Alexandre "Gigi" Paiva is a highly influential figure in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), born on March 4, 1967, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is renowned as one of the founding members of Alliance, one of the most successful BJJ teams in history.
Paiva began his BJJ journey in 1983 at the age of 15, training under Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti at the famous Jacaré Academy in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro. He quickly stood out as one of the academy's most technically gifted students.
His competitive achievements include:
Paiva received his black belt from Romero Cavalcanti in 1991, after overcoming a serious back injury that kept him off the mats for two years.In 1994, Paiva, along with Romero Cavalcanti and Fabio Gurgel, co-founded the Alliance Jiu-Jitsu team. This team has gone on to become one of the most successful in BJJ history, producing numerous world champions.As a coach, Paiva has trained several notable BJJ champions, including:
Paiva's BJJ lineage is impressive: Mitsuyo Maeda → Carlos Gracie Sr. → Helio Gracie → Rolls Gracie → Romero Cavalcanti → Alexandre Paiva.
Throughout his career, Paiva has been known for his dedication to the sport, often training up to 8 hours a day during his competitive years. He has also been involved in preserving BJJ history, leading a movement to honor master Helio Fadda in 2009.
Currently, Alexandre Paiva serves as the head coach at Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Eagle Academy in Eagle, Idaho, USA, where he continues to share his vast knowledge and experience with the next generation of BJJ practitioners.
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