It was at this moment that that student, with simple manners and cordial behavior, identified himself: he was the prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
 
The hotel was empty because, for security reasons, the prince had closed the place exclusively for him and his entourage.
 
Sheik Tahnoon had not identified himself before because he needed to test his master: he wanted to know how Renzo would behave in front of a simple student, without knowing that he was in the company of one of the greatest fortunes in the world. And Renzo had passed the test.
 
As a thank you for the training, Sheik Tahnoon gave Renzo a pure gold Rolex watch. Then he extended an invitation: “I would like you to come to my country.”
 
It was the first time Renzo had been to Abu Dhabi. At that time the place still did not have the colossal buildings and constructions that characterize it today.
 
“Abu Dhabi was like a small village,” says Renzo. “That's when I met the royal family, including the brothers from Tahnoon, as well as the sheiks and princes of the other Emirates that are part of the country.”
 
And so began a deep bond that has spanned the last 27 years – a brotherhood generated by their love for Jiu-Jitsu. The relationship of total trust, established between a master and his student, provided the consolidation of the friendship between Renzo and Tahnoon in a short time.
 
RENZO: Jiu-Jitsu manifests a person's character instantly. In training, it is possible to know the essence of an individual, just by observing the way he behaves. All the qualities and defects of a person come out on the mat.
 
Renzo became Tahnoon's teacher, going on to frequent the United Arab Emirates on several annual visits, diving into intensive training that would culminate with the prince winning his black belt, by Renzo's hands, in the early 2000s.
 
“There was a year I was in Abu Dhabi 11 times, staying 15 days each visit... Tahnoon was the most passionate student I had in my entire life.”
 
(to be continued)