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Flavio Almeida

“Cachorrinho”

Source: bjjheroes.com

Discover how Cachorrinho left corporate work, won ADCC silver, and brought a competitor's eye to Gracie Barra's teaching and development.

Biography

Flavio Alves de Almeida, better known as Cachorrinho, is a jiu-jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. whose career connects elite competition with teaching and organizational development. He is also the younger brother of Ricardo Almeida, but his own path was shaped by a deliberate return to the mat after university and corporate work. BJJ Heroes reports that Almeida was born in 1979 and raised in Rio de Janeiro. According to its biography, he began karate at twelve and followed his brother into jiu-jitsu a year later at Gracie Barra, developing around Carlos Gracie Jr., Marcio Feitosa, and Renzo Gracie. Gracie Barra identifies Carlos Gracie Jr. as the instructor under whom Almeida earned his black belt. Its public page also labels Almeida fifth degree, but no dated promotion record was located, so this profile does not state a current belt degree. Almeida's route into full-time jiu-jitsu was not a straight line. In a 2010 interview, he said that he graduated from UFRJ in 2003, specialized in Environmental Economics, and entered corporate work. He credited Ricardo Almeida, Marcio Feitosa, and Carlos Gracie Jr. with supporting his move toward a life centered on jiu-jitsu. BJJ Heroes dates his return to full-time training to 2006 and says he later opened a Gracie Barra school in California. The clearest official result from his competitive career is a silver medal in the men's under-88 kg division at the 2007 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship. Gracie Barra Online also describes him as a multiple-time World Masters black belt champion, although a complete official IBJJF record was not located for this profile. Competition also fed into Almeida's work away from the podium. In a 2013 interview, he said it kept him attentive to technical developments and improved his work as a Gracie Barra executive. An undated Gracie Barra Institute page identifies him as the organization's Head of Development and presents his instruction on the GB1 student experience and student motivation. That combination—competitor, coach, and organization builder—has defined the documented arc of his career.

Sources for this profile

  • BJJ Heroes athlete profile (publication date not shown).(opens in a new tab)

    • The subject is Flavio Alves de Almeida, known as Cachorrinho, and is Ricardo Almeida's younger brother.

      Where in the source: “Full Name” · “Nickname” · “older brother”

      Accessed:

    • Almeida first trained karate at age twelve, started jiu-jitsu a year later by following his brother to Gracie Barra, and developed around Carlos Gracie Jr., Marcio Feitosa, and Renzo Gracie.

      Where in the source: Biography — “12 years old”

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes describes Almeida as a long-time Gracie Barra representative who returned to full-time jiu-jitsu in 2006 and later opened a Gracie Barra school in California.

      Where in the source: “Team/Association” · “in 2006” · “opened his own place”

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes reports that Flavio Almeida was born in 1979 and raised in Rio de Janeiro.

      Where in the source: Biography — “born in 1979”

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag newsroom, 16 March 2010.(opens in a new tab)

    • In a first-person interview, Almeida said he graduated from UFRJ in 2003, specialized in Environmental Economics, and moved from corporate work into a life centered on jiu-jitsu with support from Ricardo Almeida, Marcio Feitosa, and Carlos Gracie Jr.

      Where in the source: “Me formei em 2003 pela UFRJ” · “com apoio do meu irmão”

      Accessed:

  • Gracie Barra Online, “Annual Training Pass” (publication date not shown).(opens in a new tab)

    • Gracie Barra Online identifies Flavio Almeida as a black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr., a multiple-time World Masters black belt champion, and a coach; the page labels him fifth degree.

      Where in the source: “Professor Flavio Almeida, a Fifth Degree Black Belt under Master Carlos Gracie Jr.” · “multiple-time World Masters Black Belt Champion”

      Accessed:

  • ADCC Federation, “ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship 2007,” 4 May 2007.(opens in a new tab)

    • Flavio Almeida won the silver medal in the men's under-88 kg division at the 2007 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship.

      Where in the source: 2007 RESULTS — -88kg — “Silver, 2nd, Flavio Almeida”

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag newsroom, 6 September 2013.(opens in a new tab)

    • In 2013, Graciemag described Almeida as a professor, executive, and one of Gracie Barra's leaders; Almeida said competition kept him attentive to technical developments and improved his work as a Gracie Barra executive.

      Where in the source: “um dos cabeças da Gracie Barra” · “melhora muito meu desempenho como executivo”

      Accessed:

  • Gracie Barra Institute, “GB Leaders Share Winning ICP Strategies” (publication date not shown).(opens in a new tab)

    • A Gracie Barra Institute page identifies Flavio Almeida as Gracie Barra's Head of Development and presents his instruction on improving the GB1 student experience and student motivation.

      Where in the source: “Professor Flavio Almeida, Gracie Barra's Head of Development” · “How to improve the learning experience of your GB1 Students”

      Accessed:

Competition results

Recorded tournament results, newest first
YearEventResultDivision
2007ADCC 2007Source: adcombat.com-88 kgNo-giVerified2nd place-88 kgNo-giVerified

Lineage

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Students1