Nelson Solari, Chief Instructor

Nelson Solari is the only Carlson Gracie trained black-belt based in the UK - and has been teaching Jiu-Jitsu for over 25 years. As well as training in BJJ, he also holds a black belt in judo.

The following interview was conducted and translated from Portuguese by Luca Mengacci on 13 May 2002.

Q. Hi Nelson, you are from Judo background right? Uruguay is famous for producing brilliant footballers, but is Judo a big sport in Uruguay?

Nelson: It's true. Well Judo is a small sport in Uruguay: I'm born in Uruguay but at 15 years of age I went to live in Brazil. Then I started training Judo in Florianopolis (Santa Catarina) with a Japanese Teacher called Shigireo Sogo, so my knowledge in Martial Arts is 100% "Brazilian".

Q. Tell us how you got into BJJ?

Nelson: One day, I met a girl from Rio de Janeiro and we felt in love. When she moved from Florianopolis to Rio I went with her. Once in Rio I didn't have a place to stay, but a friend of mine offered to stay in his flat. One day I was leaving and I saw a kimono and obviously, I asked my friend if he was into Judo, but he said he was training in Jiu-Jitsu and he asked if I wished to join in for some training. Firstly, I said no. Then, as he said that his Teacher was also a black belt in Judo, I said yes, and we went to the academy. It was my first lesson in Jiu-Jitsu and I felt in love fog it. This was in the Academy of the BJJ Teacher Osvaldo Alves.

Q. How did you get involved with Carlson Gracie?

Nelson: I moved from the Osvaldo Alves Academy to train with his best student, the black belt Sergio Penha. He was opening a new academy with two other partners and he was asking for my help to teach Jiu-Jitsu there. I had a problem with one of the partners and I left the academy. I didn't know what to do then and I was asking to my friend Amaury Bitett (the best fighter in the history of Carlson Gracie Academy) and he said "come train at Carlson's!" Even in Brazil it is difficult to change from one Academy to another. But, as I was very close friend to Amaury and I had already won many competitions, I was really welcome – from everybody and from Carlson as well.

Q. What other teachers you have been with?

Nelson: I started with Osvaldo Alves until the brown belt, then I went to Sergio Penha (very famous for a Jiu-Jitsu fight he had with Rickson Gracie), then with Carlson Gracie.

Q. You have travelled to many countries spreading the BJJ gospel, how do you think England compares with the other nations? Is British food really that bad?

Nelson: I think in UK you have a bright future. Still it's really early to compare the Jiu-Jitsu to some other countries. What UK as well as some other nations need's the presence of Brazilian teachers living here and teaching here, this would improve the BJJ a lot. To speak about food, I cook always my own food you know, so I really don't know the traditions of each country. If I can find what I need I'm fine – and here I can find everything I need and I'm alright.

Q. Why did you leave the paradise of the Cote D'Azur for rainy London; are you mad?

Nelson: I'm travelling always, I do seminars all over the world, and if I have the opportunity to organize a class then I stay longer. This happened in France, after 7 month I thought the situation couldn't improve much more – or could take ages. My brown belt Wilson, who's been living here for a while, he told me to come over here and here I am. I don't choose a place if it's nice or not, I'm looking for places where I can make warriors.

Q. What do you hope to achieve in the UK?

Nelson: I hope to pass on some of the stuff that I've learnt; I would like also make some good level black belts who can go on teaching BJJ here in UK.

Q. Will you host any competitions here?

Nelson: Yes. I will organize BJJ tournaments because, in my opinion, it's the best way to improve the technical level. Get into tournaments is like exams at University, its part of the programme.

Q. What do you think of BJJ worldwide?

Nelson: It's early to speak about BJJ in the world; it's a really new Martial Art. Do you know the first official championship was held in 1994? Look at the Judo, how long it needed to spread in the entire world – so you can imagine how long it will take for the BJJ.

Q. Rio and England are very different places. What's the day of a normal jiu-jitsu student in Rio? Do you have many academies there?

Nelson: Brazil and England are really different, in everything. In Brazil people love stay outside, practise sports, go to the beach. For this training for an athlete is easier, life is cheaper and easier for some things. Most of athletes train twice per day, 5 times per week, a physical side like cardio and body building and BJJ of course. In Rio you have many, many academies, and most of those have an extensive training time table so that you can choose the best for you: from 7.00 am until 10 pm (!).

Q. Nelson, you have been instructor for the Military Police in Santa Catarina. What's the life in Florianopolis like? Is it like in Rio or Sao Paolo? Is Brazil as dangerous as people thinks?

Nelson: I've been travelling a lot in Brazil, and I can surely say that criminality is the same as in some other countries. Of course in Rio and Sao Paolo, big cities with over 10 million people, there are some dangerous areas but tourists don't need to go there. S. Catarina is a State in Brazil where there is not that much criminality. It has many beaches and a lot of space for each inhabitant, it's not crowded at all and it's a beautiful place where to live. Brazil is bigger then Europe and we cannot consider it just for what is going on in 2 cities.

Q. During your experiences you have been in Kuwait coaching Amauty Bitetti in that Vale Tudo organized by the Sheik. Can you tell us more?

Nelson: After the Gulf War people were afraid to travel there. I like adventures and I was really happy to go. Once I arrived there they took my passport and I was waiting at the airport until the organizers came to pick us up and bring us to the hotel. Everything was fine; I had also a couple of work offers so maybe I will think about it in the future, who knows. It's a different world there and they gave us a really good hospitality. The tournament was really big, you had names like Carlos Newton, Barkalev, Matt Hughes, Pele', Amaury Bitetty, John McCarthy as referee. Pele' knocked out Matt Hughes, Dave Menne won on Carlos Newton (but for me it was Newton to win). There were only big matches – including the final, where Menne won on Barlkalev. $ 60.000 for the winner and a fantastic dinner with the Sheik of Kuwait in the restaurant "Towers of Kuwait".

Q. You have met many other champions, Could you mention some of them?

Nelson: 3 in particular I'd like to remember Sergio Penha, Paulo Caruso and Amaury Bitetti. Sergio Penha for his fantastic and extraordinary technique, Paulo Caruso because is a jiu-jitsu futurist, Amaury for our friendship.

Q. What about the American experience? You had a school in California....

Nelson: Well, Brazil is a very special place but at least you need a bit of money. That time I was only training, I didn't have a job and things for me were not that good, I was broke. Then Amaury came and told me about this American who was looking for me as teacher in Sacramento, Ca. I though, why me, I couldn't believe it, this came in a really difficult time of my life. It was few years after I moved from S. Catarina for Rio and this opportunity came at the right time.

Q. What are your thoughts on Europe and BJJ?

Nelson: The BJJ has a good future here in Europe. I am also a black belt in Judo and I think the BJJ is like a "cousin" of Judo, and as the Judo it will spread all over Europe, competitions will be bigger and the future could be really great.

Q. Nelson, thanks for the interview, would you like to add anything?

Nelson: Thanks for this opportunity and I hope to see you all soon in a BJJ tournament.