By Jiu Jitsu on June 03rd, 2010

Claudio Silva

Claudio Henrique

Claudio Henrique is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt under Ricardo Vieira and a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Fighter. A true globetrotter of Jiu Jitsu, Claudio has travelled throughout his native Brazil to train with the very best in the fight game and has the titles to prove his hard work paid off.

Claudio Mineiro in Detail

Full Name: Claudio Henrique da Silva

Nicknames: “Mineiro” as he is called by many, came about because he was raised in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. “Mineiro” is a common adjective to describe one who is of Minas Gerais.

The other nickname, “Banheira” came when Claudio was still a child, as he played football (soccer) with his friends, he would often play a lazy man’s game, just staying close to the goal and never defending, this lazy style of play is called “Banheira” and thus the nickname.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie > Romero Cavalcanti > Ricardo Vieira > Claudio Henrique

Main Achievements:

European Champion (2009 – Brown belt – closed the final with his team mate);
Lockdown Submission 2000 Tournament Champion (2011);
Ground Control Superfight Champion (2011);
South American Champion (2009 CBJJE);
World Champion (2009 CBJJE – Brown Belt);
South Brazil Champion (2007 – Purple Belt);
European Silver Medallist (2007 Absolute Division);
Brazilian Nationals Silver Medallist (2005 – Purple Belt);
Sao Paulo Champion (2005 – Purple belt);
British National Champion (2005 – Purple Belt)

Favourite Position/Technique: Guard

Claudio Henrique’s Team/Association: Checkmat

Claudio Henrique’s biography

Claudio Henrique was born in Rondonopolis, Brazilian State of Mato Grosso on the 6th of September 1982, but moved to Uberlandia in Minas Gerais as a toddler. It was there, in Uberlandia that Claudio started his training in Jiu Jitsu under the tutelage of Elan Santiago in the year of 2001. He received his Blue and Purple belts from Master Santiago.

In 2005 Claudio made his first of many travels to improve his Jiu Jitsu, his first stop was the legendary coach Paulo Rezende (aka Paulao) in Poco de Caldas, a coach who taught some of the biggest stars in BJJ like Reinaldo Ribeiro and Marcelo Garcia.

2006 came, and Claudio was on his way to Sao Paulo to train with two of the greatest fighters to have ever stepped on a mat, Leonardo Vieira and Robert Drysdale at the (then) Brasa Headquarters in Sao Paulo. At the end of 2006 Mr Henrique did his first trip to Europe to train at Brasa’s Headquarters in London, the London Fight Factory Academy, there he fought his first European Open making it to the finals of the absolute (open weight) division.

He stayed in London for one year and a half were he fought (and won) several championships and were Claudio began is mixed martial arts career with a TKO on the 1st round. After this spell in Britain, Claudio returned to Brazil, this time to Rio de Janeiro were he trained under another legendary coach Ricardo Vieira by whom he was awarded his Brown Belt.

After another year in Rio de Janeiro, Claudio came back to Britain to teach at London Fight Factory and compete in the European scene, wining his first European Jiu Jitsu Open as a Brown Belt, closing the brackets with his team mate Yuri Simoes.

In May 2010 Claudio Henriques’s master Ricardo Vieira was due to travel to London to award him his black belt, but couldn’t do so as weather conditions cancelled his flight, Ricardo then commissioned the task to a friend who is also a Black Belt residing in London, Leo “Negao”. On that same month Claudio won another MMA fight (his 3rd) by submission on the first round.

Claudio Henrique (white) vs Nicolas Gregoriades (blue)