The most successful teams in the world focus on building a solid team from the ground up. This is one of the priorities of AOJ, led by the Mendes brothers, who reveal young talents in major championships who plan a long-lasting career as athletes. This is the case of Samurai Marat, a Jiu-Jitsu yellow-belt with the talent and determination to remain a standout.
The first step towards a season full of achievements has already been taken. Samurai Marat fought in January at the ADCC Open in San Diego and showed his grappling prowess. The gold came after a conscious performance, which resulted in two victories in the competition.
At the end of the 2024 season, Marat competed in the Euros Kids in Lisbon, and the experience was the best possible. Among the most memorable moments of last year, the competitor cites the gold in this IBJJF competition as a confirmation of his ability to win.
“Winning the European Kids in Portugal was unforgettable. Competing against the number-one-ranked kid from Ukraine and securing the win by one advantage felt amazing. It showed me how far I’ve come and how much more I can achieve.”.
Samurai Marat’s game became more technical under the guidance of AOJ professors
Due to his good performance over time, since he started dedicating more of his time to Jiu-Jitsu, Samurai Marat was promoted to yellow-belt by Tainan Dalpra, one of the biggest idols of AOJ, an accoladed high performance black-belt.
Since becoming a pupil of Tainan and the Mendes brothers, Marat has noticed a significant improvement in his game, which has become more versatile and creative.
“My technical understanding of Jiu-Jitsu has grown a lot. I’ve worked hard on my transitions, control and strategies. Training under Professor Tainan and the team at AOJ has taught me to be more detailed and disciplined. Also I have private lessons by sensei Rafa every week.”.
At the turn of 2024 to 2025, during the festivities, Samurai Marat set aside this time to rest and spend time with his family. He recharged his batteries in Aspen, skiing, to readjust his focus on the next objectives. “My goal is to compete against the best kids in my division and give my best in every match.”.
