Graciemag article on Michael Lunghi

Michael Langhi carries on winning everything he’s in. In 2009, he didn’t lose once and, this season, he made it to the winners’ stand at the European Championship and, more recently, at the Jiu-Jitsu Pan.

“The Pan is an awesome championship, second only to the Worlds. This one was the biggest Pan in History. Thank God, I got the submission in my three matches before shutting out the division with Lucas Lepri.”

Indeed, speaking of Langhi’s teammate, the fighters have terrorized the lightweight division. They closed out last year’s Pan, the European and this year’s Pan, too. Now they are gearing up to double up once again at the Worlds.

“Last year’s Pan he took gold and we agreed I’d take first at the Worlds. Unfortunately, he lost before getting to the Worlds final; but I ended up winning. Thank God we’re always closing out the category and what’s of least importance is who takes first or who takes second. What counts is that we win,” he explains.

Langhi in a photo by Carlos Ozorio

Watching closely all the goings-on in California, Langhi was impressed by the level of competition and appointed the biggest standouts.

“The level from blue to black belt was excellent. We were talking about how everyone in the other belts was fighting just right. And the browns were great, while a number of top athletes fought at black,” he says.

“For sure, the one to most impress me was Bernardo (Faria, champion at weight and open weight). It’s not that I was surprised, because I could see his potential, but that he did everything just right in his matches. Abmar Barbosa and Kayron Gracie also impressed me a lot. Abmar beat Kron and submitted Lucas Leite. He’s someone I’ve trained with and been around a lot, and he had an excellent championship. I was also impressed with Kayron’s evolution, having beaten Abmar and fought really well. It was lovely to watch those three’s matches,” he adds, already focused on his upcoming objectives:

“I’m back in Brazil. I have some commitments to get out of the way, but the next championship I’m in will probably be the Brazilian Nationals. I might fight at the SP Cup, but so far I’m only confirmed for the Brazilian Nationals and Worlds,” he says in finishing.