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Instructors

Evolve Instructors

The Evolve Instructor Team is the largest and most experienced team in Asia.  With over 500 years of elite experience, it ranks among the best in the world.  Evolve Mixed Martial Arts is the only MMA academy in Asia with World Champions in Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, and Grappling.  The official Evolve Fight Team has competed and won at the highest levels of competition in the world such as the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), the Art of War Fighting Championship, the Lumpinee Stadium Championship, the Mundials BJJ World Championship, and much more.



Rafael "Gordinho" Correa de Lima

Rafael "Gordinho" Correa de Lima - Professor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Rafael is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore.  He is a Mundials BJJ Black Belt World Champion and is responsible for the course curriculum of the Renzo Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Program at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts. He brings over 25 years of experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Rafael grew up in Brazil next to the Gracies. He has been a close friend of Renzo's for over 30 years.  Rafael has fought in hundreds of BJJ fights. He was the winner of the 1998 Mundials World Championships in the Black Belt Division. He is also a 5 time National Champion of Brazil where he was voted the most technical fighter and also had the fastest submission (12 seconds). He is also a runner-up in ADCC Brazil. He has competed and won in numerous other tournaments around the world.

Gordinho is also the Leader and Head Coach of the official Evolve Fight Team.  Before Evolve, Gordinho also trained, helped, and coached many professional MMA fighters in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and the IFL (International Fight League) such as Renzo Gracie, Georges St Pierre, Roger Gracie, Rolles Gracie, Igor Gracie, Gregor Gracie, Renato Babalu Sobral, Andre Gusmao. Ricardo Almeida, Matt Serra, and many others.   

Rafael has taught for many years in Brazil and the US.  Prior to Evolve, he was the most senior Black Belt instructor (after Renzo Gracie) at the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York.  The Renzo Gracie Academy in New York is the largest BJJ school in the world with over 1200 students in a single location. Rafael was also the Program Director at the school.  He is also a sought-after instructor on the seminar circuit around the world.

Widely regarded as one of the most technical Black Belts from Gracie Barra, Rafael holds a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlos Gracie Jr.  He is also certified in both CPR and AED training.

Rafael is originally from Brazil.


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Roberto "Gordo" Correa de Lima

Roberto "Gordo" Correa de Lima - Professor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Roberto is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Brazil.  He is the head of Evolve Brazil.  Gordo is a legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 4th Degree Black Belt and the inventor of the half-guard.  He is BJJ Black Belt World Champion and has won every major BJJ title - many of them multiple times.  Having trained with the Gracie Family all of his life, Gordo is considered to be one of the top 5 BJJ masters in Brazil.  He has produced many BJJ World Champions including BJJ Black Belt World Champion Marcio "Pe de Pano" Cruz, current Super Heavyweight BJJ Black Belt World Champion Antonio Braga Neto, BJJ World Champion Leandro Thomas da Silva, and many others.  He has also produced many MMA fighters such as Strikeforce Champion Renato "Babalu" Sobral, UFC fighter Rafael dos Anjos and Marcio Cruz.  Gordo's younger brother is BJJ World Champion Rafael "Gordinho" Correa de Lima.  

Roberto "Gordo" Correa holds a 4th Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlos Gracie Jr.

Roberto is originally from Brazil.   

 

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Rafael dos Anjos

Rafael dos Anjos - Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA

Rafael is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Brazil.  He is currently a professional MMA fighter in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).  He has consistently been one of the top MMA fighters in his weight class in Brazil.  Prior to the UFC, Rafael was Champion of Fury Fighting Championship, the top MMA organization in Brazil at the time.  Rafael is also well-versed in wrestling, Boxing, and Muay Thai.  His professional MMA record is 14-4.  He has fought all over the world in MMA and BJJ.   

Rafael is a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the legendary Carlos Gracie Jr from Gracie Barra.  He also has aggressive striking ability and studies Muay Thai under the famous Sityodtong Gym.

Rafael is originally from Brazil.  

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Antonio Braga Neto Teixeira

Antonio Braga Neto Teixeira - Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA

Braga Neto is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Brazil.  A Mundials Black Belt World Champion, he is currently one of the top grapplers in the world with 17 years of experience.  Most recently, he won the 2008 Mundials World Championships in the Super Heavyweight Black Belt division.  He also is the 2008 No Gi World Champion.  Braga Neto has won numerous regional, national, and world titles in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  He is the only person to have ever won the World Championships in consecutive years as a Blue Belt, a Purple Belt, a Brown Belt, and a Black Belt.  Currently, he is a professional MMA fighter with a 5-1 record.  Braga Neto fights in the Art of War and Sengoku. 

Braga Neto is a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the legendary Roberto "Gordo" Correa de Lima.  

Braga Neto is originally from Brazil.

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Leandro Thomas Issa da Silva

Leandro Thomas Issa da Silva - Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA

Leandro is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore.  He is a Mundials World Champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with over 11 years of experience.  He has won numerous regional and national titles in Brazil.  He is currently a professional MMA fighter with a 7-2 record and competes in the Martial Combat Fighting Championship, Asia's largest and most prestigious MMA event with an ESPN broadcast. Leandro has also competed in the Art of War, China's largest MMA organization.  Leandro also has professional MMA fights in Brazil and the US.  He has also been working on his Muay Thai with the famous Sityodtong Team.  Leandro's favorite BJJ techniques include the rear naked choke, omoplata, and flying triangle choke. 

Leandro holds a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  He trained under Roberto "Gordo" Correa at Evolve Brazil before coming to Evolve Singapore to live and teach on a permanent basis.

