Popovitch BJJ and MMA Blog

2008 is almost over but we are still training strong. Our 12:30Pm Pro grappling and MMA training has been great and we are getting a lot of really good people to train with.

UFC Superstar Hermez Franca and Jeremy Stephens, BJJ champion Cyborg Abreu and a couple of his brown belts also have been coming to train with us. Plus Team Popovitch Black Belts Jay Moncaio, Vagner Rocha, Kevin Albertini. Newcomers stars Fred Moncaio , James Brasco, Brian Fuery ,Ron Melnik and Johny Cardonna just to name a few have been training everyday.

You put all those guys in a room and we have a great practice, we have been training Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling everyday and mixing it up with MMA about two times per week. Hermez has a big fight coming up in February against Lauzon in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in Tampa. Vagner Rocha is schedule to make his MMA debut in February, Johny Cardonna has his Pro Debut schedule for February as well, and I have to start competing in as many grappling tournaments as I can to get ready for The ADCC 2009. We are training strong but we will start the year competing in high level competitions.

I was very happy this week to be confirmed in the next ADCC 2009, after placing 2^nd in the last 2 editions I think it is now time to give my best and finally try to win the most important grappling tournament in the World. Since I was a little kid it was my dream to win the ADCC, at first I was really happy to be there but after winning a couple matches and realizing my potential I wanted more, I didn’t want just to be there; “I wanted to win”.

I am planning to compete in the 76kg and also do the absolute, so I know I will have to be in the best shape of my life. My great friend and conditioning coach Kevin Albertini has been taking me through some insane work outs, not only I have to train jiu-jitsu and wrestling like a madman but also I have to be strong and have enough stamina to fight for 20 minutes straight once I make to the finals. Not an easy task to make to the finals but I am committed to take my game to the next level and finally achieve my dream to win the ADCC.

Remember to follow your dreams and if you work hard enough one day that dream will be closer than you think.

Happy Holidays and now go train!!!

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Hi Guys sorry it has been a couple weeks since my last post. I was training really hard for the Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championship and didn’t find the time to write any articles between training, teaching and playing with my 2 kids(Yurik and Alek). Anyway I would like to thank all my students and my training partners, Kevin Albertini, Jay Moncaio, Vagner Rocha, James Brasco, Hakan, Fred Moncaio also Saulo Ribeiro, Xande Ribeiro, Jacare, Regis Lebri prepare for this tournament.

In a few days I will share with you all some of the training routine and schedule that I did for the Pan Am Championship, It basically consists of 6 days a week training with one day off (Sunday), but as I was discussing with my trainers it is something I might have to change in the future, I felt that I over trained a bit for this tournament.

Also I was happy competing at medium heavy, I didn’t have to cut down any weight and competed against guys I’ve never went against. The Medium Heavy goes up to 188.5 Lbs but I only weighted 183.5Lbs, I felt strong against my opponents but I have to muscle up a bit.

First Match against Renzo Gracie Black Belt.

Finals Against Alliance Black Belt  Tarsis Humphreys

1st Place- Pablo Popovitch

2nd Place- Tarsis Humphreys

3rd Place- Marcelo Salazar

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It was nearly two years ago that Johnny Cardona came by the academy and told me of his dreams to one day become an MMA fighter. My first question was, “Have you train any martial arts before?” He answered very calmly that he never trained before, but he had the will and desire to be the best. I sat down with him and explained that to excel in Mixed Martial Arts, he has to master at least one discipline. In this case it would be for me to teach him the ground game (Brazilian Jiu-jitsu) and make him ready to dominate and finish on the ground. Also I told him that it would take longer them he expected to be ready. Johnny asked if he could get in the cage within three months. My answer was absolutely not, you will be not ready.

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