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Paulo is the head teacher of ROOTS BJJ Australia and is also the instructor at our Bondi (Bondi Beach) Dojo.
Paulo Guimaraes started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu when he was 15 years old, before that Paulo trained Judo for 7 years starting when he was 6 years old.
In 1982 Paulo’s family moved from Ipanema to Barra (2 suburbs in Rio) and Paulo changed from training in Judo to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ).
BJJ was a martial art that was spreading around the country quickly with local and state tournaments (besides starting to become famous because its efficiency in street fights, very common in Brazil at the time).
Paulo started training with the Behring family and Master Flavio Behring (now Coral belt) a Black Belt under Grandmaster Helio Gracie.
During that time Paulo met Jorge Pereira who trained at the same gym and they became friends and training partners.
After some years Marcelo Behring and Jorge Pereira changed gyms by suggestion of Marcelo’s father, Flavio Behring and started training at the Gracie Academy under Rickson Gracie and teach all they learned there to Paulo and other Marcelo’s students.
At this time Paulo started his surfing career as well and divided his time between mats and waves competing in both frequently.
Because of sponsors and a busy surf comps calendar Paulo slowed down training to concentrate in surfing and show results to sponsors becoming a professional surfer and training BJJ whenever he had a chance in Rio because at the time (late 80’s) BJJ still very small in Brazil concentrating in Rio and 2 or 3 other States.
After 2 years in professional surfing Paulo decided to slow down surf comps and the competition traveling life to stay in Rio and dedicate himself to finish University and train BJJ full time.
That was the beginning of the 90’s and Marcelo Behring went around the world for a challenge trip starting by Australia where he advertised in the main newspapers a challenge to any fighter independent of fighting style or weight category to a combat where the prize was US$50.000 to the winner. And that was the 1st time BJJ came to Australia using its most aggressive form and with one of the best, Rickson Gracie’s number 1 student ever, Marcelo Behring.
After doing the challenge all around the world and sometimes actually having the fight and winning the prize$$$$$, Marcelo went back to Brazil and was murdered by a shotgun to the head in the early 90’s.
Jorge took charge of the school and all Marcelo’s students followed him including Paulo.
In 1993 Paulo became a professional airplane pilot and got a good job to fly in the Amazon Jungle region at North Brazil.
Then he spoke to Jorge and started to teach BJJ at Belem do Para, the same city where everything started in the early 1900’s when the Japanese Jiu Jitsu World Champion Matsuo Maeda (Count Koma) started teaching Carlos Gracie the 1st moves of the gentle art.
Now Paulo was a purple belt with various titles in BJJ competitions trough Brazil including 2 X North Brazilian champion and 2 X North/Northeast Brazilian Champion among other titles and teaching in the best school of Belem called APAM (Associacao Paraense de Artes Marciais) owned By the famous Japanese Sensei Machida father of Shinzo and Lyoto Machida (nowadays upcoming undefeated international MMA fighter) who started their 1st BJJ steps as Paulo’s students.
In 1994 Paulo started teaching his BJJ Unarmed Combat & Self Defence program to the 5th Guard Company – Amazon Jungle Division for the Brazilian Army. Showing soldiers and officials all the efficiency and superiority of BJJ in survival man to man combat. At that same time Paulo had his 1st Vale Tudo (MMA) fight against the Army Boxing Champion choking the opponent and proving the superiority of his style.
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