Leandro Lo celebrates winning the 2012 world title. Photo: Dan Rod/GRACIEMAG.com
At the 2011 World Championship, young black belt Leandro Lo got tapped out. In 2012, the talent lapidated by Jiu-Jitsu professor Cícero Costha was simply the world champion of a lightweight division boobytrapped at every turn. What changed in Lo’s mind and game?
“I’m really pleased to have had such great matches. In the semifinal and final in my weight division I faced two really tough guys, [Roberto] Satoshi and Lucas Lepri. Thank God everything worked out and I became champion. I knew how consistent Lucas Lepri is in his matches, how he never makes mistakes, and that’s why the main thing I had to do in the final was impose my game from the get-go and take the lead in scoring,” said Leandro, now a Worlds, Pan, Brazilian Nationals and Abu Dhabi WPJJC champion.
Indeed, in the final he beat Lucas Lepri by an advantage point, scored thanks to an attack from his always dangerous, nearly insurmountable, open guard.
In the end, Leandro only changed one aspect of his fighting style between 2011 and 2012: his vision.
