My name is Tony Souza, and I’m a native of Florianopolis/SC – Brazil. I’m 43 years old, with 30 years dedicated to Jiu-Jitsu training. I had my first contact with martial arts when I was just 5 years old in 1984. I was taken to a Judo academy, and since then, I started practicing Judo regularly during my childhood. As I grew older, competitions and a greater dedication to this martial art followed.

Since Jiu-Jitsu only arrived in Florianopolis in the early ’90s, it wasn’t until 1993, at the age of 13, that I had my first contact with Jiu-Jitsu. My father took me for my first class at Professor Antonio Claudio Collares’ academy, also known as “Tonicao.” After a few months of daily training, I transferred to Professor Paulo Sergio Santos’ academy, where I stayed until achieving my black belt in 2003. In 2005, I graduated in Physical Education from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, and in 2006, I moved to the United States of America, becoming part of the Ralph Gracie team.

In 2009, I received a job offer in Dublin, Ireland, to teach at one of the largest martial arts academies in the country. Living in Europe gave me the opportunity to teach in various countries on that continent. In 2011, I moved to Asia, living in Singapore and Thailand, and in 2012, I went to the Middle East in the city of Abu Dhabi, UAE.

In 2016, I had the opportunity to return to the United States of America to teach, where I am until today. In Jiu-Jitsu, I learned codes of conduct and values that prepared me for this journey around the world. I learned to control fear and have the courage to make decisions that were fundamental to my development as a human being. Today, my mission is to give back everything that Jiu-Jitsu has taught me throughout my life.