Have you ever heard of Guybson Sa? He might be BJJ most underrated competitor. Guybson holds big wins over elite grapplers such as Rodolfo Vieira, Marcus Buchecha, Jeff Monson and recently submitted Hector Lombard…

Guybson is the son of one of the pioneers in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the State of Ceara – Brazil. Grandmaster Francisco Sa received his black belt in 1959 and trained over 25.000 students in his teaching career. Grandmaster Sa was a 9th degree Red Belt when he passed away in September of 2013.

Guybson was born in Fortaleza – Brazil 1988 and received his Black Belt in 2009 from Master Sa and Professor Sazinho after winning the World Championship by CBJJO and CBJJE in the Ranks of Purple and Brown Belts. He won the finals against the BJJ aces, Rodolfo Vieira and Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida. Guybson also won the Nationals twice by the same Confederations as a Blue and Purple belt respectively. He is a 6 time Ceará State Champion and 3 time Northeast Champion (9 states). Guybson fights professional Mixed Martial Arts as well, with wins in Brazil, and the U.S. in the Shooto Brazil and Blood Brothers organizations. Guybson moved to the U.S. in 2009 and has been competing steadily winning the State Championships in New York, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona and Georgia. He is currently a 12 time North American Grappling Association champion.

Hi Guybson can you please introduce yourself to the BJJ community of Eastern Europe?

My name is Guybson Sa, I am 27 years old, I was born in Fortaleza,Ceara – Brazil. I am a 1st Degree Black Belt, I train at SAS TEAM / Spartan Academy in Columbia,SC. I have been training BJJ since I was 4 years old with my father Grandmaster Sa and my Brother Professor Sazinho.

Your family discovered Jiu-Jitsu though a different lineage than the Helio/ Carlos Gracie lineage. What do you think about the fact that the Gracies are taking all the credit for Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil and the world?

My Father actually have a very unique lineage, his first contact with Jiu-Jitsu was through a magazine called “O Cruzeiro” where Helio Gracie had Jiu-Jitsu for Self Defense techniques showed in pictures. He never practiced, just got super curious to know what that was all about. When he was 18 he joined the Air Force in Brazil and moved to another State called Pernambuco where he started to train with the Japanese Jiu-Jitsu Instructor, Takeo Iano in the Air Force Base. My father trained with Iano for 6 years and remained as a White belt until Iano had to go back and then he started training with Nilo Veloso which was a Gracie student and my father had to do a Black Belt test which, the test was to fight 3 Black Belts and beat at least 2 of them to earn your Belt. He submitted all 3 and earned his Black Belt in 1959.

To me the Gracie’s are responsible for the growth of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and everyone should recognize that. However, I do believe a lot Gracie’s have done nothing to contribute for the Legacy but use the Family name which was built with hard work and sweat just like our Family to either promote themselves or make profit out of it. I can’t even imagine seeing Helio Gracie or either my Father allowing an online Blue Belt certificate getting signed with a last name Gracie or Sa. I don’t want to generalize the whole family because some of them are for me can considered real warriors. What Helio done back in the day protecting the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu flag. What Royce, Rickson and Renzo done in the cages. What Royler, Roger, Kron done in the IBJJF Competitions is amazing. All those guys share the same blood, I wish I had that many brothers and cousins that trained like they do. I just hate the fact that you walk around any town nowadays and a lot times (not all the time) there’s a school/academy using the Gracie name without even know how to tie their belts. To me growing up the Gracie name was a symbol of respect. Nowadays it’s like a internet joke. I feel bad for those who worked very hard to put the Family name out there.

If that ever happen to SAS TEAM my brother said that he would burn everything and it would be gone immediately, if someday I’m in a position to make that decision I would’ve done the same because I know our Father would’ve as well. Another thing that bothers me is how IBJJF don’t recognize the 10th Degree Red Belts, my father was a Black Belt since 1959 and that should been more than enough time for him to receive that rank. They talk about “Pioneers”… My father had over 25.000 students in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s in our City Fortaleza Ceara. He was the one who developed the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in our State by Promoting “Vale Tudo Fights” where any Martial Arts could challenge BJJ in front of thousands of people that had no idea what that was (kinda like the early UFC but with Multiple Martial Artists against his students). After that he would invite everyone to come train with him. Now every school in Ceara either started with him or my brother, or are students of their students. So tell me how that’s not Pioneering something…

How is your family’s Jiu-Jitsu style different than the Gracies?

I think there’s not much difference in our Jiu-Jitsu itself, I think the main difference is how we prepare or students through Jiu-Jitsu, all our students are evaluated according to our Belt Advancement System which requires things like Written Test for all belts. Self-Defense, Strikes, Points System, CPR for purple belts and above.

Please tell us about your academy in South Carolina?

Our school has been doing excellent, since we opened two years ago we’ve Won State competitions by Teams, made IBJJF National and World Champions and we also have been getting a very good feedback from everyone that comes here. We have the biggest Kids and Adults program in town.

How do you like out there?

South Carolina is very nice! Family oriented, calm and slow pace. People are incredibly friendly. It does have the Beach, Mountains, Country and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu so I think I’m set! Haha

How do you see the growth of BJJ in the USA?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is growing really fast in the U.S. It’s great to see our Martial Art getting publicity all over the Country. The only sad part is that everyone thinks they can open an academy and teach BJJ. (I had a Karate Black Belt ask me to teach at his school and give him a purple belt because he had “knowledge”). Just to think how hard I had to work for my purple belt I almost threw up.

You have an amazing competition record and hold big wins over the elite of BJJ. Why don’t we see you competing more often?

Thank you! I had a very tough time with my old job and I had no support to compete. Since we opened the Spartan Academy I’ve been competing more consistently and I won Nationals, ADCC National, Super Fights but I still need to improve a lot to be back on top and competition rhythm, that’s my goal to compete more often now.

How would you describe your BJJ style/game?

I guess I like everything that is easy to execute and also effective. That’s what I try to teach to my students. SuchBut my goal is always to fight for the Submission. I am a big fan of guys who fight for the Submission.

What is next for you and your team?

I just got invited to ADCC in Brazil but I unfortunately I won’t be able to go. So I’m competing at IBJJF Atlanta Open and after that I will compete at Pan, Worlds No Gi and hopefully get back to the cage to fight MMA by the end of the year.

As far as Team we are organizing SAS TEAM Worldwide to provide better quality instructions to our students. There’s a lot Black Belts from SAS TEAM here in the U.S. and we have a goal to make it even bigger.

If you want to thank sponsor or somebody, feel free

I would like to thank BJJ Eastern Europe for the opportunity.

Thank God for the amazing journey I’m living.

My brother and Professor, Sazinho Sa for all the knowledge he has been passing to me.

My 2 big supporters, my wife Juliana Sa and my friend Jimmy Wynn.

My Family and Teammates from SAS TEAM.

All the Spartan Academy family for believing and trusting in what I do.

And also my Sponsors Zorbas of Chapin Restaurant and Golds Gym!