Rich Chavez, TEAM USA Jiu-Jitsu Member and Gold Medal Winner

Rich Chavez, USA Jiu-Jitsu Gold Medal Winner

New Mexico MMA seems to be growing more and more each day. Fighters are making more of a name for them selves and gyms in the state are becoming known world-wide. It looks like Jackson’s has turned out another superstar.

Chavez's USA Jiu-Jitsu Gold Medal from ATL Tournament

Rich Chavez, a seven year veteran of the world renowned Jackson’s camp, is moving up in the world of combat sports. A jiu jitsu practitioner with a MMA record of 7-4 is going to be in the running for the Olympic Jiu Jitsu team representing  USA. His success as a grappler has put him in the top rankings with his numerous wins around the country. Chavez competes in the 135-149 weight class and currently has a brown belt that he obtained while training with Greg Jackson. “I don’t look at who has what belt ranking, instead I look at what have I accomplished, how many wins do I have on my record?” Chavez said in an exclusive interview.
Chavez is focusing on his jiu jitsu and for the moment has put MMA on the back-burner. “Sometimes I wish the grappling rounds wouldn’t go by so fast,” says Rich. “It’s over before it really starts.” He says that he began with jiu jitsu when he first started training, worked up to MMA, “but I find if you know your good at something, why not focus on it?”
The Olympic Jiu Jitsu team is such a new concept that finding any information on it is hard. The possibility of it being added to the 2012 Olympics in London looks more and more real each day. Chavez feels that “This is a big step for us. 10 years from now who knows what the sport will be like.” Rich isn’t looking too much into the Olympics, but says “I’m going to just keep doing what I’m doing. Going out there and winning.” Sounds like the words of a true champion.

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