Juan Porto

Juan Porto is an athlete.

A short introduction to yourself?
I’m Juan Porto “El Profe” Pro MMA Fighter x3 times Uruguaian Champion, BJJ and Kick Boxing competitor, CEO of Black Lions MMA & Gracie Barra Rivera Gym, and CEO of RXC “Rivera Xtreme Challenge”, I’m a Black Belt in Kick Boxing under Miguel Ángel Ferretjans and a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Eduardo Izaguirre da Silva.

How did you develop your fondness for your sport and at what age did you start?
I started Training Shotokan Karate at the age of 7, and during many years played soccer as a main sport while trying different Martial Arts like Kung Fu, personal defence and Capoeira as a compliment, 2009 I found Kick Boxing and heard for the first time of Vale Tudo, that same year at the age of 23 started competing in the rings leaving soccer in the past to Focus on my new goal which was becoming a Profesional Fighter.

What is your style and what rank do you currently hold in?
My style is counter Fighting on striking as well as in the ground, I love to read and evade and counter the opponent attacks, it’s not always easy, in some fights with stronger rivals I look for a more dominant style looking not to get caught by any hit or choke and tying to have fun in the process.

Are you a member of any sports team? if not have you ever been?
I’m the Main Coach in Black Lions MMA, I’m also representing Gracie Barra in Uruguay and FKS which is a Kick Boxing Team based in Miami, FL.

Describe your major highlights and achievements in sports in the past.
In MMA I was x3 times Champion of the major and only Federated Organization, the Liga Uruguaya de MMA, retaining the Belt from 2017 to 2020, The event was shut after the COVID Pandemic situation started, achieving that year number 17 in Latín American Rankings by Tapology.com, due to that achievement I got a contráct for 3 fights with Taura MMA Championship, a major International organization based in Brazil also Shut dawn after the pandemia. In BJJ I won a New Breed Open in the USA in 2019 and was a Top 3 athlete in 2021 in the Master 2 Brown Belt Open Weight Class.

Are there any short-term goals you would like to accomplish in the next few months to a couple of years?
My main goal for the short term and next years as well is to be able to get a fight in any of the main MMA promotions in the USA, also competing in an IBJJF world championship.

Do you take sports as a profession or is it just a hobby?
Fight sports is my profession since 2014, but my main hobby too, I feel grateful to God for that.

What challenges have you faced in getting to where you are now? You can also share any injury story.
There were many challenges that I had to face through my Fighting journey, the fact of growing up in a small city with a lack of knowledge, lack of tournaments, lack of Fighting gyms and opportunities in general for a person looking for a Life in Martial Arts, with every deficiency came a mission of going long distances chasing after what was missing in our city to build a serious environment and educate the people to accept and support the fighting sports.

What motivates you most about your profession as an athlete?
I’m motivated by my goals, whatever I put in my mind that I need to do, I go for it none stop and do not listen to negative opinions until the mission is accomplished and a new one is set up.

Do you have anything you want everyone to learn?
I would love people to learn that everyone can live their Dream, anything you dream of, you can turn it into a tangible goal and go for it, whatever it is, you can do it, focus on it and surround yourself with the right people. Everyone can live their dream and help others to live theirs and the world would ve a better place.

What tournament or match you have won are you most proud of and why?
I never feel proud of my victories over another person, I try to have fun winning or losing, 2 faces of the same coin. I hate losing very much though and always try to win but never feel proud of beating anyone.

Tags:
#motivacion #jiujitsu #graciebarra #mma #uruguay #prosports #fighter #competidor #graciebarra #equipegb #gburuguay #gbbrasil #gb72 #bjjuruguay #bjjlifestyle
#combat #oss #onevstwo #onwvstwonews #porto #gbusa