Ricardo Migliarese
Encyclopedia
Ricardo “Animal” Migliarese (aka Rick Migliarese, born December 17, 1978) is an American born professional Brazilian Jiu Jitsu grappler and a 3rd degree Relson Gracie
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt with approximately 20 years of experience in BJJ and Mixed Martial Arts. A World and Pan-Am Champion, Rick is a trainer, training partner and coach to UFC and MMA fighters as well as other World and Pan-Am Champions. He currently lives in Philadelphia, PA where he teaches at Balance Studios which he co-owns with his brother, Phil Migliarese
. Rick is also one of the co-founders/co-owners of Matrix Fights Promotion Company.
Ricardo began his athletic training with boxing lessons at age 12. His older brother Phil was already studying BJJ at Maxercise and Rick occasionally attended classes at Maxercise with him. It wasn’t until age 16 that he began his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes regularly, attending class several times a week and cleaning the school to pay for his tuition. Soon, Rick began to compete in in-house tournaments with favorable results. Rick and Phil decided to study the martial art at the Gracie Academy in California and spent much of that time dedicating themselves to their teacher training. Learning directly from Grand Master Helio Gracie
as well as other prominent members of the Gracie family
, Rick began to take his own practice to the next level. In 1999, Rick traveled out of the country for the first time - to Brazil for the Mundials. He won the silver medal in the Blue Belt division to start what would be a successful and impressive professional career. Highlights of his record include :
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships
1999 Blue Belt - 2nd Place
USA vs Brazil Championship
2004 Brown Belt - Champion
Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championships
2008 Black Belt - 3rd Place
2004 Brown Belt - Champion
2002 Brown Belt - 3rd Place
American National Jiu-Jitsu Championships
2004 Brown Belt - 2nd Place
Major Tournament Accomplishments:
2008 Boris Talis Cup (BJJ vs. Sambo) Gold Medalist
2008 Bud Cup Pro Division - 3rd Place
2007 US Grappling Submission Wrestling Absolute - Gold Medalist
2005 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Black Belt Heavyweight - Gold Medalist
2005 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Black Belt Open - 2nd Place
2005 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Pro Submission Wrestling - 3rd Place
2004 Pro Am Gracie Nationals Brown Belt Open - 3rd Place
2004 Pro Am Gracie Nationals Brown Belt Heavyweight - Champion
2004 Grapplers Quest NA Championships No-Gi Heavyweight - Champion
2004 Copa Atlantica Brown Belt Heavyweight - Champion
2004 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Brown Belt Open - 3rd Place
2004 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Brown Belt Heavyweight - Champion
2004 Grapplers Quest Beast of the East No-Gi Light Heavyweight - Champion
2002 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Purple Belt Open - Champion
2002 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Purple Belt Heavyweight - Champion
2001 Mat Madness Proving Grounds - 3rd Place
2001 NAGA Garden State Championship Purple Belt - Champion
2001 NAGA Garden State Championships No-Gi - Champion
1997 Annual Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Tournament - Gold Medalist
1996 Annual Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Tournament - Gold Medalist
In 2002, Phil and Rick opened Balance Studios, the only Relson Gracie affiliate in Philadelphia. After injuring his knee in 2004 and knee surgery in 2005, Rick modified a standard guard position, the butterfly guard, so that he could train while protecting his knee. He created the “Broken butterfly” guard which was showcased in an issue of Tap-Out Magazine. Ricardo received his black belt from Relson Gracie in December 2005 and is one of only 28 people to receive this honor from Relson who is notorious for being very hard on promotions.
Rick and Phil have trained professional athletes and MMA fighters including Philadelphia Eagles Tra Thomas and Winston Justice
, UFC fighters Frankie Edgar and Waylon Lowe
, Bellator fighter Tim Carpenter. Team Balance World and Pan-Am Champions include Rick Macauley, Dan Haney, Timmy Hart, Shaun Smith, Guy Winters, Ken Primola, Noah Spear. Rick and Phil continue to teach adult and children's seminars, regular classes and programs for local police officers and FBI agents. Rick has been featured in several Magazine articles including “Growing Up Gracie” in MMA Worldwide magazine and as an author in Philadelphia Magazine ( “The Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle” ).
References
External Links:
www.balancestudios.net
www.matrixfights.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-wqsdQ0tGA&feature=player_embedded
www.jiujitsushare.com
www.yogaforfighters.com
Relson Gracie
Relson "Campeão" Gracie is a retired professional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter and martial arts personality. He is a member of the legendary Gracie family.Relson currently lives in Hawaii where he still teaches Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at his academy in Honolulu. There are many Relson Gracie affiliated...
