Hlias with Abmar Barbosa.
Photo: Hannah Jell

Hi Hlias, can you please introduce yourself to the BJJ Community of Eastern Europe?

Hello, My name is Hlias Mpatsinilas,31 years old from Sparta but living and training in Athens,Greece. I’m a blackbelt in BJJ and kick-boxing ,co-owner and head instructor of Brotherhood of Psycho BJJ academy with affiliations in Athens,Larrisa,Rhodes island and Mexico! Our academy is representing Robert Drysdale association and it’s part of the new team that Rodrigo Cavaca and Robert Drysdale founded:Zenith BJJ. I won several titles in Greek grappling,BJJ and pankration tournaments in since the 2000.

Please tell us about your Jiu-Jitsu story

I started training BJJ and ground fighting martial arts in general.i also competed many times in European BJJ championship in Lisbon,Portugal and got medals as blue and purple belt.

Hlias Mpatsinilas

Tell us about your academy Brotherhood of Psycho and your partnership with the Turkish team Corvos. Please tell us about your special relationship with Burak Deger Bicer from Turkey. Has BJJ made you overcome the historical rivalry between Greece and Turkey? 

Brotherhood of Psycho is an idea 4 people that they didn’t want anymore to train under “bad budo” academies and professors, that we have a lot in Greece in martial arts. We wanted to be part of a different lifestyle. A lifestyle to support friendship and a creation of a unique style of jiu-jitsu as a way of life and training. Corvos equipe is a brother team of Brotherhood of Psycho. Burak Deger Bicer is my brother also. When you are saying that you are a psycho you are Corvos too. When you are corvos you are psycho. We understand the difference between BJJ and politics but we don’t mix it..We are training jiu-jitsu..

How is BJJ growing in  Greece?

The BJJ is growing very fast in Greece! New teams, many athletes!! As always this is giving opportunities, but dramas also!! Hopefully we will try to develop a national BJJ union so we can be independent from other federations that want to take some advantage of the BJJ scene in Greece now!!

Brotherhood of Psycho

What have you planned for 2013/2014?

For 2013-14 we are focusing in ibjjf tournaments in Europe such London open ,Munich open(we have a camp with Corvos equipe about this soon) and of course Europeans in Lisbon. Plus Acropolis open in Athens in December. Acropolis open and the Greek nationals are the biggest tournaments and last year we got the third and the second place in teams overall. My personal goal this season is to compete in Europeans for first time as a blackbelt and be in the podium as a blackbelt!

If you want to thank someone or sponsors, feel free

I want to thank my psycho sisters and brothers,these people that I train every day in the academy are my inspiration!! Robert Drysdale and Abmar Barbosa for their guidance and help they offered and offering to me and the academy!! I want to thank also Dina, my girlfriend,because she is so supportive to everything and I love her so much!!