Arnaldo Alves
“Pitbull”
Source: bjjee.comArnaldo “Pitbull” Alves co-founded Brazilian Power Team in Portugal and taught future academy leaders across Europe.
Biography
Sources for this profile
FPJJB, BPT academy directory.(opens in a new tab)
The Portuguese federation lists Arnaldo “Pitbull” among BPT’s black-belt teachers.
Where in the source: Professores: faixa Preta.
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The federation lists Alves with Marcelo Rosa and Marcelo Bernardo at Brazilian Power Team.
Where in the source: Professores.
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BPT Odivelas, Denis Araújo profile.(opens in a new tab)
Odivelas places Alves after Jairo Moura and before Denis Araújo in its teaching lineage.
Where in the source: Linaje: Jairo Moura.
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BPT Odivelas identifies its technical director Denis Araújo as Alves’s pupil, teaching both children and competitors.
Where in the source: Sobre el Profesor Denis: Discípulo.
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BJJEE, Daniel Riou interview, 27 February 2017.(opens in a new tab)
Riou identifies his teacher as Arnaldo “Pitbull” Alves.
Where in the source: Introduction: Pitbull.
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Riou dates BPT’s founding in Lisbon to 2004 and names Alves, Marcelo Bernardo and Marcello Rosa as its founders.
Where in the source: Team answer: founded in 2004.
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Riou says he began training with Alves and Bernardo in 2005, in a small gym near his hometown.
Where in the source: How did you start training?
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Riou credits both Alves and Bernardo for his black belt and describes himself leading BPT’s Estoril affiliate.
Where in the source: Introduction; ESTORIL Affiliate.
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White 2 Black Academy, Sara Fonseca biography.(opens in a new tab)
Sara Fonseca’s academy biography dates her first training with Rosa, Alves and Bernardo to 2000.
Where in the source: Sara Fonseca: 2000.
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Fonseca later taught in Barcelona from 2009 and opened White 2 Black in Arizona with Italo Nunes in 2022.
Where in the source: Biography: 2009; 2022.
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BJJ Heroes, Nuno Martins biography.(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes describes Martins joining Alves at BPT after a period training with Reinaldo Ribeiro.
Where in the source: Biography: Arnaldo “Pitbull” Alves.
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The Martins biography dates his black belt from Alves to 2015; it says he subsequently left airline work and trained with Marco Barbosa in São Paulo.
Where in the source: Biography: black belt in 2015.
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Ziar de Cluj, Liviu Alexa, Cubleșan profile, 1 July 2015.(opens in a new tab)
The Cluj profile identifies Mircea Cubleșan as a black belt awarded by Arnaldo “Pitbull” Alves.
Where in the source: Opening: Arnaldo ”Pitbull” Alves.
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It traces Cubleșan’s BJJ introduction in Lisbon to Sergio Vita in 2003, then describes his Cluj team and the Iris Power Gym he opened with students in 2015.
Where in the source: 2003; Brazilian Power Team România.
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Gazeta Dâmboviței, Staicu report, 28 February 2013.(opens in a new tab)
A February 2013 report describes Alves teaching and grading in Cluj. The host said Cubleșan’s earlier training under him at BPT Portugal made the visit possible.
Where in the source: Opening; Mircea Cubleşan.
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Staicu received purple belt after assessment by Alves. He recalled endurance work and five minutes of sparring with the teacher, stressing what greater technique added to his fighting.
Where in the source: Sunt un luptător: 5 minute.
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The report describes Alves as Brazilian.
Where in the source: Examenul: maestrul brazilian.
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Jiu-Jitsu na Alta, visiting class, 20 October 2017.(opens in a new tab)
The Alta de Lisboa affiliate records a class with BPT co-founder Alves on 18 October 2017.
Where in the source: Na passada Quarta: 18 Outubro.
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Notícias de Cascais, Sofia Filipe, 25 January 2012.(opens in a new tab)
In January 2012, Notícias de Cascais described Alves as having practised jiu-jitsu for two decades and looking forward to its further growth.
Where in the source: Closing: duas décadas.
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The 2012 report described BPT expanding from Lisbon classes to ten academies and about 400 practitioners, including Riou’s Estoril school.
Where in the source: 10 academias; 400 praticantes.
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BPT Odivelas, academy history.(opens in a new tab)
Odivelas dates its own foundation to 2005 under Araújo and identifies itself as an affiliate of the team created by Alves, Rosa and Bernardo.
Where in the source: 2005: O Início de um Sonho.
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Joana Semedo, BPT fundraiser, 5 January 2025.(opens in a new tab)
A January 2025 fundraiser announced a January 11 seminar by Arnaldo Pitbull at Araújo’s Odivelas academy, with its €20 fee intended to support an injured teammate.
Where in the source: Story: Sábado dia 11 de janeiro.
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Lineage
No teaching connections are shown on this page.
Open lineage