Rodolfo took Lo’s back. Photo: BJJ Pix

The 2014 Copa Podio heavyweight champion Rodolfo Vieira gave a show of Jiu-Jitsu for everyone in the gym last Saturday (1). In an interview with tatami, the athlete, who submitted five of the six opponents he faced, talked about his performance in the tournament. Known as being one of the best guard passers in the world, Rodolfo faced a challenge when he fought Leandro Lo, a BJJ player with a tremendous guard. 

He told Tatame magazine:

“I have nothing to complain about. I trained looking for the submission in every fight and just could not finish in one: the first against Leandro Lo. But even then I was happy because everyone liked our fight, and this is what I seek. I always want to make a good fight to watch and, of course, also want to be a good fight for me. Jiu-Jitsu is that. I train like hell to be able to give my all in fights and even faint on the mat, if necessary. The fight was a war, I tried to attack all the time and even thought I had won, but ended up being a tie.

About Leandro Lo:

“The final was very good also. Leandro is a guy who needs no comment. He arrived very tired at the end, because anyone who is a light-weight, arrives at the end of a GP pretty tired against only heavy, and high-level guys. He is a spectacular guy, a great friend of mine. Thank God, I managed to finish in the end, it was what I sought from the beginning. ”

“I’ve trained with him once and thought that his guard was insane, but it was a short workout and I did not feel much. But I always see him fighting in the absolute, complicating any guy, no matter how hard it is. I knew that I had to keep going forward if I wanted to pass his guard or at least gain an advantage. And that’s what I sought all the time: try to impose my rhythm and always breaking his grips. Trying not to make him comfortable. It was very difficult, very difficult indeed. His guard is much better than mine, of course, but I think our game is similar in some ways. I’d like to be born as a guy equal to Leandro and have Jiu-Jitsu like his and the ability he has. I’ve never seen anything like his guard.”

Watch the final: