The BTT Boston team. Photo: Personal archive

On June 14, 2014, head instructor of GMA Brazilian Top Team Boston Bruno Amaral and his fiancé Nathalia Azoff wed in Lexington, Massachusetts. The proposal happened just over one year ago in the middle of Bruno’s Jiu-Jitsu class and so it would only be appropriate for their Jiu-Jitsu family to share this special occasion. The wedding had Nathalia’s and Bruno’s family and friends present along with many of their teammates including Bruno’s uncle and owner of Brazilian Top Team Boston, Joao Amaral. This was a very special evening for the happy Jiu-Jitsu couple.

Just a couple of days after the wedding, rather than taking a honeymoon, Bruno and Nathalia were back on the mats for the BTT Boston belt ceremony.

On June 16, 2014, Joao Amaral, Daniel Gazoni, and Bruno Amaral awarded many stripes and belts to BTT students. Thayse Soares, the first BTT Boston female black belt was awarded her second degree on her black belt and Roger Woo, owner of BTT affiliate Woo Kickboxing Academy was awarded his first degree on his black belt.

To complete an already great evening, 5 black belts were awarded to very deserving students; Nathalia Amaral (our new bride), Aniss Al Hajjajy, Vincent Silvestre, Attila Javor, and Tatasuya Goto. This was the most successful belt ceremony to date. “I am proud of everyone and their accomplishments. Today was very special for all of us and I look forward to seeing all our students grow and evolve in this sport,” says Joao Amaral.

Needless to say, this has been quite an exciting few days for Bruno and Nathalia!

Learn more about the adventures of Bruno and Nathalia along with their GMA academy BTT Boston at www.bttboston.com

See pictures:

Using a knee slice pass to side control, Nathalia secures her position and covers her sneaky way of grabbing her own lapel. While diverting the attention of Bruno’s far hand, she is able to feed the lapel to her hand around Bruno’s neck and secure a very tight choke.

Her details along with her do’s and don’ts make this move great for anyone, no matter the gender or skill level.

Check it out!

Gild Gomes is promoted to black belt at GMA BTT Boston. Photo: Personal Archive

Our GMA Brazilian Top Team Boston had their belt ceremony on Dec. 4 & 5 and it was a complete success!

Professor  João Amaral flew from Florida and Professor Daniel Gazoni came direct from Rio to help Professor Bruno Amaral at BTT Boston to conduct the tests. They promoted over fifty students.

Moments when many students receive stripes and others graduated to their new belts are always remembered.

A special promotion came when Gild Gomes was promoted to the rank of black belt. Professor Amaral says, “Gild has been a dedicated student for many years at Brazilian Top Team and we are all proud to have him part of our family, inside and outside the mat.”

Another remarkable accomplishment of that evening was Vinny Souza receiving the first degree on his black belt.

“This was a truly spectacular year to BTT Boston and we want to congratulate everyone on their accomplishments.”

To learn more about GMA Brazilian Top Team Boston go to www.bttboston.com

The students of Brazilian Top Team Boston toss their colored belts aside for a bit. Photo: Bruno Amaral

GMA Brazilian Top Team Boston will hold a belt ceremony on Dec. 4 – 5. First degree black belt Professor Bruno Amaral has imposed an innovative approach to training during the weeks leading up the ceremony by having every student wear a white belt on the mats– even black belts. Bruno wants to have the students train with an ego-free mentality while rolling.

“You have to leave the ego outside the mat,” he says.

His concept has been well-received so far and the students are having more fun without the ” pressure” that people sometimes attach to their belts.

Less pressure to perform means more fun. Photo: Bruno Amaral

Mackenzie in photo by John Lamonica

Last weekend the Jiu-Jitsu crew donned their gis and headed to Montreal, Canada. Why? To secure a paid trip to the World Pro main event this coming April in Abu Dhabi.

Among the standouts of the brown/black belt division at the Fabio Holanda-organized event were Marcio Corleta (Winner-Behring) secured the over-92 kg spot; Josh Griffiths (Clockwork JJ) took first in the under-92 kg division; Jimmy Harbison (Lloyd Irvin) took top spot on the podium in the under-83 kg division; Bruno Amaral (BTT) was the best at under-74 kg; and Ryan Hall (50/50 Brasa) reigned in the under-65 kg.

Among the ladies, in the purple/brown/black belt division, Gracie Humaitá provided the standouts, with Luciana Dias winning the heavier division and purple belt Mackenzie Dern taking it in the lighter division.

