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Kazeka Muniz

Kazeka Muniz is a sixth-degree BJJ black belt who combined wrestling with jiu-jitsu and promoted the Philippines' first home-grown black belt.

Biography

Kazeka Muniz is a sixth-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. and head coach of AMMA Fight Team in Cleveland, Georgia. His path into jiu-jitsu began with wrestling: Muniz says he started freestyle wrestling at seven and jiu-jitsu in November 1994. Muniz says he trained with Gracie Barra from 1995 through 2000. Carlos Gracie Jr. promoted him to black belt in 1998. Muniz described developing a teaching approach built from the fundamentals of both wrestling and jiu-jitsu. In the interview, Muniz explained that the fundamentals he taught had to work for students with different physical abilities rather than depend on his own speed or athleticism. BJJ Metrics records him as the Master 2 featherweight winner at the 2009 American championship, representing Kazeka BJJ. Official IBJJF results place him third in the Master 3 black-belt middleweight division at the 2017 American No-Gi Championship, competing under Gracie Barra. AMMA's official biography says Muniz also coached Azerbaijan's men's wrestling team and that athletes on the team won two gold medals and one bronze at the 2012 London Olympics. His coaching also extended to the Philippines. In 2006, Muniz awarded Alvin Aguilar his black belt. DEFTAC Philippines' official history identifies Aguilar as the country's first home-grown black belt.

Sources for this profile

  • AMMA Fight Team, official website, ‘The Coaches’, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • AMMA Fight Team's current official site identifies Kazeka Muniz as its head coach in Cleveland, Georgia, teaching Brazilian jiu-jitsu, MMA and wrestling.

      Where in the source: The Coaches → Kazeka Muniz; ‘Head Coach’; Location → Cleveland, GA.

      Accessed:

    • The official AMMA profile says Muniz began Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 1994 and was promoted to black belt by Carlos Gracie Jr. in 1998.

      Where in the source: The Coaches → Kazeka Muniz, paragraph describing his start in jiu-jitsu and promotion; ‘In 1998’.

      Accessed:

    • AMMA currently lists Muniz as a sixth-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.

      Where in the source: Kazeka Muniz → Belt Rank; ‘6th Degree Black Belt’.

      Accessed:

    • AMMA describes Muniz as an international freestyle wrestler and coach whose athletes on Azerbaijan's men's wrestling team won two gold medals and one bronze at the 2012 London Olympics.

      Where in the source: The Coaches → Kazeka Muniz, Olympic paragraph; ‘Olympic Coaching’.

      Accessed:

  • Grapplers Paradise, ‘High Level Wrestling & Jiu Jitsu – Kazeka Muniz Interview’, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • In an interview, Muniz said he began freestyle wrestling at seven, started jiu-jitsu in November 1994, trained with Gracie Barra between 1995 and 2000, and built his teaching around wrestling and jiu-jitsu fundamentals that should work for students with different physical abilities rather than depend on his own speed or athleticism.

      Where in the source: Opening answer, then answer to the teaching-approach question; ‘November in 1994’, ‘between 1995 and 2000’, and the explanation of adapting fundamentals to students with different physical abilities.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Championship Results 754, official public results.(opens in a new tab)

    • Official IBJJF results list Kazeka Muniz of Gracie Barra in third place in the Master 3 male black-belt middle division at the 2017 American No-Gi championship.

      Where in the source: Athletes Results By Category → ‘MASTER 3 / MALE / BLACK / MIDDLE’; Kazeka Muniz, second third-place row, Gracie Barra.

      Accessed:

  • BJJ Metrics, ‘Kazeka Muniz’, competition profile, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • BJJ Metrics records Muniz as a black-belt competitor and lists the 2017 American No-Gi bronze and a 2009 American title at Master 2 featherweight under Kazeka BJJ.

      Where in the source: Competition Results; American No-Gi 2017 and American 2009 rows, with Division, Place and Team columns.

      Accessed:

  • DEFTAC Philippines, ‘Our History’, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • DEFTAC Philippines' official history says Kazeka Muniz awarded Alvin Aguilar his black belt in 2006, making Aguilar the Philippines' first home-grown black belt.

      Where in the source: Our History, paragraph covering the black-belt promotion after the 2005 return; ‘in 2006’.

      Accessed:

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