Name: Patrick DeCaro
Age: 26
Weight: 82kgs
Style: BJJ, Grappling
Belt: brown

Hi Patrick, please introduce yourself to our readers:
Hello guys! Well, I live in the French speaking part of Switzerland, between Geneva and Lausanne. I am a young architect, but my passion is sports, and especially Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and grappling. I love to compete and do so as regularly as possible. I like spending time with friends and family, and love taking long walks with my dog. Besides that, I am really just a normal guy.

How did you come to train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
I actually started with Japanese Jiujitsu when I was 14. A couple of years later, BJJ came to Europe, and so I trained for the French Open… And that was the beginning! It was more by luck that I had a coach who wanted me to compete in the tournament. But then, I was hooked! I have been training ever since. Of course, I sometimes stopped for a couple of months/years to do muay thai, or grappling, but in my heart, I am a jiu-jitsero!

In Switzerland you train at our Team and you fought in the first Shooto Switzerland, how was that experience?
The experience was great, Augusto brought some of the best fighters in, like Buscape, Pierre guillet or Katel Kubis. I fought against the strong dutch striker Bram van Koppen, and did a thing you do not do in MMA: I jumped huard. But i could capitalize out of it and got him in a mounted triangle where i landed good punches and the referee stopped the fight. The whole team supported me and it was a pleasure to fight in such a strong team.

What were your greatest successes since you train BJJ and MMA.
To be honest, I love every competition that I take part in. I am proud to say that I was there more or less at the beginning of the sport in Europe. So I did first European Championships, German Open, French Open… and a couple more. You win some you lose some… In MMA, I have entered the ring 3 times. I think the first was the hardest. I was 17, and didn’t know anything about striking. I fell against a Slovakian kickboxer. I got hit a couple of times, even a head butt, but I got him down. Very hard fight, but I came out victorious on an arm bar!


You train now in America, tell us where you train and how you got there.
Yeah, currently, I am training at American Top Team, in Coconut Creek Florida. It’s about 20 minutes north of Fort Lauderdale. I was lucky, I put some money aside, working as an architect, and then just decided to go and train here for 3 months. There is never really a right time, you just have to go and do it! I arrived here, on the 12th of January and will be staying until the 15th of April.


Was the language barrier a problem? You mother tongue is french.
Hehehe, well actually my mother tongue is German… It’s a long story… But no, I was born in the US, and lived here for 12 years, so English is my best language actually.

Did they have any prejudice or were you a welcome guest?
Actually, I didn’t feel like there was any prejudice at all. I knew Ricardo Liborio, the head coach, through Augusto Frota and so that probably helped. But that’s the thing about Americans; they make you feel welcome right away. It also helped that I speak Portuguese. Actually, all the Brazilians thought I was from Brazil so they warmed up to me directly.  And now after being here a little over a month, I feel like I am part of the guys!


What’s the difference between training in Europe and training in America.
The dedication to sports, is what I will say it the biggest difference. Not all Europe, but for sure Switzerland doesn’t invest in sports. It’s not part of their lifestyle. Here, it’s part of life and can actually be a life. So this is seen just through the infrastructures they have here, or through the number of people who train, young, old, women, men… There is even a blind teenager learning BJJ!!! Only in America! But it has its downsides too. The money invested creates politics, and that is not always a good combination. But all in all I would say it’s more professional here, with everything that that entails.


Who you train with? Some names we know?
That’s a hard question. I train with so many people! Hahahaha! In BJJ, I train with Jonatas ‘Tagarela’ Gurgel and Rafael Rebello. The first is an amazing fighter, only 23 years old and the other is a great instructor. Another teacher, is Liborio himself. He teaches MMA classes, technique, and strategy. Honestly, Liborio really has an amazing vision of BJJ, grappling and MMA. Katel Kubis is the striking for MMA coach, but only A class fighters train with him, so not me. And then there is the muay thai instructor Cha and Sean the wrestling coach, who are great too. But during sparrings and normal classes, I got to roll with Thiago Alves, Thiago Silva, Buscapé, Katel, JZ Cavalcante. I also met Denis Kang, Mike Brown, and Kimbo Slice.


What have you achieved in the sport since you train in the U.S.A.?
Well, in general, I think my game has gotten a lot better, especially my wrestling and takedowns. Strategically, I have improved my vision of a fight, and know better what to do. In BJJ, I have been working my half guard, and have been returning to my old spider guard game and sweeps. I am opening my game up more, and I want to have a quicker one, with better transitions. I am also learning to fight in a cage. Tournament wise I participated in the NAGA World Cup. I won my category in Gi and in No-gi. Not that many people, but it was a blast nevertheless!!! I got a nice triangle on one guy!


How does a normal day look like at a Pro-Training in the States?
Well my training isn’t that much that of a pro. But let me run you through my day. I wake up towards 8am. I have breakfast, and then get ready, and leave by 9am. The first training starts at 10am, but I have 30min by car without traffic, and I like getting there early. First training is generally BJJ, for all levels, until 11am. Then Normally, there is a pro class, either wrestling, or sparring, or conditioning at like 12pm until 1h30pm. After that I go home and chill. Which means, eat and sleep really. Then at 5pm, I leave again for my 6h30pm class. It’s either BJJ, grappling, or a technical MMA class with Liborio. At 7h30 I continue with  BJJ, grappling, or a normal MMA class. I do this Monday through Friday. And then Saturday mornings, there is an open mat. There you go that’s my day. A pro’s day will have private striking lessons, and weights and things like that in it.


Maybe you could bring any inputs to their training or were you just a student?
Well, there are two types of classes: normal ones and ones for the pros. I am lucky that I am allowed to join both types. So I am both student and teacher from time to time. I help out anyone who wants or needs it. But mostly, it’s in the BJJ and grappling classes that I answer questions a white or blue belt might have. The other day, I even gave my opinion on getting out of a certain position, as we were analyzing John Fitch’s fighting style for Thiago Alves’s next fight. But I am happy to be a student, and to learn. I try taking in everything from everybody, like a sponge. The level here is so much higher than my own, so it’s a great privilege to be a student!!!


What do you do besides the training?
It might sound sad but nothing much. I have been to the beach twice, and to the pool 4-5 times. I actually have to get some architecture work done for some friends in Switzerland. After a days training, or at the end of the week, I need to rest so badly, that I sleep a lot. But I have met some cool guys, and so I will probably start hanging out with them.



Is everything bigger in America or does it just feel so?
No, everything is bigger here. The food servings, the cars, the malls, the people all come in one size: HUGE! Hahahhaha!! But sometimes quality is sacrificed for size, which is a shame… But nothing is perfect!


What are your suggestions for young fighters who want to train in the States?
Buy a plane ticket, and go! I think if you want to go, then do it! There is nothing stopping you. Just watch out to stay on track. I am not the partying type at all, but I have heard there are many many distractions from training, for those who seek them!


What are the most common mistakes young fighters do when they want to become a professional Martial Artist?
I believe the problem is that no one wants to specialize in something anymore. I believe that yes you have to be well rounded. But, I believe you need a background, be it ground game, muaythai or wrestling, or karate. Many fighters want to go directly into MMA. I think you should train your ground game with BJJ guys, your striking with Muay Thai  or boxing guys, your wrestling with wrestling guys. And then, you bring it all together with an MMA coach and classes. I also believe that you need to keep the element of fun involved. OK, it’s your job, but keep it fun, and your fights will be better and easier! Too much pressure clouds your mind.


What beautiful sites do you recommend in your area?
Well, as I said before, I don’t know many… But any beach is really nice, especially coming from Switzerland! I heard you have some amazing SCUBA diving sites nearby, and also the natural parks of the Apalaches. If I have time, I will go see my friends Mickey, Goofy, Donald in Orlando…

What sites you do not recommend at all?
Honestly, I don’t like malls, because I don’t know what to buy for myself, but some people love shopping… I don’t know, I haven’t really seen that many things besides the tatamis!!!

When you will come back to Switzerland?
I have a plane ticket for the 15th of April. That will complete my 3 months stay. But who knows maybe I will stay longer, plans can always change!!! Heheheheh!


What are your goals for the next 3 years?
Well, that is a long time… To start off, before I come back from the US, I will participate in the BJJ Pan-Americans. I will have some small competitions here in  the US. Once I come back, I want to finally open a club in Lausanne and start teaching. Who knows maybe in 2010 you will see my return to MMA?? In any case, in 2011, if all goes well, I will start a masters degree in Sports Administration and Technology in Lausanne, to hopefully work in the Olympic Committee one day.  Architecture will be my weekend hobby. And besides that, I hope to find a financial sponsor (hint hint, to anyone!) that will allow me to compete as often as possible around the world! And if I win some competitions, especially high level ones, and if my level gets better, I hope to get my black belt in BJJ; maybe from Minotauro himself?



If you want to know more about Patrick DeCaro and his stay in the United States, check out his blog:
http://fightlife2010.blogspot.com/