One of our busiest Instructors in the Jiu-Jitsu Community, Gustavo Dantas, is starting a new venture in his own Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Gustavo has been teaching the gentle art at the World renowned Mixed Martial Arts School, Arizona Combat Sports, in Tempe, AZ since October 2000.
The BJJ program has produced over 20 World Championship Medalists, and the MMA program run by his partner, Trevor Lally, has produced world class fighters such as TUF season 8 champion Ryan Bader, TUF season 7 runner-up C.B. Dollaway, UFC middleweight contender Aaron Simpson, and former WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner, just to name a few. But after eleven years of hard work, Dantas is fulfilling his teenage dream of owning his own Jiu-Jitsu Academy and focusing 100% in a traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school.
"The reason why I came to the United States was to teach Jiu-Jitsu for a living. I really like MMA, so when my instructor Andre Pederneiras needs any help with fights in the U.S., I meet up with him and do what I can to help out, but I LOVE JIU-JITSU, and that is what I will be doing for the rest of my life!" said Dantas, who is the Nova União leader in the U.S. and the vice-president of the Arizona State Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (AZBJJF).
The school will be opening in February, weeks before one of his biggest events of the year, the 7th AZ International Open, on March 3rd & 4th in Phoenix. "I am a little overwhelmed with the amount of work right now. I am still teaching at AZ Combat until the middle of February, plus working on the tournament, and trying to put everything together for the new school", said Dantas, who won the 2011 AZSBJJF Adult ranking for the third year in a row and the Kids Division Ranking for the first time.
"All my hard work is paying off, I go a lot out of my way for my students and that is a reason why they are getting positive results. When I was younger, I focused a lot on building champions, which I love doing and will continue to do, but I want more. I want to help people change their lives through Jiu-Jitsu, the same way it did for me. I want them to have a better lifestyle and believe in their dreams. It doesn't matter if their goals are sports related or not, they have to go after their goals and martial arts can help you to develop the discipline, perseverance, and dedication that you need to achieve anything you want. I read once that dreams take time, patience, sustained effort, and a willingness to fail if they are ever to be anything more than dreams, and that is what I try to instill in my students."
For more info please visit www.gdjiujitsu.com.
Gustavo Dantas
President, Nova União USA
1401 S. McClintock Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85281
www.gdjiujitsu.com
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