Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team History, Fighter Stats, Biographies and News

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Elder Cruz

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Elder Cruz, commonly known as “El Monstro”, is a Honduran-American professional grappler and a black belt in jiu-jitsu under coach Lucas Leite, who represents the Checkmat team on this sport’s international circuit. Cruz first made waves in the sport as a colored belt athlete while competing in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) league and in important no-gi jiu-jitsu events such as the SUBVERSIV Invitational and the ADCC American Trials where he conquered several important wins.

Elder Cruz Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Elder Alexander Cruz

Nickname: Unlike many Brazilian/Portuguese nicknames which are traditionally founded on the friendly mockery of someone’s physical or personality attributes, “El Monstro” – the tag commonly associated with Cruz – was a self-imposed, planned nickname, much like it happens in the world of MMA or boxing.

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie > Romero Cavalcanti > Leonardo Vieira > Lucas Leite > Elder Cruz

Main Achievements:

  • 1st Place IBJJF World Championships (2022 brown)
  • 1st Place IBJJF World Championships NOGI (2019 blue, 2022** brown)
  • 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championships (2019** purple, 2021 brown)
  • 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals (2019** blue, 2020** purple, 2021 brown)
  • 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals NOGI (2020** purple, 2021** brown)
  • 2nd Place IBJJF Pan Championships NOGI (2021** brown)
  • 2nd Place IBJJF World Championships (2019** blue, 2021 / 2022* brown)
  • 2nd Place IBJJF World Championships NOGI (2019* blue)
  • 2nd Place IBJJF Pan Championships NOGI (2019 blue)
  • 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Championships NOGI (2020 purple)

* Absolute
** Weight and Absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Double Leg, Guard Passer

Weight Division: Pesado (94,30 kg / 208.0 lbs)

Team/Association: Checkmat

Elder Cruz Biography

Elder Cruz was born on May 18, 1994, in Honduras, but relocated with his family to La Habra, California, USA, in 1998, at the age of 4.

The world of combat sports entered Cruz’s life at 12, as a freshman at the La Habra High School, when he joined the institution’s wrestling team. Elder spent 4 years competing for the Highlanders, making the team’s varsity squad and the CIF State tournament in his senior year after taking the Freeway League crown, a CIF-Southern Section Southern Division championship, and a second-place finish at the CIF-SS Masters Meet.

After finishing high school, Elder Cruz set his sights on mixed martial arts, joining Jeff Nolasco’s UFC gym in La Mirada in March 2018. It was through this relationship with MMA and in his attempt to improve all areas of cage-fighting that Cruz started paying more attention to jiu-jitsu and the competitive opportunities available in that sport.

While trying to further develop his ground skills, Cruz discovered Lucas Leite and his Checkmat La Habra gym, one of the top grappling academies in the country. After his early interaction with coach Leite, Elder became more focused on jiu-jitsu’s competitive scene and slowly faded away from his MMA ambitions to pursue BJJ.

Elder Cruz quickly gained notoriety at an international level as one of the rising stars of the sport earning all belts under Leite, who also promoted Elder to the black belt rank in July 2022.

Elder Cruz Instructionals
ELDER CRUZ RECORD

Traditionally BJJ Heroes only records black belt match results, in Cruz’s case, however, he’s been competing against top-tier black belt competition from his brown belt days in professional events against other pro-athletes, with some memorable matches there. Alves was also an important player at the ADCC US Trials, all results we felt should be included in his professional record, despite his brown belt rank at the time (prior to July 2022).

Elder Cruz Grappling Record

21 WINS
  • BY POINTS
    12 (57%)
  • BY ADVANTAGES
    2 (10%)
  • BY SUBMISSION
    1 (5%)
  • BY DECISION
    5 (24%)
  • BY PENALTIES
    0 (0%)
  • BY EBI/OT
    1 (5%)

1 SUBMISSION WINS

#214eb8
Cachecol choke
100
1
1
(100%) SUBMISSION
13 LOSSES
  • BY POINTS
    8 (62%)
  • BY ADVANTAGES
    0 (0%)
  • BY SUBMISSION
    3 (23%)
  • BY DECISION
    1 (8%)
  • BY PENALTIES
    0 (0%)
  • BY EBI/OT
    1 (8%)

3 SUBMISSIONS LOSSES

#214eb8
Inside heel hook
67
2
#86e620
RNC
33
1
3
(100%) SUBMISSIONS

Elder Cruz Fight History

ID Opponent W/L Method Competition Weight Stage Year
28904Giancarlo BodoniGiancarlo BodoniLPts: 3x0ADCC EC Trials88KGF2021
31279Rida HaisamRida HaisamLRNCWNO 1292KGSPF2022
31334Paul ArdilaPaul ArdilaLInside heel hookADCC WC Trials99KGSF2022
34180Ryan AitkenLEBI/OTSapateiro Inv93KG4F2022
35035Kaynan DuarteKaynan DuarteLPts: 5x2ADCC99KG4F2022
35075Roberto AbreuRoberto AbreuLPts: 3x0ADCCABS8F2022
35545Pedro RochaPedro RochaLPts: 4x0NoGi Pan91KG4F2022
35561Henrique CardosoHenrique CardosoLInside heel hookNoGi PanABS8F2022
37278Carlos NetoLPts: 2x0Austin WOABSR12023
37680Caio ViniciusLPts: 10x0Memphis Open94KGSF2023
37693Caio ViniciusLPts: 4x0Memphis OpenABS4F2023
37883Joao CizeskiJoao CizeskiLReferee DecisionLA Open88KGSF2023
37910Johnatha AlvesJohnatha AlvesLPts: 22x0LA OpenABSSF2023
25963Daniel ManasoiuWReferee DecisionSUBVERSIV 5ABS4F2021
25972Rene SousaWReferee DecisionSUBVERSIV 5ABSSF2021
28869Pablo MontesWPts: 7x0ADCC EC Trials88KGR22021
28879Daishi GotoWPts: 13x0ADCC EC Trials88KGR32021
28890Devon CuraWPts: 7x0ADCC EC Trials88KGR42021
28898Sean YadimarcoWPts: 3x0ADCC EC Trials88KG4F2021
28902John SalterJohn SalterWReferee DecisionADCC EC Trials88KGSF2021
29808Nick RodriguezNick RodriguezWReferee DecisionWNO 11O93KGSPF2022
31320Jason PattersonWPts: 9x0ADCC WC Trials99KGR12022
31324Mateusz LimWPts: 6x0ADCC WC Trials99KGR22022
31328Michael LadyWPts: 3x0ADCC WC Trials99KG8F2022
31331Adrian NezWPts: 3x0ADCC WC Trials99KG4F2022
34177Josiah HarrellWEBI/OTSapateiro Inv93KG8F2022
35028Patrick GaudioPatrick GaudioWReferee DecisionADCC99KGR12022
35543Nicolae CuryWPts: 10x0NoGi Pan91KGR12022
35558Lucas NoratLucas NoratWPts: 0x0, AdvNoGi PanABSR12022
37271Rafael FernandoWPts: 2x0Austin WO94KG4F2023
37273Marlon TanakaWCachecol chokeAustin WO94KGSF2023
37274Thiago AndradeWPts: 4x0Austin WO94KGF2023
37691Felipe CostaFelipe CostaWPts: 0x0, AdvMemphis OpenABSR12023
37906Thiago AndradeWPts: 4x0LA OpenABSR12023
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