Braulio Estima and Fabio Gurgel training at Alliance last October 20 / Photo by Jair Lacerda/GRACIEMAG
GRACIEMAG: The 20th was a memorable day for the folks at GB and Alliance, thanks to the seminar you held in São Paulo and the epic speech by Fabio Gurgel, where he reminds everyone that the two schools are not enemies but sisters, as they both trace back to the late Master Rolls Gracie. So what’s the wrap-up on your trip to Alliance São Paulo?
BRÁULIO ESTIMA: It was really interesting indeed, because it was Fabio who opened the seminar up to everyone interested in attending. It was the first time Fabio opened his academy up to a teacher from another team, and I’m flattered by it. It was a joy to be part of all that. Everyone showed great interest in learning during the seminar, and that makes our work all the more exciting. Fabio is an icon of the sport. He’s the frontrunner from a generation that I modeled myself on early in my career. We come from the same roots and strive for the same things for Jiu-Jitsu.
At the end of the seminar, you guys had an interesting roll. What did you learn from that?
After teaching the techniques, there’s always the training part, and being the gentle-art lovers we are, it’s impossible for us not to have fun training together. So it was pure fun, and was greatly satisfying to be able to train with Fabio. I learned a lot, too. I feel Fabio Gurgel will always be the Fabio Gurgel that we saw there—always really tough and with perfect positioning.
Does the General continue to pull off surprises? Has he earned another star since you two trained?
I don’t think he has any higher to go (laughs). I just hope when I’m his age I’ll be training as much as he does.
Fabio Gurgel taking on Carcará’s guard at Alliance / Photo by Jair Lacerda/GRACIEMAG
So now you’re heading to Montreal to help GSP train for UFC 154. How determined is GSP for this fight?
I just arrived in Montreal. We’ve already had the first meeting, and I watched some training footage of his. He seems even better than he was before, with all his desire to fight again after so long. A lot of guys would be intimidated by having to return after so long, but he’s really enthused about it. And I am too.
And while you’re helping to sharpen up GSP’s ground skills in Canada, in the USA Carlos Condit is training with Caio Terra. Will we be seeing some first-rate Jiu-Jitsu in this fight?
GSP has really efficient grappling, and there aren’t words to describe his wrestling. But the best facet of his game is the way he strings everything together in a strategy that neutralizes his opponent’s strengths. And as this won’t be an easy fight, I see Georges taking it down and doing ground and pound, undermining Condit’s pace that way. And yes, I do feel there’ll be Jiu-Jitsu in this fight.
Have you got a lot of seminars lined up for between training sessions at GB Montreal?
Yes, I’ve got some seminars here. The first one will be at GB Montreal with Bruno Fernandes this Sunday. The other one will be at Pat Cooligan’s, over in Ottawa. From here I’ll go straight to Paris on November 3. I’ve got a packed agenda up until December. Only then will I stop to focus on my next MMA fight.
