Today is both a sad day and exciting day at Rothwell Martial Arts. We are sad to say goodbye to our coach Gilmar after three awesome years. We wish him luck in his new ventures. On the other hand, we are excited to welcome Gilmar’s master, Luiz Claudio, to Rothwell MMA. Luiz trained with and received his black belt from Rickson Gracie. He is the mastermind behind Ben Rothwell’s “Gogo Choke” and we are thrilled he will be taking over for Gilmar, beginning next week.
Luiz Claudio Combat Team (LCCT) was created by Luiz Claudio. Luiz is a 3x world BJJ champion and 4th degree black belt under Rickson Gracie. He started his journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Rickson Gracie in his early 20’s. Falling in love with the gentle art, he started competing regularly and saw the sloppy results of knockoff Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teachings. Luiz decided to open his own academy, so that they could spread Rickson Gracie’s philosophies across the USA. After over 20 years, Luiz still trains under Rickson Gracie and is currently a fourth degree black belt.
Belts are not given on a whim or bought. They are earned with a test on the fundamentals that are diligently broken down and taught. MMA fighters that utilize LCCT techniques do not win matches because of luck. They win because of the hard work, attention to detail and the years of developing a strong LCCT foundation, that Luiz created. Luiz is the mastermind behind the “Gogo Choke” that Ben Rothwell used to submit Matt Mitrione and Josh Barnett in the UFC.
LCCT is a family, a support system that thrives off of one another’s accomplishments. If you are looking for a home, then you are welcomed onto their mats. This is a growing family, with hundreds of people practicing LCCT techniques in 15 academies across the country.
