Carlão Santos
Encyclopedia
Carlos "Carlão" Alberto Santos (born February 14, 1976) is a 3-time World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
heavyweight champion.
Academy in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
, under the supervision of Marcelo Alonso and Marcelo Saporito
. He trained under Carlson Gracie until receiving his brown belt.
(BTT), where he managed the Gi division. Carlão also trained with Luiz Carlos Dias ("Manimal"), Mario Sperry
, Murilo Bustamante
, Bebeo Duarte and Ricardo Libório. He received his black belt in August 2001. Carlos stayed with BTT until he moved to Abu Dhabi.
, U.A.E., in January 2002, after the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) struck a deal with Brazilian Top Team
(BTT) in 2001. The terms of the deal directed BTT to send one of its coaches to Abu Dhabi every month for a one month stay. After staying for a month on his first visit, Carlos moved to Abu Dhabi permanently in August 2002.
Currently Carlos is the head coach of Emirates Jiu-Jitsu. The stated goal of Emirates Jiu-Jitsu is to raise awareness of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
and make the United Arab Emirates the premier venue for this sport in the world, as well as create a community of BJJ athletes that train and compete in the UAE. He is also the President of the Federation International of Jiu-Jitsu Association (FIJJA) that he established in 2009. FIJJA aims at generating financial return to FIJJA and its competing athletes by making jiu-jitsu a profitable business.
(WPJJC) in Abu Dhabi. Since then, WPJCC drew hundreds of high caliber athletes every year, with qualifying athletes receiving all travel expenses to compete in Abu Dhabi. Carlos's ultimate goal is to make Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
a professional sport.
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...
heavyweight champion.
Carlson Gracie Academy
Carlos's Jiu-Jitsu career started in 1993 at the famous Carlson GracieCarlson 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 in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, under the supervision of Marcelo Alonso and Marcelo Saporito
Marcelo Saporito
Marcelo Saporito is the head coach of one of the most iconic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies in the world, the “” in Rua Figueiredo Magalhaes, Copacabana...
. He trained under Carlson Gracie until receiving his brown belt.
Brazilian Top Team
Thereafter, Carlos became a head coach of Brazilian Top TeamBrazilian Top Team
The Brazilian Top Team 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...
(BTT), where he managed the Gi division. Carlão also trained with Luiz Carlos Dias ("Manimal"), 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...
, 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...
, Bebeo Duarte and Ricardo Libório. He received his black belt in August 2001. Carlos stayed with BTT until he moved to Abu Dhabi.
Emirates Jiu-Jitsu & FIJJA
Carlos Santos first visited Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, U.A.E., in January 2002, after the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) struck a deal with Brazilian Top Team
Brazilian Top Team
The Brazilian Top Team 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...
(BTT) in 2001. The terms of the deal directed BTT to send one of its coaches to Abu Dhabi every month for a one month stay. After staying for a month on his first visit, Carlos moved to Abu Dhabi permanently in August 2002.
Currently Carlos is the head coach of Emirates Jiu-Jitsu. The stated goal of Emirates Jiu-Jitsu is to raise awareness of 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...
and make the United Arab Emirates the premier venue for this sport in the world, as well as create a community of BJJ athletes that train and compete in the UAE. He is also the President of the Federation International of Jiu-Jitsu Association (FIJJA) that he established in 2009. FIJJA aims at generating financial return to FIJJA and its competing athletes by making jiu-jitsu a profitable business.
School-Jitsu
Carlos implemented BJJ in the local army training, as well as making Jiu Jitsu a mandatory subject in public schools. The Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Schools initiative, named "School-Jitsu", began in 2008. School-Jitsu and aimed to discover future talent in 14 schools for pupils in grades 6 and 7 (ages 9 to 13). The program has since expanded to 42 government schools, with 81 Brazilian coaches brought in as instructors. The plan is for up to 500 schools to be participating in the School-Jitsu program by 2015. The project was set up by special request of HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Carlos Santos, who is the managing director of the School-Jitsu Project.World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Cup
Carlos also works on promoting local and regional tournaments. In 2009, with full support of the local government, Carlos created the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu CupWorld Professional Jiu-Jitsu Cup
The tournament is being promoted as the largest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu event in the world. Supported personally by his Highness the Supreme Prince and Commander In Chief of the United Arab Emirates National Army, H. H. Sheik Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the inaugural 2009 tournament had the prize...
(WPJJC) in Abu Dhabi. Since then, WPJCC drew hundreds of high caliber athletes every year, with qualifying athletes receiving all travel expenses to compete in Abu Dhabi. Carlos's ultimate goal is to make 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...
a professional sport.
Relocation
In May 2011, Santos returned to his home of Brazil after a nine-year stay in U.A.E.Sport Accomplishments
- 2004 European Champion
- 2nd Place Team Brazilian Champion 2002
- 2nd Place Brazilian Champion 2003 - Black Belt
- 2nd Place Brazilian Champion 2001 - Black Belt
- 2 times Pan American Champion 2000 and 2001
- World Champion 2000 (defeated Walter Pinto)
- World Champion 1998 (defeated Rolles Gracie)
- World Champion 1996 (defeated Fabio Martins)
- Brazilian Champion 1996
- Brazilian Champion 1995
- 2nd Place in Brazilian Championship 1994