Georges St-Pierre in Rio
Ximu comments on champion’s visit
Since great champions must keep on moving, UFC welterweight title holder Georges Saint-Pierre arrived in Brazil yesterday to refine his game. The Canadian will be making his first title defense, since recovering it from the hands of Matt Serra, against John Fitch, in August.
To continue to put on a show in the octagon, St Pierre’s Jiu-Jitsu instructor in Canada, Bruno Molenga (Gracie Barra) sent his student to Barra da Tijuca on an exchange in the Gracie Barra home base. The champion will stay in Brazil until the 10th of June and until then will practice MMA and do his physical conditioning with the fighter Gustavo Ximu, and complete his Jiu-Jitsu routine at night.
We contacted Ximu, who today took the champion to practice boxing at the Nobre Arte boxing academy and got ready to have a first roll with Saint-Pierre at GB.
“He came to work on his Jiu-Jitsu. He arrived yesterday and I took him to Nobre Arte today. The guy is really humble and good people, besides being a really good fighter. We had only one technical training session led by Claudio Coelho and he liked it a lot. The guys there at the academy couldn’t even believe their eyes, as everyone there is a fan. I was also under the impression he was bigger. Not that he’s small, but he weighs 84kg and on tv he looks bigger. I’m going to take him to practice boxing, wrestling and do physical conditioning with me to keep him active, but the main thing is Jiu-Jitsu,” said Ximu.
I thought GSP was back training with Holanda.
He is, but he went to Rio to do some extra MMA training with different camps. Claudio Coelho is the boxing coach for Vitor Shaolin Ribeiro, Pedro Rizzo, Marco Ruas, Bustmanate and tons more!
That's wicked they are all fans too.
Was told that he was also tightening his jiujitsu there at Gracie Barra.. He will have a great time at the main academy.... Lots of tough guys to roll with....