André Galvão and the ADCC sub: “A no-stalling match”

André Galvão vs. Bráulio Estima. Photo: John Lamonica

A superchampion at ADCC 2013 last Saturday, André Galvão went wild with yet another triumph at no-gi BJJ.

The absolute champion of the previous tournament in 2011, the São Paulo-born, San Diego-based Atos professor managed to apply enough pressure to pass Bráulio Estima’s guard, take his back and tighten the neck of his old friend. How did he do it? GRACIEMAG reporter Vitor Freitas submitted the question.

GRACIEMAG: Bráulio had defeated you at the IBJJF Worlds in June, and also at the 2009 ADCC. Where did you get so much confidence to go after him this time around?

ANDRÉ GALVÃO: I trained and dedicated myself a lot to achieve this victory in China. I did all my coaches told me. The whole time I knew the result would be positive this time – in 2009 I hadn’t trained at all. You can look at the pictures and see I arrived fat in Barcelona. It was a time I was thinking about MMA and Strikeforce left me inactive for a long stretch. I decided to take part in the ADCC at the last minute. This time my mind was very different – I was laser-focused.

Have you watched the match?

Not yet, but I believe it was one of my best ever. Bráulio is crazy tough, and the match had a lot of movement and zero stalling.

What detail did you use to attempt the guard pass at the decisive point?

The detail starts in training, right? I practiced a lot, really. Bráulio has very loose hips, but I managed to restrain him a bit. I was able to throw my head on top, weigh down on him more and I succeeded. I learned that pass from Tererê – so it was the Cantagalo detail [laughs].

How did you move from side control to the back?

I’ve always done this – the moment I’m passing, I’m already thinking of the move even before I execute it. If I had spun sooner to the back I’m sure I would have lost the position. So that spin came at the right time. In fact it’s a spin I teach people in my book “Drill to win,” and on AllGalvao.com.

What are your plans for now? Vacation in Brazil?

The fight continues. Brazil for me now, only at the end of the year. Now I’m going to the Philippines to teach seminars in a student’s gym, and then Greece for two days. Then it’s back to San Diego to resume training with my students who are going to take part in the No-Gi Worlds in Long Beach.