Bebeo Duarte :: TATAME

One of the best ground experts from Carlson Gracie Team, Bebeo Duarte is leaving Brazilian Top Team in Rio de Janeiro to run the team branch in Las Vegas, USA. In exclusive interview to TATAME.com, Bebeo spoke about the moving and what it’ll represent to the team, besides commenting the MMA evolution and his best moments in BTT. Check below an exclusive interview with Bebeo Duarte.

How is your like in USA?

Living here isn’t easy; a new country, everything different, but I think it’s a whole new experience and it’s good.

How many fighters have passed through BTT’s training center in Las Vegas?

Since I started working here, some of the most famous fighters of the world have passed here. I had the honor to be Evan Tanner’s last ground coach, a great guy, and it’s a shame what happened with him. I trained Forrest Griffin for his fight against Rampage, he did some classes with me. Heat Herring visited me some times, but what we thought about the preparation for his last fight wasn’t the same, and I decided not to continue the friendship. But he always visits us here. Phil Baroni trained with me here too for his last couple fights.

You follow MMA growth since 1993. How do you see the evolution of the sport in America?

It’s a great thing to see how our business has grown here in America. I remember the first UFCs, with Carlson Gracie Team, and we had more tickets to sell than people to watch the event. The TV guys taped all the same place, to catch the people behind the cage. Besides that, the recognizing with the fighters changed a lot. It’s great to see the sport being recognized and that people really like. A bad thing is some “smart guys” trying to take advantage of that and say they created this of that, things that we know already existed. People keep saying a lot of bullshit and this sport is new, so the media is, and what they say keep being this way. People who know this sport knows what’s true and not, but it’s cool to see what’s happening with our “Vale-Tudo”.

You lived some of the great moments of BTT and Carlson Team. Which were the best moments at your coach career?

This coaching life has always been very exciting. One of the most remarkable moments, when I wasn’t the coach, just sparring, was the Jiu-Jitsu x Luta Livre challenge, and what it represents to out history. After that I remember the first Brazilian UFC belt with Murilo Bustamante against Dave Menne, it was great… After that we created BTT, and with them we had a lot of great moments. In the beginning, “Minotauro” (Rodrigo Nogueira) at Rings, when he won thee fights in the same night… It was great for everybody. Then he defeated Heath Herring and got the Pride belt. All the victories were very important to BTT growth, and I think we had some important losses too. One fight that I can’t get over is Bustamante’s to Dan Henderson for Pride belt, at December 31^st of 2005. We knew they wanted to came to America, but they did it in the craziest way… One of the best New Year’s Eve of my life!

Murilo sent an open letter communicating your left to Las Vegas. What did that change your relationship with the BTT in Rio de Janeiro?

Murilo will have total control to do what he decides for the best of the team. He’s living the everyday of the team, but I’ll be here to help him always. We’re close friends and it’s the most important.

Will the Brazilian BTT athletes continue training in Las Vegas?

If the BTT athletes come to USA and wanna have my company, they’ll always be welcome. Not only in my gym, but also in my home, and it’s the same for my friends in TATAME.

If you “do” an athlete there, will he represent BTT?

American people are different, but it’ll depend on me if he’ll represent BTT, but it’ll be the Vegas branch.

Where do you think Toquinho (Palhares) miss at Dan Henderson’s bout?

I think Henderson had more right things than mistakes from Toquinho, but I think he and Murilo will know how to use this loss to correct some things they wanna do and if they need my help, Murilo knows he can count on me.