My training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu started in 1997 at Carlson Gracie Miami. We were better known as the Demolition Team, led by Marcus “Conan” and Marcelo “Brutus” Silveira. The Silveira brothers made for a perfect combination of toughness and technique.
Conan was the leader, great coach with a focus on making champions. He saw me throughout much of my journey in Jiu-Jitsu. Throughout my journey, I kept strong ties to my roots, from white belt all the way through til Black Belt, and into the battlefield of Mixed Martial Arts.
Marcelo Silveira was my first Jiu-Jitsu teacher. He has true knowledge, a real technician with much emphasis on basics. 5-star technique because basics are the foundation, as everything goes back to basics. He represents the realness of precision technique.
I dedicate my submission victory in the below video to Brutus. Through hard work, his move rubbed off on me and onto my opponents’ neck in competition.
