While teammates Victor Hugo and Felipe Costa are preparing for ADCC, Rafael Lovato Jr. is taking a different approach this year and said in a recent statement, “No more ADCCs, man. I’m not competing against anybody in their 20s for free anymore. That’s one hundred percent.” Despite this, Lovato Jr’s last ADCC runout proved his most successful. Although he was in his 40’s at the time, he managed to secure an impressive silver medal in the 2024 competition.
At this point in his career, Lovato has little interest in enduring the physical demands of a grueling two-day tournament against significantly younger opponents without being adequately compensated. Aside from the money, Lovato explained that he’s been on the lookout for something that could truly rekindle his drive to compete.
Here, he added, “I haven’t had a super fun, inspirational challenge in the game in a while. Not that Masters Worlds isn’t fun and all that kind of stuff, but it’s not the professional stage.”
Lovato also shared why competing at the masters level holds particular appeal for him right now. He pointed out that younger athletes are frequently competing with their careers on the line, which can push them toward more careful, defensive performances: “When you’re that young, maybe the career kind of comes first and the wins and the losses. You feel like they make or break you. Maybe you fight a little extra strategic, you don’t really want to lose, maybe you don’t open up enough. As a master, you’re still out there at that stage because you truly, truly love it. You’re just battling because it’s who you are. The passion, it’s pure.”
So, the good news is Lovato Jr will be competing again. However, we may have to wait and see what his next move is.
A freelance journalist with more than seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics, with a focus on delivering accurate, engaging, and well-researched reporting. He studied at the University of Birmingham, where he developed a strong foundation in journalism and communications. Martin is a 10th Planet BJJ brown belt and has been training for approximately 10 years and a keen follower of submission grappling.
