A very talented black belt under Carlinhos Gracie, this Gracie Barra powerhouse has been a menace in the heavier jiu jitsu weight divisions for a few years with wins against some of the best fighters in the world. He has been living in Albuquerque for the last few years, though this hasn’t stopped his rampant success.
One of the founding members of the Soul Fighters Team, Rafael “Formiga” Barbosa has also been an important figure in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’s lightweight division for many years having medalled in important tournaments such as the Brazilian Nationals, the Pan Americans and even the famous Mundial where he obtained three bronze medals.
One of the world’s premiere grapplers, this BJJ black belt and Submission Wrestling expert from Rio de Janeiro has been based in the United States since the mid 1990’s where he has evolved into one of the most famous and accomplished Nogi fighters of today, as the wins at the ADCC (2009) and Nogi World Championships (2010, 2007) would certify.
Adriano Silva is one of the top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors of his generation who fought most of his career for the “Equipe Barbosa” …
A historical figure in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Leticia Ribeiro has collected medals in world grappling events for years on end, being considered one of the top 10 best female fighters of all time having been distinguished with a mention in the IBJJF Hall of Fame. Leticia Ribeiro is also the leader of one of the best female BJJ teams, the Gracie Humaitá, an organization teeming with talent, such as Penny Thomas, Bia Mesquita, Mackenzie Dern amongst many others.
Léo Leite, is one of the most successful Judo players to have wondered into the world of BJJ. A Brazilian National Judo Team representative Leonardo Leite is also a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under “Gigi” Paiva from Alliance, having won 2 world BJJ championships and 3 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu National gold medals.
A professional Mixed Martial Artist with a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu background, this UFC fighter has been a force in MMA since he was still a teenager, and is today one of the hottest prospects in the world’s lightweight division.
A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Ricardo Vieira, Bruno Matias has been one of the top competitors out of the Fight Zone gym. Today he is settled in Northern Europe (Sweden) teaching his techniques in the Old Continent.
Michelle Nicolini is one of the elite fighters in womens jiu jitsu. A 3x Jiu Jitsu World Champion, European open weight champion and World Pro Cup Champion, Nicolini is also a black belt under ADCC 2007 absolute champion Robert Drysdale. Michele’s rampant competitive career has had its shiniest moments since she started training under Rodrigo Cavaca at his Santos academy.
Fredson Paixao is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under master Osvaldo Alves. A former World BJJ Champion with numerous other important titles in the sport of Jiu Jitsu, Fredson Paixao was also famed for going from purple belt straight to black belt without stopping at brown belt. A natural athlete, Paixão picked up a career in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) in the mid 2000’s. first fighting in local shows such as Jungle Fight, then moving to the WEC and later hitting the big stage – UFC.
A fantastic Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor, Raphael Abi Rihan from the Carlson Gracie Team has been an important figure of the sport achieving important titles individualy and as a coach.
Shawn Williams is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Renzo Gracie, being one of the most talented competitors of his generation in the US. Williams was also the fifth American to be graded as a black belt in BJJ. Training alongside of grapplers such as John Danaher, Ricardo Almeida, Matt Serra and many others, Shawn Williams created a series of positions from a guard variation which is today called ‘the Williams Guard’.
Mario Reis is a top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor in the featherweight division. This fighter from the South of Brazil has won numerous competitions such as the World Championship, the World Cup and many other important tourneys. Reis is also famed for his aggressive style either playing guard or passing and is seen as one of the most entertaining fighters of the division.
José Aldo, or simply Junior as he is called by his Nova Uniao peers, is a famous mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter from Manáus …
A TUF season finalist Vinicius Magalhaes (aka Pezao) is one of the most exciting grapplers in MMA today, with a very aggressive submission based game which he used to win some of the most prestigious grappling competitions in the World.
A BJJ Black belt under Felipe Costa, the American Ryan Hall is one of the most exciting fighters in the “Pena” division and the holder of an amazing guard.
A black belt under André Negao, this Brasil 021 team member has been a top competitor for several years in the female divisions.
A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under two of the best coaches in the world, “Vini” Campelo and Octavio Couto (also known as “Ratinho”).
3x BJJ World Champion and 5 BJJ World silver medals. This impressive resume defines this amazing competitor from Gracie Barra, today the head coach of GB America.
Another talented fighter from the illustrious Alliance jiu jitsu team, this BJJ black belt under Jamelao is also one of Brazil’s top wrestlers, having competed in the Brazilian National Olympic Team.