Brazilian Top Team
Encyclopedia
The Brazilian Top Team (BTT) is a mixed martial arts
academy specializing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and boxing
.
The academy was established in April 2000 by Murilo Bustamante
, Ricardo Libório, Mário Sperry
and Luis Roberto Duarte, former-members of the Carlson Gracie
Academy, to develop and create new training techniques for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, submission wrestling
and mixed martial arts.
lineage. BTT traces its lineage to the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu of Carlson Gracie
. The most storied chapter of this rivalry was reached at the apex of each teams success in PRIDE FC. Chute Boxe which was comprised, at the time, of such fighters as Wanderlei Silva
, Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons, Murilo
and Shogun Rua
, and current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva
.
While BTT consisted of top fighters such as, Ricardo Arona
, former UFC Middleweight Championship holder Murilo Bustamante
, The Nogueira Brothers, Vitor Belfort
, Allan Goes
, Mario Sperry
, and former WEC
Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho
. Competition between the two teams was not limited to Pride FC matches. Bouts between fighters of the two camps had taken place in Brazil, Portugal, the U.S., and other parts of the world on a regular basis.
On August 28, 2005 at PRIDE Final Conflict 2005
the finals of Pride's middleweight tournament were held which was intended to crown the world's best 205 lb Mixed Martial Artist. Veterans Mauricio "Shogun" Rua of Chute Boxe, and BTT’s Ricardo Arona
, were among the competition. Both scored impressive victories over highly regarded opponents, Alistair Overeem
and PRIDE Middleweight Champ Wanderlei Silva
respectively. It was Arona’s victory over the latter that would stoke the flames of the rivalry, because until then Silva had been the torch-bearer for Chute Boxe. Later that night, however, “Shogun” would compensate for that loss with a thoroughly dominating first round victory, ultimately finishing Arona by TKO due to strikes.
Another noticeable aspect of this period is that it shortly followed the departure of promising prospect Anderson Silva. Silva had noted several disputes with Chute Boxe's management as reasons for leaving the team and shortly began training with some of Brazilian Top Team's best in the Nogueira brothers. He was quoted in an ESPN
article as stating that friendships formed with his former rivals helped to save his career upon his departure from Chute Boxe.
for training professional fighters in mixed martial arts. In the new center, the athletes are able to count on teachers of: Muay Thai
, boxing
, wrestling
and the already recognized skills of its teachers of mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
.
Other locations are:
. Most of this is considered to be due to the fact that with the fall of PRIDE FC and the lower pay scale in the U.S., fighters cannot afford to pay the high dues charged by the team. Co-Founder Ricardo Liborio's departure in 2003 to found American Top Team
in Florida and the departure of Ed Soares
managed fighters in 2006 to the California based Black House
has also largely played a part in the teams struggles.
Recently however, things have begun to turn around for BTT. Despite contrasting rumors, Ricardo Arona
has publicly stated he is still a member of BTT. In reference to him leaving BTT, he stated in a Sherdog.com interview, that "I’m still on the team. Nothing has changed. I’m not training there by choice, but I still have a connection with Murilo Bustamante
, and I don’t have any quarrels with them. We always made it clear that if our opinions ever changed, we would sit down and talk."
A few rumors have also surfaced that Paulo Filho
has trained with BTT for his re-match title fight on Sept. 10, 2008 against Chael Sonnen (which he ends up losing). Potentially meaning Filho could return to BTT sometime in the future, due in large to his close friendship with Ricardo Arona
, and Anderson Silva
.
I Big Tournament CONDE KOMA – 1997/ 185lb/ 1st place
National Brazilian Championship (CBJJ) – 1998/ 185lb/ 3rd place
National Brazilian Team Championship (CBJJ) – 1998/ Open Weight/ 1st place
World Championship (CBJJ) – 1998/ 185lb/ 2nd place
Championship Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (FJJRJ) – 2001/ 185lb/ 1st place
8 Times Niteroi Championship – 1999 to 2005/ 185lb and Open Weight/ 1st place
Big Challenge Rio de Janeiro versus Niteroi – 2003/ 185lb/ 1st place
World Cup (CBJJO) – 2002/ 185lb/ 3rd place
NAGA New England – 2009/ 185lb/ 1st place
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
academy specializing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
.
