The reigning four time world Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion talks about preparing for the BJJ Pan-American Games this Saturday, his supposed retirement, and whether MMA is in his future or not…

Pictured: Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles (right) wins his fourth BJJ World Championship against Bruno Frazzato in 2009. Photograph by Ivan Trindade.

Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles’ jiu-jitsu is exactly what one would expect from a man whose nickname is Portugese for “Cobra” — quick and flexible, with no wasted motion; and always looking for the finish.

If you’re not familiar with his mastery of the “gentle art,” do yourself a favor and watch a highlight video of his achievements, including four world championships in the Mundials., Two are available online: one which I believe originated from his official site, and another from a guy who guys by the nick “Josh K”. In particular, it’s Charles’ guard game which his peers call the best in all of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Still, in a brief interview last Friday at Marcelo Alonso’s academy in Seattle, the legend from the Alliance camp implies he has even more highlights to come…

“I’m ready,” he says about his preparations for Saturday’s BJJ Pan-American games in California. “I think I’m ready to fight tomorrow!” The smile is easy and relaxed.

Last month, the legend from Sao Paulo who is now based in Atlanta, told Gracie Magazine: “This will be my last year competing, so I want to do the Pan and the Worlds and then dedicate myself to the career of a teacher.” He humbly adds, “What little I know I want to share with my students.”

But when I spoke to Cobrinha last week, he was less clear. When asked if this was really his last year, he offers only, “Yes, probably. We never know, but I’m excited for this year. I was supposed to stop last year but then I thought, this will be my last year.”

Why the talk of retirement, then? “Just, because my body’s tired. But I’ll be back. I want to take care of something… but I’ll be back.”

Like many top jiu-jitsu competitors, Cobrinha struggles to name a greatest moment in his career. “All those (wins) are very important for me. I work very hard, have injuries, but I don’t have any particular. But maybe 2008. The competition tried to slow my game down, with thirty seconds left, was up by an advantage, and I caught the guy with a toe hold.”

“I always like to go for submission,” he says when asked about recent talk of matches getting too slow. “Of course, sometimes you can’t. The guy will try to slow you down, they will try for a win by advantage or something. But I look, all the time, for submission. I think they have to change a little bit, but they’ll deal with that. If you gain advantage and just stall, you push jiu-jitsu down, it’s not good for the sport.”

Cobrinha actually began his martial arts training in capoeira. It was there that he was given his nickname at the age of seven, due to his flexibility.

“I did capoeira for 14 years,” he remembers fondly. “Capoeira helps me a lot. Balancing, flexibility. Sometimes I don’t have many time to practice. But I love capoeira. It’s beautiful. The music is beautiful. I used to play berimbau.”

But prior to taking up jiu-jitsu on a professional level, the champion had a career as a baker. To this day, he still finds time to bake a cake or two. “I love it. It’s therapy for me. Some friend of mine, they have birthday and I make a cake for them. Because I love it.”

But asked about switching to MMA, Cobrinha, like his namesake, becomes elusive.

“I was thinking of moving into MMA,” he explains. “But I spoke to Marcelo Garcia, he gave me some advice and I change my mind. But we never know. I want to one day step into the cage. He had a bad experience. We’ll see, one day. You never know.”

But whatever plans he decides on, its clear he’ll be giving his all.

“I think there are no secrets,” he says of his jiu-jitsu success, and to those who would try to emulate him. “They have to get good instruction, and drill. Get the muscle memory. Everything in life you’ve got to practice over and over to improve.”

Including…?

“Including capoeira, and baking cakes!” he says with a laugh. “Relationships, everything. You’ve just got to be dedicated.”