Mike Yanez- Team Popovitch 1st Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black Belt!!!
My name is mike Yanez a black belt under Jorge and Pablo (number 2 I believe right after Chris).
It was the summer of 1997 when I met Jorge, Pablo was in Brazil training at the time met him a few weeks later. I was a Student at the Art Institute of Ft Lauderdale. A good friend told me bout BJJ and said I was made for it. I was busy with school and work felt I didn?t have the time or money. I got into Trouble during spring break that landed me in Jail for a long 10 days. When I got out I looked in the phone book and saw The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Center and went the next day. I met Jorge and I told him he didn?t have to sell me just give me the papers im here to sign up. Told him I needed some balance in my life and I felt Jiu Jitsu was what I needed for a year or so. I also said ? im going to be one of your best students!? he leaned back with a grin like a lion and said, ? Ok, Ok we will see my frien? Jorge told me a story that was similar to my trouble I just got into he didn?t judge me he made me feel welcome.
The traditional bow at the beginning of class, I said to myself ? im going to beat everyone in here especially this guy who had a colored belt already and seemed to know what was going on (Chris Chard)? my wrestling is too good. Chard Triangle me bout 5 or 6 times and Jorge said ?u have to Tap? I rolled with Jorge later and he bout broke my arm it ended up being the norm for a while.
Jorge would catch me in Arm Locks from the strange angles. When I asked when can I learn that or how can I stop it? Jorge would smile and say ? im like a mooovie star!?
Jorge is one of a kind to say the least. His students were like his family he was big on loyalty, and like him I took it to heart. Jorge would give people nicknames and joke all the time. Jorge is also the most intense person I have ever met. If you were Rolling and he saw something you should be able to do he would yell at you if you didn?t or couldn?t Jorge would just sigh maybe snap his fingers and he would look away for the rest of the class and (at least to me) he wouldn?t look at me in the eyes after we bowed out. This may be harsh to some but it brought the best in me out, I never wanted to let him down.
His one-liners are the best! When I became a teacher I could see where my influence came from.
?Jiu Jitsu is the best friend of the man?
?Everybody tired everybody strong, now you learn?
?If you want to play with fire, you have to play in fire?
?When in war I don?t send flowers?
?The elephant with wings?
?My frien I fly in the stars I no swim in the ocean?
?You do dis you kill everybody?
? You have to believe! dis is no buuullshit?
I was crazy enough to quit working and train everyday, Chard was awesome enough to let me stay on his sofa for an extended stay (that?s another great story lol) I trained at 10 am and I trained at 6pm to 10pm
Everyday. I brought in a JIMMY HENDRIX greatest hits CD and Jorge played that same CD every morning for a year. ? Dis remind me of Vietnam with the gun!? lol
I have Life long friends the first ?Team Popovitch? (coined by Chard) competed at the NAGA and other Tournaments in FL and Arnolds in OHIO in 2001. Led by the THREE Chris Chard, Kelly Carter and me Mike Yanez and we won A LOT! Of course Pablo the Super fight champion even as a purple belt I knew then he was something special.
Personally I only wanted to train Jiu Jitsu for a year or so, maybe get a purple belt. I have been training 14 years in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under only my Popovitch Flag and I became a black belt nothing in my life has been more important. Jorge Popovitch has always been the voice in my ear even when he wasn?t around and I hear his words out of my mouth when I teach. I have made a living out of BJJ and MMA running my Highlander Fight Team, what I like to call ?A MMA Division of Team Popovitch?
I feel I was very fortunate to learn and teach under him Jorge is a Legend and for those that know him they understand. He?s a hero of mine and I have always been proud to be POPOVITCH even when there were only 30 of us?..
