Gabriel Almada 
Black belt Cássio Silva is one of the most important figures in the development of Jiu-Jitsu in France. Cássio has lived in the country for almost a decade and has broken new ground to become a reference in teaching the sport. He is the founder of the School of Champs and does a reputable job as a professor.
The proof of this is the performance of his athletes in the main championships held in the country. The team had 26 competitors at the AJP Tour France and won 23 medals. There were 12 gold, eight silver and three bronze medals.
As well as being a renowned professor, Cássio has excelled as an athlete. In recent weeks, he was crowned champion with and without the gi at the Paris Open, organized by the IBJJF. In an interview with VF Comunica, the black belt recalled his arrival in France and highlighted how Jiu-Jitsu has changed his life.
“I arrived in Paris in 2014 to take part in the first IBJJF Paris Open. I was still a blue belt and had a return ticket. However, I decided to stay to seek better living conditions, not with Jiu-Jitsu, because I had no idea that the sport could transform my personal and financial life and even help many people. I’ve lived here for nine years and I’m on another level thanks to God and BJJ,” said Cássio.
Jiu-Jitsu has grown exponentially on the European continent and the entry of Jiu-Jitsu schools is increasingly recurrent. Cássio analyzed this process and pondered that it is only a matter of time before more European fighters shine in the main competitions.
“My BJJ is 100% French, I’ve been training in France for a long time and I’ve always been trained by French professors. Europe is the place where I’ve fought the most, I’ve met a lot of people who work here and I’ve noticed a significant evolution of BJJ on the continent. It still doesn’t compare to America, but I see many organizations working hard to grow the sport, like the CFJJB in France. The Federation works to professionalize BJJ in the country, invests in young talent and also organizes various competitions throughout the year. So I believe it won’t be long before European Jiu-Jitsu stands out at a high level,” he said.
The School of Champs has had a promising start and the effects of Cássio Silva’s teachings have had an immediate effect in competitions. The school is on the rise in the local market and has attracted many students. The outstanding performance in the championships and visits from sports stars have directly contributed to the team’s development, as the Brazilian said.
“I opened my gym in February 2022 and, just a year since opening, we’ve had several achievements as a team. We won our first team trophy at AJP in March and were ahead of big teams like GFTeam and Checkmat. Soon after, we won two IBJJF trophies in the gi with just ten athletes. In no-gi, with only three competitors, we competed against renowned teams. For now, we only have one academy, but we value the quality of our Jiu-Jitsu. We’ve had some of the biggest names in Jiu-Jitsu at our academy, such as Bruno Malfacine, Guilherme Mendes, Thalison Soares, Tainan, Diego Pato, Mayssa Bastos, Lucas Pinheiro and others,” said Cássio.
Reconciling the roles of athlete and professor is an arduous task and many black belts face obstacles in maintaining a high level in both areas. Cássio revealed that he has suffered complications as a result of his maximum dedication to the prosperity of the School of Champs.
“I’ve always loved competing and I like to transmit that competitive vibe to my students with authority on the subject. So I had to find a way to work hard on my students’ development and, at the same time, train and fight. It was complicated at first, I almost had Burnout Syndrome, but everything worked out thanks to God and I had a great season at Master 1. I’m more structured this year, so I decided to compete at adult level. I made my debut at the IBJJF Paris Open and was champion in the featherweight and no-gi categories,” said Cássio.
He is a grappling enthusiast and likes to venture into no-gi. However, he stressed that the sport needs to be boosted in order to attract more practitioners.
“I intend to focus on grappling this season to keep up with my progress. I’ve already been European adult brown belt champion, and I performed very well at the Paris Open recently. Even though I don’t train Nogi much, I feel confident when I fight. I can beat anyone in my category, especially now that I’m calibrated in the heel lock. There’s a lack of investment in the media to publicize grappling more in France, it would be ideal for the organizers and athletes,” concluded Cássio Silva.
