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August 26, 2007
A Man with a Plan
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Magazine Issue #125
Pablo Popovitch, 27, does not lower his head. He puffs out his chest and says: "I am part of the best submission wrestling team in the world." A Carioca naturalized American; the Brasa fighter lists his No-Gi titles and those of his teammates to prove the statement. But what about his two losses to Marcelinho Garcia in the finals of the under-77kg weight class C: the ADCC in 2005 and 2007? They only served to make the former Carlson Gracie pupil even more focused on training till the date of his possible revenge- December of this year - in the first No-Gi-World Championship. Direct from his academy in Fort Lauderdale Florida, Popovitch spoke with GRACIE Magazine. On the checklist, were Jiu-Jitsu, submission wrestling and the future, which respond; to the acronym MMA.
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After being eliminated in his second fight at ADCC 2003, by Vitor Shaolin, you tore it up at ADCC 2005 and 2007. To what do you attribute your progress?
I simply learned that in the ADCC you cannot make mistakes, because there any oversight can be fatal. When you are among the best fighters in the world, you have to be 100% prepared, and that is where the experience from the previous editions counts so munch. Another thing I learned was the need to know the ADCC's rules, which are different from those of all the other competitions. What you pick up is that you need to train a lot with and without the gi, but above all else, you need to believe in yourself.
In the two editions of the ADCC in the USA, in 2005 and 2007, you took second place, losing to Marcelo Garcia. What are your thoughts in relation to this?
I have nothing to prove to anyone, I am one of the best submission wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu fighters in the world. I have beaten fighters like Renzo Gracie, Saulo Ribeiro, Marcio Feitosa, Andre Galvao, Hermes Franca, Diego Sanchez, Kenny Florian, Jake Shields, among others... Marcelinho is a great adversary and winning and losing are parts of the sport. We make mistakes and we learn from them. I am preparing and training like never before to beat Marcelinho next time we meet, which seems likely to be at the No-Gi World Championship December in California. This time, when we meet, the story will surely be different.
You are always around at the submission wrestling tournaments. But you haven't been competing in the Jiu-Jitsu Worlds. Why?
Because fighting in the gi, nowadays, is not financially worthwhile to me. In submission wrestling I am well paid, it is a professional career. Lots of people don't know, but I train a lot more with the gi on than without the gi. I think training in the gi is very important for perfecting my grappling technique, but I certainly do wish to compete in the Worlds or Pan-American again.
How did you prepare for ADCC 2007 and what lessons did you learn?
Our team includes the greatest exponents in the sport. We have talents like myself: Leonardo Vieira, Robert Drysdale, Demian Maia, Andre Galvao, Lucas Leite, Ricardo Vieira, etc. The proof of what I am saying is in the results for the last ADCC. Drysdale was absolute champion and third at weight, Demian was first at weight, Andre Galvao was third at weight and in the absolute, Leozinho took second in his weight group and I took second in mine. Our preparations for the ADCC could not have been better, and our excellent results were due to the strategy we put together. One month before the event, everyone came to Florida and we trained at my gym, where we had all the necessary infrastructure. The gi part was fundamental in our preparations, as was the physical part and the backup of some excellent students of mine that helped us train. We rented a house real close to the academy and everybody stayed together.
When did you start practicing Jiu-Jitsu?
My father Jorge Popovitch always practiced Jiu-Jitsu. When I started, he was already a black belt and a good friend of Relson Gracie. My father trained with Rolls, one of the greatest talents of the Gracie family, who unfortunately died in a hang-gliding accident in Rio. I started practicing Jiu-Jitsu at 4 years of age, at Gracie Barra, with the Machado brothers. Later on, I was part of Carlson Grade's team, and currently I am with Brasa, I want to emphasize that my father, along with the Gracie family, were pioneers in teaching Jiu-Jitsu here in the USA. My father and I created a distinct training program that goes from beginner to advanced, for those that want to compete or simply learn self-defense. Besides that, we developed an exclusive teaching method. As a fruit of this work, in 2006 I was awarded the title of best teacher in the USA by Naga.
What are your plans now?
My main objective is to become world champion in the new no-gi championship of the IBJJF now in December, in California. Soon, I will start in MMA, but I still dream of being a world and Pan-American champion in Jiu-Jitsu. Beyond that, I want to train new champions and new instructors. Today at the gym we have ten brown belts and as soon as we complete the training program of these students we will open new training centers in the USA. Currently, we have two Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Center affiliates, one being in Ohio and the other in Louisville. Both have black belts that trained with me since white belt.
You mentioned MMA. When will you make your debut?
I have been preparing myself for this since 17 years of age. I was part of Master Carlson Grade's team. We lived in California and at that time me, Murilo Bustamante, Vitor Belfort, Amaury Bitetti, Wallid Ismail, Carlao Barreto and others all trained together. AIL were integrants of the Carlson Gracie Team. So, I am waiting a proposal that would be interesting financially for me to dedicate myself to MMA training full time.
Who would you like to fight and for what organization?
I would like to fight Matt Hughes, who is an excellent very experienced fighter. He would surely be a great adversary; I am prepared to face any adversary in any situation - either on the ground or stand-ing. As for the event, I would like to fight in the UFC, Boddog or in K-1.
When you start fighting in MMA, will you stop competing in Jiu-Jitsu with or without the Gi?
The thing I love most in life after my family is competing. I think there is a way to reconcile the two, no problem. It's a question of planning and organization.
Keeping with the theme of the issue, what is the greatest mystery of Jiu-Jitsu to you?
The greatest mystery of Jiu-Jitsu is the capacity the art provides you to perfect your Techniques to the point where even with your opponent knowing what you will do in a determined position, he can't defend it and is submitted.
And what is the secret to applying that move "Bride of Copacabana" ('Noiva de Copacabana') in the ADCC as you did with Daisuke Sugie?
That was a choke from the-mount technique I learnt from Master Carlson Gracie, and I perfected it over time... I have submitted great fighters with that move.
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