Brazilian jiu-jitsu gym owner Kiko Cacella on life in Rio, his short MMA career and Hong Kong success

I was born in 1976, in Rio de Janeiro, and grew up in Leblon, a small neighbourhood where everyone knew each other. My mum worked for the government and my dad worked at the marina, which was run by the state.

My brother, who is 11 years older than me, and my younger sister lived with us at home. I have many half siblings from my father’s previous relationships.

We lived two or three blocks from the beach, and I spent a lot of time playing outside on the street and surfing. I was very sporty; I started judo when I was eight years old and was on the local football team and swam.

Surfing was my passion and I skipped school to surf. I loved being in nature and connecting to it.

It’s complicated

There were lots of fights at home. My brother went down the drugs and alcohol road in his teens.

My dad didn’t approve of him bringing his girlfriend home and my mum arranged for him to live in a room at the back of the house with his girlfriend without my father knowing. The girlfriend got pregnant and had a son. It was complicated.