Danielle at the 2013 American Nationals. Photo: Erin Herle

Purple belt Danielle Alvarez of GMA Alvarez BJJ in Arlington, Texas has set her eyes on the gold at the 2014 World Championships like thousands of others. When you read what her accomplishments have been so far this year alone, you’ll agree that it is in reach. Her dad, Daniel Alvarez, is a black belt who leads a team of competitors all around the world to compete and explore the true limits of a Jiu-Jitsu journey.

I spoke with Danielle about her goals for the worlds and what makes a good role model in Jiu-Jitsu. Check it out:

GRACIEMAG: How has your competition season been this year thus far?

DANIELLE ALVAREZ: This year has been great, I’ve been actively competing and learning a lot this season since January. I won the Europeans, San Francisco Open, Houston Open, Boston Open, FIVE grappling, a women’s superfight and also placed at Pan Ams and Brazilian Nationals.

How often do you get to train and what other priorities do/did you have besides Jiu-Jitsu?

Right now I am out of school for the summer so I am able to train 2-3 times a day, every day of the week. During the semester I would train once every day because I had college classes in the mornings. I also teach a women’s class once a week and help instruct the kids classes 3 times a week at my dad’s gym.

Explain your most proud competition moment this year.

My most proud competition moment this year was winning a superfight in a women’s only tournament in Denton, Texas. I had a very tough ten-minute match against Fabiana Borges and came out with the victory.

Danielle wins the 2014 European Jiu-Jitsu Championship to start the year off right. Photo: Personal archive

What would winning the worlds mean to you?

Winning the Worlds would mean everything to me. None of my other accomplishments in Jiu-Jitsu could compare to a Worlds gold medal. All of the competitions I’ve done so far this season have been preparation for the Worlds and I’ve been looking forward to this all year. A Worlds gold medal is the most important thing to me right now.

What qualities and behaviors do you think make a good role model for Jiu-Jitsu?

I think it is important for role models in Jiu-Jitsu to be respectful and helpful for all belt levels, especially white belts since that’s where everyone’s journey begins. I also think good role models in Jiu-Jitsu should always lead by example and bring positive energy to the people around them.

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You can watch the 2014 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship buy purchasing the livestream at www.ibjjftv.com

Bruno Bastos promotes Danny Alvarez to second degree black belt. Photo: Personal Archive

GMA member Danny Alvarez, owner and head instructor of Alvarez BJJ in Arlington, TX, was promoted to second degree black belt by Bruno Bastos on Monday, Dec. 9. The promotion marks his sixth year as a black belt.

But it marks more milestones beyond his years at the elite rank. Alvarez reveals on Facebook:

“This was our 5th Year as a Business, we Now have Over 200 Students, I took GOLD in 13 out of my 16 IBJJF divisions & my Team has Kicked Butt All Year in All Local, National & International tournaments!”

Learn more about Alvarez BJJ at www.alvarezbjj.com

GD JIU-JITSU NOVA UNIÃO

The 2013 Nova Uniao USA Expo will be a two day event on Dec. 7-8 in Arlington, Texas.

There will be a seminar open for all teams and affiliations as well as a tournament that is exclusively for Nova Uniao team members: the 3rd Nova Uniao Invitational (Gi only).

The tournament will take place at GMA Alvarez BJJ Academy located at 1114 W. Harris Rd., Suite 104 Arlington, TX 76001 . This tournament is limited strictly to Nova Uniao Association Members who must wear a Nova Uniao patch on their gi. The competition will offer adult (male and female), masters and senior divisions for white, blue and purple belts. All brown and black belt competitors interested in super fights please contact Bruno Bastos at brunobrunojj@hotmail.com. Registration for the tournament ends on Nov. 29 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

On Dec. 8, there will be a super seminar with Nova Uniao black belts: Robson Moura, Vitor “Shaolin” Bruno Bastos, Rico Bastos and Gustavo Dantas. The class will have a format with about 75% drilling techniques, and 25% training (sparring). The event will take place at 1114 W. Harris Rd., Suite 104 Arlington, TX 76001 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. for all schools.

• 1 Event – $70 (After Nov. 18, $80)
• 2 Events – $110 (After Nov. 18, $125)

Registration online ends on Friday, Nov. 29. Seminar price at the door is $100, space is limited.

To register, reserve your spot for the seminar and learn more about the 2013 Nova Uniao USA Jiu-Jitsu Expo, go to www.gdjjevents.com

Daniel Alvarez works on a back-take at the IBJJF Toronto Open. Photo: IBJJF

The IBJJF Toronto Open held its second annual event on Saturday, August 3 at York University. The booming city in Canada catered to many local as well as visiting teams from all over the world. Some teams came with a force of many, others with just one representative but the level of skill was high either way.

GMA academies that took home bunches of medals were: Renzo Gracie Ottawa earned twelve medals at the event. Students from Marcelo Garcia Academy in New York traveled with nine competitors and came back with ten medals. Toronto BJJ had three competitors take home medals as well, although more members are not counted as they were registered as Ribeiro BJJ. Total, over 70 competitors from the academy alone were out on the competition mats earning them the first and third place trophy.

Oliver Geddes, a black belt under Roger Gracie from GMA Roger Gracie Academy in London, UK won gold in his black belt adult lightweight division and placed second in the open class.

Jorge Britto of Toronto BJJ placed first in his black belt master middle division and placed second in the open class.

Daniel Alvarez of GMA Alvarez BJJ in Arlington, Texas accomplished gold in the black belt master feather division defeating his opponent 9-0 in points. See the match below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epZiyEY9qSs

Joe, Danny, Bryan show off their no-gi medals on the podium. Photo: Alvarez BJJ Instagram

Black belt GMA member Danny Alvarez of Alvarez BJJ in Arlington, Texas took a team of students to compete alongside them in Rome, Italy. Normally at most IBJJF events around the country including Boston Open, Houston Open, Las Vegas Open and more, Danny himself pushes for the best results to get onto the podium and shares the same momentum with every one of his students who express the same interest.

On June 29, the first IBJJF Rome Open gave the Alvarez BJJ army a chance to prove their skills in the gi. Here are the results:

Joe Gonzales placed third in his purple belt master medium-heavy division.
Danielle Alvarez placed second in her purple belt adult lightweight division and third in the absolute.
Danny Alvarez won gold in his black belt master featherweight division.

Daughter Danielle Alvarez was out of competition for 10 months as she moved a few hours away from home to attend her first year of college. Prior to becoming a first-year college student, she competed often since she was a juvenile racking up titles in IBJJF tournaments all over the world as an adult, winning a ticket to Abu Dhabi WPJJC and earning the title of best blue belt competitor in Texas two years in a row. This competition was a good start for her return to Jiu-Jitsu competition.

The second day, on Sunday June 30 came the European No-Gi Championship and the time for the team to prove their skills without the gi. Here are the results:

Bryan Landin placed third in his blue senior 1 ultra-heavyweight division.
Joe Gonzales won gold in his purple master medium-heavy division.
Danny Alvarez won another gold in his black belt master featherweight division.

Congratulations to the team.

For more information about Alvarez BJJ you can visit www.AlvarezBJJ.com

Check out Danny Alvarez in action in his final at the European No-Gi Championship:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvvRgQBTl5k