I started to train Jiu Jitsu in 1999 and I met Gabriel around the year 2000, we were born and raised in the same city. Niterói-RJ
I began train with master Welton Ribeiro school the same school that Gabriel used to train before go to master Carlson Gracie school.
We start to know each other better when we met in the tournaments in which we fought a few times with victories and defeats for both sides.
I remember a championship that we went to fight in Saquarema, I went by bus with my teammate Marcos Loro and Gabriel went with his friend Cesar, in the tournament we were in the same bracket and we fought in the second fight (if I’m not wrong) in that event I defeated Gabriel in the weight division and lost to Cesar in the absolute, after the event at the time of leaving Gabriel and Cesar offered us a car ride to return to Niterói and we went with them exchanging ideas and laughing at old stories during the trip. It shows the sporting spirit, we were rivals but not enemies.
Later on Gabriel and I started migrating to Mma and then in 2008 Gabriel moved to the US.
I’m glad to see the family guy Gabriel became with his wife and their 2 children.
Today we are still friends and following each others career through social networks, always hoping for the success of the other. Strength and honor.
Osss
Thales Leites
BJJ Black Belt
UFC fighter