Check out the results:

FEMALE- WHITE/BLUE UNDER 138lbs

1st – Nicole Whissell – Submission Factory
2nd – Elsa Sery – Gracie Barra
3rd – Catarina Macedo – TBJJ
3rd – Rita Gribben – Gracie Humaita

FEMALE- WHITE/BLUE OVER 138lbs

1st – Aisha Issa – BTT
2nd – Lisa Tanguay – BTT
3rd – Sherry Maccan – BTT
3rd – Alisson trembley – BTT

FEMALE- PURPLE/BROWN/BLACK UNDER 138lbs

1st – Mackenzie Dern – Gracie Humaita
2nd – Rachel Demara – Lloyd Irvin
3rd – Kanako Inaba – Champios JJ
3rd – Nicole Kulikova – Dragon Alliance

FEMALE- PURPLE/BROWN/BLACK OVER 138lbs

1st – Luciana Dias – Gracie Humaita
2nd – Sijara Eubanks – Lloyd Irvin
3rd – Libbie Corney – Peloton BJJ
3rd – Nathalia Azoff – BTT

MALE- WHITE/BLUE ABSOLUTE UNDER 163lbs

1st – Olivier Aubim – H20/Gracie Barra
2nd – Josh Presley – Titans
3rd – Max Misyura – RGDA
3rd – Alessandro Roman – Gracie Barra

MALE- WHITE/BLUE ABSOLUTE OVER 163lbs

1st – Alexandre Emond – H2O
2nd – Jordan Hayman – Armory
3rd – Miles Anstead – Nova Uniao
3rd – Alexandre Horvath – BTT

MALE- PURPLE ABSOLUTE UNDER 163lbs

1st – Luciano Ucci – BTT
2nd – Benjamin Dunn – BTT
3rd – Fred Koomsatira – BTT
3rd – James Haddad – Gracie Barra

MALE- PURPLE ABSOLUTE OVER 163lbs

1st – De Alonzio Jackson – Lloyd Irvin
2nd – Daniel Tsatsos – Nova Uniao
3rd – Scott Edward – BTT
3rd – Lee Villeneuve – BTT

MALE- BROWN/BLACK UNDER 143lbs

1st – Ryan Hall – 50/50-Brasa

2nd – Eduardo Silva – TBJJ

3rd – Panayotis Zera – TBJJ

3rd – Paul Minroe – Renzo Gracie

MALE- BROWN/BLACK UNDER 163lbs

1st – Bruno Amaral – BTT

2nd – Mark Colangelo – Gracie Barra

3rd – Felipe Heidrich – Ronin

3rd – Jerin valel – Gracie Humaita

MALE- BROWN/BLACK UNDER 183lbs

1st – Jimmy Harbison – Lloyd Irvin

2nd – Thomas Beach – TBJJ

3rd – Josh Russel – Gracie Barra

3rd – David Dominy – Gracie Humaita

MALE- BROWN/BLACK UNDER 203lbs

1st – Josh Griffiths – Clockwork JJ

2nd – Rafael Bettege – Cia Paulista

3rd – Ivan Yochkoluski –

3rd – AJ Scales – Nova Uniao

MALE- BROWN/BLACK OVER 203lbs

1st – Marcio Corleta – Winner-Behring

2nd – Rodrigo Munduruca – Gracie Humaita

MALE- BROWN/BLACK ABSOLUTE

1st – Rodrigo Munduruca – Gracie Humaita

2nd – Marcio Corleta – Winner-Behring

3rd – AJ Scales – Nova Uniao

3rd – Rafael Bettege – Cia Paulista

Mackenzie em foto de John Lamonica.

No último final de semana o pessoal vestiu o kimono em Montreal, no Canadá. O objetivo? Garantir todas as despesas pagas no World Pro, evento que acontece em abril, em Abu Dhabi.

Entre os destaques da seletiva, organizada por Fabio Holanda, na faixa-marrom e preta Marcio Corleta (Winner-Behring) garantiu a vaga no peso acima de 92kg; Josh Griffiths (Clockwork JJ) ficou em primeiro no até 92kg; Jimmy Harbison (Lloyd Irvin) subiu no alto do pódio na categoria até 83kg; Bruno Amaral (BTT) foi o melhor no 74kg; e Ryan Hall (50/50-Brasa) imperou no peso até 65kg.

Garantiu a premiação do absoluto Rodrigo Munduruca (Gracie Humaitá).

Entre as meninas, na categoria que trazia atletas das faixas roxa, marrom e preta, os destaques foram da Gracie Humaitá, com Luciana Dias na categoria mais pesada e a faixa-roxa Mackenzie Dern entre as mais leves.

