The Jiu-jitsu Times spoke with BJJ black belt and Evolve fighter Eduardo Novaes before his MMA fight at ONE Championship’s Throne of Tigers.
Eduardo Novaes is a silver medalist at the Brazil Nationals and a three-time Sao Paolo State Champion with over 20 years of experience. He is the winner of numerous regional and national competitions in Brazil. Eduardo is preparing for his debut in ONE.
Jiu-Jitsu Times: Eduardo, can you tell the the Jiu-Jitsu Times about your background. Where are you from and what was your team back in Brazil?
Eduardo Novaes: I’m from Santos and my team at Integração Jiu-Jitsu was extremely tough. There were some BJJ Champions there, like Almiro Barros, who’s now a fellow instructor at Evolve MMA.
Jiu-Jitsu Times: You are based at Evolve MMA in Singapore. How did you come to Singapore to teach and train? What is your role at Evolve? Can you talk a little about your experience with the Evolve fight team?
Eduardo Novaes: I first came to Singapore on holiday to visit Teco Shinzato and Almiro Barros. At that time, I was training in Switzerland, but barely getting by. I needed a second job. Teco and Almiro helped me secure my current role of BJJ instructor here. It’s an honour to be a part of the award-winning Evolve Instructor Team. I’m also on the Evolve Fight Team, which has been incredible – not just training with them on a regular basis, but seeing MMA legends like Rafael Dos Anjos, Roger Gracie, and Shinya Aoki pass through our doors is inspirational.
Jiu-Jitsu Times: You are preparing for your first fight in ONE Championship. Tell us a little about your preparations for the fight. What does a typical training week look like for you in terms of conditioning, wrestling, Muay Thai, and diet?
Eduardo Novaes: I train with our World Champions twice a day, five days a week in all MMA disciplines. My training partners are usually Alex Silva, Leandro “Brodinho” Issa, Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke, Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, Yoddecha Sityodtong, as well as ONE Superstar Amir Khan. On Saturdays, I work out on my own. I always eat clean, not only when I’m preparing for a fight.
Jiu-Jitsu Times: You are making the shift from BJJ competition to professional MMA. What about jiu-jitsu makes it a great foundation for a MMA fighter? What adjustments to your jiu-jitsu did you have to make to transition to fighting MMA?
Eduardo Novaes: My BJJ background gave me the stamina to last through long fights. The biggest adjustment in this transition would be learning Muay Thai from scratch, as well as wrestling.
Jiu-Jitsu Times: The fans of MMA see the fighters under the bright lights and excitement of the event on fight night. What drives you to compete and do all of the hard training required to win? What is your mental attitude before the fight?
Eduardo Novaes: I’m feeling positive ahead of my debut – definitely more excited than nervous. I think my determination to tackle new challenges is the main driving force. I’m always asking, “Why not?” It also helps that my whole life doesn’t revolve around MMA. Of course, I give 100 percent as a fighter and instructor, but when I’m home, I spend time doing other things.
Jiu-Jitsu Times: Evolve is building a stacked team of fighters and coaches. What is it like training with multiple World Champions and the overseas fighters who conduct seminars at Evolve?
Eduardo Novaes: It is the highest level of training I’ve ever experienced, which is to be expected given Evolve MMA’s lineup of World Champions – the most number of them in the world. Every day is a learning experience with these guys. I’m a big fan of Miesha Tate, so it was a great learning opportunity to be able to grapple with her when she was training at Evolve MMA last December. We had good exchanges.
Jiu-Jitsu Times: Would you like to thank any sponsors, coaches, or training partners?
Eduardo Novaes: I’m so grateful for my Evolve MMA teammates, especially the Muay Thai World training partners (mentioned above) for their patience. Thank you for helping me prepare for my MMA debut!
You can check out Eduardo Novaes’ Evolve MMA profile here. You can check out Evolve MMA on Facebook and Twitter.
