Andre Galvao

André Galvão is a Brazilian Atos co-founder and San Diego coach who won ADCC weight and absolute gold in 2011.

Last updated: 4 October 2026

Biography

André Galvão is a Brazilian Atos black belt, co-founder and head professor of its San Diego headquarters, known for winning both his weight division and the absolute division at ADCC in 2011. His competition record grew alongside the team he built and the classes he teaches. Galvão came from São Sebastião in São Paulo state. Luís “Careca” Dagmar was his first jiu-jitsu coach and encouraged him to train with Fernando Tererê. Galvão spent substantial time with Tererê, while Dagmar awarded him his black belt. Representing TT Jiu-Jitsu, he won the adult black-belt middleweight division at the 2005 gi Worlds. Marcelo Garcia finished ahead of him in the same division in 2006, and Lucas Leite finished ahead of him in 2007. The official records place Galvão second in both years; those placings make the later shift in his results clearer without treating every close final as a title. Galvão won the medium-heavyweight division at the 2008 gi Worlds and shared third in the open class. That October he and Ramon Lemos founded Atos. Galvão's timeline places his move to San Diego and the opening of Atos HQ in September 2010, followed by his return to jiu-jitsu competition in March 2011. At the 2011 ADCC championship he won both the under-88 kg and absolute divisions. The organization also records him winning its main superfight in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019, a separate contest from the two brackets he won in 2011. Gordon Ryan won their 2022 ADCC main superfight by rear-naked choke. His gi World record continued after Atos took shape. Galvão won heavyweight gold in 2014 and 2016, then medium-heavyweight gold in 2017. These are adult black-belt division results, separate from the ADCC weight and open wins and the later superfights. Galvão recalled having few black-belt partners for his first ADCC camp at the new San Diego school; by 2020 he described a deeper room of training partners. He also explained that ADCC preparation could temporarily take him away from regular teaching, while annual gi events required a balance among competition, coaching and managing the academy. The material Galvão teaches is specific to those demands. For beginners he emphasizes defense and escapes from guard, side control, mount and back control. For more advanced students he discusses weight, positional control and combinations that lead to submissions. A published Atos class outlines his pressure-passing lesson. These subjects connect the control needed in competition to what students practice repeatedly at the school. In 2016 he launched Atos Online Academy so students could revisit class details between live sessions; he described video as a supplement to time on the mats. His role as a coach extends beyond his own lessons. After Atos won both adult team divisions at the 2023 No-Gi Worlds, Galvão described preparing its San Diego athletes through situational drilling, defense and linked techniques. The IBJJF also reported him promoting Rafael Silveira to black belt after Silveira's 2023 brown-belt World title; Silveira credited both André and Angelica Galvão with his development. In 2024 Galvão connected the competition classes to steady practice and shared filmed lessons, and in June 2026 he wrote that he continued helping to develop Atos competitors while HQ recorded weekly classes for online students. Atos now identifies Galvão as head professor at its San Diego headquarters. Its wider teaching network includes affiliates abroad, seminars, an online academy and a drill book he coauthored. The competition results explain what he tested; the classes and named students show how his methods continued beyond his own matches.

