Photo: JiuJitsutimes.com
At the 2016 Worlds, 2 BJJ legends retired. The first was Michelle Nicolini who took silver and the second was 5X world champion Romulo Barral.
Barral reached the final of the medium-heavy category where he faced the amazing Leandro Lo who scored 5-0 on Barral still in the early part of the fight. In the final minutes, Lo managed strategically his victory and added another world title to his resume. In the end, in a symbolic gesture, Romulo tied his belt around Lo’s waist and announced his retirement from the world championships. He was met by a standing ovation from the crowd.
While he may have retired from the worlds, it doesn’t mean that he has retired entirely from competition Jiu-Jitsu. We may still see him in smaller tournaments such as the Europeans or the world masters.
Romulo Barral, aged 33 is a black belt under Vinicius Magalhaes and competes for Gracie Barra, where he has won numerous championships. Romulo Barral is one of the top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighters in the “Meio Pesado” weight division. Rômulo Barral maintained this black belt status in the years that followed with consistent medals at the top BJJ tournaments in the world. In August, 2011, Rômulo established his own Gracie Barra academy in Northridge, California, proving that he is also a coach. Romulo is a 5-time black belt world champion, 3-time silver medalist in the open weight division, and a NO GI world champion, and the 2013 ADCC champion.
Watch the emotional moment:
