These challenge matches got me thinking. Back, before Jiu-Jitsu became a craze. I had the pleasure and honor of taking private, one on one, lessons for one hour each week with Rickson for two years. At the time it only costs $60/hr though it frequently ran longer. To be honest, I'm not sure that Rickson was really all that great of a teacher. Other than his son, Kron, he has never produced a single champion from the ground up like Renzo, Royler, Ceasar and others. Unlike what Valentino claims, I have never said I was a Jiu-Jitsu champion. Never. The vast majority of those who train in Jiu-Jitsu, like in bbing, never compete.
I had also taken privates with Royler, Royce and Rorion and I would say without a doubt that Rorion was the best teacher. He just wasn't available much at the time as he was involved in the business aspect of getting the school going (it was barely a year old) and then his idea about developing the UFC. I think with Rickson he was just so talented that he couldn't see or relate to the problems or overlooked aspects which to him was just second nature that we mere mortals had to overcome. And though people like to deify him, during his era he was untouchable. He was no "God" as others like to make him out to be but he was touched by the hand of God. The way he would tool his brothers (I remember Royce getting so frustrated and angry that a full-on fought with Rickson during training) and the various champs from visiting Brasil like Fabio Gurgel, Saulo, and Nino.
Anyway, what I did take away from him during our time together was his mindset. He really had a warrior mindset. Not in the way most people think about it. He did not have or tried to project a badass, tough guy attitude. I think what most struck people, at least with me, was his sense of humor. Always joking. Always laughing and having fun.
It's just that when he is on film it's usually about Jiu-Jitsu which is serious business for him so he comes across as a serious person.
Anyway, when Yogi Anjo showed up unannounced during class one day to challenge Rickson, something that Valentino denies ever happened even though it's a well known story, says something about Rickson and how these things are handled.
Anjo, representing the Takada Academy, felt that Rickson was ducking him. So Anjo goes into training, maybe it was two months (lol), but he was a professional athlete and presumably always in some sort of shape. He plans the date and no doubt prepares extensively for his confrontation with Rickson. Meanwhile, Rickson is completely unaware of this dishonorable plot.
When Anjo arrives, interrupting our class, with a posse and camera crew, Rickson was not there. He has just got back from traveling and was recovering from jet lag. Luis Heredia, Rickson's assistant instructor, told him Rickson was not there. If I was Luis, I would have said that I will notify Rickson and let him decide how he wants to handle this unannounced challenge. But Luis calls Rickson and awakes him at his home. Rickson says he will be right over and to tell Anjo he is on his way.
Just like that. A professional fighter, training for this one in a lifetime event, one that could be career-changing makes a challenge and Rickson accepts without question. No rules, no time limits, no "I need two months to train", not asking for a penny. Rickson was the highest paid MMA fighter at the time and could easily make hundreds of thousands of dollars for this fight.
But, incredible to many nowadays, it's really not always about money for some. There are still a precious few that still believe in defending one's honor and dignity. You just don't show up unannounced and interrupt a class and think you can do what you want. You don't just demand something, anything, from someone and expect them to just acquiesce and surrender anything you demand -- no matter what the price or cost of what you are supposed to surrender.
Anyway, what happened has been well documented. Look it up Valentino. Rickson usually likes to end fights with submissions. It's the easiest and the most gentle way to end a fight. But not with Anjo. Not when you insult and disrespect Rickson like this. After easily securing the mount position instead of going for a submission Rickson just beat Anjo to a bloody pulp.
In Anjo's defense, he did return later to apologize and offered a gift (I think it was some kind of scroll) to Rickson and thanked him for a lesson well learned.
I've always believed that a lot of valuable lessons can be learned after getting a good beating.
