With Rafael WerneckGong Magazine’s April edition cover boy Leo Santos, a Nova Uniao Jiu-Jitsu black belt, will be at the Pyramid in Long Beach (CA) on May 28th and 29th, fighting for the title of the up to 77kg category at the 6th Submission Wrstling World Championships. In Canada for several seminars and training sessions, Leo Santos told us what are his expectations heading into the most important submission tournament in the world. ‘It’s been a while since the last time I fought not wearing a gi, but my training is going very well. My brother Wagnney Fabiano (who was the ADCC Brazil Trials champion up to 66kg) has a lot of good students here in Canada, and we are going to do fine. Despite the cold, I’m enjoying the opportunity to learn about a different culture, practice my english and conduct some seminars. I spend most of my time with my brother. He moved to Canada seven years ago’ stated Leo Santos. At ADCC-2005 Leo Santos, the current Black Belt lightweight Grand Prix champion, might have the chance to face another Brazilian: the current ADCC champion Marcelo Garcia, from Alliance. Asked about the strategy to beat ‘The Man’ Leo Santos becomes mysterious. ‘Everybody is wondering how to beat Garcia. I want to defeat him as well, but it is going to be a tough fight. I know I’m able to do that and now I just have to wait and try to do everything I know at the right moment. My strategy is top secret! But this is a tournament and it doesn’t help me to keep thinking of a single opponent. There are a lot of tough guys out there’ ends Santos.
