Rodolphe Olivier is one of three French brothers (Maxime, Rodolphe, and Thibaut) who are amongst the top Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitors in Europe. These three black belts have represented France all around the world, conquering medals in important tournaments. The Olivier brothers have also founded one of the top academies in France, the Gokudo, which is affiliated with the Checkmat BJJ team.
Rodolphe Olivier Jiu Jitsu
Full Name: Rodolphe Olivier
Nickname: Some call Rodolphe “Rodoplata” due to his liking of the omoplata technique.
Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie > Romero Cavalcanti > Ricardo Vieira> Rodolphe Olivier
Main Achievements:
- 1st Place IBJJF European Open NoGi (2012 master, black belt)
- 1st Place IBJJF London Open (2012 master, black belt)
- 1st Place IBJJF NAGA Europe (2012 black belt)
- 1st Place IBJJF Hot Blood Cup (2007)
- 1st Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro Trials (2010)
- 3rd Place IBJJF European Open (2009 brown, 2012 master, black)
Favorite Position/Technique: Guard Player, Omoplata & Triangle
Weight Division: Peso Leve (76kg/167lbs)
Team/Association: Gokudo
Rodolphe Olivier Biography
Rodolphe Olivier was born on the 22nd of June, 1980. Rodolphe discovered jiu-jitsu around the year of 1995 after he watched a VHS cassette of the first two UFC events, but BJJ wouldn’t appear in Rodolphe’s life until a few months later. In June 1996, he participated in a two-day seminar, in Paris, provided by Rorion and Royce Gracie. There he became fascinated by the technical aspect of jiu-jitsu and started dedicating his time to training and sharpening what he had been taught at the Gracie seminar, training with his brother Thibaut.
Jiu-jitsu gyms at the time were practically nonexistent in France, and the brothers kept training by themselves for a few years, though the intensity of this drilling died down substantially without the resources of a grappling coach. At the beginning of 2001, Rodolphe Olivier learned of a club in the Parisian suburbs that taught jiu-jitsu, and he decided to register. The coach was Patrick Bittan (and occasionally Flavio Behring when he was around), under Bittan’s guidance Rodolphe participated in his first competition, which he lost in the quarterfinals. Following this failure, he decided to intensify his training and from 3 to 5 workouts a week. This hard training paid with dividends when 14 months later, Rodolphe competed again (2002). Still a white belt, Rodolphe fought and defeated by submission four opponents, all of which were blue and purple belts. In the final match, he was defeated by a purple belt from Brazil.
Rodolphe earned his blue belt in 2002 (shortly after the win in the aforementioned tournament) and his purple in 2004 from Bittan. Rodolphe Olivier also made trips to Brazil to train with the best, namely at the Fight Zone HQ in Rio de Janeiro, where he trained under Ricardo Vieira and Rodrigo Comprido. He received his brown belt in 2006, again from Mr. Partick Bittan. Shortly after receiving his brown belt, Rodolphe founded an academy with his brothers, called the Gokudo. The following year, in 2008, Rodolphe Olivier parted ways with Patrick Bittan.
Traveling when he could to Rio de Janeiro, to train with Master Ricardo Vieira, while competing there (as well as in Japan and all over Europe), Rodolphe is given his black belt on January 2011by the hands of Rico Vieira