Leandro is originally from Brazil.  

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Zorobabel Moreira

Zorobabel Moreira - Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Zoro is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore.  He is a Mundials World Champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with over 15 years of experience.  He has won numerous regional and national titles in Brazil.  He is also a professional MMA fighter with a 3-1 record.  He currently competes in Martial Combat Fighting Championship, Asia's largest and most prestigious MMA event with an ESPN broadcast.  His favorite move is the choke.  Zoro uses many variations of the choke to submit his opponents.  

Zoro holds a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the legendary Carlos Gracie Jr of Gracie Barra.

Zoro is originally from Brazil

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Almiro Barros

Almiro Barros - Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Almiro Barros is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore.  He is a Mundials World Championship Silver Medalist in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with over 15 years of experience.  He is the winner of numerous regional and national competitions in Brazil.  Almiro's favorite techniques are the armbar and the choke. 

Almiro holds a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  

Almiro is originally from Brazil.  

 

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Joao Carneiro

Joao Carneiro - Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Joao is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore.  With over 22 years of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu experience, he has won numerous regional and national championships.  He has also won the European Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships.  His favorite techniques are the armbar and triangle choke.   

Joao is a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the legendary Roberto "Gordo" Correa.  Joao is also a certified Yoga Instructor with over 10 years of experience in Brazil and India.

Joao is originally from Brazil.   

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Takeo Antonio Tani

Takeo Antonio Tani - Instructor, No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Takeo is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore.  He is a Black Belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi World Champion with 15 years of experience.  He has also won numerous regional and national titles in Brazil.  He won the 2007 No-Gi BJJ World Championship at the Black Belt division in the Rooster weight category. Takeo is also a Black Belt winner of the 2001 Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championship.  He is a Bronze medalist in the Mundials BJJ World Championship as a Black Belt in 2002.

Takeo holds a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Vinicius "Draculinho" Magalhaes.

Takeo is originally from Brazil.

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Arthur Cesar

Arthur Cesar - Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA

Arthur is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Brazil.  A striking specialist with a very strong ground game, he is a Professional MMA fighter with a 11-4 record.  He currently competes in Martial Combat Fighting Championship, Asia's largest and most prestigious MMA event with an ESPN broadcast.  He has competed and won at all of the major MMA events in Brazil.  Arthur has over 10 years of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai experience.

Arthur is a Black Belt under Roberto "Gordo Correa de Lima, the head of Evolve Brazil.

Arthur is originally from Brazil. 

 

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Delson Heleno

Delson Heleno - Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA

Delson is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Brazil.  He is one of Brazil's top MMA fighters with an 18-5 record.  Previously, Delson fought in the IFL (International Fight League) for the New York Pitbulls under Renzo Gracie. He has competed and won at all of the top MMA events in Brazil.  He is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt World Champion.  Delson has also won the Brazilian National Championships 3x as well as the Pan American Championship 2x.

Delson is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Adilson Lima and now trains out of Evolve MMA in Brazil under Roberto "Gordo" Correa.

Delson is originally from Brazil. 

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Dennis Asche

Dennis Asche - Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA

Dennis is an Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Brazil.  A well-rounded martial artist in both the striking and ground games, he is a Professional MMA fighter with a 5-1 record.  Dennis has over 20 years of experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Karate, Wrestling, Boxing, and other fighting systems.  He has competed and won in numerous tournaments across different disciplines.  

Dennis holds a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the legendary Roberto "Gordo" Correa de Lima. 

Dennis is originally from the United States.

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Setsuma Takeda

Setsuma Takeda - Assistant Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA

Setsuma is an Assistant Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore. He is currently one of the top Professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters in his weight division in Southeast Asia with over 15 years of combined martial arts experience. A complete fighter with expertise in striking and grappling, he has fought in over 70 fights across different disciplines (MMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Submission Grappling, Muay Thai, and Karate). Most recently, he has fought in the Art of War, China’s largest MMA organization. Additionally, he has won multiple awards in various MMA, BJJ, and Shooto competitions in China and Japan.

Setsuma is one of the top Professional MMA fighters in Singapore. With 9 years of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu experience, he holds a Purple Belt. He has trained at both the famous Renzo Gracie Academy in New York and at the Alive Academy in Nagoya. He has also trained Muay Thai in Thailand. He is also a 2nd degree black belt in Kenshikai Karate, and an advanced fighter of Daidojuku, an elite full contact style fighting system.  He is also certified in both CPR and AED training.

Setsuma is originally from Japan.

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Judd Sanchez

Judd Sanchez - Assistant Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA

Judd is an Assistant Instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore. An accomplished striker with 19 years of experience, he is well versed in several fighting systems.  He studied Muay Thai for 8 years under Master Dan Inosanto and Master Richard Bustillo, the 2 most prized proteges of Bruce Lee.  During his military service for the US Military, he competed on the Boxing Team and trained in Krav Maga (Hand-to-Hand Combat and Defensive Tactics) at the US National Training Center.  Judd also had the privilege of studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the legendary Rickson Gracie and Mundials Black Belt World Champions Rafael "Gordinho" Correa, Antonio Braga Neto, Leandro "Brodinho" Issa, Almiro Barros, and Kron Gracie.  Additionally, Judd won Gold and Silver Medals at the 2009 International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open in Thailand as a member of the 1st Place Evolve Fight Team. 

An accomplished striker, Judd is also a Blue Belt under the legendary Renzo Gracie.  He is also certified in CPR and AED training.  

Judd is originally from the United States.

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