One of jiu-jitsu's most accomplished competitors is set face a current superstar at the ADCC West Coast Trials in Anaheim, CA, on Saturday, April 15. 

Braulio Estima, a seasoned veteran of the sport has been matched up with Leandro Lo for a 20-minute ADCC rules superfight. The two have never faced before and certainly not without the gi.

Watch Braulio Estima vs. Leandro Lo LIVE or On Demand, ONLY on FloGrappling!

We haven't seen Estima compete in a while, so the jiu-jitsu world is in for a treat. A successful academy owner in Birmingham, England, under the Gracie Barra banner, he is still one of the most active teachers on the seminar scene, traveling immensely. But what about competition? And training for competition?

At 36, he's the same age as Xande Ribeiro, Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu, Mario Reis, Rodrigo Cavaca, and Rousimar Palhares -- all active competitors today. Most of them have had successful careers as black belts spanning 10 years or more, and Estima is no different. He has gold medals in all the major tournaments, including the ADCC, where he won both his weight and absolute titles in 2009. 


Braulio training with his Gracie Barra teammates in Southern California just days before the ADCC North American West Coast trials. Photo: instagram.com/braulioestima

But why take this match when he hasn't been active in the competition scene? Well, he's always active on the mats, and he needs this focus.

I'm always training with my students," Estima said. "I train with my teammates to help them to prepare [for competitions]. So I'm always active. Of course out of shape, but that's why I accepted it. I'm going through a tough time in my personal life so this will give me focus and direction. It's what I need right now.

The fact that he has an understanding of the ADCC rule set gives him an upper hand, considering his opponent has never competed within ADCC. In fact, Estima's experience is showcased by his dominating performance at the 2009 ADCC World Championship in Barcelona, where he earned the gold in both his weight and the absolute. Estima's years of experience will be his biggest asset going into this challenge.

And a challenge it will be. Leandro Lo has been on a winning streak, even moving up in weight classes over the past few years, proving that his jiu-jitsu works against a multitude of opponents. His style is unconventional, but so is Estima's. For example, Estima made the inverted triangle submission famous, using it often but most notably against Andre Galvao in the -88kg division final to earn his first ADCC title. 


In a rematch at the 2013 ADCC World Championship in Beijing, China, Estima was defeated by submission. And he noted the limited use of his arms due to an ongoing cervical spine injury that nearly ended his career altogether. During the time between these two matches against Galvao, he underwent a neck surgery that placed titanium into his vertebrae, as a solution to his herniated disks.

And he comes back strong every time he steps onto the competition mats, proving his resilience and relentlessness to succeed. 

After completing a camp on his home turf in England, Estima traveled to New York City to get in some training, mostly at the Renzo Gracie Academy. He also stopped in to Marcelo Garcia's academy on a day where Demian Maia was training as well. Estima has no qualms about training with other people, no matter the team or academy or affiliation. In fact, he trained with Lo a while back.

"We rolled a couple of times four years ago," Estima said. "Since then, he just got better and better, beating many world champions since. Train is training; you can't compare. There is no pressure. In competition, things are different. You can't make mistakes so there is more respect from both fighters."

So the match between them on Saturday is expected to be exciting, even by Estima's appraisal. 

"Lo is very tricky," he said. "Very good balance, very hard to sweep and with one of the best guards in the game. This game will be about strategy. But I expect a lot of exchanges."

As for Esitma's future goals, he is keeping his focus on his upcoming bout. The training, the preparation, the travel to his camps, the time spent with old friends, and of course the match are all opportunities he is not taking for granted.

My mind is all over the place with so many things going on," he said. "But some good things, too. I'm focusing more on my academy and on the Gracie Barra association in Europe, and this is my passion. And now training for the fight makes me look after myself again. It's another good thing. When I'm on the mats, jiu-jitsu takes my stress away.

How to Watch the ADCC 2017 North American West Coast Trials

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