Professor Paulo Gazze Jr. is a 6th Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, the owner and head instructor of Gazze Academy, and a globally respected martial artist whose career spans more than three decades. Under the tutelage of legends like Marcelo Behring and Master Milton "Max" Trombini, he has dedicated his life to mastering and teaching BJJ, Judo, Muay Thai, and MMA, helping hundreds of students develop technical prowess, mental toughness, and a champion's mindset.
Born into the AABB community in Brazil, Paulo's martial arts journey began at age four with Judo. In 1993 he embraced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Cia Paulista Jiu-Jitsu in Sao Paulo, training under Marcelo Behring, Rickson Gracie's protege. He started coaching in 1995 in Sao Paulo, sharing his knowledge and passion with a growing roster of students, and earned his black belt in 2001 under Master Trombini. From 1995 to 1999 he reigned as Sao Paulo State Champion for five straight years and broke new ground as the first athlete from Master Trombini's team to compete internationally, representing Brazil at the IBJJF Pan Ams from 1996 through 1998.
In 1998, driven by a vision to build a premier jiu-jitsu team in Southern California, Paulo relocated to Huntington Beach. There he launched his MMA career with Team Punishment under UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz and quickly became a sought-after ground-game coach for top UFC fighters. When the team dissolved, he brought Brazil's famed Chute Boxe to Huntington Beach in 2004, further enriching his own training in Muay Thai, wrestling, and MMA, and laying the foundation for Gazze Academy, which he officially opened in 2003.
As a coach, Paulo has guided a who's-who of UFC talent, including Rampage Jackson, Tito Ortiz, Cheick Kongo, Michael Bisping, Evan Tanner, and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, imparting the chess-like science of BJJ and MMA that he champions. Under his mentorship, 27 IBJJF World Champions have emerged from Gazze Academy, a testament to his commitment to excellence and his students' ongoing success on the world stage.
Today, Gazze Academy stands as a beacon of martial-arts excellence, reflecting Professor Paulo Gazze Jr.'s lifelong dedication to discipline, strategy, and cultivating champions both on and off the mat.
Lineage
Mitsuyo Maeda, Carlos Gracie, Helio Gracie, Rickson Gracie, Marcelo Behring, Milton Maximiliano Trombini, Paulo Gazze Jr.
Achievements
- US Open Champion (2004, black belt)
- Best of the West Champion (2005 and 2007)
- West Coast Submission Wrestling Champion (2004)
- 5x Sao Paulo State Champion (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999)
- 3x California State Champion (2000 brown weight and absolute, 2001)
- IBJJF Pan American Medalist (2008, black belt)
- IBJJF World No-Gi Medalist (2008, black belt)
- 2x IBJJF Pan American Medalist (1998, 2000)
- 5x IBJJF Rome Champion (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, plus open class)
- IBJJF Paris Champion (2016)
- IBJJF Berlin Champion (2016, gi and no-gi)
- IBJJF Munich Champion (2017, double gold)
- 2x IBJJF European Champion (2013, 2017)
- MMA Champion (1999, 2002, 2003)
- Coach for UFC fighters and champions: Rampage Jackson, Tito Ortiz, Cheick Kongo, Michael Bisping, Kimo Leopoldo, Evan Tanner, Brad Blackburn, Jay Silva, Josh Barnett, and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua