Marcos Oliveira, aka Marcos”Santa Cruz” Oliveira, dominated the black belts master 1 divisions in both 95+ and open weight at the 2015 World Pro in Abu Dhabi.
Both Marcus Almeida Buchecha and Marcos Santa Cruz Oliveira, who share more than just the name, started their year momentously, winning double gold in their respective class weights and absolute divisions at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu Jitsu Championship 2015.
Marcos Santa cruz Oliveira:
How does it feel becoming the king of the masters 1 division?
Well we knew our chances at the masters 1 division, so I decided to come for double gold. I also helped out Abu Dhabi Top Team fight for the team trophy. At the end of the day, everything played out as planed, I won double gold and the team got the most gold medals.
Tell us little more about Abu Dhabi Top Team
I was part of the first batch of professional athletes that helped create American Top Team back in 2001, and Carol de Lazzer was the first female black belt from Brazilian Top Team. Ever since we moved to Abu Dhabi, we decided to keep the legacy alive. Today we work with judo, wrestling, bjj and MMA.
Our black belt world champion Jon Tuck today is an example of our hard work and professionalism. He is representing us in the UFC in his scheduled fight on May 16 in Manila. We also have many wrestlers Olympic and world champions representing us in Russia/ Dagestan. A very strong kids team is growing at AD Top Team, we know and we believe that our kids will be the next generation of Champions.
They train on a daily basis with us, and very soon you will see them shine, mark my words.
How you would describe the evolution of your team?
In our first year, we produced world champions, and now, in the second year, Abu Dhabi top team already started to pop around as one of the best teams and fight for the team trophy. This year we finished in first as a team, we conquered more gold medals than any other team at the adult and kids division, and that was the best way to prove that we have a strong and efficient training system, and that Abu Dhabi top team came on top among the best teams out there.
So your name is Marcos Vinicius de Oliveira and Buchecha’s name is Marcus Vinicius Almeida, you both won double gold on the Black belt divisions, what a coincidence huh?
I don’t believe in coincidence at all, I believe in hard work and dedication, I know for fact that we both put days and days of hard work to accomplish that. Buchecha is the man of the hour, he is living the pinnacle of his career, but i already told him soon or later the old man here will put him in check lol, joking, I am blessed to be his friend on and off the mats.
When I took the decision of compete at master division I knew it that this combination of results would be possible to happen, and I am very happy that it did happen.
What is next for you and Abu Dhabi Top Team in the near future?
We will put all our efforts on Carol’s ADCC camp, we will put together an outstanding training camping for her to make sure that she will be successful. Besides that I will also be focusing on my family and our Olympic school project that we have in Santa Cruz, Rio de janeiro.
Tell us little be more about life in Abu Dhabi?
We love abu dhabi!!! Period. I won my first world tittle here, and in 2009 I was invited to be part of this outstanding project created by HH Mohammed Al Nahyan and Carlos Santos. Carol also accepted to be part of this amazing project, and today we are building not just our team, but also our family here, and trying to give back some of the goods we received, we love Abu Dhabi so much that we decided to raise our son here, Marcos Darkos was born here.
I would like to thank Umar Abu Muhamed for this interview, one of the best coaches of the Abu Dhabi Top Team. He is currently running kids class and doing great job with them, it’s an honor to have him with us.
