- Full Name: Andre Luiz Leite Galvao
- Birthday: September 29, 1982
- Affiliation: Atos Jiu-Jitsu
Andre Galvao is a respected practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). He is definitely one of the best grapplers in the sport today and has won many important honors in different parts of the world. His team is the Atos Academy and his favorite technique is the “guard passing”. He fights in the 88kg/194lbs and has won many titles in this category.
Early life
Andre Luiz Leite Galvao was born on September 29 1982 in Sao Sebastiao in the state of Sao Paulo in Brazil. He is also called Deco which is the short form of the name Andre in most parts of Portugal and Brazil. When Andre Galvao was a child, his family moved from Sao Sebastiao to the Vale de Paraiba region of Brazil. It was here that the young Galvao developed an interest in judo. His father encouraged him to take up martial arts and gave him his first gi. Fortunately for the young Deco, he had a brother who was an upcoming practitioner of BJJ. His brother encouraged him to move from judo to BJJ and the rest is history.
Andre Galvao’s BJJ development
Galvao’s first coach was Carlos Dagmar who is also called Careca. This man was a former student of the great master Osvaldo Alves and he played an important role in the career of Andre Galvao. Careca believed Andre Galvao was a talented BJJ student and advised his student to train with Fernando Terere. Careca was honest enough to realize that his facility was not big enough for Galvao. He therefore recommended Frenando Terere who ran a much bigger operation.
Success with Terere’s team
Joining Terere’s team was one of the best moves Galvao ever made because his career under this distinguished coach grew in leaps and bounds. Galvao won the purple belt and remained undefeated for three years. Eventually, he won the Grand Slam and became the first purple belt to win the Brasileiro, the Pan American championship, and the world championship. He also won his brown belt under Fernando Terere and received his black belt in 2005 from his old coach Carlos Dagmar aka Careca.
Career titles and personal life
Andre Galvao has achieved incredible success as a BJJ practitioner. Between 2002 and 2005, he won four World Championships in the blue belt and black belt categories. He has a personal record of 123 wins and 60 submission wins. He has lost only four matches by submission so he is truly one of the greats of the game. At present, he runs his own BJJ taem with his friend Ramon Lemos. Both have an evangelical background and this is reflected in the personal life of Andre Galvao.
