For a BJJ instructor, competition day can be a very tiring experience. They have to coach all their students, sometimes be a referee to help out, and also even compete themselves.
3x world champion, Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros runs a big BJJ academy in Bloomingdale, Illinois, but even now that he is semi retired from pro Jiu-Jitsu at the highest level (adult divisions), he still competes in almost every tournament at the same time as his students.
Comprido posted a video on his Instagram answering a question of why he competed so much when he has so many students to coach:
The reason I compete so much when I have so many students to coach is I enjoy competing and on top of that I believe that the coach should lead by example. I don’t feel comfortable asking my students to fight if I’m not fighting next to them. That’s why.
Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros (born January 11, 1977 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. His nickname, Comprido, is Portuguese for “long” – a reference to his tall stature. Rodrigo began BJJ at the age of sixteen. He received his black belt from Rolls Gracie student, Romero “Jacaré” Cavalcanti, he also trained under Fernando ‘Magrao’ Gurgel and is one of a select group of Jiu-Jitsu competitors to have won the prestigious World Jiu-Jitsu Championship openweight titles twice. Rodrigo has also been a Jiu-Jitsu instructor to mixed martial arts fighters such as former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar, former Bellator Heavyweight Champion Cole Konrad, Pat Barry, and Chris Tuchscherer.
Comprido is one of the founding members of Team Brasa. Comprido appeared on the instructional DVD The Science of Jiu-Jitsu II with Demian Maia.
Comprido is often confused with the Carlson Gracie Sr Black Belt leader of the BJJ Revolution team Rodrigo Medeiros.
He currently resides in the Chicago area and owns and teaches at Comprido BJJ, a Brasa school, in Bloomingdale, Illinois.
Comprido founded the Brasa Jiu Jitsu camp in Buzios, Rio de Janeiro along with friend and student Felipe Costa.
Comprido has been one of the first elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitors to speak out against the widespread use of steroids at the top level of the sport.
On August 9, 2014, Comprido fought Saulo Ribeiro in a grappling match in Metamoris IV. The fight ended in a draw.
