One of the most successful teams in MMA ever, BTT is also a great BJJ team. This is a list of it’s top competitors with their respective Biographies.
Pedro Duarte is a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt under Murilo Bustamante, as well as a former World Champion of the sport, known for his close connection with the development of Hilti, one of Scandinavia’s strongest grappling academies as well as his work for Palm Sports in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a company closely linked with the growth of the sport towards worldwide recognition.
Suyan Queiroz is a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt under Master Carlson Gracie, and one of the main lightweight competitors of the late 1990s/early 2000s era, having beaten big names of the sport such as Jefferson Moura, Leonardo Peçanha, Leonardo Santos, Raphael Abi-Rihan among many others. Queiroz is also revered for his work in Abu Dhabi, helping establish one of the most important grappling programs on the jiu jitsu world.
One of the main people behind the organization of the World Professional Jiu Jitsu Cup event, Fernando Paradeda is also a well accomplished jiu jitsu black belt under the legendary Ze Mario Sperry, having been one of the strongest BJJ competitors for Brazilian Top Team in the early 2000’s.
Walter Mattos is a historic Jiu Jitsu figure and one of the broadcasters for Jiu Jitsu in the southern region of Brazil, being alongside his friend Ze Mario Sperry, the founder of Sul Jiu Jitsu one of the biggest academies in the area, responsible for producing great fighters such as Fernando Paradeda.
Considered at one point as the number 2 ranked fighter in MMA’s middleweight division, Paulo Filho is also a BJJ black belt under the late Master Carlson Gracie and one of the most talented fighters of his generation. Sadly, Paulo Filho (a former world jiu jitsu champion) fell victim to depression at the peak of his career, a problem that would damage his career and cause it to end prematurely.
One of the true legends in the sport of MMA, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, also known as “Minotauro” is considered by many the best heavyweight Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has produced in mixed martial arts. With a prosperous career in BJJ in the late 1990’s, Minotauro turned to MMA, where wins over emblematic fighters such as UFC Hall of Fame Randy Couture & Mark Coleman as well as Josh Barnet, Dan Henderson, Mirko Filipovic, Tim Sylvia just to name a few.
Dustin “Clean” Denes is an American grappler who holds victories over big names in the sport such as Jeff Monson, Raphael Abi Rihan and Marcelo Garcia. A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Marcus “Connan” Silveira, Dustin Denes spent a long time of his life competing and training inBrazilwith masters such as Ricardo De La Riva and Murilo Bustamante.
One of the founding members of the Brazilian Top Team academy, Bebeo Duarte is also a highly decorated black belt in Jiu Jitsu, having won important tournaments such as the Mundial (World BJJ Championships) and the Pan American. This Carlson Gracie black belt is also a manager for many important MMA fighters, such as Alexandre “Cacareco”.
Cassio Werneck was one of the top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu middle-weights at the turn of the century. A black belt under Ricardo Reis, Cassio …
Many sportsmen dream of one day becoming a legend in their sport, Murilo Bustamante achieved this status in two of the most demanding sports in the world, jiu jitsu (BJJ) and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). At one point Murilo was one of the stars of the famous Carlson Gracie team, arguably the best BJJ team of all time. He then moved on to Mixed Martial Arts and formed one of the stronguest MMA teams the world had ever seen, BTT (Brazilian Top Team), a team he leads to this date.
Ricardo Liborio is mostly known as the leader of the MMA academy American Top Team (ATT), but he is also considered, by many to be the best Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt formed by Master Carlson Gracie and an all around legend of the sport. Ricardo Liborio was also the very first world BJJ champion in the super heavyweight division (A division he won weighing little over 78kg-172lbs).
Toquinho is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt under Murilo Bustamante. He fights out of the Brazilian Top Team camp in Rio de Janeiro, and his life story is an example of perseverance and self belief.
Anderson Pereira, a Brazilian Top Team Black Belt and head instructor of BTT BJJ headquarters on Geneve, Switzerland.
One of the best fighters of his generation and founder of the great Brazilian Top Team, one of BJJ’s most recognizable figures and an embassador of the sport
Marcello Salazar, The Barbarian. An experienced BJJ fighter who has ventured through the MMA realm. A Black belt under Murilo Bustamante.
Ricardo Arona is a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt from Ricardo Libório and Carlson Gracie lineage, Arona is also a submission wrestling legend, having won the ADCC (the world’s most prestigious grappling tournament) on 3 occasions, he has also led a successful MMA career (Mixed Martial Arts fighter) having fought some the biggest names of the sport in his time, fighters such as Fedor Emilianenko, Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio “Shogun”, Murilo “Ninja”, amongst many others in the now extinct Pride FC promotion.