The academy was established in April 2000 by Murilo Bustamante
Murilo Bustamante
Murilo Bustamante |Lion's Den]], Ikuhisa Minowa, Ryuta Sakurai , Dave Menne and undefeated top ranked Middleweight Matt Lindland .-Instructor lineage:Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr...
, Ricardo Libório, Mário Sperry
Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry is a Brazilian heavyweight martial artist. His specialty is Brazilian jiu-jitsu, grappling and ground fighting.-Career:Sperry first broke onto the sport Jiu-Jitsu scene in the early eighties...
and Luis Roberto Duarte, former-members of the Carlson Gracie
Carlson Gracie
Carlson Gracie, Sr. was a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was the eldest son of Carlos Gracie, founder of the system with his uncle Hélio Gracie, and learned the art from his uncle and his father. He was a member of the legendary Gracie family.- Biography :Carlson Gracie would later split...
Academy, to develop and create new training techniques for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, submission wrestling
Submission wrestling
Submission wrestling or Combat wrestling in Japan, is a formula of competition and a general term describing the aspect of martial arts and combat sports that focus on clinch and ground fighting with the aim of obtaining a submission using submission holds...
and mixed martial arts.
Rivalry with Chute Boxe
BTT maintains an intense rivalry with Brazilian mixed martial arts stable Chute Boxe, which is descended from a Muay ThaiMuay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
lineage. BTT traces its lineage to the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu of Carlson Gracie
Carlson Gracie
Carlson Gracie, Sr. was a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was the eldest son of Carlos Gracie, founder of the system with his uncle Hélio Gracie, and learned the art from his uncle and his father. He was a member of the legendary Gracie family.- Biography :Carlson Gracie would later split...
. The most storied chapter of this rivalry was reached at the apex of each teams success in PRIDE FC. Chute Boxe which was comprised, at the time, of such fighters as Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei César da Silva , nicknamed "The Axe Murderer", is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who has competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the American based Ultimate Fighting Championship . Silva is known for his aggressive fighting style with the majority of his fights ending in...
, Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons, Murilo
Murilo Rua
Murilo Rua is a former Brazilian mixed martial artist who fought in Pride Fighting Championships. Nicknamed Ninja, he is the older brother of former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. He is known for his well-rounded fighting skills, in particular Muay Thai and Brazilian...
and Shogun Rua
Mauricio Rua
Maurício Milani Rua is a Brazilian mixed martial artist fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion...
, and current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is the current UFC Middleweight Champion and the promotion's longest reigning champion. With 14 consecutive wins, Silva holds the longest winning streak and title defense streak in UFC history...
.
While BTT consisted of top fighters such as, Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and PRIDE FC Middleweight Grand Prix finalist. He has competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships and RINGS in his mixed martial arts career, and is a member of Brazilian Top Team.-Abu Dhabi and RINGS:...
, former UFC Middleweight Championship holder Murilo Bustamante
Murilo Bustamante
Murilo Bustamante |Lion's Den]], Ikuhisa Minowa, Ryuta Sakurai , Dave Menne and undefeated top ranked Middleweight Matt Lindland .-Instructor lineage:Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr...
, The Nogueira Brothers, Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort
Vítor Vieira Belfort is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Belfort was born in Rio de Janeiro and studied jiu-jitsu with the Gracie family, namely Carlson Gracie. He received a black belt under Carlson and currently trains with Xtreme Couture, fighting in...
, Allan Goes
Allan Goes
Allan Goes is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He last fought for the Seattle Tiger Sharks of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
, Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry is a Brazilian heavyweight martial artist. His specialty is Brazilian jiu-jitsu, grappling and ground fighting.-Career:Sperry first broke onto the sport Jiu-Jitsu scene in the early eighties...
, and former WEC
World Extreme Cagefighting
World Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...
Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho
Paulo Filho
Paulo Fernando de Souza Leite Filho, better known as simply Paulo Filho , is a retired Brazilian mixed martial artist as well as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo practitioner, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...
. Competition between the two teams was not limited to Pride FC matches. Bouts between fighters of the two camps had taken place in Brazil, Portugal, the U.S., and other parts of the world on a regular basis.
On August 28, 2005 at PRIDE Final Conflict 2005
PRIDE Final Conflict 2005
Pride Final Conflict 2005 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. This event featured the much anticipated heavyweight title fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop and also the final round of the 2005 Middleweight Tournament...
the finals of Pride's middleweight tournament were held which was intended to crown the world's best 205 lb Mixed Martial Artist. Veterans Mauricio "Shogun" Rua of Chute Boxe, and BTT’s Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and PRIDE FC Middleweight Grand Prix finalist. He has competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships and RINGS in his mixed martial arts career, and is a member of Brazilian Top Team.-Abu Dhabi and RINGS:...
