3x World Champion Rodrigo Pagani (center left)
Article written by Tom Oberhue-
On July 15, Coach Tom left Portland to fulfill a dream – to travel to Brazil. To train in Brazil. And to compete in Jiu Jitsu in Brazil. This journey was a dream realized! The trip had been well over two years in the making. Under the guidance of Professors Saulo Ribeiro and Rodrigo Pagani and the research of Coach Eric and Jessica, Tom worked to piece together a two week trip in and around Rio de Janeiro. It has been an absolutely amazing experience! Rodrigo Pagani has been training Jiu Jitsu for nearly 20 years. He truly lives Jiu Jitsu – running an academy out of a health club in Piratininga, doing private lessons out of his home in Engenho do Nato, competing constantly. He is a three-time World Champion (which translates, he knows he’s stuff!) I first learned about Rodgrigo back in October, 2010 at the Ribeiro Jiu Jitsu Annual Coaches’ Meeting in Oklahoma City. Professor Saulo explained that if you were going to Brazil, there’s a list of Ribeiro affiliates in Brazil that folks can train with. Near Rio, there is a coach named Rodrigo Pagani that is building an academy that has dorms where folks can stay while they train. When I returned to Portland, I immediately looked him up on Facebook. That is when our conversations began. Professor Rodrigo was a terrific ambassodor for Jiu Jitsu and Brazil. He’s a sharp guy and is EXTREMELY fluent in English (which is a HUGE bonus for Coach Tom who is “challenged” when it comes to learning languauges – something he WILL overcome). Rodrigo lived in LA for a year back in 1996 … but he’s ability with English is profoudly impressive; which helped to made training and living in Niteroi & Brazil absolutely fantastic. Rodrigo comptetes as a Super Featherweight (63 kilos with a gi / under 144.9 pounds). His Jiu Jitsu is very clean and technical. He’s a terrific Jiu Jitsu coach … who knows how to present material systematically, concisely, and build on it.
Visiting the Tijuca Tennis Club
I’ve seen the mats of the Tijuca Tennis Club in videos for as long as I can remember. They have so much history. So many HUGE matches have been fought there. There is a mythological to the place. It was great to go there and watch Jiu Jitsu in action. I was like a kid in a candy shop. And it was the who’s who of Jiu Jitsu – I saw Rodolpho Vieira, “the” Ricardo De la Riva, Pedro Sauer, Eduardo Telles, Beautrice Mesquita, Gabi Garcia, Augusto Mendez, and a dozen folks that I recognized but I could put a name too. It was very cool!!!
Competing in the Masters & Seniors Mundials (World Championships)
I competed on Saturday, July 24 at 3pm. Early in the day, Professor Rodrigo won his third World Championship. It was great being there and see him work. He has competed in over ten tournaments this year … he is extremely active in the sport – modeling being both a top-tier competitor and a coach. I was excited to compete and I felt that I was prepared / my head was in the right mind-space. Unfortunately, the day didn’t work out the way I’d planned. I was one and done. My competitor was tough and got right to business… I was running to catch up and couldn’t make it up. No excuses. Thank you to all those who helped me train – Eric Dorsett, Nathan Jeffers, Greg Bangs, Clubfoot Bjj, everyone Five Rings Jiu Jitsu. Also, thank you to Rodrigo Pagani for all his support and help. I will be back … prepared to battle at the highest level.
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