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt with approximately 20 years of experience in BJJ and Mixed Martial Arts. A World and Pan-Am Champion, Rick is a trainer, training partner and coach to UFC and MMA fighters as well as other World and Pan-Am Champions. He currently lives in Philadelphia, PA where he teaches at Balance Studios which he co-owns with his brother, Phil Migliarese
Phil Migliarese
Phil “Jiu-jitsu Matrix” Migliarese is a 4th degree Relson Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu BlackBelt with over 20 years of experience in BJJ and Mixed Martial Arts. A Gracie Worlds and National Champion, Phil is a trainer, training partner and coach to UFC and MMA fighters as well as World and Pan-Am...
. Rick is also one of the co-founders/co-owners of Matrix Fights Promotion Company.
Ricardo began his athletic training with boxing lessons at age 12. His older brother Phil was already studying BJJ at Maxercise and Rick occasionally attended classes at Maxercise with him. It wasn’t until age 16 that he began his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes regularly, attending class several times a week and cleaning the school to pay for his tuition. Soon, Rick began to compete in in-house tournaments with favorable results. Rick and Phil decided to study the martial art at the Gracie Academy in California and spent much of that time dedicating themselves to their teacher training. Learning directly from Grand Master Helio Gracie
Hélio Gracie
Hélio Gracie was a Brazilian martial artist who, together with his brother Carlos Gracie, founded the martial art of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, known internationally as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
as well as other prominent members of the Gracie family
Gracie family
The Gracie family is a prominent sporting family from Brazil known for their founding of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu . They have been successful in combat sport competitions including mixed martial arts, vale tudo and submission wrestling events...
, Rick began to take his own practice to the next level. In 1999, Rick traveled out of the country for the first time - to Brazil for the Mundials. He won the silver medal in the Blue Belt division to start what would be a successful and impressive professional career. Highlights of his record include :
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships
1999 Blue Belt - 2nd Place
USA vs Brazil Championship
2004 Brown Belt - Champion
Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championships
2008 Black Belt - 3rd Place
2004 Brown Belt - Champion
2002 Brown Belt - 3rd Place
American National Jiu-Jitsu Championships
2004 Brown Belt - 2nd Place
Major Tournament Accomplishments:
2008 Boris Talis Cup (BJJ vs. Sambo) Gold Medalist
2008 Bud Cup Pro Division - 3rd Place
2007 US Grappling Submission Wrestling Absolute - Gold Medalist
2005 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Black Belt Heavyweight - Gold Medalist
2005 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Black Belt Open - 2nd Place
2005 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Pro Submission Wrestling - 3rd Place
2004 Pro Am Gracie Nationals Brown Belt Open - 3rd Place
2004 Pro Am Gracie Nationals Brown Belt Heavyweight - Champion
2004 Grapplers Quest NA Championships No-Gi Heavyweight - Champion
2004 Copa Atlantica Brown Belt Heavyweight - Champion
2004 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Brown Belt Open - 3rd Place
2004 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Brown Belt Heavyweight - Champion
2004 Grapplers Quest Beast of the East No-Gi Light Heavyweight - Champion
2002 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Purple Belt Open - Champion
2002 Arnold/Gracie World Championship Purple Belt Heavyweight - Champion
2001 Mat Madness Proving Grounds - 3rd Place
2001 NAGA Garden State Championship Purple Belt - Champion
2001 NAGA Garden State Championships No-Gi - Champion
1997 Annual Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Tournament - Gold Medalist
1996 Annual Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Tournament - Gold Medalist
In 2002, Phil and Rick opened Balance Studios, the only Relson Gracie affiliate in Philadelphia. After injuring his knee in 2004 and knee surgery in 2005, Rick modified a standard guard position, the butterfly guard, so that he could train while protecting his knee. He created the “Broken butterfly” guard which was showcased in an issue of Tap-Out Magazine. Ricardo received his black belt from Relson Gracie in December 2005 and is one of only 28 people to receive this honor from Relson who is notorious for being very hard on promotions.
Rick and Phil have trained professional athletes and MMA fighters including Philadelphia Eagles Tra Thomas and Winston Justice
Winston Justice
Winston Frederick Justice is an American football offensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, UFC fighters Frankie Edgar and Waylon Lowe
Waylon Lowe
Michael Waylon Lowe is an American mixed martial artist.-Amateur wrestling career:Lowe was a two time state champion for Jefferson County High School in Dandridge, Tennessee before wrestling for the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio. Lowe recorded 112 victories during his collegiate career...
, Bellator fighter Tim Carpenter. Team Balance World and Pan-Am Champions include Rick Macauley, Dan Haney, Timmy Hart, Shaun Smith, Guy Winters, Ken Primola, Noah Spear. Rick and Phil continue to teach adult and children's seminars, regular classes and programs for local police officers and FBI agents. Rick has been featured in several Magazine articles including “Growing Up Gracie” in MMA Worldwide magazine and as an author in Philadelphia Magazine ( “The Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle” ).
References
External Links:
www.balancestudios.net
www.matrixfights.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-wqsdQ0tGA&feature=player_embedded
www.jiujitsushare.com
www.yogaforfighters.com