A list off top athletes of the black belt divisions who train under the Alliance banner. Male and female competitors from all weights and all decades since the foundation of this famous Jiu Jitsu team. If you are looking for the history of the Alliance academy, please refer to the ‘Academies’ section on the menu.
He is one of the most successful Jiu Jitsu coaches in California, today. The founder of Paragon BJJ academy has been one of the main culprits in the United States’s BJJ boom, having been responsible for the tuition of great fighters such as Jeff Glover, Bill Cooper and Tyrone Glover. Miller has also managed to maintain a successful competitive career of his own.
abrielle Garcia, commonly referred to as Gabi Garcia, is a powerhouse competitor in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’s female division, having the vast majority of important tournaments before even receiving her black belt rank. The Gaúcha (person from a southern region of Brazil) has since reached the degree of black belt under the illustrious ‘General’ Fábio Gurgel.
One of the best female fighters today, Luanna Alzeguir has collected Gold medals throughout these last few years. Get to know more about this phenomenal fighter from Alliance.
The porwerful Alliance fighter has been on almost every podium he has competed in since 2006, the Sao Paulo native is famous for both his strength and his tactical expertise.
Fernando Terere is possibly the most charismatic and talented fighters to have ever stepped on a Jiu Jitsu mat. This is an article about his roots and his rise in BJJ as well as his fall to drug addiction.
Bernardo Faria is a World Jiu Jitsu champion from the Alliance Jiu Jitsu academywho holds an extensive competitive resume with titles at the world’ top tournaments such as the European Open, Pan American and Brazilian Champion. Bernardo Faria is a black belt under Ricardo Marques who moved to the Alliance team in 2009.
Jeff Joslin is a Canadian Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter and a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black belt under Romero Cavalcanti.
Lucas Lepri a World Champion Jiu Jitsu fighter from Alliance Team, with titles in both Kimono and No-Gi Competitions with equal success.
Romero “Jacare” Cavalcanti is one of the best instructors in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu history, having coached hundreds of fighters and produced some of the best the world has seen in Grappling, including Fabio Gurgel, Alexandre Paiva, Leonardo Vieira, Ricardo Vieira, Rodrigo “Comprido”, to name a few. One of the founding fathers of the Alliance academy, Romero Cavalcanti moved to the United States from his native Brazil in 1995, where grew the team. Jacare was also awarded the “On The Mat” Instructor of the Year award in 2009.
Fabio Gurgel is regarded as one of the top coaches in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The head instructor and leader of Team Alliance at the Sao Paulo head quarters, Fabio Gurgel was also one of the best jiu jitsu competitors of his generation with many important titles to his name, such as World Champion, Brazilian National champion and European Open champion. In 2010 Fabio Gurgel put his name in the BJJ record book when he competed and won the European Open, one of the top events in the jiu jitsu calender, at the age of 40, just a few months after he celebrated his 20th year as a jiu jitsu black belt.
Bruno Malfacine is a former Gama Filho Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighter, now fighting from Alliance. A 6x World Champion in the black belt division with an amazing Jiu Jitsu style
Rubens Charles, also known as “Cobrinha” – Little Snake – is a 5 time World Jiu Jitsu Champion with the longuest reign in the featherweigh division’s history. This Brazilian competitor from the town of Londrina, is famed for his agressive game inside the matted arena, but he is also an acomplished instructor as he has shown teaching at Team Alliance’s HQ in Atlanta.
A member of the reality show, The Ultimate Fighter – Brazil (2012),Sergio Moraes is an accomplished MMA fighter and BJJ black belt with 4 world jiu jitsu titles to his name. He was revealed to jiu jitsu’s main stream at the 2008 World Championships after his submission victory over fan favourite Kron Gracie, he would later win that same tournament. Serginho Moraes has since then cemented his name as one of the great Jiu Jitsu fighters of his generation with several other important titles in the Jiu Jitsu competitive circuit.
Named Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Fighter of the Year in 2009, Michael Langhi has been taught by Runbens Charles himself, find out more about this amazing BJJ Fighter
Marcelo Garcia also known as “Marcelinho“, is one of the most loved fighters in the BJJ community. With an entourage of fans throughout the grappling circuit earned by his Jiu Jitsu prowess and his amicable demeanor. Marcelo Garcia is considered by many as one of the All Time Best BJJ Fighters to have ever entered a mat, including by Rubber Guard guru Eddie Bravo, who considered Marcelo to be the BJJ “messiah“, after watching him in action.