Alexandre Paiva
Alexandre Paiva
Alexandre Paiva in Detail
Full Name: Alexandre Paiva Genovesi
Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie > Romero Cavalcanti > Alexandre Paiva
Main Titles:
- World Champion (1999);
- Pan American Champion (1996);
- 5x Champion of Campeonato Internacional de Masters e Seniors de Jiu-Jitsu (2010, 2008, 2007, 2004, 2002);
- World Bronze Medallist (1997)
Weight Division: Médio – Middlweight (82kg/181lbs)
Team/Association: Alliance
Alexandre Paiva’s Biography
Alexandre Paiva started training Jiu Jitsu in 1983 at the famous Jacaré Academy in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro – Brazil, with Rolls Gracie black belt Romero Cavalcanti. At the Jacaré Academy he met a few BJJ fighters such as Fabio Gurgel, Leo Castello Branco, Roberto Traven, Fernando Gurgel and many others that would later make history on the Jiu Jitsu mats.
Right from the start, Alexandre Paiva fell in love with the sport, he also had great instincts which made de classes all the more enjoyable. Seeing that jiu jitsu was something he really liked, he started training more and more, until it became almost an obsession. He would spend an average of 8 hours a day on the mats. Alxandre would not only train in Ipanema with Cavalcanti, but he would also take the time to go every Wednesday to the Botafogo area in Rio de Janeiro to catch up on the “Academia Gracie” (today Gracie Humaitá) training, where Rickson and Royler Gracie were teaching.
In 1988, Alexandre Paiva’s career suffered a major set back. He injured his back with serious damage to his spine, an injury that took Alexandre off the mats for 2 years. After the much needed surgery and recovering process, Paiva returned to the mats in time to get his black belt awarded in 1991. It was also around the same time that Alexandre started dedicating more time to his career as a teacher. Not only did he maintain his position as an assistant coach at Jacaré’s place, he also started coaching at the “Clube Federal”. In 1992 he (Paiva) opened an academy called “Academia Strike” together with Roberto Traven and Francisco Canepa. They stayed teaching there until 1994 when all the former students of Cavalcanti decided to join their master and form a coalition and fight off the bigger teams such as the Gracie Barra Team and the Carlson Gracie Team, they called this the Alliance Academy.
In 2009 Alexandre was the leader of a movement that paid homage to master Helio Fadda (nephew of Oswaldo Fadda), from the great Fadda lineage. The ceremony was done at the “Casino Municipal” in Paracambi, Rio de Janeiro.
Alexandre Paiva vs Carlos Vicente (2009)
Alexandre Paiva vs Carlos Antonio Pinho (2008)
