did you start training? Tell us about your BJJ journey

Wow man, BJJ crept up behind me took my back and has been submitting me regularly for the last 7 years! It all started with a UFC dvd, as is the case so often. My cousin and I watched it and decided we were going to give MMA a go. I was a very flabby 150kg’s back then. My cousin was a 4 month white belt and weighed 80kg’s . He submitted me with multiple horrible neck cranks, and so began an obsession for me with Grappling!
I trained for 3 years exclusively in NoGi before being enlightened by the wonderful world which is the GI. Hence the nearly 7 years of training and only being a Purple Belt. The Gi has taught me so much, and i implore anyone who is fooled by the notion that the GI will not improve your No-Gi, to just slap one on and see the difference it will make to your: patience, grip fighting and attention to detail – all which are integral to becoming a champion!
I taught myself out of books for the first year then joined Gracie Jiu Jitsu Cape Town, under James Smart (Black Belt) and Gary King (Brown Belt). They were my first coaches and still both my friends. I had the privilege of competing against James at my last tournament in an exhibition match – it is the highlight of my career thus far! James is an amazing coach, looking for the best for his students, he has no Ego whatsoever which is the most important part of BJJ in my opinion – after our match he organized a class just so I could show his students the Berimbolo i used to take his back when we competed! Thats a good coach!
After 3 years of training and competing, I moved to Stellenbosch which was too far for a trip to Gracie Jiu Jitsu so I joined up with Rico Hattingh MMA and was a decision which has changed my life forever. But more on that in one of the later questions. Lets just say I have been with Rico ever since.
3. Please tell us about your academy Rio Grappling Club Stellenbosch.

Rio Grappling Club Stellenbosch is set in the Beautiful Winelands of the Western Cape. Stellenbosch is a gorgeous university town, full of great food, people and home of some of the best Rugby Players in the world.
The Academy is relatively small in number but has probably some of the highest level of BJJ and Grappling in South Africa. We don’t have the numbers to win team titles but the advanced sections in the heavier weight groups and absolutes are almost alwways won by one of us or by my instructors gym REPS Fitness and MMA. To put it in perspective the last GASS tournament (biggest round robin submission only tournament in Africa) 5 of the 8 advanced competitors were from the two clubs.
But the thing that makes RGC Stellenbosch so amazing, beyond the level and the setting, is the people! My students and co-instructors are some of the funniest, most down to earth amazing people you could ever hope to meet! The rolling is super intense and competition orientated but boy do we have fun!

Rio Grappling Cape town

4. How is the BJJ scene growing in SA? How do you see it evolving in the next 5 to 10 years? What are threats and opportunities for BJJ there? How about African BJJ?

Man the scene has its ups and downs. But overall I think it is growing steadily. Companies like BJJ Events SA, Zebra tournament Systems and Monster Clash Promotions are slowly putting in the effort to grow the tournament scene for us. And the guys must appreciate it and support these as this can only draw more people to join the clubs.
In the next 5 -10 years I think we could be on par with a continent like Europe. South Africans love sport and especially physical sports like rugby, so as an alternative to Rugby training, BJJ and MMA are amazing. So South Africa will start producing a very high level when these world class athletes start cross training or converting. Also the growth of the Extreme Fighting Championships MMA event, will mean more people will train in BJJ in the future. So I think it looks very positive. The only threat in my opinion is the lack of higher belts competing regularly in events. This cannot be good for the overall level in SA, but as the current crop of blues enter the higher belts i think this will change. SA’s blues are beasts!
African BJJ is dominated by South Africa and Angola, with the latter being a few steps ahead as was evident in the abu Dhabi trials of 2013, where the Angolans did very well across the board. I do think, however, that SA has caught and surpassed them in the last year, but we will find out soon enough.

5. Please tell us about your coach Rico Hattingh

Ok this is where my story from above continues. I joined Rico Hattingh in 2010 after I won the GASS tournament. I was confident as I entered the gym, and even as the rolling started I was waiting to make my mark. I got to roll with Rico first, 3 minutes and 8 (yes 8) submissions later I ran to the bathroom to loose my dinner! I was so embarrassed. Rolling with Rico felt like I was having my soul crushed through my sternum. He is 120kg’s of muscle yet basis his whole style on movement – it is an experience of note rolling with that man!
I personally think he is the once in a generation talent that comes from a country. Back in 2006 I think, Rico was a blue belt who was in the states to train with Randy Couture and Dan Henderson. He met and rolled with the guys at Renzo Gracies in New York. After a a session with all the guys there Renzo recommended that he enter the Pan Am’s 2 days later. He did and won the Nogi Pan ams. One year later he lost to Luiz Big mac via a footsweep after 2 over times at ADCC 2007. I have seen him man handle black belts out of Brazil easily and submit them at will. He is now a Black Belt under Roberto Atalla. I honestly am of the opinion that if he wasnt so obsessed with MMA, and didnt get injured so badly he could have been a world champion! But he is too humble to agree with me though.
On top of all of this he is an amazing humble person who has believed in me when i was nothing from nowhere. And helped me get to the level I am today.
6. You will be heading down to Sofia, Bulgaria in November to compete at ADCC Europe. How is your prep going and what do you expect from the European competitors?

I am SO excited about this man! My prep is going amazingingly! I am blessed to be able to train full time. So I train about 5 hours a day, plus classes – so my fitness is right up there at the moment – plus getting your butt kicked by someone your own size a few times a week helps too! *side eyes Rico*
I’ve seen some video of the guys i will be facing and they all look big and strong! But this is how i like it, so I am definitely looking forward to the challenge!
7. What is next for you and your team in 2014-15?

We are hoping to continue to do well in the advanced divisions, and to slowly build a bigger team in the white and blue belt divisions, taking the name of Rio Grappling Club to new heights.
Personally I am fully focused on the ADCC Qualifier. My goal is to win that, not for my own glory – but to show others in SA that if you work hard it is possible for South Africans to compete internationally. Kind of like what Kit Dale is doing in Aus, just with less profanity and facial hair. although my beard is getting there! (Im coming for you kit! lol)

8. If you want to thank somebody or sponsors, feel free

I want tio thank all my students and friends for helping me get good enough to actually be interviewed. Especially Roberto, Rico, Cor, Alex, Nathan,Luke, John and Johan. As well as all the old school RHMMAA beasts!
Thanks to Storm South Africa, Black Water and Apocalypse Fight Gear – buy their stuff!
Then to all the wonderful people who have helped me financially so that I can attend the event in Bulgaria. You guys are my inspiration – being kind to me just because you are awesome! Love you all.
A special thank you to my wife who sees her husband before 7 and after 21.30 everyday just so he can follow his dream. You are one in a million my love!

9. Thanks Shaughn and all the best

Pleasure guys! God Bless you Eastern Europe!