JitsCast #36 features Rafael Lovato Jr, one of the most successful American Jiu-Jitsu competitors in the history of the sport and a man who has made history multiple times over. Lovato Jr has continually pushed the limits of what people thought was possible and his place in the history books is guaranteed at this point in his career. The achievements that he’s best-known for came all the way back in 2007 when he became the first American to win both the IBJJF Pan Championship and the IBJJF European Championship, along with an incredible moment that saw him become the first non-Brazilian to win the legendary IBJJF Brazilian National Championship.
He wasn’t content with merely setting a whole new standard for grapplers outside of Brazil though, as Lovato Jr also went on to win the IBJJF World Championship that very same year. This completed an incredible run in gi competition throughout the year and although nobody had even given it a name at the time, that achievement of winning all four IBJJF majors in a single year became known as a grand slam. Since then, only a tiny handful of Jiu-Jitsu competitors have managed to replicate that and it’s widely-considered to be one of the most difficult achievements in the sport.
We spoke to Lovato Jr about his Jiu-Jitsu journey, from learning under his father as part of Jeet Kune Do to connecting with Saulo Ribeiro and Xande Ribeiro as a talented young brown belt. He spoke about how that relationship helped shape his career and exactly how he managed to win the first IBJJF grand slam. Lovato Jr also talked about his more-recent achievement of winning every gi and no gi IBJJF major, another record that he set at the age of 42. He then spent a little time looking toward the future as well, explaining what he thinks might be left for him in the sport over the next few years.
JitsCast #36 with Rafael Lovato Jr is now available to watch on the official JitsMagazine YouTube channel, click here to subscribe for more or check out the interview below:
