Roberto Cyborg in photo by Dan Rod
Decorated Jiu-Jitsu competitor Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu is recovering from knee surgery but already has a date set for his competition return. The leader of Florida-based Fight Sports team is confirmed for the Miami leg of the 2013 World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Cup Trials.
The interesting part is that the black belt has already earned his way to the main event, for having won the New York Trials. Cyborg just can’t pass up an opportunity to compete in his own backyard, though.
Besides the February 9 and 10 tryouts in Miami, athletes will also have a chance to earn all-expenses-paid trips to compete in the United Arab Emirates at the San Diego, California tryouts on January 26 and 27, as well as the February 2 qualifiers in Hawaii.
The main event will take place April in Abu Dhabi. To sign up for the tryouts, visit www.prosportsbjj.com.
GRACIEMAG.com had a quick chat with Cyborg about his injury and anticipated return to action:
GRACIEMAG.com: How did you get injured, and how is rehabilitation going, Cyborg?
ROBERTO CYBORG: Right, well I tore my medial meniscus halfway through the year at the 2012 Worlds. It was bothering me a lot and costing my performance. But as I had a bunch of seminars scheduled and the No-Gi Worlds in November, I chose to wait. It was cool. I managed to complete my mission of winning my fourth No-Gi World Championship, and after that I went and got my knee fixed. I operated on November 18, and thank God I’ve been doing physiotherapy ever since day one. It’s been a Cyborg-style recovery, a lot faster than the medics and physiotherapists expected.
You qualified for the WPJJC coming up in April by winning the qualifiers in New York but will be competing at the tryouts coming up February in Miami, anyways. Will you have time to train for it?
No, I won’t have time to train for it. What I’m doing is working on my physical conditioning with Eduardo Ferrino, who’s “the man”. Ferrino has been doing my preparations with me for years and knows my body well. So long as my body’s strong when I get out there, the Jiu-Jitsu’s runs in my veins.
Why compete at the tryouts if you’re already qualified.
Though I’ve already secured my place and am coming back from surgery, the WPJJC Trials is a serious event and is worth including on the circuit. There’s no way I can keep out of it, being in my backyard and all. We’re going in with our elite team to get as many berths for the team as possible. I have to lead my students. Besides this qualifier, I’m also thinking about competing at the tryouts in Hawaii. I’m fortunate to have great friends over in that island paradise, so I want to compete there and enjoy the natural setting.
What does someone who wants to train with you have to do?
I’d like to invite the entire Jiu-Jitsu community to visit my academy and train with me in Miami. Just check out the Miami BJJ Center website or visit my online-learning website, www.bjjworldchampion.com. Thanks goes out to everyone for the support.
