🥋 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Pedro Sauer Association

Purple Belt — Promoted by Professor Pedro Sauer (8th Degree Red/Black Belt)

I began training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2021 at Southend Combat Academy (SCA) in the UK. Since day one, I’ve been part of the Pedro Sauer Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Association (PSBJJA) — a system rooted in the original teachings of Hélio and Rickson Gracie, emphasizing technical precision, safety, and longevity.

Over the years, I progressed through the ranks, earning my Blue Belt in October 2022 and completing all four stripes by mid-2024. On May 17th, 2025, I was honored to be promoted to Purple Belt by Professor Pedro Sauer himself during a full-day seminar hosted at SCA.

🌎 International Seminars & Instructor Certification

In October 2024, I attended the Annual PSBJJA Conference in Herndon, Virginia (Washington, D.C. area). It was an intense and rewarding experience: multiple days of seminars led by Professor Sauer and an incredible lineup of high-level black belts from across the association. I reconnected with fellow students from around the world and walked away with a notebook full of techniques and a head full of insights.

During this same visit, I also completed the Level 1 and Level 2 Instructor Certification Courses, further solidifying my understanding of the system’s methodology and technical curriculum. The structure and philosophy behind the PSBJJA instructor program gave me a deeper appreciation for how Jiu Jitsu can be taught effectively and sustainably.

🇧🇷 Brazil Camp 2025

In July 2025, I’ll be attending Brazil Camp — a full week of immersive training with Professor Sauer and other top instructors in Petrópolis, Brazil. Every seminar with him is packed with detail, but this will be a whole new level: seven days of deep technical instruction, philosophy, and community. I'm equal parts excited and overwhelmed — I’ll need to invent a neural compression algorithm just to retain it all 😅

💭 Reflection

Professor Sauer’s presence on the mat is something special — his kindness, clarity, and depth of knowledge elevate everyone in the room. BJJ has taught me more than just physical technique; it’s sharpened my patience, focus, problem-solving, and humility — both on and off the mats.

I’m grateful to be part of this incredible global community and excited to keep evolving in the art.

“BJJ has taught me resilience, patience, and how to solve problems under pressure — on and off the mats.”

🥋 Belt Progression Timeline

  • 🟣 Purple Belt
    17 May 2025
  • 🔵▫️▫️▫️▫️ Blue Belt – 4th Stripe
    01 Jul 2024
  • 🔵▫️▫️▫️ Blue Belt – 3rd Stripe
    06 Mar 2024
  • 🔵▫️▫️ Blue Belt – 2nd Stripe
    01 Oct 2023
  • 🔵▫️ Blue Belt – 1st Stripe
    16 Feb 2023
  • 🔵 Promoted to Blue Belt
    22 Oct 2022
  • ⚪️ White Belt (Registered)
    20 Oct 2021
  • ⚪️ First BJJ Session
    06 May 2021