As Chute Boxe, a perennial supplier of top-level mixed martial arts fighters, makes an official move into the United States, it has begun putting instructors in place for its move into Los Angeles.
MMAWeekly.com’s Brazilian correspondent, Ivan Canello, recently sat down with Chute Boxe U.S.A.’s new jiu-jitsu coach.
MMAWeekly.com: What is your name and where are you from?
Junior Gazze: My name is Paulo Sergio Gazze, Jr., but they all call me Junior Gazze.
I am originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil, currently living in Huntington Beach.
MMAWeekly.com: Tell us about your experience as an athlete, some of competitions you have won and your most important fights.
Gazze: I started with Judo when I was four, then I started to practice Muay Thai when I was 13 and jiu-jitsu when I was 16. The wrestling I started with Tito Ortiz, and I’ve been training Muay Thai Chute Boxe style since 2005.
I fought Dean Lister in jiu jitsu and Chris Leben in MMA defeating them both. I also have fought many dojo challenges against some of America’s top names and came out victorious, but that’s another story. I had some good results in jiu-jitsu competitions in Brazil and U.S.A.
MMAWeekly.com: Who is your jiu-jitsu master?
Gazze: I started to train with Fepa Lopes and Roberto Godoi; but after they left the school I continued to train with my team under Milton Maximiniano Trombini, who gave me the black belt in 2001.
MMAWeekly.com: How did you get into MMA coaching?
Gazze: Shortly after coming to America, working for Joe Moreira, he opened a new gym with Fabiano Iha in Huntington Beach. There were many fighters in that location, and I stated training on a consistent basses with them. In my past training with Tito, before his fight with Yuki Kondo, I picked up fast on the MMA strategy. I began sharing my knowledge with other fighters, while getting them, as well as my self, ready for up coming fights.
Having trained with Tito Ortiz, Ricco Rodriguez, Jason Miller, “Razor” Rob, Quinton Jackson and more I felt I could produce some champions of my own. I made the decision and opened my school here in HB.
MMAWeekly.com: Tell us some names you worked with.
Gazze: As I mentioned before, I was one of Tito’s coaches before his fight against Yuki Kondo and Ken Shamrock. I have worked with names like Ricco Rodriguez, former UFC champ; Evan Tanner, also a former UFC champ; Quinton Jackson, the current UFC light heavyweight champ; Josh Barnett, another former UFC champ; and No. 2 light heavyweight fighter in the world, Shogun, Pride Grand Prix’s 2005 champ; Michael Bisping, the Ultimate Fighter winner in 2007; and Razor Rob, a former WEC champ. These are just some names I have worked with, and together they equals more than a lifetime of MMA knowledge.
MMAWeekly.com: So you met Chute Boxe from Piccinini?
Gazze: Yes, my team needed a well-rounded stand up coach, so I looked to Chute boxe. Having produced some top fighters in Pride, it seemed to be the place to find what I needed. I contacted Roberto Piccinini, a Chute Boxe coach. Shortly after that, he left Chute Boxe so we upgraded to Master Rafael Cordeiro, Chute Boxe’s top coach.
MMAWeekly.com: Do you believe that this partnership will make champions?
Gazze: Yes I do, together we have big plans to make Gazze Academy and Chute Boxe U.S.A. the top name in today’s MMA world. Master Rafael Cordeiro brings the experience, and we are going to make some great champions here.
MMAWeekly.com: Do you plan to compete or only to coach?
Gazze: I feel its important not only to train others but also to compete. Like breathing fighting comes naturally, I just took Silver in the Jiu-Jitsu Pan-American this year and am planning on an MMA fight in the summer. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago one of my students, RJ Clifford, a blue belt, won an MMA match against one of Rorion Gracie’s brown belts. Also Michael Bisping, although he is not a Chute Boxe athlete, he was here training MMA and jiu-jitsu with me, before his last victory in UFC 83 against Charles McCarthy.
MMAWeekly.com: Any last words?
Gazze: Yes, first and foremost, I give thanks to God. In Brazil I would like to thank my Jiu jitsu Master, Milton Maximiniano Trombini and my teammates in Brazil as well as Master Rudimar Fedrigo, Rafael Cordeiro and the Chute Boxe team. I would also like to say as much as I love Brazil, I have become an American citizen and am honored to be part of this greatest country. For more info please stop by our web sites:
www.hbbjj.com and
www.chuteboxeus.com by Ivan Canello - MMAWeekly.com
Assunto: Meet Junior Gazze, Chute Boxe USA Jiu-Jitsu Coach 
Qua maio 21, 2008 1:53 pm
