Philippe Pomaski is one of the biggest European talents on the world Jiu-Jitsu scene. This 24 year old Swiss purple belt is picking up medals in Brazil, US and all over Europe. He has big plans with his career as he told BJJ Eastern Europe in this interview:
1. Philippe first of all congratulations on the double silver at the Europeans. Can you please introduce yourself to the BJJ community?
Alright first of all I wanted to thank you for the chance to talk a little bit about my journey in Jiu Jitsu. My name is Philippe Pomaski from Switzerland and i just turned 24, Im a purple belt actually under Roberto Cyborg Abreu but I have been training with CheckMat in Santos, SP, Brazil and CheckMat in California, US for the last 2,5 years. I have won a couple of things along the way, I won the 2012 No Gi Worlds, got 3rd at Pan Ams, 3rd at Brasileiros, recently like you mentioned I got 2nd in my weight and 2nd in the absolute at the 2015 Euros, I’ve won the Sao Paulo state championship, a bunch of tournaments throughout Brazil like not too long ago for example I won weight and absolute at the Copa Internacional in Sao Paulo winning a ticket to 2015 Pan Ams in Cali, which was pretty cool. Also I won a bunch of IBJJF Opens, like London Open, Dallas Open, medaled at Sao Paulo Open, got 2nd in the absolute, won the absolute at the 2014 IBJJF Long Beach Open. I’ve been able to get good results in the last couple of competitions actually in my weight and the absolute. Back in the day when I was still living in Switzerland, I won Swiss Nationals, German Nationals, Austrian Nationals and so on. I dont really like to focus on the things I won because thats already in the past and doesnt really matter now, the important thing is that I’m getting better everyday. I’m feeling that I’m just getting started and it is all still to come. I’m just getting on the path now where I want to be at and I have big plans for the future.
2. What did you think of this year’s European championship and about your performance? How do the Europeans compare in terms of level and atmosphere with the Worlds, and Pan?
I think the Europeans this year were a high level tournament, a lot of tough guys. I fought a bunch of tough dudes in my weight and in the absolute. You also get a lot of guys from the US and Brazil coming to the Euros nowadays, its not just a European Championship. I think you can also tell since it was the biggest IBJJF tournament until today with 3500 guys that had signed up. The atmosphere is really good since all the crowd is just on one side of the gymnasium so when you fight you have all the crowd there in front of you, its really impressive! And it was really packed this year! I think it wouldnt be too wrong if they would invest in a bigger venue already. Im happy with my performance throughout my matches, I think i was able to submit the bigger part of my fights. Im not too happy though with how both the final of my weight and the absolute went, even more since the absolute final was very boring, I couldnt get my game on because my opponent didnt let me. I dont mind losing as long as I show good and exciting Jiu Jitsu, so this kind of bothered me after. I prefer losing a great fight than winning a really boring one just holding my opponent down. But hats off to my opponent he was really tough.
3. I watched a few of your matches and was really impressed by your technique. Tell us more about your training regimen and about the academy where you train?
Thank you very much! Like I said my goal is always to show good Jiu Jitsu. I cant stand those stalling matches that seem to happen more these days, getting all tangeled up in 50/50 for the whole match. The last 2 years I spent in Brazil I was training at The House Fight Company Santos, which is a CheckMat affiliate under Gabriel Rollo and Thiago Abreu. We would be training a lot actually, 2 trainings of Jiu Jitsu in the Morning/Noon, then I would go to lift weights with my coach Alexandre Rocha in the afternoon 3 times a week and 2 times a week I would go to do my conditioning training at Saude Integrada Santos with Bruno Brito, right after I would go to train Jiu Jitsu in the evening again. So basically 3 tough Jiu Jitsu trainings a day and 1 weight lifting or conditioning training. Right now I’m in LA and I will stay here probably until Worlds in June, training here at Luiz Panza’s gym, Lucas Leite’s gym and CheckMat HQ (Leo Vieira’s gym) with all the toughest guys like Leo Vieira himself, Buchecha, Lucas Leite, Luiz Panza, Joao Assis, Marcelo Mafra, Arnaldinho de Oliveira . So you can imagine the trainings and how bad I get beat up everyday.
4. When and how did you start training with Checkmat and Michelle Nicolini?
I started training with Michelle when I moved to Santos 2 years ago. Thats also when I changed teams to CheckMat.
5. What do you think of the BJJ scene in Switzerland and especially Basel where you are from?
I think there’s a lot of room to grow still but Im happy to see how it is constantly growing already. Every bigger city has some school where you can train BJJ, so it’s just getting better, always more people starting to train. Basel is great, Claude Jäger who is the head coach over there is doing a great job, passing on his love for Jiu Jitsu to a lot of people like he did with me and always bringing up new tough guys!
6. How would you describe your style of BJJ? How much of an influence does Michelle have on your game?
Like i said I always try to show beautiful and exctiting Jiu Jitsu, that’s my goal and that’s what actually is the most fun for me. I think I can say my style is fast and always moving, going forward, aggressive and going for the finish since in my opinion thats the real objetive. A Mix of basics and some fancy stuff, not a big fan though of positions like 50/50 or that new lapel guard guys have been doing lately since I think most of the guys are using it just to stall fights. Im not afraid of opening the game up and let it flow, since I think that’s what Jiu Jitsu is about. My goal is to be good in any position, top and bottom, attacking and defending. Michelle had a very big influence on my Jiu Jitsu, not just the technical part but also the attitude in general, the mental part too. I learned a lot from her.
7. What are your plans for 2015?
My plans for 2015 are to train a lot like always and win the major competitions at my weight and the absolute, learn a lot, stay healthy and just have fun with Jiu Jitsu! I want to do as many competitions as possible. I feel like Im getting on the path that I want to be on, going into the right direction to make my dreams come true. I want to make my name in Jiu Jitsu. This first half of the year I’m staying in LA and then I’m planning on going back to Brazil in the second half of the year, but its always hard to plan since you never know what’s going to happen, so lets see!
8. If you want to thank somebody or sponsors, feel free
Thank you to give me the chance to talk about myself and congratulations on the great job you do with BJJEE, spreading the love for Jiu Jitsu. The list of people that helped me or supported me is really big but I want to start with my family, since without them nothing would be possible! Claude Jäger from TeamBasel in Switzerland to get me to fall in love with Jiu Jitsu, Roberto Cyborg who has always been a big influence for me, Gabriel Rollo and Thiago Abreu from The House in Santos, where I have been learning all the cool tricks and techniques in the last 2 years, Bruno Brito and Alexandre Rocha for the strength and conditioning trainings. Michelle Nicolini for all I have learned with her. My friends and training partners in Switzerland and Brazil and my team CheckMat. The wizard of Jiu Jitsu, Leo Vieira, for teaching us here in Cali, Lucas Leite who also always helps me out when I’m in California and also a shout out to Luiz Panza for taking care of me here in Cali at the moment. Also I want to thank my sponsors BlackBall Kimonos, Balboa Suplementos, Saude Integrada Santos, Studio New Life and DBoa Sushi Lounge.
