21/09/2026
In the last 15 years I have never stop practicing jiu-jitsu. It took so long, for me, to reach the black belt. When I started I was already 40 years old and it wasn’t easy to be consistent. I took two years to get my blue belt. My previous teachers holded me as blue belt for 9 years, and I took a challenging test for each stripe on it. As a late blue belt I started training with prof. Thiago Bertoni, who still teach me today. Then I got my purple belt after an intense test in Amsterdam with prof James Smart. Great guy! After 2 years I got my brown belt from Thiago (this guy has the talent to always surprise me) and after other 2 years I just got my black from the hands of both prof Pedro Sauer and Thiago Bertoni. I really feel privileged about that.
I had the pleasure to train in different countries with many kind of people.
Thanks to you all because you were part of this journey. Thanks to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Milano students who kicked my ass day after day, thanks to my family for supporting my crazy dedication, thanks to all teachers and masters I met along the way who gave me valuable tips, such as Rorion Gracie, Pedro Sauer, Ryron Gracie, Thiago Bertoni (who with I spent thousands of hours on the mat, the guy who I consider my jiu-jitsu instructor), Ernest Duarte (great friend and passionate instructor), and all the other higher rank guys who helped me like Jamie Harding and so on.
Thanks also to Gracie University, which with I started my journey, and which creates a lot of connections around the world. Without them I wouldn’t have met Thiago and without Thiago, I wouldn't have met Pedro. Prof Sauer is a real master, legendary teacher, incredible knowledge, sincere passion for the Art, amazing communicator, great friend. It is an honor to be part of the Pedro Sauer Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Association.