, were among the competition. Both scored impressive victories over highly regarded opponents, Alistair Overeem
Alistair Overeem
Alistair Cees Overeem is a British born Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer, signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Dream Interim Heavyweight Champion, K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, and made history by being the only fighter in combat...
and PRIDE Middleweight Champ Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei César da Silva , nicknamed "The Axe Murderer", is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who has competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the American based Ultimate Fighting Championship . Silva is known for his aggressive fighting style with the majority of his fights ending in...
respectively. It was Arona’s victory over the latter that would stoke the flames of the rivalry, because until then Silva had been the torch-bearer for Chute Boxe. Later that night, however, “Shogun” would compensate for that loss with a thoroughly dominating first round victory, ultimately finishing Arona by TKO due to strikes.
Another noticeable aspect of this period is that it shortly followed the departure of promising prospect Anderson Silva. Silva had noted several disputes with Chute Boxe's management as reasons for leaving the team and shortly began training with some of Brazilian Top Team's best in the Nogueira brothers. He was quoted in an ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
article as stating that friendships formed with his former rivals helped to save his career upon his departure from Chute Boxe.
Locations
In April 2002 BTT inaugurated a new center in BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
for training professional fighters in mixed martial arts. In the new center, the athletes are able to count on teachers of: Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
, boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
and the already recognized skills of its teachers of mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
.
Other locations are:
- Montreal, Canada - Fabio HolandaFabio HolandaFabio Holanda is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who practices out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently fights in TKO and MFC as a lightweight and is a contender for the title in the former organization....
opened Brazilian Top Team CanadaBrazilian Top Team CanadaBrazilian Top Team Canada is an association of mixed martial arts schools begun in 2003 by Philip Gelinas and Fabio Holanda, a third-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu...
upon his arrival in Montreal, which has since become the training ground for prominent UFC Fighters Patrick CôtéPatrick Côté (fighter)Patrick Côté is a French-Canadian mixed martial artist. He currently fights as a middleweight, most recently in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and was the TKO Major League MMA middleweight champion...
and UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. PierreGeorges St. PierreGeorges St-Pierre , often referred to as GSP, is a Canadian mixed martial artist and the current Welterweight Champion of the UFC. St-Pierre is ranked as the No. 1 Welterweight in the world according to Sherdog, MMAWeekly and numerous other publications. St-Pierre is ranked the No. 2 pound for...
. - Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
- Marcelo Perdomo (BJJ Black Belt under BTT co-founder Murilo BustamanteMurilo BustamanteMurilo Bustamante |Lion's Den]], Ikuhisa Minowa, Ryuta Sakurai , Dave Menne and undefeated top ranked Middleweight Matt Lindland .-Instructor lineage:Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr...
opened Brazilian Top Team Long Beach in mid-2004. http://www.bttlongbeach.com/ - Boston, Massachusetts- In 2003 João C. Amaral and Daniel Gazoni opened Brazilian Top Team Boston, the first recognized BTT dojo in the United States.
- Boca Raton, FloridaBoca Raton, FloridaBoca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
- João C. Amaral http://bocaraton.braziliantopteamflorida.com - West Palm Beach, FloridaWest Palm Beach, FloridaWest Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
- João C. Amaral http://westpalmbeach.braziliantopteamflorida.com - Melbourne, FloridaMelbourne, FloridaMelbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. As of 2009, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 78,323. The municipal area is the second largest by size and by population in the county. Melbourne is a principal city of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida...
- Edgard Dutra (BJJ black belt) BTT Florida http://melbourne.braziliantopteamflorida.com- Cocoa Beach, FloridaCocoa Beach, FloridaCocoa Beach is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,482 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2008, the city had a population of 11,920...
- satellite school in cooperation with Force Fitness Gym http://cocoabeach.braziliantopteamflorida.com
- Cocoa Beach, Florida
- San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, TexasSan Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
- Marcello SalazarMarcello SalazarMarcello Salazar M. Bergo is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Brazilian Top Team, and is currently a full time instructor at Brazilian Top Team-Texas in San Antonio, Texas.-Biography:...
