text and photos by Marcelo Alonso/Team TatameAfter winning two belts in the middleweight category, Rudimar Fedrigo, the leader of Chute Boxe Team, told us recently that his biggest wish for 2006 is ‘to produce a top heavyweight to win titles for Chute Boxe’. Last February 10, the Jiu-Jitsu black belt Gabriel Napao, student of Jorge Macaco, made his third apearence in Curitiba and impressed Rudimar with his training. At the end of a hard training session, Rudimar thanked the new member of the team. ‘Napao made us very proud representing Chute Boxe in the last UFC, with a great knock out over Kevin Jordan. I would like to ask for a round of applause for him’. After being applauded by the whole team Napao answered: ‘It’s an honour for me to represent one of the most respected teams in the world’. Weighing 107kg, Napao told us that he spent one week in Curitiba to sharpen his hands for a possible appearance in the next UFC, scheduled for April. Right after the event, the black belt states he will move to Massachucetts, where he will open an academy in association with Jiu-Jitsu teacher Marco Alvan. ‘He has great structure over there, and Iim planning to return to Brazil frequently, to visit my parents and train at Chute Boxe’, said Gabriel, who has a record of 6 Vale-Tudo fights and only one loss to Fabr?cio Werdun in JF1. Considered one of the most respected brazilian black belts nowadays, Nap?o represents Macaco Gold Team, but his teacher from white thru black belt was Vander Braga, who also lives in the US.
