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Gustavo Machado

Gustavo “Guga” Machado moved from Brazil to Virginia in 1998 and started a Renzo Gracie team in Virginia Beach.

Biography

Gustavo “Guga” Machado has a documented teaching path that begins with a move from Brazil to Virginia in 1998. Top Game BJJ’s instructor biography then places him with a Renzo Gracie Competition Team in Virginia Beach before a later Gracie Barra affiliation. The same account names Carlos Gracie Jr. and Jean Jacques Machado among his instructors. R1ng BJJ’s current academy directory places Gustavo Machado BJJ in Virginia Beach and includes entries marked Gustavo Machado BJJ Affiliated in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Gustavo Machado BJJ Fairfax presents Carlos Gracie Jr., Roberto “Gordo” Corrêa, and Machado as the path to its mats. Its head-instructor biography says Samuel Romanzo has 29 years of Brazilian jiu-jitsu experience under Machado. Joshua Clements’ public Beltchecker profile records promotions by Machado from 2009 through 2024, including a black-belt promotion in December 2020.

Sources for this profile

  • R1ng BJJ, “Academies,” accessed 13 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • R1ng BJJ’s public academy directory lists Gustavo Machado BJJ at a Virginia Beach address and lists Gustavo Machado BJJ Affiliated academies in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.

      Where in the source: “ACADEMIES” — USA sections for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia; the Virginia entry “Gustavo Machado BJJ / 1944 Laskin Rd Suite 401 / Virginia Beach VA 23454”.

      Accessed:

  • Gustavo Machado BJJ Fairfax, “About Gustavo Machado BJJ Fairfax,” accessed 13 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • Gustavo Machado BJJ Fairfax presents Carlos Gracie Jr., Roberto “Gordo” Corrêa, and Gustavo Machado as its lineage path, and says its head instructor Samuel Romanzo has 29 years of Brazilian jiu-jitsu experience under Gustavo Machado.

      Where in the source: “The path to our mats” — the Carlos Gracie Jr., Roberto “Gordo” Corrêa, and “Gustavo Machado BJJ Association / Gustavo Machado” entries; and “Samuel Romanzo” — sentence beginning “Along with 29 years”.

      Accessed:

  • Top Game BJJ, “Instructors,” accessed 13 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • Top Game BJJ’s instructor biography places Gustavo “Guga” Machado’s move from Brazil to Virginia in 1998, then describes a Virginia Beach Renzo Gracie Competition Team followed by a Gracie Barra affiliation. It separately says Roberto “Gordo” Correa awarded his black belt in October 2000 and names Carlos Gracie Jr. and Jean Jacques Machado among his instructors.

      Where in the source: “Instructor: Gustavo ‘Guga’ Machado” — lines beginning “Received his black belt”, “Trained under Professors”, and “Gustavo moved to Virginia from Brazil in 1998.”

      Accessed:

  • Beltchecker, “Joshua Clements” profile, accessed 13 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • Joshua Clements’ public Beltchecker profile records promotions by Gustavo Machado from 2009 through 2024 and labels the December 2020 event as a black-belt promotion by Machado.

      Where in the source: “Promotion history” — entries dated 23 October 2010 through 24 February 2024 marked “Promoted by: Gustavo Machado”; gallery caption “Gustavo Machado promoting me to Black Belt Dec. 12, 2020.”

      Accessed:

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