Black belt Andre Galvão
André Galvão was coming home from training earlier this week when he received a message on his phone.
It was Keenan Cornelius. “We started to exchange messages then. Only today did we talk on the phone.”
The brown belt was asking Andre if he could go down to California to train at Atos JJ. His relationship with Team Lloyd Irvin had just ended: “I didn’t ask him the details of all that happened, but I’m sure that it was something very serious for Keenan and the others to decide to leave. Once Team Lloyd Irvin was very strong and united,” Galvão told GRACIEMAG.com.
After Keenan, another message arrived; this time was black belt Jonathan “JT” Torres. “He is also welcome here. Jordon Schultz and another fighter are also coming,” said André.
The leader of Atos JJ says his doors are open but makes sure that anyone who comes will have to follow his rules: “I’m still going to talk to them as soon as they arrive, but I already told him that we have our rules and they need to be followed. After all they went through, I want them here to look ahead and leave the past behind.”
JT and Keenan, according to Galvão, will be living in San Diego and training mainly with him and his team, but some trips to Costa Mesa, where the Mendes Bros have an academy, are a possibility: “Every Jiu-Jitsu fighter has it’s own game and I hope that they brings a lot of new things to our game at the same time as we help them grow.”
Galvão, who is in Indiana teaching a seminar, says Keenan will train for the first time with Atos next week and JT some days later. A good host, Galvão is doing everything he can for the two to have a warm welcome: “I already told my students to send messages to them giving the welcome. Our focus now needs to be on the training once we have a lot of important championships ahead.”
