Gianni Grippo, the 2015 World Pro black belt champion, takes a look back at the rivalries that have helped mold his career in this exclusive article for FloGrappling.

When I think back to my earlier competitive years as a kid and teenager fighting at the local NAGA and Grapplers Quest tournaments, I remember that it wasn't the gold medals or the end results of tournaments that would ultimately shape me into the competitor I am today.

It was the rivalries that made me into a better and more driven and focused competitor and jiu-jitsu practitioner. 

Thanks to having the right mindset (and with good support) losses to the same competitor never deterred me from training and competing again. If anything, they would only motivate me to train harder and continue to focus on improving my game.

Gianni Grippo versus Bruno Frazzato, an opponent he has fought twice this year. Photo: Nico Ball

The Teenage Opponent Who Helped Me Improve 

I think regardless of the rivalries I've built over the years as a black belt competitor, one in particular that I'll remember the most was as a kid: Team Lloyd Irvin competitor Ryan Villogram.

He was one of the toughest and strongest kids I would ever encounter, and I believe we fought a total of 15 times between the ages of 11 and 16. 

In the beginning he would rag doll me, beating me in six of our first seven encounters. Perhaps at such a young age the constant losses would discourage me, but instead I allowed them to fuel me even more. With each match I'd always go back to the video with my dad or with my coach and see what could have been done better.

Every loss turned into a valuable lesson and would force me to recognize the mistakes that were being made. Villogram is a big reason why I improved my game, and I'm thankful to him for showing me what needed to be addressed. 

Without allowing myself to become discouraged over the early losses, I began to have success against Villogram and ultimately beat him six of the last eight times we faced each other. I didn't just quickly accept the wins and not look any further into them -- instead I went back to the video to see what was going right, forcing me to put an emphasis on applying that same strategy for the next time and working on doing it even better for the next time around. 

The Black Belt I've Fought The Most

Especially while competing today at black belt, it can be a tough mental challenge to face the same person over and over again -- if you allow it. 

Competing at the majority of the major tournaments (as well as many of the local tournaments) I often end up seeing the same familiar faces multiple times a year. 

During my first year at black belt, I fought Osvaldo "Queixinho" a total of six times. I even told him after our sixth encounter at the IBJJF New York Pro, "I'm sick of you! Let's call it a year, OK?" And he happily agreed. We went 3-3 against each other that year. 

During the year, there was a time he beat me two weekends in a row at No-Gi Pans and Worlds, and just like when I was younger I never let it defeat me or put me down. Instead, it made me accept a challenge I was facing, and it made me work harder and study more intensely when in the gym. 

Like Villogram helped me as a teenager, Queixinho helped me grow as a black belt. Each match showed me the importance of staying on top of your strategy and not letting a match get too far away with the advantage points. 

Photo: Nico Ball 

Knowing That Your Time Will Come

While there was a little frustration, there was also more of the realization that I'm learning, and all the lessons were helping me improve. I was always just eager to go after him again the next time around.

The last time we fought each other that year at the Pro, it was the culmination of the lessons from our previous two matches that helped me get the win that day. If I only took those consecutive losses as a bad thing and had just been down on myself, perhaps I would have continued to lose to Queixinho. 

I believe the lesson here should be this: Nothing in jiu-jitsu needs to be the end. There is always another chance to work your way back up and improve. So, instead of dwelling on a loss to someone who has become a tough obstacle for you, use that loss as a lesson and a springboard for the next time. Because as long as you stick with it, eventually your opportunity will come and that next time can be your time.  

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