On a recent episode of The Three Knockdown Rule, television personality Mario Lopez shared details about his latest Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition and the achievement that followed.
Lopez revealed that he recently stepped onto the mats at the IBJJF International Masters competition, testing himself against competitors from around the globe.
“My crazy a*s for some reason entered the International Masters competition in Jiu-Jitsu and went up in a tournament with people all over the world,” Lopez said.
Co-host Steve Kim then asked how the bracket was structured and where Lopez landed in the seeding. Lopez explained that his limited competition schedule left him at the bottom of the rankings.
“I was really the last seed because I hadn’t had a chance to do that many competitions,” he said. “Obviously I’m busy, so I’m just the hobbyist but these guys are like immersed.”
Being the lowest seed came with an immediate challenge. Lopez drew the top-ranked competitor in the opening round, a matchup that many would consider the toughest possible start to the tournament.
“I faced the number one seed off the top,” Lopez confirmed.
When asked whether that was the most difficult match he faced, Lopez agreed. However, he managed to turn the challenge into a dominant performance.
“It went well, I ended up winning that one like seven zero,” he said. “So it went well and it’s fun, man.”
The day carried extra significance because his family was there to witness it. Lopez said having his loved ones present made the experience even more memorable.
“My son was there and my wife and stuff,” Lopez said, before revealing another major milestone. “And I got a new belt on the podium.”
That promotion was the moment Kim had hinted at earlier in the conversation. Lopez is now officially a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, an accomplishment he said he has never rushed toward.
“I’m a brown belt now, so I’m excited about that,” Lopez said.
Rather than chasing promotions, Lopez explained that he prefers to earn each belt at a natural pace.
“I always want to take my time getting these belts. I’m in no hurry. I’m enjoying the process. This is a fun little journey,” he said.
Kim then joked about whether Lopez planned to retire from competition after ending the tournament on such a high note. Lopez made it clear he has no plans to walk away permanently, although upcoming commitments will keep him busy.
“Now I got to go to New York, I got to film a movie, this and that. We’ll see. But it was a nice note to kind of finish that,” Lopez said.
