Daniel Valverde is an accomplished Judo and Jiu-Jitsu black belt from the state of Bahia in Brazil, having been 10x state champion in Judo and 4x in BJJ (weight and absolute) with experience in the ADCC (the world’s most prestigious Submission Wrestling tournament) as well as a World Nogi champion, a title won in 2007. Daniel Valverde well known amongst the MMA fans after taking part in the coaching staff of Team Nogueira at The Ultimate Fighter reality show (TUF 8) which aired in 2008.
Daniel Valverde Jiu-Jitsu
Full name: Daniel Fontes Valverde
Nickname: n/a
Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Reyson Gracie > Osvaldo Alves > Daniel Valverde
Main Titles in Jiu-Jitsu:
- 1st Place IBJJF World Championship NoGi (2007* Master)
- 1st Place FBJJ Bahia State Championship (2003** / 2004**)
- 1st Place ADCC Reserve Fight Champion (2004)
- 1st Place Budweiser Cup NoGi (2004)
- 1st Place Atlantic Cup (2004*)
Other Important Titles in Jiu-Jitsu:
- 1st Place Alfa-Barra Cup (2000 Brown Belt)
- 1st Place FBJJ Bahia Championship (1994 Blue Belt, 1996 Purple Belt)
- 1st Place Gracie Cup (1994 Blue Belt)
Judo Main Achievements:
- 1st Place Bahia State Champion (1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000)
- 1st Place Brazilian University Championship (1997)
- 1st Place New York Judo Open (1998)
- 1st Place Brazil vs Mexico Challenge (1999)
- 2nd Place South American University Tournament (1997)
- 3rd Place Brazilian Nationals (1992, 1997 & 1998)
Weight Division: Peso Medio (82kg-181lbs)
Favourite Position/Technique: Guard Pass, Kimura Lock from “Kesa-Gatame”.
Team/Association: MMA MASTERS (formerly from Minotauro Team, Oswaldo Alves & ATT)
Daniel Valverde Biography
Daniel Valverde was born on the 10th of August 1976 in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. Daniel is the son of Belmiro Valverde, a Judo black belt. Belmiro (who actively competed until he was well in his 60’s) started teaching his son the Judo game from the age of 4 and saw Daniel graduate to black belt when he was 19 (in 1995).
In 1991 Daniel Valverde added Jiu-Jitsu to his arsenal, as a way to compliment his Judo. His gym – Academia Shiozawa – gave BJJ as part of their curriculum, and so Daniel’s first instructor in the “arte suave” was Mestre Serrinha. He stayed with Serrinha until he was a purple belt, competing often for the team and meeting on the opposite side of the mats the man that would later become his good friend, Rodrigo Nogueira (aka Minotauro), Valverde would defeat Minotauro in a jiu-jitsu super-fight in 1996 as a purple belt.
Oswaldo Alves came into Valverde’s life as Daniel moved to Rio de Janeiro and started training with the legendary coach, earning both his brown belt and black belt from Alves – Black belt graduation in 2001.
In the early 2000’s Daniel decided to travel to America. After establishing himself and competing for a few years in the US. Daniel met his old friend, Rodrigo Nogueira, who had since their days in Bahia, become a superstar in MMA. Rodrigo would later invite Valverde to be part of his staff, in the form of the grappling coach at the hit reality show “TUF” (The Ultimate Fighter). When in the show, Daniel ended up getting involved in a harsh exchange of words with one of the contestants, Vinny Magalhaes. The rivalry ended up being settled on the Grapplers Quest show in a friendly Grappling competition (super-fight). Valverde was smaller than his opponent but made good use of his strong top game to defeat Magalhaes.
In 2009 Daniel Valverde paired up with Cesar Carneiro to found a new MMA team called MMA Masters, Valverde being the wrestling and BJJ coach, while Carneiro taught the stand-up realm of the game.
Website: mma-masters.com
Daniel Valverde vs Clay Bastos (Jiu Jitsu World Cup 2004)
Daniel Valverde vs Bennet Fisher (Grapplers Quest 2005)
Daniel Valverde vs unknown (World Nogi 2008)
Daniel Valverde vs unknown – fight 2 (World Nogi 2008)
Daniel’s Jiu-jitsu is truely amazing. He’s an amazing coach that just happens to dominate high level black belts whenever he feels like competing. Spending 5 minutes on the mats with him will make you change your whole game for more good!
Another BJJ phenom. Went to a seminar of his. Total beast with very powerful techniques. He rolled and submitted everyone at the seminar with high level guys there in a few mintues craziest thing I ever saw. Still use the stuff he showed today. His jiu-jitsu is untouchable.
Just did a seminar with him in Toronto. We did some great stuff that I had never seen before. He rolled for like 2 hours too and submitted everyone in the room like we were all white belts. Really nice guy to.
A TOTAL BEAST ON THE MATS! BEEN TO HIS GYM IN FLORIDA THE PLACE IS A BREADING GROUND FOR MONSTERS. I WANTED TO BURN MY BLACK BELT AFTER I ROLLED WITH HIM HE DOMINATED ME SO BADLY. I’D HATE HIM IF HE WASNT SUCH A HUMBLE AND RESPECTFUL GUY. HE’S A TRUE BJJ HERO. BEST I HAVE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE TO LEARN FROM.
I USED TO TEACH AT A TEAM NOGUEIRA SCHOOL IN TULSA AND WHEN HE AND BIG NOG WERE WERE STILL TRAINING TOGETHER HE WOULD COME DO SEMINARS…..SAME THING AS ALL OF YOU SAID….ROLLED WITH EVERYONE AND TAPPED THEM ALL. PURPLES, BROWNS AND BLACKS ALL TAPPED REPEATEDLY IN MERE MINUTES.
Yeses!
Valverde is in my top 5 life of best ever. He's a true legend that more people need to know about. I've rolled with the best guys in the world but nobody ever made me feel as vulnerable on the mats as him. He just breaks down high level guys and does it at lighting speed with no effort. At worlds he submitted everyone in his division in under a minute– he's a total freak. It's impossible to stop his guard pass and once he mounts you its 100% over. He's doing the stuff today that people swore Rickson used to do people in those old stories our instructors used to tell.
Awsome JiuJitsu player and instructor. Has the best association out there for no gi.
Very high level black belt especially in nogi. I heard amazing things to about him and his nogi association from my professor. he used yo coach Anderson Silva and big Nog but started his own gym in Miami. He coaches some other ufc guys now.
Best seminar I ever went to as well. Total beast and was so cool ho much he rolled with everyone there. I was the first time I ever seen anyone that high level be so down to earth and take the time to roll with every body.
His Jiu Jitsu game is crushing. What everyone is saying is true. I have been on the mats for 20 years rolling and he crushes e and everyone else on the mats back to back. He is a phenom. If you get a chance go and feel yourself.
Some blackbelt you gave Nunes huh?