(BJJ black belt) BTT Texas http://www.alivemma.com/html/sa_home - Portland, OregonPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
- Bill BradleyBill BradleyWilliam Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
(BJJ black belt) Alive MMA BTT http://alivemma.com/html/pdx_home_new.html - Brazilian top team Missouri (BJJ black belt) Fernando Maccachero Brazilian top team instructor Webb city Mo
Future
Like Chute Boxe, BTT had fallen on hard times since the sale of PRIDE to Zuffa in 2007. Beginning with the departure of the Nogueira brothers, the team has lost much of their roster including co-founder Mario Sperry, The Nogueira Brothers, and Paulo FilhoPaulo Filho
Paulo Fernando de Souza Leite Filho, better known as simply Paulo Filho , is a retired Brazilian mixed martial artist as well as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo practitioner, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...
. Most of this is considered to be due to the fact that with the fall of PRIDE FC and the lower pay scale in the U.S., fighters cannot afford to pay the high dues charged by the team. Co-Founder Ricardo Liborio's departure in 2003 to found American Top Team
American Top Team
American Top Team is one of the leading teams in mixed martial arts. It was founded by former members of Brazilian Top Team, Ricardo Liborio, Marcus Silveira and Marcelo Silveira but there is no formal affiliation between the two teams. ATT's main academy is in Coconut Creek, Florida but has...
in Florida and the departure of Ed Soares
Ed Soares
Ed Soares is a Brazilian American born in California to Brazilian parents. He is known for being the manager of a number of Brazilian Mixed martial arts fighters, including Anderson Silva, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and Lyoto Machida.-Career:...
managed fighters in 2006 to the California based Black House
Black House (MMA)
Black House is a mixed martial arts fighting team and gym based out of Brazil. Opened on November 27, 2006, Black House was started by former Brazilian Top Team member and black belt Carlos "Carlão" Barreto, Jorge Guimaraes and Rogerio Camoes...
has also largely played a part in the teams struggles.
Recently however, things have begun to turn around for BTT. Despite contrasting rumors, Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and PRIDE FC Middleweight Grand Prix finalist. He has competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships and RINGS in his mixed martial arts career, and is a member of Brazilian Top Team.-Abu Dhabi and RINGS:...
has publicly stated he is still a member of BTT. In reference to him leaving BTT, he stated in a Sherdog.com interview, that "I’m still on the team. Nothing has changed. I’m not training there by choice, but I still have a connection with Murilo Bustamante
Murilo Bustamante
Murilo Bustamante |Lion's Den]], Ikuhisa Minowa, Ryuta Sakurai , Dave Menne and undefeated top ranked Middleweight Matt Lindland .-Instructor lineage:Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr...
, and I don’t have any quarrels with them. We always made it clear that if our opinions ever changed, we would sit down and talk."
A few rumors have also surfaced that Paulo Filho
Paulo Filho
Paulo Fernando de Souza Leite Filho, better known as simply Paulo Filho , is a retired Brazilian mixed martial artist as well as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo practitioner, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...
has trained with BTT for his re-match title fight on Sept. 10, 2008 against Chael Sonnen (which he ends up losing). Potentially meaning Filho could return to BTT sometime in the future, due in large to his close friendship with Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and PRIDE FC Middleweight Grand Prix finalist. He has competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships and RINGS in his mixed martial arts career, and is a member of Brazilian Top Team.-Abu Dhabi and RINGS:...
, and Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is the current UFC Middleweight Champion and the promotion's longest reigning champion. With 14 consecutive wins, Silva holds the longest winning streak and title defense streak in UFC history...
.
Current BTT Brazil Members
- Murilo BustamanteMurilo BustamanteMurilo Bustamante |Lion's Den]], Ikuhisa Minowa, Ryuta Sakurai , Dave Menne and undefeated top ranked Middleweight Matt Lindland .-Instructor lineage:Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr...
- Former UFC middleweight champion, and PRIDE FC Welterweight Grand Prix Finalist. Former competitor for UFC and PRIDE FC - David BielkhedenDavid BielkhedenDavid Bielkheden is a Swedish mixed martial artist and has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.- Mixed martial arts career :...
- Former competitor for UFC - Rousimar PalharesRousimar PalharesRousimar Palhares, is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and his physical strength. His nickname, Portuguese for "tree stump", comes from his short, stocky, heavily muscled build. Many of his victories are by Leg-locks...
