Recently I managed to catch up with Vinicius ‘Draculino’ Magalhães and pick his brain about the ongoing evolution of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.

Draculino started training in Rio in the 1980’s, back in the days when many of the big names in BJJ were just young kids with blue and purple belts around their waists.

Plus he’s trained many great competitors in the sport, as well as having personally competed in BJJ, ADCC, and MMA himself!

In our 24 minute conversation Draculino talked about:

How beach fights for the hottest surfing spots brought him into jiu-jitsu

What it was like training with the top Gracie and Machado fighters in Rio in the 1980’s

How self defense and vale tudo training were incorporated into class back in the day

The early BJJ competition scene, and how BJJ has changed over the last 3 decade

How the spider guard evolved, and the criticism he received for pioneering this position

Why he gets more nervous for BJJ competition than for MMA fights.

Why many matches at the 2012 Mundials reminded him of two spiders trying to mate

The rule changes, he’d like to see to make jiu-jitsu competition more exciting,

And why he makes even his BJJ world champions do self defense twice a week

This podcast episode, along with all my others, are available on my Strenuous Life Podcast, which you can subscribe to with a few easy clicks! Choose your audio player below and click on it to open up The Strenuous Life Podcast and from there, you can click to subscribe, or simply search for this episode which is episode # 11.

Alternately, you can click on the embedded audio player below to listen (however, you run the risk of missing future episodes by not subscribing – but if you’re a gambler then here you go!)

Click here to watch the same Draculino interview on YouTube.

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