As he left the mat as a weight and absolute Champion of SP Cup, Rodrigo Cavaca talked to TATAME about the perfect championship he did in São Paulo. With two full packages for the CBJJ’s World, on California, the Checkmat’s black belt commented the absolute’s grand finale against Thiago Alves, in with he took only 30 seconds to beat him, talked about the weight dispute and the expectations for the Brazilian and World.

What did you think about your performance in SP Cup?

Thank God I managed to be the division’s champion… I beat Big Mac, a guy I lost five times before, but it was a tough fight and I felt so relieved when I won… Not because of the World League’s package I’ve been given, but because of my victory against him.

On the absolute you calmly waited for the finale…

Yeah, I had the opportunity to make a good fight against the champion. It was a high level championship, people from Barbosa came with a great and strong team, took from their way (Eduardo) Telles, Leo Nogueira and the guys from Alliance got lost during their way. Thiago (Alves) had some tough fights and beat his hard opponents, and I had the opportunity to make this great fight because I had won last year’s absolute and it was already settled that it would be a great fight in this year’s edition. And next year I’ll be here again to make another great fight and became the champion once again (laughs).

Barbosa got to the semifinal with Thiago Alves, Marco Antônio and Murilo Santana. Who do you thought you would have to confront on the finale? 

There were three names: Thiago, Murilo and Sharpei. Three really tough opponents and I had already fought against them all. Barbosa has an excellent team, he is a great professor and it wouldn’t be an easy fight it didn’t matter whoever I was going to fight against, but I managed to do a quick triangle and kept running in circles, but that’s what Jiu-Jitsu is about. Last time I was surprised on the European finale by Guto Campos. I called Thiago up on his guard and managed to do a triangle. He defended it well, but I went for his arm. He is a friend of mine, an excellent athlete, it was a great finale.

You have won two packages for the World… Who will have the second one?

I had already bought my own package, so the ticked I won on Saturday will be given to my brother and the one from Sunday I’ll give to a pupil of mine who I want to bring with me, because I want my team to get there strong. Checkmat will sum their points so they get the three first places.

Now there is the Brazilian before the World… Will you join it?

Thursday I’ll go to train for ten days in Ricardinho’s gym so I can prepare myself for the Brazilian, bring my pupil one weekend earlier that is when the white, blue and purple belts compete. I’ll dispute the weight and absolute divisions on the Brazilian and then I’ll go straight to the U.S. where I’ll spend three weeks training with Checkmat’s team on camp along with Lucas Leite, Leo e Ricardinho Vieira, Lapela, João Assis, my pupils… I’ll be really strong for the weight and absolute divisions of the World.

You have hit the crossbar a few times, but you had already won big titles this year…

It is hard to manage this kind of life, I have my gym in Santos and several other subsidiaries, I have to train my students and myself to get these titles... Many question I get in the finals and often hit the crossbar, but I seek three jobs in one: I have to compete, train me, keep my students in high-level ... I have several world champions in the gym. I'm a successful guy, I have my goals as an athlete. As a teacher, I have my goals of keep expanding my gym. I would like to thank all my staff, Checkmat’s staff also, Leozinho Vieira, his wife, all my students, Bochecha, my brother and my whole family ... Thank you.