- Competitor for UFC - Marcello SalazarMarcello SalazarMarcello Salazar M. Bergo is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Brazilian Top Team, and is currently a full time instructor at Brazilian Top Team-Texas in San Antonio, Texas.-Biography:...
- Former competitor for IFLInternational Fight LeagueThe International Fight League was an American mixed martial arts promotion billed as the world's first MMA league. It was founded on January 7, 2006 and closed on July 31, 2008... - Adriano NasalAdriano NasalAdriano "Nasal" Pereira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Brazilian Top Team, and is currently a full time instructor at BTT Long Beach, California, US.-Biography:...
- Former competitor for Elite XC - Milton VieiraMilton VieiraMilton Vieira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who has competed in PRIDE Fighting Championship, DEEP, Bitetti Combat, M-1 Global, and Shooto promotions. Vieira is also credited as the inventor of the anaconda choke...
- Former PRIDE competitor - Hudson Rocha - Competitor for ShootoShootoShooto is a mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission. Shooto was originally formed in 1985, as an organization and as a particular fighting system derived from shoot wrestling. Practitioners are referred to as shooters,...
- Omar Maron - Former competitor for ShootoShootoShooto is a mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission. Shooto was originally formed in 1985, as an organization and as a particular fighting system derived from shoot wrestling. Practitioners are referred to as shooters,...
- Paulo Boiko - Former competitor for ShootoShootoShooto is a mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission. Shooto was originally formed in 1985, as an organization and as a particular fighting system derived from shoot wrestling. Practitioners are referred to as shooters,...
- Marcelo "Grilo" Alfaia - Former competitor for M-1M-1 GlobalM-1 Global is the mixed martial arts promotion based in Russia - The Netherlands which organizes between 40 and 50 competitions per year...
/ ShootoShootoShooto is a mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission. Shooto was originally formed in 1985, as an organization and as a particular fighting system derived from shoot wrestling. Practitioners are referred to as shooters,... - Bao Li GaoBao Li GaoBao Li Gao , also known as "Son of the Grassland" and "Muay Thai Killer," is a Chinese San Shou fighter and mixed martial artist born in the Inner Mongolia Province...
- Competitor for Art of War - Fernando Maccacero- Former cometitor for PRIDE FC
- Marcos "Bicudo" Maciel - Former competitor for ShootoShootoShooto is a mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission. Shooto was originally formed in 1985, as an organization and as a particular fighting system derived from shoot wrestling. Practitioners are referred to as shooters,...
- Thiago TavaresThiago TavaresThiago de Mello Tavares is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He currently fights in the lightweight division in the UFC.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:Thiago Tavares entered the UFC with an undefeated record and was highly regarded...
- UFC Lightweight
Current BTT Canada Members
- Patrick CôtéPatrick Côté (fighter)Patrick Côté is a French-Canadian mixed martial artist. He currently fights as a middleweight, most recently in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and was the TKO Major League MMA middleweight champion...
- Former competitor for UFC - Fabio HolandaFabio HolandaFabio Holanda is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who practices out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently fights in TKO and MFC as a lightweight and is a contender for the title in the former organization....
- Steve Lin
- Eric Beaulieu
- Nabil Khatib
- Sean Locke
- Nino Bezerra
- Stephane Dube
- Samuel Guillet
- Stephan Potvin
- Nelson Akawui Riquelme
- Ulisses Rocha
- Wade Shanley
- Tim Wadsworth
- Mike Martelle
- Alexandre Héroux
Former Brazilian Top Team fighters/trained with
- Vitor BelfortVitor BelfortVítor Vieira Belfort is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Belfort was born in Rio de Janeiro and studied jiu-jitsu with the Gracie family, namely Carlson Gracie. He received a black belt under Carlson and currently trains with Xtreme Couture, fighting in...
- Former UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion/ Current Competitor for UFC / Former competitor for PRIDE FC / Former competitor for AfflictionAffliction Entertainmentwas an American mixed martial arts promotion company created by Affliction Clothing in 2008. The UFC prohibited its fighters from wearing Affliction clothing after learning Affliction was applying to become an MMA fight promotion. Donald Trump, who owned a significant equity stake in Affliction... - Kevin Christopher - Former competitor for KING OF THE JUNGLEKing of the JungleKing of the Jungle is an American reality television program, that appears on the Animal Planet cable television network. The original series debuted in Fall 2003 and starred a group of 12 "animal experts" and was hosted by Jeff Corwin. "Nasty" Nigel Marven was the judge who "booted" off a...
