The two-time -66kg champion Rafael Mendes is out of the 2015 ADCC, next August, in São Paulo, Brazil.
After the triumph at the 2015 Worlds, when he won his fifth gold medal in the featherweight division, Rafael said it’s time to devote attention to his family.
He posted the following message on his Instagram timeline:
“I’ll not be competing in the ADCC 2015. I’ve decided it in the beginning of the year and I believe it is the right time to share it – I dedicated myself 100% to the Worlds camp, putting my training schedule as a priority in my life, even had to put my family and academy as a second plan – because of that I was able to achieve my goal and became the best featherweight in Jiu-Jitsu history. Starting another training camp would require the same dedication and time, my wife is pregnant of our second child and Alek is only 14 months old and is discovering the world – I decided that its my priority to stay with them as much as I can now. I’m only 26 and I’m sure that I’ll win many more ADCC titles in the future, but this time with my baby and my wife is unique and will never come back if I miss it.”
Rafael Mendes has three appearances in the ADCC, in 2009, 2011 and 2013.
He won in 2009 and 2011 and lost to Rubens Cobrinha in the final in 2013.
