Andre Galvao: Four-Time ADCC Champion
Andre Galvao is a four-time ADCC champion and one of the most decorated grapplers in history. The founder of Atos Jiu-Jitsu, Galvao built one of the most successful competition teams in BJJ.
Career Overview
Andre Galvao was born in 1984 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He trained under Fabio Gurgel at Alliance BJJ and became a world champion before founding Atos Jiu-Jitsu in San Diego. Galvao's technical evolution — from a primarily gi specialist to an all-around submission grappler — mirrors the evolution of the sport itself.
ADCC Championships
Galvao won ADCC four times — 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013 — across different weight classes and divisions. His battles with Buchecha at ADCC became legendary, featuring some of the highest-level no-gi grappling ever seen. He is the longest-reigning ADCC champion in a single weight class.
Building Atos
Galvao founded Atos Jiu-Jitsu in San Diego in 2009, building it into one of the most successful competition teams in the sport. Under his leadership, Atos has produced multiple world champions including Keenan Cornelius, Paulo Miyao, Joao Miyao, and many others. His team has dominated IBJJF team competitions for over a decade.
Rivalry with Gordon Ryan
Galvao's late-career rivalry with Gordon Ryan became one of the most talked-about storylines in submission grappling. The two competed at ADCC 2022 in a highly anticipated match. Regardless of outcome, their rivalry demonstrated that Galvao remained competitive at the elite level well into his late 30s — a testament to his technical foundation.
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