Middleweight Champion - Paulo FilhoPaulo FilhoPaulo Fernando de Souza Leite Filho, better known as simply Paulo Filho , is a retired Brazilian mixed martial artist as well as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo practitioner, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...
- Former competitor for PRIDE FC / Former WECWorld Extreme CagefightingWorld Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...
Middleweight Champion/ Current competitor for DREAMDREAM (mixed martial arts)Dream is a mixed martial arts organization promoted by former PRIDE FC executives and K-1 promoter Fighting and Entertainment Group. DREAM replaced FEG's previous-run mixed martial arts fight series, Hero's. The series retains many of the stylistic flourishes and personnel from Pride FC... - Allan GoesAllan GoesAllan Goes is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He last fought for the Seattle Tiger Sharks of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
- Former competitor for PRIDE FC / Former competitor for IFLInternational Fight LeagueThe International Fight League was an American mixed martial arts promotion billed as the world's first MMA league. It was founded on January 7, 2006 and closed on July 31, 2008... - Ikuhisa MinowaIkuhisa Minowais a Japanese mixed martial artist and pro wrestler currently competing in Dream as . He was a long time veteran of Pride Fighting Championships and Pancrase and has also competed in other mixed martial arts promotions such as K-1 HERO'S, Cage Rage, UFC, and DEEP. At 5'9" he is notable for taking...
- Former competitor for PRIDE FC/ DREAM Super Hulk (Open-Weight) Grand Prix champion - Antônio Rodrigo NogueiraAntonio Rodrigo NogueiraAntônio Rodrigo Nogueira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a former UFCInterim Heavyweight Champion...
- Former PRIDE FC Heavyweight Champion / Former Interim Heavyweight Champion for UFC - Antônio Rogério NogueiraAntonio Rogerio NogueiraAntônio Rogério Nogueira is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist currently signed with the UFC. He is the twin brother of Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. A proficient amateur boxer, he was the 2006 and 2007 Brazilian Super Heavyweight Champion. He also won a bronze medal in the 2007 Pan...
- Former competitor for PRIDE FC / Former competitor for AfflictionAffliction Entertainmentwas an American mixed martial arts promotion company created by Affliction Clothing in 2008. The UFC prohibited its fighters from wearing Affliction clothing after learning Affliction was applying to become an MMA fight promotion. Donald Trump, who owned a significant equity stake in Affliction... - Antonio SilvaAntonio Silva (fighter)Antonio Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He initially fought in the super heavyweight division, but currently competes in the heavyweight weight class. He is the first and last EliteXC heavyweight champion...
- Former Heavyweight Champion for Elite XC - Mario SperryMario SperryMario Sperry is a Brazilian heavyweight martial artist. His specialty is Brazilian jiu-jitsu, grappling and ground fighting.-Career:Sperry first broke onto the sport Jiu-Jitsu scene in the early eighties...
- Former competitor for PRIDE FC - Ricardo Nogueira - Former ShootoShootoShooto is a mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission. Shooto was originally formed in 1985, as an organization and as a particular fighting system derived from shoot wrestling. Practitioners are referred to as shooters,...
competitor - Hermes FrancaHermes FrancaHermes França Barros is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes as a lightweight.-Early career:França made his professional MMA debut in November 2001. He quickly earned an undefeated streak of 6-0, drawing the attention of the UFC.-First UFC run:...
- former competitor for UFC/ Former WECWorld Extreme CagefightingWorld Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...
Lightweight Champion - Gabriel Gladiator Santos - National Brazilian Championship (Super League) – 1997/ 185lb/ 1st place
I Big Tournament CONDE KOMA – 1997/ 185lb/ 1st place
National Brazilian Championship (CBJJ) – 1998/ 185lb/ 3rd place
National Brazilian Team Championship (CBJJ) – 1998/ Open Weight/ 1st place
World Championship (CBJJ) – 1998/ 185lb/ 2nd place
Championship Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (FJJRJ) – 2001/ 185lb/ 1st place
8 Times Niteroi Championship – 1999 to 2005/ 185lb and Open Weight/ 1st place
Big Challenge Rio de Janeiro versus Niteroi – 2003/ 185lb/ 1st place
World Cup (CBJJO) – 2002/ 185lb/ 3rd place
NAGA New England – 2009/ 185lb/ 1st place