Following Romulo Barral's Exit Andre Galvao Reveals He's Thinking About Retirement
Andre Galvao, 2016 IBJJF World heavyweight black belt champion, opened up to FloGrappling following his gold medal winning match against the very tough Jackson Sousa of Checkmat. Galvao had plenty of praise for his opponent following the final, saying that he felt his experience was the crucial factor in such a close match.
"The fight was tough, was tight. I knew he would try to be on top all the time. I pulled guard, because I don't want to be DQ'd, I want to be a champion. So I pulled guard, I took risks, I chose to follow the rules and fight, I think that's why I deserve the victory. I gave my best.
"Congratulations to Jackson Sousa, he trained hard, I know that. His time will come. He's young. I used my experience and I think I truly think I deserve the victory."
See Also: The Time Andre Galvao Fought (And Submitted) A Giant
Galvao also spoke openly about retirement. Earlier that day, Romulo Barral had announced that he would be stepping away from IBJJF tournaments and this was his last Worlds. Galvao and Barral are the same age at 33 years old, and Galvao revealed that it's also something on his mind.
"I will think about it this week. My wife is already giving me a lot of advice and telling me it's time to stop. But it's something I have inside me that drives me a lot. I always like to challenge myself.
"I made my history in jiu-jitsu. I have nothing to prove to anyone. Of course if I stop fighting Worlds or Pans, like the IBJJF tournaments, for sure I will be fighting in superfights that can help me with prize money."