Orlando Sanchez

Orlando Sanchez, also known as “The Cuban Tree Stump”, is an American born Jiu-Jitsu black belt under “Zé Radiola” who competes in the ultra-heavyweight division for the Gracie Barra team (grappling). Orlando Sanchez is also known for his past drug dependence, which he overcame through practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, becoming in the process one of the fastest Americans to have reached the degree of black belt in the sport (4 years). His path in martial arts has also led Orlando Sanchez to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), a sport he fights for both Gracie Barra and the Kings MMA Team of Rafael Cordeiro.

Orlando Sanchez Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Orlando Mario Sanchez

Nickname: “The Cuban Tree Stump” is a direct result of Orlando’s Cuban heritage and his stature (1,79cm/5’9” and an ultra-heavyweight), the nickname was given by his former coach, Alberto Crane.

Lineage:  Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Junior > Jose Olimpio > Orlando Sanchez

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place ADCC World Championship (2015)
• 2nd Place ADCC World Championship (2017)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2010 blue)
• 1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2012 brown)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2012** brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2010/2009 blue)

* Absolute
** Weight and absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Guard Passing

Weight Division: Peso Pesadíssimo (over 100kg/221lbs)

Team/Association: Gracie Barra

Orlando Sanchez Biography

Orlando Sanchez was born in La Cañada, California in 1982. He played sports in his youth, getting through college on a football scholarship. After his sporting career finished, Orlando’s turned to partying, which drove to alcohol and drug abuse, ultimately leading to depression. By the age of 26, Sanchez had reached 360 pounds of weight and felt the urge to change the way his life was heading.

Through the incentive of a good friend, Orlando Sanchez turned his focus towards martial arts, training Muay Thai. Thai Boxing led Orlando to Alberto Crane who became his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach. Sanchez started competing regularly reaching the degree of brown belt in an astounding 3 years of training winning tournaments such as Gracie Nationals, Grapplers Quest and the Pan-American. In training with Alberto Crane, Orlando Sanchez had the chance of getting to know and train with Gracie Barra’s network of exquisite coaches and competitors such as Romulo Barral, Draculino and “Ze Radiola“. Ze Radiola became a close friend of Orlando Sanchez, and it was Radiola who awarded Sanchez his black belt on September 2012, after a great competitive year as a brown belt where Sanchez won important tournaments such as the Pan American Championships and the Brazilian Nationals in both his weight class and the open weight divisions.

Being a relentless competitor, Orlando Sanchez also picked up MMA, training with Rafael Cordeiro at Kings MMA and becoming one of the main partners of Fabricio Werdum. Orlando also competed in MMA with a rampant start of 3 wins and one no-contest.

Orlando Sanchez vs William Wheeler (MMA)