Guto Campos Comments on South Americans, Looking ahead to Copa Podio

Guto Campos sets up a sweep at the 2012 South American Championship. Photo by Gustavo Aragão/GRACIEMAG.

According to its promoters, the South American Championship that heated up the Southern Brazilian city of Florianopolis last weekend was the best one yet.

And one of the black belt standouts who helped make it so great was Guto Campos, who won the medium heavyweight division, and took bronze in the absolute after getting caught in a forearm choke from mount by Leo Nogueira in the semifinals. After the dust had settled, he spoke with GRACIEMAG.com about the highs and lows from the contest.

“I was doing really well in the absolute. I’d come up with two submissions–an armbar and a choke from the back–and managed to impose the pace. I came up against Leo Nogueira in the semifinal and knew it would be a tough match. I went in confident and had faith I could win it; but props to him for winning, having imposed his game and neutralized mine,” recalled Guto.

“The good part was that I learned a lesson that ended up helping me win at weight: believe in your game and have faith in your instinct! I managed to fight really well at medium heavyweight, tapping out Rodrigo Pimpolho in the final. I started by attacking from half-guard, managed to sink a Kimura, but from there he managed to sweep me. So I landed on bottom with the Kimura in place, managed the reversal and then finished up with the same Kimura lock from side-control,” he recounted.

“The championship was proof that there’s no such thing as an easy fight. I wasn’t even going to compete. I hadn’t been training much and had just arrived from Australia, where I spent a month teaching seminars. But my students encouraged me and didn’t let me go only as a coach. I’m thankful to them for the confidence they had in me, as well as to my sponsors Keiko Sports, Vita Juice, Flex Nutrition and my physiotherapist Felipe Guariglia,” he said.

Now his attention is turned to the Copa Podio Heavyweight GP coming up January 13 in Rio de Janeiro, where he’ll be doing a supermatch with GFTeam’s Wancler Oliveira. “I’m already training here at Guetho academy for the match. My brother Guilherme Campos is teaching class for me so I can focus only on training and be at my best when the time comes. I know Wancler. I’ve already seen some of his matches,” said Guto in closing.