Never in a million years would I have guessed Mike Tyson and Rafael Cordeiro would be teaming up together. Rafael brought us monsters like Wanderlei Silva, Shogun Rua, many others...and now he's training....Mike…. Tyson....unreal....
Rafael is one of the most inviting and welcoming human beings I have met. You can see in his eyes how humble he is. His energy is positive and he lights up a room. You can really feel the family he built. But he isn't only a legendary trainer, behind that smile is one of the most knowledgeable and exciting martial-artists and fighters of our time. If you met him and don't follow fighting, you would never guess he used to fight bare-knuckles in no holds barred matches! Vale Tudo!
I used to pursue professional fighting and had already decided to be an actor/filmmaker by the time I made my way to Rafael. My Kru(instructor) used to set me up with other coaches and he would call them ahead of time to give them a heads up, but this time I was invited by a co-worker to train. I decided to pop in unannounced, I was out of the game for many years. I wanted to keep it low-key, I wasn't a fighter anymore. He noticed me throwing my leading leg kick with no switch, didn't know who I was. He inched over to get a closer look and most coaches would try to "correct" me and tell me to switch at which point I would discuss/demonstrate to them why I liked no-switch leg-kicks..but Rafael...a true-martial artist, just observed, he saw that I could develop power without switching, his response?? "G$d D$mn!" and a high-five.
Veteran martial-artists understand that every single person has their own set of strengths and everyone has to find what works for them, I appreciated that he saw that. He pulled me aside to work pads with his team, and I wish I knew the name of the fighter holding pads, we did basic-drills; combinations, slipping, roundhouses, teeps, and then Rafael looked at him to get an opinion, he gave the nod. He asked me what camp I was fighting out of and at that point I really wanted to stay because I knew there was a wealth of knowledge I was about to learn from him and his team, and that they were ready and willing to take it to the next level, I was just starting to get warm, I felt like I belonged... but then I snapped back to reality. I was no longer a fighter at this point, my schedule was tight, I had auditions to prepare for, I had to hop onto the freeway!.....My deeper love was, is, and will always be filmmaking….in any case...now that we are living in this pandemic, I really wish I made some more time to train with him, just for the knowledge, wisdom, and friendship.
Rafael is one of the greatest trainers of all-time. Rafael is Legend.
Click this link real quick and check out my IMDB, it increases my rankings and helps me to earn a living. Thank you!
http://imdb.me/brianzo