Confira todos os classificados:

FEMALE- WHITE/BLUE UNDER 138lbs

1st – Nicole Whissell – Submission Factory
2nd – Elsa Sery – Gracie Barra
3rd – Catarina Macedo – TBJJ
3rd – Rita Gribben – Gracie Humaita

FEMALE- WHITE/BLUE OVER 138lbs

1st – Aisha Issa – BTT
2nd – Lisa Tanguay – BTT
3rd – Sherry Maccan – BTT
3rd – Alisson trembley – BTT

FEMALE- PURPLE/BROWN/BLACK UNDER 138lbs

1st – Mackenzie Dern – Gracie Humaita
2nd – Rachel Demara – Lloyd Irvin
3rd – Kanako Inaba – Champios JJ
3rd – Nicole Kulikova – Dragon Alliance

FEMALE- PURPLE/BROWN/BLACK OVER 138lbs

1st – Luciana Dias – Gracie Humaita
2nd – Sijara Eubanks – Lloyd Irvin
3rd – Libbie Corney – Peloton BJJ
3rd – Nathalia Azoff – BTT

MALE- WHITE/BLUE ABSOLUTE UNDER 163lbs

1st – Olivier Aubim – H20/Gracie Barra
2nd – Josh Presley – Titans
3rd – Max Misyura – RGDA
3rd – Alessandro Roman – Gracie Barra

MALE- WHITE/BLUE ABSOLUTE OVER 163lbs

1st – Alexandre Emond – H2O
2nd – Jordan Hayman – Armory
3rd – Miles Anstead – Nova Uniao
3rd – Alexandre Horvath – BTT

MALE- PURPLE ABSOLUTE UNDER 163lbs

1st – Luciano Ucci – BTT
2nd – Benjamin Dunn – BTT
3rd – Fred Koomsatira – BTT
3rd – James Haddad – Gracie Barra

MALE- PURPLE ABSOLUTE OVER 163lbs

1st – De Alonzio Jackson – Lloyd Irvin
2nd – Daniel Tsatsos – Nova Uniao
3rd – Scott Edward – BTT
3rd – Lee Villeneuve – BTT

MALE- BROWN/BLACK UNDER 143lbs

1st – Ryan Hall – 50/50-Brasa
2nd – Eduardo Silva – TBJJ
3rd – Panayotis Zera – TBJJ
3rd – Paul Minroe – Renzo Gracie

MALE- BROWN/BLACK UNDER 163lbs

1st – Bruno Amaral – BTT
2nd – Mark Colangelo – Gracie Barra
3rd – Felipe Heidrich – Ronin
3rd – Jerin valel – Gracie Humaita

MALE- BROWN/BLACK UNDER 183lbs

1st – Jimmy Harbison – Lloyd Irvin
2nd – Thomas Beach – TBJJ
3rd – Josh Russel – Gracie Barra
3rd – David Dominy – Gracie Humaita

MALE- BROWN/BLACK UNDER 203lbs

1st – Josh Griffiths – Clockwork JJ
2nd – Rafael Bettege – Cia Paulista
3rd – Ivan Yochkoluski –
3rd – AJ Scales – Nova Uniao

MALE- BROWN/BLACK OVER 203lbs

1st – Marcio Corleta – Winner-Behring
2nd – Rodrigo Munduruca – Gracie Humaita

MALE- BROWN/BLACK ABSOLUTE

1st – Rodrigo Munduruca – Gracie Humaita
2nd – Marcio Corleta – Winner-Behring
3rd – AJ Scales – Nova Uniao
3rd – Rafael Bettege – Cia Paulista

Fotos: Arquivo Pessoal.

Aconteceu na última quarta-feira a festa de graduação da nossa GMA Brazilian Top Team Boston

Marcaram presença na festividade os faixas-pretas João Amaral, Daniel Gazoni, Renan Borges e Bruno Amaral.

O aluno e atual instrutor da equipe Vinny Souza foi promovido à faixa-preta, mais quatro passaram à faixa-marrom e muitos outros foram promovidos nas demais graduações.

Photos: personal archives

This past Wednesday marked the promotion ceremony for our GMA Brazilian Top Team Boston.

In attendance were black belts João Amaral, Daniel Gazoni, Renan Borges, and Bruno Amaral.

Student and current instructor of the team Vinny Souza was promoted to black belt, another four graduated to brown belt, and a number of other were promoted to the rest of the belt ranks.

The latest to join the club is Bruno Amaral. The fighter took second at the last No-Gi Worlds as a brown belt and currently teaches at BTT Boston.

Photo: Publicity

O promovido é Bruno Amaral. O lutador ficou em segundo no último Mundial No-Gi na faixa-marrom e atualmente dá aulas na BTT Boston.

Foto: divulgação