Orlando Sanchez: From 'Dope-Dealing Maniac' To ADCC World Champ
At 36 years old, Orlando Sanchez has led a colorful life and he shows no signs of slowing down! The 2015 ADCC world champion opens up in this amazing 48-minute-long interview.
2:44 — First grappling class at end of 2008, got his black belt in 2012!
• Getting into jiu-jitsu at age 26
• How he was completely broke but hooked on jiu-jitsu
• How he taught classes and worked on opening a gym since he was a white belt
6:23 — Training with Romulo Barral
• Meeting Barral just as he moved to the USA
• Getting his “ass kicked” on a daily basis – and loving it!
8:11 — Getting off drugs and moving on to jiu-jitsu
• Living his life at 100 miles an hour
• His career as a college football player
• Getting into partying and drugs after his athletic career was over
• Things getting hardcore from age 21 to 26
15:39 — The moment he decided to turn around his life
• Looking at a 380lb “dope dealing maniac” in the mirror
• Shedding pounds with Muay Thai and grappling
• “The first time I rolled and got my ass kicked it was just like that first line of cocaine all over again. BOOM! Oh my God. I found my alternative ‘drug.’”
20:59 — Becoming a world-class black belt
• How a champion mindset is key
• The difference in mindset between the current generation and his own
• How his obsessive focus propelled him to success
• Why jiu-jitsu is in a “weird place” for him
26:25 — His black belt journey: Pans, Worlds, and ADCC
• How competing against Leandro Lo and Andre Galvao put him off competing at Pans, but not for the reason you think
• How a narrow loss to Cyborg inspired him to come back and win ADCC 2015
• His near-death experience just six weeks out from ADCC 2017
• Why he’s not interested in fighting in the UFC
42:02 — Looking ahead and his future as a competitive grappler
• His (non-jiu-jitsu related plans to get not he cover of Forbes magazine)
• Why he’s 100% IN for ADCC 2019
• How he is a fan, but he wants to compete against Gordon Ryan