One of the ADCC 2011 starlets, the American Justin Rader is an accomplished Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Rafael Lovato Jr and the Gracie Humaita team who has won important tournaments such as the World Nogi Championships, Grapplers Quest and the Pan American Jiu Jitsu championships.
Guga is a BJJ black belt from the Checkmat academy with several important medals under his belt, such as the Rio Open and the World Cup as a black belt, and a world title in the brown belt division, Luis Gustavo is one of the most successful competitors from the fightzone camp in Rio de Janeiro.
Amin Touati “Camelinho” is a Jiu Jitsu black belt under the legendary Royce Gracie since June 2011. From Stockholm, Sweden, Amin Touati moved to Dubai in the UAE and helped grow the sport of BJJ in that Arab country.
A professional MMA fighter with an extensive background in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Gunni Nelson is one of the main figures of a new and successive generation of European (Gunnar is Icelandic) BJJ black belts that has managed to achieve excellent results at an international level.
Davi Ramos is one of the top Jiu Jitsu lightweight competitors in the world. Born in Rio de Janeiro and taught by master Cesar Guimaraes from Top Brother and he is also part of the Atos team from Rio Claro. His strong and dynamic BJJ game have made him one of the most interesting fighters to watch in a division stacked with talent.
A BJJ and Judo black belt, Louzado has medalled in most important BJJ tournaments around the world with or without the kimono (Nogi). A black belt from the Checkmat team, Marcel has established himself in the US from where he runs one of the main Checkmat branches in the country.
Jurandir Moura is a historical figure in the Jiu Jitsu and Vale Tudo (no holds barred) history of Brazil. Having passed away on January 2010, Jurandir Moura was an 8th Degree Instructor (Coral Belt) and the man responsible for the tuition of several important fighters in the 1950’s and 1960’s era.
The very first king of the lightweight division (crowned by winning the first World Jiu Jitsu Championship in 1996), Renato Barreto was part of a Gracie Humaita generation teaming with talent, with fighters such as Royler Gracie, Wellington Megaton, Paulo Barroso and many others.
an ADCC open weight champion (2003), Dean Lister is amongst the elite of Submission Wrestling. With a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and experience in Wrestling, the Russian martial art of Sambo and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Lister became one of the most sought out grappling coaches in MMA.
Everton Santana, also known as “Dentinho” is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Roger Coelho with experience in the MMA professional circuit, having also been part of the famed no rules tournament named “Rio Heroes”, an event that caused much controversy in Brazil in 2007.
The most important submission based martial art on the planet, BJJ has prospered tremendously in the last 20 years and is a long way from it’s start in the late 1920s. Today Jiu Jitsu is a thriving sport and one of the fastest growing martial arts on the planet having produced several champions that went on to be successful in MMA. This article is a short run through the sport since the early days until today.
One of the most successful wrestlers to have transitioned into Jiu Jitsu, this BJJ black belt under Renzo Gracie is a former 197 lbs Cornell University Wrestler with two D1 NCAA “All American” Wrestling championships and a Silver Medal at the ADCC.
Ricardo Cavalcanti is one of the most successful BJJ instructors to have moved to the United States from his native Brazil. A true old school black belt, having earned his stripes under Carlson Gracie, Ricardo today coaches at his academies – Team Cavalcanti – spread out through the Nevada territory.
Raised amongst the Gracie family, Gregor Gracie is the half brother of Rolles and Igor Gracie (both sons of the late Rolls Gracie). Gregor is also one of the top Jiu Jitsu fighters of his generation to fight in MMA. With medals in some of the hardest grappling tournaments in the world (BJJ Mundial, Brazilian Nationals, Nogi Worlds and ADCC) this Renzo Gracie black belt has taken time off his busy schedule to successfully dipped his toes into the fashion industry.
A Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, Shinya Aoki is one of the most entertaining MMA fighters in the world. The Japanese superstar who has won numerous mixed martial arts bouts by submission, was forged in the Paraestra gym and is a decorated BJJ black belt with many important titles to his name
Peter Letsos is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Carlon Gracie Junior. A Chicago native, Pete the Greek spent several years living, training and competing in Brazil having competed and medalled in important tournaments such as the Pan American, Gracie Invitational and many others. Pete is also the founder of Rio Jiu Jitsu, an academy he runs in the US.
Sergio Babu is a Judo, BJJ and Luta Livre black belt and one of the most sought out jiu jitsu coaches in the world of MMA. He has dedicated most of his life to grappling (though he is also a successful lawyer) having worked on improving the submission abilities of fighters such as Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Anderson Silva, Gesias Cavalcante, Rogerio Nogueira “Minotauro” and many others.
Master Lloyd Irvin is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Leo Dalla and one of the most important and successful American born BJJ instructor in the world, having developed high end talent such as Mike Fowler, JT Torres, James Harbison and many others.
Fabio Prado, also known as ‘Pateta‘ (Goofy) is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Marcelo Clemente from the famous Gracie Ilha academy in Rio …
Shane Rice was the first Canadian native to hold a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under the legendary Rickson Gracie. With a vast …
