Saulo Ribeiro says goodbye to ADCC

Photo Eduardo Ferreira

Six times BJJ World and two times ADCC champion, Saulo Ribeiro was one of the big prominences of the competition this year. Saying goodbye toBarcelona in the fourth position on weight, Saulo grab the microphone and announced his retirement of the match. “I participate of ADCC since the second edition, on 1999... It’s ten years, 30 fights, more than ten overtimes, two championships, two vices and a third place“, remembers, pointing the Universidade do Jiu-Jitsu, gym that he comands beside his brother Xande Ribeiro, as on of the reasons to the announcement.

“Universidade do Jiu-Jitsu is with a big visibility on USA, Europe, Asia... It’s time for me to stay a little behind the desk, taking care of the business. To be focused at this level of competition you have to think only on that and today, to me, it’s not that much my priority“, said the black belt.

Fighting on a category above the category he use to fight, Saulo explains the change. “Nowadays, form e to motivated to train, I need an ideological reason. I’m not here fort he money, nor the fame, I’m already pretty recognized. I’m considered a legend on Abu Dhabi and I came here to show once again Jiu-Jitsu’s efficiency“, said.

“I’m sure of one thing, no one could do points on me or put me on a situation that I wasn’t before. It was a curiosity for my Jiu-Jitsu, I wanted to know what this though team could do with me, and they didn’t pointed on me. I had a negative point with (Jeff) Monson, were 20 minutes, but it was all on 0x0. Jiu-Jitsu’s efficiency was proved again. I gave 44 poundsto everybody and I was satisfied with my submission on ADCC“, remembers.

Saying goodbye to ADCC by the front door, Saulo still commented his brother’s bi championship. “Alexandre is really above the average of people of this weight. He accomplished our deal, which was to save on category and to consume the less as possible, because he already done enough to deserve to bet he best grappler of the world“.

A DEFINITIVE GOODBYE?

Saulo’s goodbye remember one of the most marker moments of Worlds Jiu-Jitsu. After lose for Roger Gracie on 2005 edition, Saulo stand on his knees on the mat, fold the belt and gave it to Gracie, symbolizing his kimono’s retirement. Two years after, the black belt returned, came to his 11ª World’s final against Rômulo Barral, but he lost points. On this year’s ADCC, the fate crossed the way of Saulo and Barral again, and this time the end was different.

“Barral is a great athlete and, on 1997, I was pissed off with that sleeve thing, and I even made a joke with him at the locker room and said: ’OnAbu Dhabi there’s no sleeve (laugh)’“, said Saulo, commenting his fight without kimono. “It was a though fight, but I think that miss a little experience for him about the ADCC rules. If you’re not sure of what you’ll do, ready, a mistake like that can happen. He though he had two negatives, with the fight won, and here in Abu Dhabi it only ends when it’s finish“, concluded the black belt who won by two points.