Our Lineage

He is a highly qualified Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt. He received his black belt in 2018 from Professor Rick Lucero and is one of his very first white belt to black belt students. He has developed his jiu jitsu through years of working in law enforcement, security contracting, protective services, and competing, as well as teaching children and adults.

He is a coral belt under Joe Moreira and a member of the Dirty Dozen (the first 12 non-Brazilians to achieve the rank of black belt). He has over 35 years of teaching and competition experience and he has fought and won on the largest vale tudo stages.

He began training jiu jitsu at the age of nine in Brazil with the Gracie family. He was awarded his black belt by Francisco Mansor in 1984. He trained with the Japanese Judo Olympic team  in 1986 and became the vice champion in the Judo World Cup.  He was the first to teach non-Brazilians jiu jitsu, which was frowned upon at the time.

He is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu red belt (9th degree) who was awarded his instructor's degree by the late Master Helio Gracie (one of only 6 men outside the Gracie family to receive the rank by Helio).

He, along with his brothers, founded and developed the self-defense martial art called Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is often considered the "Godfather of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu".

He helped pioneer Japanese judo in Brazil and taught the Gracie family which was fundamental in the creation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Often referred to as "The Father of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu".

He was a Japanese educator, athlete and the founder of Judo. Along with Japanese Ju-Jitsu, judo was among the first martial arts to gain widespread recognition internationally, and even became the first official Olympic martial art.