Rafael Mendes celebrates the ADCC title

Photo Eduardo Ferreira

It was his first ADCC, but Rafael Mendes did a great performance and, after beating the four times BJJ world champion Rubens Charles “Cobrinha” in the 40 minutes final, he got the golden medal. “I’m really happy... I think that’s all a reflex of my training... I train with love, with will, I tried to do my best and I think that’s all results“, Mendes said, commenting the final against Cobrinha.

“It was our fifth fight and thanks God I kept the attack the whole time, I could put my rhythm without kimono and fit the positions I’ve trained,” says the champion. “It was 40 minutes of fighting, I was trained, with energy and I went great, I grabbed his back, I was trying the submission in the end but thanks God I won my first Abu Dhabi. I didn’t win the (BJJ) Worlds, but my brother won, so I was happy as if I had win“.

In the semifinal, Mendes submitted the two times ADCC champion Leo Vieira, who used to be his training partner. “To be honest I didn’t want this fight, I didn’t want to fight with Léo because we’re friends, I admire him a lot, he taught me a lot, we trained together, but this is my dream, my career, we’re both professionals and there was no way that we don’t fight, so I fought, made a good fight, made the submission, but it’s a fight I don’t wanted to happened”, finished the champion.