FightingLifestyleUAE.com caught up with the co-founder of the famed American Top Team, Ricardo Liborio, during his visit to the United Arab Emirates. Liborio who recently won gold at the ADCC 2015 super fight against Ze Mario Sperry talks to us about stepping into competition after almost 15 years. Ricardo Liborio is widely regarded as one of the top black belts ever produced by Carlson Gracie and talks to us about his relationship with him and how being a part of Carlson Gracie team gave way to creation of the American Top Team.

In regards to his relationship with Carlson Gracie, Liborio Stated:

“My Relationship with Carlson Gracie was so diversified, Carlson Gracie had so many faces, he was so representative in my life and in the lives of so many others. He was such a mentor, a father, a drill sergeant you know, an affectionate friend. He was an individual who I learnt so much from, I learnd from his success but also learnt so much from his mistakes. He never was a business man, there were a couple different things that didn’t fit in that I took in from his experience and the experience of working with him. The experience of being a team leader I had first was at Carlson Gracie team. He just didn’t bring to me my work, my life and things that I bring quality to my family but also he showed me the passion.”

A true veteran of the sport Ricardo Liborio also talks to us about coaching at the highest level and what it really takes make a World Champion at the pinnacle of the sport. further more he talks about competing at the ADCC 2015 and his most recent project which involves his affiliation with the world largest martial arts facility in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called Arena MMA.