Raphael Barbosa is a Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt. Photo: Personal archive
Raphael Barbosa is a renowned Jiu-Jitsu professor in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Today, the responsible for the development of Jiu-Jitsu in the UFC Gym chain of academies, the black belt followed the evolution of the sport closely , since he started training at 15 years old.
Raphael made an analysis on how the sport, which used to be treated with disbelief, is now treated as an important part of the personal development of children, young people and adults around the world. The appreciation creates opportunities at all sectors of Jiu-Jitsu.
” Jiu-Jitsu has evolved a lot in the last decade, from new techniques and styles to the materials used”, points out Raphael.
“The practice of Jiu-Jitsu has become more and more popular and its popularity leads to greater competitiveness, which means that Jiu-Jitsu practitioners need to put more effort into improving their skills. Technology has been useful in the development of Jiu-Jitsu, as it helps improve practitioners’ training and disseminate information. The sport is capable of offering opportunities for people to live well in Brazil or anywhere around the world. Whoever is a professional will collect the opportunities and I am living proof of that, I am collecting the rewards. Many things have changed in the transition from Jiu-Jitsu to the current market. Before, the sport was more aimed at people who were interested in training and results (competition). Nowadays, howwever, the Jiu-Jitsu industry has grown quickly and there is a great demand for its services, a sport for everyone, where we can improve the quality of life among other things”, comments Raphael, who has more than 15 years in the black belt.
For Raphael, the current grappling scene has been the main door for the spread of the sport, in general, but he doesn’t believe in a comparison between gi disputes. “I believe that grappling competitions have grown more and more and can be quite successful, especially for those practitioners who already understand Jiu-Jitsu”, says the black belt. However, it’s important to remember that both fighting styles have their own strengths and advantages, and can be used effectively for competitive purposes. I don’t think that grappling is going to erase gi disputes. I believe that we are going to have a greater evolution of a style that for a while was not as explored as it is today”, reflects the professor
Studious as he is, professor Raphael has followed grappling competitions and followed the phenomenon Gordon Ryan, the greatest athlete of our time. In close, he analyzes the main differences of the American.
“In my view, what sets Gordon Ryan apart from the rest is his incomparable dedication and discipline when it comes to grappling”, says Barbosa. “He has a lot of knowledge about the game and a sense of leadership that is reflected on his performances. Furthermore, he is an inspiration to many practitioners when it comes to marketing. We can take the good part in all things, I won’t say that I agree with everything he does, but at the promotion are he is different. I believe that today he earns much more than many athletes who are in the UFC”, analyzes the professor
