Leandro Lo’s star is on the rise. At 27 Lo is at the top of his game. This year has been especially fruitful – he’s captured the heavyweight, middleweight and the lightweight Copa Podio Grand Prix in addition to Pan American championship absolute and many other accolades.
But unlike Rodolfo Vieira, Mackenzie Dern and Buchecha – Lo isn’t interested in making a mark on the MMA scene just yet.
He told Tatame:
“Jiu-Jitsu is good nowadays, giving to make good money, but I do not want to go to the MMA, I live well, and it’s very difficult to change sports and start from scratch again. I really like Jiu-Jitsu, to train, to live it, so for me it would be very difficult “
Lo also talked about jiu-jitsu changing and many modern nuances to the gentle art:
“Nowadays, there is a lot of information for the graduates. With evolution, guard and passing are getting elaborate, good athletes, so it is difficult to make point and finish because of this. I think you have to fight forward without making a bad fight, but it’s difficult for everyone to have that head. Sometimes the guy just wants to win, and he’s a champion anyway, so that’s why they’re losing this thing of old, of the essence itself, of self-defense, “
Lo added
“If all events followed standards such as the Copa Podio and the Grand Slam, with cash payment, and respect the athlete, it would be much better and would attract a lot more fighters. I fight for the medal, for being the best, but money is also fundamental. , So I think that all the events had to be paid for, it’s a lot of expense, so the athletes need to be valued.”
And Lo is looking at another Copa Podio appearance – it’s just been announced that a rematch between Gilbert Durinho Burns and Leandro Lo will take place February 18th – it will have a round in a gi and one without. The third round will be defined by the fighter who has the best performance.
Copa Podio president said:
“I believe that with this format will have a breathtaking fight, because the Durinho comes from MMA and has an advantage in the fighting without gi and Lo, in turn, has the advantage in kimono fighting”
Looks like Leandro Lo will be terrorizing the bjj scene in the years to come! Are you excited to see how this interesting new format plays out?
