Sergio Luiz da Penha is a world renowned 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...

 practitioner and instructor. He is most known for an epic fight against Rickson Gracie

Rickson Gracie

Rickson Gracie is a Brazilian 8th degree black and red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a retired mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family: the son of Hélio Gracie, brother to Rorion and Relson Gracie, and half-brother to Rolker, Royce, Robin and Royler Gracie.-Biography:Rickson...

 in the 1980s. Sergio currently is a coach for well known MMA

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...

 fighters in Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...

 such as Stephan Bonnar

Stephan Bonnar

Stephan Patrick Bonnar is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes for the Ultimate Fighting Championship...

, Steve Cantwell

Steve Cantwell

Steven Francis Cantwell is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...

, Anthony Njokuani

Anthony Njokuani

Anthony Obinnia Njokuani is a Nigerian mixed martial artist who currently fights as a lightweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Early life:...

 among others. Sergio has just received one of the highest honors in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by obtaining his seventh degree red and black belt.

Penha is notable for being one of a very small number of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners skilled enough to have completely bypassed brown belt, moving straight from purple to black belt.

Some sources claim that Penha may have been responsible for training Kazushi Sakuraba

Kazushi Sakuraba

is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler. He has competed in pro-wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling, UWFi and Kingdom Pro Wrestling. He has fought in MMA competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1 Hero's and Dream...

 in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu during his course of victories over various members of the renown 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...

.

External links

• Sergio Penha - Brazilian Jui-Jitsu
• Blog for Sergio Penha - Brazilian Jui-Jitsu
• GTR Dojo Jui-Jitsu
• On the Mat - Interview with Oswaldo Alves