Rolando Samson competed for the first time since the 2023 Worlds at the 2024 LA Open, taking gold in the middleweight division. Now, he's back at a major championship. The Atos black belt will make his lightweight debut at the 2024 Pans. We caught up with Rolando as he explained his decision to drop down in weight and much more.

You recently competed at LA Open for the first time since Worlds 2023. What were your takeaways from those matches?

To be honest, I have one takeaway aside from watching film. My biggest takeaway was that all the training we have been doing at Atos HQ is working. My mentality has become stronger, my technique is feeling sharper, and it showed me that my skill level has evolved even though I have been on a competition hiatus. I am just thankful for Andre and my team at HQ. I am very eager to show what else I am capable of doing. 

Your next challenge is the 2024 Pans, your first major championship of the year and you're making your lightweight black belt debut. Why did you decide to do lightweight for this event?

The reason why I decided to go to lightweight is because when I returned from my trip to the islands of Philippines and Guam, I felt my body and mind rested and refueled with all the high quality foods and fruits, sun, and water from the islands. It puts my lifestyle into perspective.  It truly showed me how the food in the USA changed how my body and mind felt. I returned home feeling the healthiest I have ever felt - physically and spiritually. I felt clarity. I was curious to see my weight on arrival and was amazed at where I was at. After seeing that, I talked to my family and team and decided to do lightweight. Everyone encouraged me to do what would make me happy and that decision was to do lightweight.

Can you talk about the lightweight division? You have athletes like Jackson Nagai, Natan Chueng, Pablo Lavaselli, Carlos Henrique, and Elijah Dorsey in the division. Is it exciting to potentially have these matchups that you haven't had before?

In an interview at the IBJJF LA Open, I mentioned that my approach to life is to fight at my natural weight, which makes me happy. So being at a new weight class after all these years has me eager to test myself against these guys. I am excited to see myself and showcase a new Samson. 

How does your training change for lightweight? Do you have to make any modifications to make the weight in a healthy way?

All aspects of my life, training included, changed. Myself and my team have all evolved to become better in every way we can. Everything is more finely tuned and tailored to a specific goal. The modifications I made was adding a nutritionist to the team, Rose Miller. She and I share the same values when it comes to nutrition and overall lifestyle, so it made sense to have someone who understands me. 

What can fans expect from you at the 2024 Pans?

The fans can expect me to do Samson things - go out there and finish each match at my absolute best. I want to showcase my art and I believe I have acquired all the right pieces to make this become a reality.

Don't miss Rolando Samson's lightweight black belt debut at the 2024 Pans! If you can't make it out to Florida, be sure to watch all the matches live on FloGrappling. The event starts on Wednesday, March 20th and concludes with the black belt finals on Sunday, March 24th.