Sources for this profile

BJJ Heroes, "André Galvão" (accessed 2026-09-12).(opens in a new tab)
- BJJ Heroes identifies André Luiz Leite Galvão as born in São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil, on 29 September 1982.
  Where in the source: André Galvão was born September 29, 1982
  Accessed: 2026-09-12
- BJJ Heroes says Luís "Careca" Dagmar was Galvão's first jiu-jitsu coach, advised him to train with Fernando Tererê, and later awarded Galvão his black belt.
  Where in the source: Luis Carlos Dagmar ... first coach; receiving his black belt from his original instructor
  Accessed: 2026-09-12
- BJJ Heroes reports that Galvão and Ramon Lemos founded the Atos team in October 2008.
  Where in the source: In October 2008 ... founded a new jiu-jitsu team
  Accessed: 2026-09-12
- BJJ Heroes lists first-place IBJJF World Championship results for Galvão at black belt in 2005, 2008, 2016 and 2017.
  Where in the source: 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2005 / 2008 / 2014 / 2016 / 2017)
  Accessed: 2026-09-12
Andre Galvao, "Timeline" (accessed 2026-09-12).(opens in a new tab)
- Galvão's official timeline says he founded Atos with Ramon Lemos in October 2008, moved to San Diego and opened Atos HQ in September 2010, and returned to Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition in March 2011.
  Where in the source: October 2008; September 2010; March 2011
  Accessed: 2026-09-12
Atos BJJ On Demand, "Homepage" (accessed 2026-09-12).(opens in a new tab)
- Atos BJJ On Demand currently identifies André Galvão as Head Professor at Atos HQ in San Diego.
  Where in the source: Andre Galvao — Head Professor, Atos HQ
  Accessed: 2026-09-12
Atos BJJ On Demand, “Insane Pressure Pass,” 2023.(opens in a new tab)
- Atos published a 2023 fundamental-class lesson in which Galvão teaches pressure passing.
  Where in the source: Insane Pressure Pass; Passing; 01/10/2023.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
- Atos says Galvão received his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from Luís “Careca” Dagmar.
  Where in the source: Insane Pressure Pass; black belt from Luis “Careca” Dagmar.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
ADCC News, "ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship Statistics" (accessed 2026-09-12).(opens in a new tab)
- ADCC's statistics list André Galvão as its 2011 double-gold winner in the -88kg division and Absolute.
  Where in the source: ADCC DOUBLE GOLD WINNERS — 2011 (-88kg and Absolute)
  Accessed: 2026-09-12
- ADCC's statistics list André Galvão as main superfight winner in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
  Where in the source: MULTIPLE TIMES ADCC MAIN SUPERFIGHT WINNERS — 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019
  Accessed: 2026-09-12
IBJJF, World Championship 2005, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- At the 2005 gi Worlds, Galvão won adult black-belt middleweight for TT Jiu-Jitsu.
  Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Middle; adjacent Medium Heavy.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
IBJJF, World Championship 2006, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- The 2006 gi Worlds placed Galvão second to Marcelo Garcia in adult black-belt middleweight.
  Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Middle; adjacent Medium Heavy.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
IBJJF, World Championship 2007, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- The 2007 gi Worlds list Lucas Leite first and Galvão second at adult black-belt middleweight.
  Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Middle; adjacent Medium Heavy.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
IBJJF, World Championship 2008, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- The 2008 gi Worlds show Galvão winning adult black-belt medium-heavy and sharing third in the open class.
  Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Medium Heavy and Open Class; adjacent divisions.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
IBJJF, World Championship 2014, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- The 2014 gi Worlds list Galvão first in adult black-belt heavyweight for Atos.
  Where in the source: Male / Adult / Black / Heavy; adjacent Medium Heavy.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
IBJJF, World Championship 2016, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- The 2016 gi Worlds list Galvão first in adult black-belt heavyweight for Atos.
  Where in the source: Male / Adult / Black / Heavy; adjacent Medium Heavy.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
IBJJF, World Championship 2017, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- The 2017 gi Worlds list Galvão first in adult black-belt medium-heavy for Atos.
  Where in the source: Male / Adult / Black / Medium Heavy; adjacent Heavy.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
FloGrappling, 2022 ADCC World Championships, results.(opens in a new tab)
- FloGrappling records Galvão losing the 2022 ADCC main superfight to Gordon Ryan by rear-naked choke.
  Where in the source: Results > Male > Superfight; Gordon Ryan W, Andre Galvao L.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
André Galvão, “On Winning ADCC 2019,” 1 February 2020.(opens in a new tab)
- In a 2020 interview, Galvão contrasted his early 2011 ADCC camp, with few black-belt partners, with the later depth of Atos HQ training.
  Where in the source: Has your training changed since your first ADCC win?
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
- Galvão said his ADCC camps temporarily displaced regular teaching, while yearly gi tournaments required him to balance competition with coaching and school management.
  Where in the source: Is your strategy/game different in no-gi than in the gi?
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
André Galvão, “Why Online BJJ Training Is Important,” 29 January 2020.(opens in a new tab)
- Galvão launched Atos Online Academy in 2016 to let students revisit class details, while stressing that video supplements rather than replaces live training.
  Where in the source: Why launch an online BJJ training platform?; How should a student use Atos Online?
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
- For beginners Galvão emphasizes defense and escapes from guard, side control, mount and back; for advanced students he stresses weight, positional control and submission sequences.
  Where in the source: What five things should every lower belt master?; brown belt/black belt?
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
Danny O’Donnell, IBJJF, 13 December 2023.(opens in a new tab)
- After Atos won both adult team divisions at the 2023 No-Gi Worlds, Galvão described coaching its San Diego athletes through situational drills, defense and technique combinations.
  Where in the source: Atos team titles; preparation of Ronaldo, Javier Zaruski and Gabi McComb.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
Danny O’Donnell, IBJJF, 19 July 2023.(opens in a new tab)
- IBJJF reported Galvão promoting Atos athlete Rafael Silveira to black belt after his 2023 brown-belt World title; Silveira credited André and Angelica Galvão with his development.
  Where in the source: Rafael Silveira; black-belt promotion after 2023 Worlds.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
André Galvão, Atos HQ, 3 January 2024.(opens in a new tab)
- In a 2024 first-person post, Galvão links Atos competition classes to consistent practice and says the team shares filmed lessons online.
  Where in the source: The Secret to Team Atos’s Success; first competition class of 2024.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
André Galvão, Atos HQ, 2 June 2026.(opens in a new tab)
- In June 2026 Galvão wrote that he still helped develop Atos champions and that the HQ filmed weekly classes for online students.
  Where in the source: Atos at the 2026 Worlds; THIS IS WHY I DO IT.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04
André Galvão, “The Businessman,” undated, retrieved 2026-10-04.(opens in a new tab)
- Galvão’s official site describes Atos affiliates across multiple countries and his teaching through an online academy, a coauthored drill book and seminars.
  Where in the source: Atos affiliate program; Online Academy; Drill to Win; Seminars.
  Accessed: 2026-10-04

