The year of 2009 was perfect to Cláudia Gadelha. Overcoming prejudices with feminine MMA, the tough fighter moved out to Rio de Janeiro and won more victories to her card, and was contracted by the show Pânico na TV, becoming a the most famous MMA girl fighter of Brazil. In interview to TATAME, Claudinha talked about her career’s growing inside and outside the rings, her aims on MMA and a lot more.

Why did you moved out to Rio?

I came to Rio searching for opportunities on the sport, as is the world’s center of fight. I train for three years and five months. I started on Jiu-Jitsu, but I do MMA for a year and a half.

You live by yourself here. How do you deal with the distance of your family?

The distance of my family is my biggest problem, it consumes me, but I’m learning how to handle it. I love my parents very much and I moved out home very young, I didn’t had the affection that every human needs, I miss that.

What do Nova União represents to you?

I started to train on Kimura Nova União in Natal, with Jair Lourenço, Dedé (Pederneiras)’s Black belt, I came Rio twice to compete and then I decided to live here. Since I came I was welcome, Dedé was always a father to me, always treat me really well and worked for my career’s success. I only have to thank to the master that he is to everyone of my team, especially Marlon Sandro, Giovanni Diniz and Ronnys Torres... Nova União is, for sure, responsable for what I’ve been winning.

How is your career on Jiu Jitsu and on MMA?

My career is surprising me since my first months of train, I always surprised myself with my winnings, but I didn’t think it’s gonna be all that fast, and lately I don’t know what to say, I think God has a purpose to each one and gives us what we deserve.

What are your aims on sport?

My dream always was to be world Champion on the black belt of Jiu-Jitsu. Besides that dream, that became an aim, I’ve changed to MMA by the influences of my team, considered the best team of lightweights of the world, so I couldn’t resist… To feel the adrenaline to be over a ring, because of that I also have the aim to fight outside Brazil, I want very much to represent my country on the international events, where the Best fights of the world are. Besides that, I want to return the victories and the change of life that the sport gave me, giving at the same time more evolution, specially on the feminine and childish part. Everything that sport made for my life, I want to make for other people’s life.

You were on the show Pânico na TV, beating the reporters, and some people criticize your participation. What do you have to say about that?

Pânico appeared in my life accidentally, I just was there as other fighters did too and it took this proportion, after the first they called me to do others and was happening. I just took the chance that people gave me, as any other fighter would do. There’s a lot of people saying that I stopped training to become a TV star, it makes no sense, I never let the train to be there, I was always doing my work, I fought hard to be here today, I still do. I’m not the best fighter of the world, I said that a lot of times, I’m just doing my work in a right way and what’s happening is a result of what I do, I think, taking knowledge even from God’s words. I just have to sorrow for people who criticize my acting on the show, because Pânico revealed what was MMA to a lot of people who didn’t know and definitely the sport appeared more in Brazil, because they’re leaders of audience, in the same week that Pânico went to the air, it passed Fantástico on the audience record, Ana Maria Braga was talking about MMA on Globo with Vitor Belfort... Why is that? I wanted to find out what’s the matter with this people, but I couldn’t (laugh).

The year of 2009 was full of victories for you, what do you expect for 2010?

Definitely 2009 was glorious to me, I felt a very positive energy when the year changed, and that was definitely the best year on my career. In 2010 I want to do more, to train very much, compete very much and wait the result of my training as I did.