User:DionysusA

MAURICIO VILLARDO

Mauricio Villardo is the 1996 World Champion of the First World Jiu-Jitsu Championship for the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. Born Mauricio Villardo Reis on January 14th,1975 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and living close to the beautiful beaches, Mauricio's hobby was surfing, but once he experienced Jiu-Jitsu, he fell in love with the sport. Mauricio’s first experience with the martial arts was not Jiu-Jitsu. When he was seven,he began practicing Judo at Clube do Flamengo,in Rio de Janeiro. At the age of fifteen, Mauricio began to practice Muay Thai. A few months later, a friend invited him to visit a Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy and for Mauricio, it was love at first sight. Over the course of the next three years, Mauricio trained with his first instructor, Pinduka and later trained at the Carlson Gracie academy in Copacabana. (GET TO ROYLERS ACADEMY) Mauricio began to compete at local and regional tournaments in Brazil. During this time, he began to assist Professor Royler Gracie with classes. In, Mauricio accomplished a lifelong dream receiving his black belt from the hands of his coach Royler Gracie. Mauricio realized another dream when he won the 1996 First World Jiu-Jitsu Championship. In.....Mauricio and his wife Renata moved to south Florida. He liked the United States and decided to continue teaching his style of jiu-Jitsu in the Palm Beach area. Since 2002, Professor Villardo has been developing and expanding Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the West Plam beach area where he lives and operates academies in Wellington and Boca Raton. Never one to stop making major achievements, in 2008 Mauricio and his wife became United states citizens.