Master Champions /// By: Vincent Inoncillo

With the IBJJF World Championships passing a couple weeks ago, another major championship event is just around the corner. From August 25 through 27 will be the IBJJF World Master Jiu-Jitsu Championship for the second year in a row and Las Vegas. Unlike the recent World Championships featuring athletes like Rafael Mendes, Jackson Sousa, the Miyao brothers and the like, the Master Worlds will feature the best jiu-jitsu players in the 30 and up crowd. Jiu-Jitsu champions come in different shapes, backgrounds and ages. I recently had the pleasure to interview two previous IBJJF Master champions and talked to them about their jiu-jitsu journey and experience competing in the master divisions. 

The first Master Champion I talked to is brown belt Pan-American Champion, "Extreme" Paul Kuvelis. Paul is a hydrogeologist who grew up in Las Vegas and is currently a black belt instructor under Simpson Go at Cobra Kai Jiu-Jitsu in Las Vegas. Extreme Paul began his jiu-jitsu journey in 2000 and has been training on and off since then. 

Q: How often do you train during the week?

A: Currently I try to train twice a day Monday through Thursday, and once on Friday and Saturday. Sundays are my "rest" day, but I usually go ride my mountain bike. 

Q: How do you balance life with training?

A: Not hard to balance life with training. BJJ is life, it is usually priority. Work gets in the way at times. But I truly enjoy my job, so as they say, do something you love and you don't work a day in your life.

Q: When competing in the Masters divisions, what differences do you see in your jiu-jitsu versus someone who competes at the adult level? 

A: Masters versus adult. I don't really see differences in the advanced division. Tournament BJJ in all divisions is very static, of course we all run into someone that just straight out classes "you". Like when you watch a Mendes brother school or smash an adult black belt in their division. The only difference I really noticed is you have a better chance of getting hurt in adult versus masters. 

Q: As we may assume there is a difference in pace of the match and shorter match times for the older competitor, do you think the skill gap is different?

A: Us old guys have pace and intensity, but we realize that we have to go to work on Monday. So yes I am after the sub, but I don't want to injur the guy and I feel my opponent has the same mindset. Whereas the adult divisions, mainly in blue and white, there a ton of injuries. Since matches are only 5 minutes in Masters, I think the pace is the same as any match. I personally hate winning or losing by an advantage. I want to have fun so I tend to try and open things up weather on the top or bottom.

Q: Why the Master divisions instead of Adult?

A: As I said before, sometimes there is no difference in skill in my divisions. Every once in a while I run into someone I just walk through or someone that just walks through me, but those are a rare occasion. Again, if I had to go against a Keenan or a Mendes brother or any top named black belt, I am going to be out classed. I will roll with them without hesitation, but "they" are on a different level.  

With Extreme Paul's responses in mind it seems like it's just preference in regard to your physical health and level of comfort when competing in the master divisions in tournaments rather than in adult. As there are plenty of competitors that are in their 30's competing in the adult divisions we can only speculate that it's a matter of time and health if they decide to change it and compete in Master divisions. Keep an eye out for my upcoming posts where we will visit with a black belt Master World Champion and their thoughts on competing in Master divisions. Thank you for reading.