Leo D’avila is an athlete and coach of the team Atos Jiu-Jitsu Team, alongside of Professor André Galvão and international recognized professor, with a several seminars taught all over the world in the last years. As a coach he was in the corner of  André Galvão, Mendes bros and Keenan Cornelius in Metamoris.  As an athlete he has medaled 27 times in the past 2 years in IBJJF tournaments! Apart from athlete and teacher, he is also today one of the most active IBJJF referees. In this interview with BJJ Eastern Europe Leo talks about what makes Atos so successful, The differences between Brazilians and Americans and how Southern California has overtaken Rio as the best place for Jiu-Jitsu: 

1. Atos is a relatively small and new team but is fast rising. How do you explain its success?

Leo: The success of the Atos Team is simple to explain. A team founded for two great teachers/athletes, Ramon Lemos and Andre Galvao, who joined working with the focus on quality and competitive environment, together with potential athletes/students who dream of living from the sport and want to become the bests in the world. The training is very strong all day. Everyone has a lot of focus on your goals. This makes difference.

Leo 3rd polace at the 2014 Pans at Ultra Heavy

2. How different is the training mentality between Americans and Brazilians? (For competitors and recreational students)

Leo: The difference between Americans and Brazilians are few.
Americans as a competitors are maybe a little be more hardworking and see the sport as a potential future carrer. Also the americans always look for improve the mindset and all mentality training in general. As recreational, Americans seeking as a form of physical activity and social environment.
In Brazil, 90% of people who train are aiming to compete. The Brazilians have a lot heart, and a natural good mindset to go and try to be the best. Brazilians compete for love, passion for the sport. After a certain point suddenly some try to live of the sport and look for future career.

3. You are a very active IBJJF referee. What do you think about the new rules?

Leo: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an sport that never stops the evolution. The sport of today is not the same a few years ago. The rules also need to evolve according to the needs of the sport. New moves and ways to fight are discovered every day. I believe that the new rules will adapt well. In the last World Championship was a proof of this. With these rules could greatly improve the fights where both fighters were pulling guard together and waiting for the right moment to try to gain an advantage. From now fights will become more actives and that’s the goal!

4. What are your thoughts on ‘creontes’ in Jiu-Jitsu?

Leo: The sport has gained much popularity in recent years and is becoming professionalized enough. Today many live from the sport, like me. The concept of “Creonte” have 2 ways, the first means a guy who is a coward or don’t respect his master. The second view is of the guy who changes from academy and for me it is old, when there were only very few academies in Rio de Janeiro, and you were almost enemy of rival academies. Today, as a professional, I believe you have to be in the environment that you feel better and you have the best structure to meet your needs. Should always respect your master, but the master of today have to understand that the athlete is an professional and lives from what he does.

5. You have been competing at some major IBJJF competitions as a black belt where you have medalled. You got 27 medals in past 2 years only! Please tell us about your training regimen before competitions. (How often do you train, drill, do strength and conditioning)

Leo: My training for competitions is based on work done in the long term. I’m always trying to improve physical and technically. Day after day! I confess I’m not a big fan of doing drills, I prefer to risk during sparring training to get the right time of the positions. I intensify the trainings with the needs of tournaments when is coming, reaching 3x daily training sessions, monday to friday, including strength condition training.

2014 Worlds

6. Some people say that Southern California is now the place with the highlest level of BJJ, having surpassed Rio de Janeiro. What do you think about that?

Leo: Surely nowadays California surpassed Rio de Janeiro, not only by the good structure of the great academies, but of the quality of Jiu-Jitsu. I believe the best professors in the world are here! The search for the professionalism and structure that the U.S. has to offer did much for this. The level is increasingly high here! With the coming of World Championship here years ago too only favored the growth of the sport!
7. Your team, Atos Jiu-Jitsu, got 1st place overall at the last Pan Ams and 2nd place (very close to 1st) at the last Worlds. What is next for you and your team in 2014?

Leo: In the remainder of this year I want to focus in the No-Gi Season and also for the ADCC trials. In relation to Atos Team I believe that the work does not change, and we will always keep training hard and focus in the evolution of all students, for all be always ready for any challenges. Next year will be ours!

Coaching Keenan Cornelius at Metamoris

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

Leo: I would like to first thank God for giving me health to be where I find myself today. I would like to thank the people who believe in me and my work, and also to my sponsors: Kingz and Fighters Market. Thank you guys and all team from BJJ Eastern Europe!

* 9. Thanks Leo and all the best!