One of the biggest names for jiu-jitsu in Santa Cruz - California, Claudio Franca is a pioneer for BJJ in the United States, and one of the first instructors to open an academy on American soil. A Francisco Mansor black belt (5th degree), Claudio Franca has greatly developed jiu-jitsu in the USA through his academy and also by organizing and promoting the important US Open BJJ tournament, one of the top competitions in jiu-jitsu's calendar. Claudio Franca was also one of the organizers of the Copa Atlântico Sul an important Brazilian tournament that ran during the 1980s and 1990s.