Mathias Luna
Mathias Luna
“Falling in Love with the Challenge.”
In Spring of 2018, he won the Europeans, World Pro, and IBJJF World Jiu-JItsu Championships. He also came out on top as champion at the Royal Invitational. Now a brown belt, Mathias Luna is a force to be reckoned with. He has so far won the Vegas Open, and looks to add a brown belt world title to his resume at the upcoming IBJJF No Gi Worlds.
Mathias trains at Checkmat La Habra with the legendary Lucas Leite and twin brother Matheus Luna. (Also, their third brother, Dudu.) The challenges of training with a sibling, training on the tough days, Dragon Ball Z… Mathias bares all. Let’s get to know this World Champion.
Name: Mathias LunaAge:23Team: Checkmat
Where are you from, and where do you currently train?I was originally born in Recife, PE, Brazil however, I currently live in Brea, California and train in the nearby city of La Habra at Checkmat La Habra.
How long have you been training?I’ve been training for about seven years now, I started when I was about sixteen years old.
How did you first get involved in Jiu-Jitsu?I got involved through a social project in the city where I lived.
How much do you train every week? What is your daily schedule like?I train about two or three times a day, five days a week. On weekends I’ll usually only train in the mornings. My day starts with a morning training, or some days I also teach. After, we go to a high skill competition class, then end the day with a 7pm advanced class.
What is it like to have a brother who trains with you?We push each other constantly, both directly and indirectly. But I would be lying if I said it was easy all the time. Because we are brothers, people always compare us. We aren’t the closest of siblings, but once we compete, we know we will have each other in our corners rooting for one another.
What are some of the challenges you have faced along your journey as a competitor?Injuries always come with the sport, but some you just have to ignore and somehow push through. Coming to the United States and not being able to see my family in Brazil is always hard as well.
What motivates you?My family is a big part of my life, and a reason I chose this lifestyle is to help them. My parents and siblings are very supportive of what I do and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.
What do you love about Jiu-Jitsu?Jiu-Jitsu comes with a lot of challenges, both mental and physical.
Surpassing these challenges is what keeps me in love with this sport. It’s also a sport where the constant training I put in comes with its rewards.
Who are your inspirations in Jiu-Jitsu?My masters Bruno and Thiago Barreto, Lucas Leite, Ricardo Pantcho, and lastly my teammates.
What are some of your goals for the future?My aspirations in this sport would be to open my own academy and train students so that they could also hopefully be World Champions.
Do you have any hobbies outside of Jiu-Jitsu?I am an avid watcher of Dragon Ball Z. Other than that, I do like to spend time at the beach, play soccer, skateboard, and I also like playing basketball.
What is some advice you would give to other guys or girls who want to try Jiu-Jitsu?Jiu-Jitsu is a hard sport and there are days where you might want to stop training or take a break, but as soon as you stop, you stop seeing your progress.
Training on the difficult days are the ones that truly count. Is there anyone you would like to thank? I would like to thank my masters and teammates for helping me get this far along in the sport. Also, thank you to my sponsors Moya Brand and Just Roll for always taking care of me during competition season. And a big thank you to my family for supporting me throughout this career path.
You can follow Mathias on Instagram at @mathias_luna.