Competition results

Recorded tournament results, newest first
Year	Event	Result	Division
2022	ADCC 2022Source: adcombat.comNo-giVerified	2nd place	No-giVerified
2019	ADCC 2019Source: adcombat.comNo-giVerified	1st place	No-giVerified
2017	ADCC 2017Source: adcombat.comNo-giVerified	1st place	No-giVerified
2017	IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-88 kgGiVerified	1st place	-88 kgGiVerified
2016	IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-94 kgGiVerified	1st place	-94 kgGiVerified
2015	ADCC 2015Source: adcombat.comNo-giVerified	1st place	No-giVerified
2014	IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-94 kgGiVerified	1st place	-94 kgGiVerified
2013	ADCC 2013Source: adcombat.comNo-giVerified	1st place	No-giVerified
2011	ADCC 2011Source: adcombat.com-88 kgNo-giVerified	1st place	-88 kgNo-giVerified
2011	ADCC 2011Source: adcombat.comAbsoluteNo-giVerified	1st place	AbsoluteNo-giVerified
2009	ADCC 2009Source: adcombat.com-88 kgNo-giVerified	2nd place	-88 kgNo-giVerified
2008	IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-88 kgGiVerified	1st place	-88 kgGiVerified
2007	ADCC 2007Source: adcombat.comAbsoluteNo-giVerified	3rd place	AbsoluteNo-giVerified
2007	ADCC 2007Source: adcombat.com-77 kgNo-giVerified	3rd place	-77 kgNo-giVerified
2005	IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-82 kgGiVerified	1st place	-82 kgGiVerified