RICARDO BARROS BJJ
PROFESSOR:
Black belt Ricardo Barros
ADDRESS: 6730 Lone Tree Way Suite #8, Brentwood, CA, ZIP: 94513
PHONE: (877) 55 GRACIE
WEBSITE: www.rbbjj.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/RicardoBarrosBJJ
ABOUT:
Ricardo was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, and began his martial arts career at the early age of five, when he began taking judo classes. He earned his brown belt in judo, but had to stop training when he was 15 years old in order to get a job to help out his family.
One day, when he was 18, he passed by a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy and was captivated. Ricardo didn’t have any money to train, so the owner let him work for his tuition by cleaning the bathrooms and the mats every day. After about a year of training, Ricardo began to train with the late Ryan Gracie, from whom he received his purple and brown belts.
In 1997, Ricardo began his mixed martial arts career in Brazil. He fought twice in one night, without gloves, under the old “vale tudo” rules, winning both fights. In 2000, Ricardo traveled to Hawaii to fight in the Warriors of the New Millennium event. He was defeated, but redeemed himself the next year with a win in the same show. Ricardo put his MMA career on hold when he moved permanently to the United States.
While training and living in Brazil, Ricardo also began competing in Greco-Roman wrestling. In 2003, he earned a spot on the Brazilian National Team. He competed in the Pan-American Greco-Roman Championships in Guatemala. Although he didn’t win, the champion of the tournament won all of his matches by pinning his opponents; however, he defeated Ricardo on points.
When he moved to the U.S., he focused on his Jiu-Jitsu, training under Ralph Gracie. Ralph awarded Ricardo his black belt in October 2003 and made him the head instructor at the Ralph Gracie Academy in Antioch. Ricardo taught in Antioch until 2006 when he decided to focus again on his mixed martial arts training.
In January 2007, Ricardo opened the doors to his own academy in Brentwood. That summer he traveled to Brazil to compete in the International Master’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships. He fought in five matches that day and came in third place.
He has also continued with his MMA training, fighting twice in 2008. In January, Ricardo fought at Palace Fighting Championship, submitting his opponent with a rear-naked choke in the first round. In October 2008, Ricardo, sponsored by Fairtex, traveled to Thailand to strengthen his Muay Thai skills. In December, he fought in Las Vegas at the World Extreme Cagefighting event. He was defeated, but he is looking forward to more fights.
One of Ricardo’s greatest achievements in life is being able to help people learn Jiu-Jitsu. He likes to help people see life differently through Jiu-Jitsu. He believes that Jiu-Jitsu is the true self-defense, and that through Jiu-Jitsu you can train your body, your mind, and your spirit.
The main goal at our academy is to provide you with the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training we possibly can. We strive to create a family environment where every member of your family can train. Whatever your goals may be–whether it is to get in shape, to be a competitive fighter, or just to learn the art–we will work with you to achieve your goals. You will always be treated with dignity and respect because you are a member of our family. Thank you for visiting us. If you have any questions, just give us a call at 925.240.7091. We look forward to meeting you!
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