Rodrigo Caporal: Behind the Dragon's Eyes

I remember the first time I saw Rodrigo.  He was this rather short, smiling, silly-eared guy, with a Brazilianesque swagger and quick-footed catlike agility about him.  He was the new BJJ black belt in town, and I suppose I expected a sort of emanating superiority about him, but it was absent, seemingly because he was fairly young.  Still, there was something quite intense about him.  His gaze was extremely focused, and coupled with his permanent grin Caporal resembled a dragon: eagerly yet calmly waiting to attack any obstacle in his path. With that attitude, he has indeed met very few setbacks in life.

When I first saw him at home in the gym, teaching enthusiastically and rolling gently with students, I didn't see how deep that intensity went.  He's definitely a motivating coach and very vocal, yet it's all positive energy.  When I saw him in BJJ competition, I finally understood how he lets that intensity out.  And everyone in Southeast Asia felt it too.

Caporaaaal - as he's known to friends and opponents alike because it's chanted when he fights - spent his whole life in Brazil before he moved to Asia.  He fought in BJJ competitions and MMA promotions all over the country, but he never thought about relocating until the urging of Hong Kong Versus Performance's coach Quinton Arendse.  Caporal had a friend who was a brown belt teaching in the Philippines, and since his friend had good words to say about Asia, he decided to come over for a few months, do some seminars, teach a little, travel a little, see what was up.

"Wow.  Nice place."

Quinton asked, "Want to stay?"

"Yes!"

For that first year, Rodrigo did miss his home.

"Of course, I did miss my family.  I did miss training with Durinho, Guto Campos, Calasans, Mendes bros.  But here, now I have nice friends too.  They are now my family."