Dean Lister "A loss can only make you stronger"
1) Do you remember your first competition?
My first competition was in very early 1996. I placed 2nd in the Machado Invitational tournament in Los Angeles. At that time no one could compete unless they were at least a blue belt. With my wrestling background, I got my blue belt pretty fast within only a few months.
2) What do you consider your greatest quality in your grappling?
Tough question… Probably my ability to think “outside the box” or maybe from a different perspective… I do this naturally and quite consciously knowing that deception and different styles are difficult to figure out. Everyone knows that one guy that has a weird style that’s hard to figure out. Well that’s me for sure!
3) Gi and nogi: what do you consider to be the ups and downs with both?
Both are great. It’s more preference. Gi is more technical in the sense that there are many more submissions available due to the kimono and grips. Especially chokes! It is also harder to rely on strength and slip out of a move because you are sweaty, the gi will make that difficult so this means you must learn a correct way to escape instead of relying more on athletic ability… Gi is also important to know for self-defense since usually people are wearing some type of pants or jacket/shirt. So it is useful in real life situations at times.
However with no gi, it is much faster paced, the grips are different. Because things can and will slip, you must integrate a more well rounded “chain wrestling” type of mentality (kind of like combinations in boxing) where you develop series of moves and learn to quickly react from muscle memory and mind practice vs. any move an opponent makes. Also no gi is more realistic for MMA or a fight where your opponent has no shirt on.
In the end, this is like comparing wrestling and Judo or boxing vs. Kickboxing. These are all great sports and all are technical. Certain individuals will gravitate towards specific sports based on their body type, their personality and also their intentions of competing… For instance, a fighter who wants to be in the UFC needs to do more no gi than gi in training since he won’t be fighting anyone with a gi.
4) How is your typical training routine during any random week?
I’m weird in this way. I don’t have a very structured schedule. I kind of do what I want, what I need to work on, things I want to try. I make it simple, not easy but simple. I train Jiu Jitsu; I train the sport that I compete in. I used to be a big time weight lifter when I was in high school and weights are good but the sport in the end is 100% functional in improving your mind and body at the same time
6) Tell us your Top 5 grapplers and why?
Marcelo Garcia – class act, humble, technical, honorable, talented
Rodolfo Viera – young and strong, athletic, fast and technical, even at his young age, he is already a legend
Jacare Souza – yes also technical and basically everything above but sooooo explosive, he is also a fighter like me, he is upper ranked in the UFC just like I used to be when I was younger (laughs)
Rolles Gracie – he was my role model when I was young, he was the coach of my coach Fabio Santos. He is perhaps in many minds top 3 of all Gracie’s in History in his sheer spirit and ability. He was an innovator and thought outside the box, which I do a lot. He competed in wrestling, Sambo, Judo and of course his native sport Jiu Jitsu. He wasn’t afraid to play by others’ rules and win
Andre Galvao – I know everyone on this list except for Prof Rolles who died in 1980s (RIP) however Andre is the one I know the best. We have a lasting friendship and have helped each other… He is also beyond talented, beyond technical and his work ethic is top of the top. He also broke the 10 year long ADCC super fight curse hehe…. For about 10 years everyone who won the absolute went on to have a super fight and almost all of them won the super fight but everyone lost the 2nd super fight. I’m included on that list. I was supposed to face Roger Gracie in 2007 but I tore my bicep and couldn’t compete…. So the curse struck me but he broke the curse. So he is a special guy.
10) Anything on your heart that you want to share with the world, good or bad?
Nothing specific. I’m just very happy to see the sport grow so fast. The type of person who does Jiu Jitsu or any type of grappling is a special/different type of person. I would suggest sticking with it, anything, even a loss can only make you stronger.
Casa De Luta FightKlub Mainzer Str. 30 66111 Saarbrücken Website: bjjsaarbruecken.de Email: acasadeluta@gmail.com
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