Ailson "Jucão" Henrique Brites
Professor Ailson “Jucão” Henrique Brites was born in Teresopolis on December 6, 1965. At the age of 10 he began training Jiu Jitsu at the Serrana Academy with Master Geny Rebello and his instructors Elias Martins and Cirillo Da Costa Azevedo. Jucão was introduced to the martial arts by his uncle, Amilton Brites, a long-time practitioner of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, who resolved to bring both Jucão, and his brother, Admilson (Juquinha), to begin training. Both brothers have now completely dedicated their lives to the study of Jiu Jitsu (Professor Admilson “Juquinha” Brites is currently with Royler Gracie of Gracie Humaita).
While still in high school Jucão was introduced to the Machado brothers, already well known for their jiu jitsu. After 11 years of training at the Teresopolis Academy, he was invited to begin training with Gracie Barra by Carlos Machado (affectionately known as Soneca, or “Sleepy”). After several more years of instruction under Carlos Gracie Jr. and his famous academy, he was awarded a black belt on January 23, 1993.
In August of 1995, Jucão was invited to move to Brasilia by another uncle, the late Grandmaster Armando Wriedt. He began teaching classes at the academy Dalmo Ribeiro (706/707 Norte). After being open just one month, he garnered a following of more than 100 students. For nearly 8 years he trained over 1000 students, coaching both national and international champions.
Jucão has been in over 1000 jiu jitsu matches, and won the following in competition:
2009 1st Place New York Open Champion in two divisions
2008 1st Place No Gi Mundials Champion in two divisions
2008 1st Place Pan Am Champion in two divisions
2008 1st Place NAGA World Champion
4x International Masters Champion
2x Brazilian National Champion
3x Pan American Champion
1x European Champion
3x Mundials Championship Bronze Medalist
For Jucão, competing has always been about fun, regardless of outcome. His current preoccupation is to help others to not only become champions themselves, but also better people.
Today Jucão holds the rank of fifth degree black belt professor. In his 30 years of training and teaching jiu jitsu, Jucão has formed internationally recognized athletes, both as champions and professors of jiu jitsu, capable of teaching and fighting anywhere in the world. Jucão believes that respect and dignity cannot be bought, but rather must be won with the passage of time. He feels that jiu jitsu brings security, tranquility, discipline, and knowledge for those who believe that force is nothing more than a supplement to the true domination of the talent and technique of jiu jitsu.
Jucão would like to express thanks to God for jiu jitsu, to his teachers for the instruction he gained, to his family for their support and faith in him, to his training partners (both past and present) with whom he learned, to his father for his courage and determination, and to his wife and daughters for giving him reason to live and work.
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Kadu Pedreira
Professor Carlos Eduardo Pedreira (“Kadu”) was born in the capital of Salvador, Bahia, in 21 of June of 1985. He began his jiu-jitsu training in 1998, at the age of 12, with professor Yuri Fernandes, who belonged to the Team Rodrigo Walnut (Minotauro). Shortly after, the Team passed to be led by Professor Marcio Almeida (Shark).
The team became known as “Champion Team”, with Marcio Almeida its President. Kadu continued to train and compete throughout the years defending the flag of “Champion Team”. On that team Kadu became a Brown belt and participated in many competitions around Brazil. In 2008 he reached that dream being invited to participate of the World Brazilian jiu-jitsu championship in California. He not only competed in the World Brazilian jiu-jitsu championship in California but in many more throughout the US.
In on of those competitions he met Professor Ailson “Jucao” Brites. Kadu was immediately interested in became part of the Equipe Jucao USA. With much dedication to the arduous training sessions assisting professor Jucao, Kadu rapidly became on of the instructors of Team Jucao USA. Well deserved in December of 2009, Kadu became not only the new Black Belt of the Team but one of the first Jucao Black belts in the US.
To represent his country through the art of jiu-jitsu was one of the objectives that Kadu always longed for. His future objectives are the achievement of more championships, the perfection of the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the recognition of his work.
Principle Titles and Victories:
2009
Champion Pennsylvania BJJ Federation Tournament Superfight
Champion Long Island Pride BJJ Tournament Superfight
Champion New Jersey State BJJ Federation Superfight
2007
First Place Campeonato Sul-Brasileiro De Jiu-Jitsu Florianopolis
First Place Campeonato Estadual De Jiu-Jitsu Lauro De Freitas
Third Place Copa Do Mundo De Jiu-Jitsu Teresopolis
2006
First Place Campeonato Daiano De Jiu-Jitsu Salvador
First Place Bahia Open De Jiu-Jitsu Salvador
First Place Copa Norte-Nordeste De Jiu-Jitsu Salvador
Second Place Taca Shark Ataque Salvador
2005
First Place Campeonato Estadual De Jiu-Jitsu Lauro De Freitas
First Place Campeonato Do Dragao De Jiu-Jitsu Lauro De Freitas
First Place Campeonato Spray De Jiu-Jitsu Lauro De Freitas
Second Place Campeonato Estadual De Jiu-Jitsu Lauro De Freitas
Third Place Copa Norte-Nordeste De Jiu-Jitsu Salvador