 | |
| Also known as | Checkmat BJJ |
|---|---|
| Date founded | 2008 [1] |
| Country of origin | Brazil |
| Founder | Leo Vieira Ricardo Vieira Leandro Vieira |
| Current head | Leo Vieira |
| Arts taught | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| Official website | checkmatbjj |
Checkmat is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy and team started in 2008 by Leo Vieira, who leads Checkmat with his brothers Ricardo Vieira and Leandro Vieira. It is headquartered in Long Beach, California, USA. [2] [3]
The team was established in 2008 following a break up between, the Vieira Brothers and their previous team Brasa Clube de Jiu Jitsu. The name "Checkmat" is derived from the chess term "checkmate" and the word "mat", being the surface on which Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is usually practiced. The Vieira brothers saw similarities in the strategic and tactical nature of chess and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. [4] Checkmat has a strong presence in the Rio de Janeiro favelas through Ricardo Vieira and his Projeto Cantagalo with fighters such as Jansen Gomes.
At the 2023 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Checkmat competitor Samuel Nagai won the Male -70 kg class. [5]
A list of current and former members:
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a self-defence martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting, and submission holds. BJJ focuses on taking ones opponent down to the ground, gaining a dominant position, and using a number of techniques to force them into submission via joint locks or chokeholds.
Brazilian Top Team (BTT) is an academy and team specialized in Brazilian jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts. It was established in April 2000 by Murilo Bustamante, Ricardo Libório, Mário Sperry and Luis Roberto Duarte, former members of the Carlson Gracie Academy, to develop and create new training techniques for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, submission grappling and mixed martial arts.
Marcelo Garcia is a Brazilian submission grappler and a 4th degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and coach. A highly decorated competitor, Garcia is widely considered to be one of the best grapplers in the world and arguably the best pound for pound submission grappler. Holding 5 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship and 4 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship titles, Garcia is a member of the IBJJF Hall of Fame and the third BJJ athlete to be inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame.
Roger Gracie is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist (MMA) and 5th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioner and coach.
David Vieira is a 4th Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), a BJJ competitor, instructor, a professional mixed martial artist (MMA) fighter and the current 2022 and 2023 World Master IBJJF Champion ( IBJJF).
Marcio Feitosa is a Brazilian 6th degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He has learned directly from Carlos Gracie Jr., founder of the Gracie Barra Academy in Rio de Janeiro. He has risen to the podium eight times from 1997 to 2006 at several world championships.
Leandro Vieira is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor and competitor, and a co-founder of Checkmat. He is also the Brazilian jiu-jitsu head coach for the MMA team at American Kickboxing Academy, renowned for being one of the most successful teams in the world.
Lucas Joas Gomes Leite is a Brazilian grappler. He is a multi-time world champion with first-place finishes at the Gi, Nogi, and Grapplers Quest world championships. Leite started training Brazilian Jiu-jitsu when he was 12 years old under Ryan Gracie. He earned his black belt under Leo Vieira in 2006.
Leonardo Alcantara Vieira commonly known as Léo Vieira or Leozinho is a Brazilian submission grappler and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor.
Ricardo Alcantara Vieira commonly known as Rico Vieira or Ricardinho is a Brazilian grappler, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Instructor, and Competitor. He was born on 9 January 1979. He is one of the Viera brothers, who lead and fight for Checkmat.
Jackson Sousa dos Santos is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and grappling competitor and instructor. A winner of several major championships in coloured belts, such as IBJJF World Championship, IBJJF European Championship and CBJJ Brazilian Nationals; Sousa is a black belt World No-Gi champion, a 2 x European champion and a 3 x Pan No-Gi champion.
Augusto Mendes is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioner. He is currently signed to the Absolute Championship Berkut. He was the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation Black Belt World 70 kg champion (2013), International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation World Nogi 73.5 kg champion in 2012 and 2015 and UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro Champion in 2011 and 2013.
Yuri Simões is a Brazilian grappler, BJJ practitioner and mixed martial artist who has competed in the ONE Championship. He is a three time ADCC World Champion in three different weight divisions.
Alessandra "Leka" Vieira is a submission grappler and a 6th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and coach. Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of women's Brazilian jiu-jitsu, she became in 1999 the first-ever female black belt World champion.
The World Jiu-Jitsu Cup, CBJJO World Jiu-Jitsu Cup or CBJJO World Cup, was a Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament established in 2002 as an alternative to the World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship. Its last edition took place in 2007 in Teresópolis, Brazil.
Zenith BJJ is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu association and team started in 2013 by black belt World champions Robert Drysdale and Rodrigo Cavaca. Drysdale runs Zenith Las Vegas and Cavaca runs Zenith Santos in Brazil, with more affiliates in the US, Canada, Central America, South America, Europe and Australia.
Rose El Sharouni is a Dutch born Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and competitor. A two-time World Champion in coloured belts, she is an IBJJF black belt World, European Open and Pan American medallist.
Jansen Gomes is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt athlete. Gomes is an IBJJF World Champion at every colored belt level and the middleweight black belt 2023 World Champion.
Grappling Fight Team is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) academy and team.
