GUSTAVO DANTAS
CERTIFICATIONS
JIU-JITSU
2014 IBJJF Long Beach International Open Champion (Black/Adult/Feather) CA, USA
2014 IBJJF U.S. National Champion (Black/Master 2/Light) CA, USA
2014 IBJJF Vegas Spring International Open Champion (Black/Master 2/Light) NV, USA
2014 UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Champion (Black/Master2/feather) Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
2012 IBJJF World Champion (Black/Master 2/Feather) CA, USA
2012 IBJJF U.S. National Champion (Black/Master 2/Feather) CA, USA
2010 IBJJF Vegas International Open Champion (Black/Master 1/Feather) NV, USA
2010 IBJJF International Master & Senior Champion (Black/Master2/Feather) RJ, Brazil
2009 JJFJ Rickson Gracie International Champion (Black/Adult/Light) Tokyo, Japan
2008 CBJJ Brazilian National Champion (Black/Light/Master 1) RJ, Brazil
2002 CBJJO World Cup – 3rd place (Black/Ultra Heavy/Adult) RJ, Brazil
98 & 99 USFJJ Joe Moreira International Champion (Brown & Black/Adult) CA, USA
98 FJJRJ Rio de Janeiro State champion (Brown/Feather/Adult) RJ, Brazil
97 & 98 IBJJF World champion (Purple & Brown/Feather/Adult) RJ, Brazil
97 CBJJ Campeonato Brasileiro por Equipes Champion (Purple/Light/Adult) RJ, Brazil
96 IBJJF World Championships – 3rd place (Purple/Light/Adult) RJ, Brazil JUDO
99 Nevada State Champion
95 & 97 Rio de Janeiro State champion
2008 IBJJF World No-GI Championships Purple Belt Lightweight/Senior 1 Gold Medal
2008 IBJJF World No-GI Championships Purple Belt Open/Senior 1 Silver Medal
2008 USBJJF National Championships Purple Belt Lightweight/Senior 1 Gold Medal
2008 USBJJF National Championships Purple Belt Open/Senior 1 Bronze
2008 USBJJF National No-GI Championships Purple Belt Middleweight/Senior 1 Gold Medal
2008 AZBJJF AZ State Championships Purple Belt Lightweight/Adult Gold Medal
2007 IBJJF World No-GI Championships Purple Belt Lightweight/Senior 1 Silver Medal
2007 IBJJF World No-GI Championships Purple Belt Open/Senior 1 Bronze Medal
2007 Desert Quest 22 No-GI Lightweight/Adult Silver Medal
2005 USBJJF National Championships Blue Belt Lightweight/Adult Bronze Medal
2004 USBJJF National Championships Blue Belt Lightweight/Adult Bronze Medal
2004 5th AZ Grappling Challenge Blue Belt Lightweight/ Adult Silver Medal
2003 3rd AZ Grappling Challenge White Belt Lightweight/Adult Silver Medal
2002 1st Southwest BJJ Championship White belt Heavyweight/Adult Silver Medal
Kickboxing/Muay Thai 2-1 amateur record.
Trainers: Art Monzivaiz, Ray Ruiz, Bob Karmel
Full-Contact Karate.
1994 International Black Belt Lightweight Champion
SUBMISSION WRESTLING
2001, 2003 Abu Dhabi Combat Championships veteran
MMA Record (2-0)
05/03/2003 Win Brittish Pena RITC 48 Submission Triangle/ArmBar 1st Rd. 2:140
2/16/2002 Win Jesus Salazar Desert Heat 1 Rear naked Choke1st Rd. 0:43
BIOGRAPHY
Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on December 23,1974, Gustavo is a proud father and husband, and a fifth-degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Andre Pederneiras, the co-founder of the team Nova Uniao.
Along with being a world-class competitor and having over 25 years of coaching experience, Gustavo is a published author, a public speaker as well as a certified Mental & Life Coach with a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from UFRJ (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro).
Gustavo left Brazil in 1999 with a $2,000, two bags, and one teenage dream: to have his own academy. Somewhere he could make a living and change lives through teaching the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
After many years of sacrifice and dedication, the Gustavo Dantas Jiu-Jitsu Academy was established in Tempe, Arizona, on March 6th, 2012, re-enforcing the statement, “Believe in your dreams. Hard work pays off”.
Before opening his academy, Gustavo was the Jiu-Jitsu coach at Arizona Combat Sports for twelve years, where he achieved his 2-0 Mixed Martial Arts record. During that time, Gustavo started the mission of promoting Jiu-Jitsu in the state of Arizona and now serves as the President of the Arizona Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
Under his guidance, a small “in-house” tournament with less than 40 competitors in 2001 grew into a well-respected competition with over 4000 competitors yearly in 2019 with over six events per year, helping Arizona to be recognized as one of the top Jiu-Jitsu areas in the United States.
In addition to running his academy full-time, Gustavo has a podcast called
www.thebjjmentalcoachpodcast.com
Dedicated to entrepreneurs, small business owners and/or aspiring entrepreneurs who train jiu-jitsu, the podcast helps those want to take their mindset to another level on and off the mat.
The podcast is an extension of Gustavo’s Mental Coaching Program THE BJJ MENTAL COACH, which its mission is to help the Jiu-Jitsu competitor, to become even more emotionally mature to overcome the mental blocks that can prevent you from performing to the best of your abilities, and achieving the success you desire on and off the mats.
And the last, but not least, Gustavo is the co-founder of the non-profit organization Jiu-Jitsu Tribe.
Jiu-Jitsu Tribe supports social projects who offer free jiu-jitsu classes to unprivileged children and young adults in impoverished communities inspiring, impacting and improving their lives to help keep them away from drugs & crime, creating hope and creating champions on and off the mats.
Your donation helps projects to pay for their monthly expenses and facilities makeovers. Visit
www.jiujitsutribe.org to learn more.
