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Manuel Farfan Arias

Manuel Farfán Arias combines adult black-belt competition for Movement Art with leading adult and competition instruction at Rollstar.

Biography

Manuel Farfán Arias is a Peruvian competitor from Lima who holds his black belt under Gonzalo Otero and represents Movement Art. His competitive record spans gi jiu-jitsu, practised in the traditional jacket, and no-gi competition without it. In 2022, representing Combat Base, he won the adult brown-belt featherweight division at the New Orleans IBJJF No-Gi Open, listed at 149 lb. By 2023 he was competing at black belt for Movement Art, winning adult light-featherweight gold at the Miami Fall IBJJF Open in the 141.6 lb division. At the 2024 New York Spring IBJJF No-Gi Open, he added adult black-belt featherweight gold at 149 lb. His 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam campaign in Dallas ended with silver in the adult black-belt 62 kg division. BJJ Heroes’ report records a semifinal submission win over Willis Nunes with a straight ankle lock, followed by a 6–1 loss to Yuri Hendrex in the final. On 6 December 2024, Farfán Arias faced Abdulmalik Al-Murdhi in a jiu-jitsu bout at ADXC 8 in Al Ain. The organiser’s written account described Al-Murdhi’s stronger top work in the first round, then Farfán Arias using his guard—the lower position in which the legs help control an opponent—to come out on top in the second. He lost the bout by split decision. At the 2025 New York Spring IBJJF Open, he won adult black-belt light-featherweight gold at 141.6 lb for Movement Art. Alongside competing, he works at Rollstar Jiu Jitsu Academy in Maryland as Head Jiu Jitsu and Competition Instructor, helping develop its adult and competition programmes. The academy describes his educational background as kinesiology and exercise science and identifies him as a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer. His role includes teaching and coaching competitors locally and internationally.

Sources for this profile

  • RollstarJiuJitsuAcademy, complete ManuelFarfánArias two-paragraph coach biography androle(opens in a new tab)

    • ManuelFarfánArias is a nativeofLima,Peru.

      Where in the source: CompleteManueltwo-paragraphbiography underownheading inMarylandsection.

      Accessed:

    • He holds hisblackbelt underGonzaloOtero.

      Where in the source: Entirefirstparagraph undernamedheading.

      Accessed:

    • He representsMovementArt incompetition.

      Where in the source: Fullownschoolfirstparagraph, crosscheckedactualofficialIBJJF2023–25teams.

      Accessed:

    • AtRollstarMaryland, heisHeadJiuJitsuandCompetitionInstructor, helpingdevelopadultandcompetitionprogrammes.

      Where in the source: Wholeheading andsecondparagraph, nototherteacherbios.

      Accessed:

    • Theacademy says hiseducationalbackground includeskinesiology andexercisescience.

      Where in the source: WholeManuelsecondparagraph.

      Accessed:

    • It also identifieshim as aNationalAcademyofSportsMedicine certifiedpersonaltrainer.

      Where in the source: Entiresecondparagraph, explicitNASMcertification.

      Accessed:

    • His role combines teaching andcoaching competitors locally andinternationally.

      Where in the source: Completeclosingsecondparagraph.

      Accessed:

  • BJJHeroes, full1October2024 DallasADGS article andentireadultblack62kg report/results(opens in a new tab)

    • He is aPeruviancompetitor.

      Where in the source: Whole62kgsection firstidentifiesManuelFarfanAriasPeruvian andMovementArt, thenboutrowsEduardoFarfan.

      Accessed:

    • He finishedsecond in theadultblack-belt62kgdivision at the2024AbuDhabiGrandSlam inDallas.

      Where in the source: Wholearticleopeningeventcontext, full62kgbody+allsemifinal/final/thirdplacerows.

      Accessed:

    • TheDallas report records a semifinalwin overWillisNunes bystraightanklelock before a6–1finalloss toYuriHendrex.

      Where in the source: Whole62kgsemifinal/finalrows afterfullnamedPeruvianparagraph.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF official2022NewOrleansNoGi fullMaleAdultBrownFeather149lb podium(opens in a new tab)

    • At the2022NewOrleansIBJJFNoGiOpen, hewongold inMaleAdultBrownFeather149lb forCombatBase.

      Where in the source: Eventtitle andentirethree-rowMALE/ADULT/BROWN/FEATHER149LBpodium, allteams/nextcategoryboundary.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF official2023MiamiFall fullMaleAdultBlackLightFeather141.6lb podium(opens in a new tab)

    • By2023 hewas competing atblackbelt, winningMaleAdultBlackLightFeather141.6lb at theMiamiFallIBJJFOpen forMovementArt.

      Where in the source: Wholeeventtitle andentiretwo-rowMALE/ADULT/BLACK/LIGHTFEATHER141.60LBpodium withneighbourboundaries.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF official2024NewYorkSpringNoGi fullMaleAdultBlackFeather149lb podium(opens in a new tab)

    • He wonMaleAdultBlackFeather149lb at the2024NewYorkSpringIBJJFNoGiOpen forMovementArt.

      Where in the source: Entirefour-rowMALE/ADULT/BLACK/FEATHER149LBpodium plusoriginaleventheader.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF official2025NewYorkSpring fullMaleAdultBlackLightFeather141.6lb podium(opens in a new tab)

    • He wonMaleAdultBlackLightFeather141.6lb at the2025NewYorkSpringIBJJFOpen forMovementArt.

      Where in the source: Entirefour-rowMALE/ADULT/BLACK/LIGHTFEATHER141.60LBpodium andeventheader.

      Accessed:

  • AbuDhabiJiuJitsuPro, complete6December2024 ADXC8 officialbout report andcard(opens in a new tab)

    • He facedAbdulmalikAl-Murdhi in ajiu-jitsubout atADXC8 inAlAin on6December2024, losingby splitdecision.

      Where in the source: Completeofficialeventdateline, fullAbdulmalikvsEduardosection andmatchingfinalcardrow.

      Accessed:

    • Theorganiser’sreport describes him using hisguard to comeout ontop in thesecondround, afterAl-Murdhi’sstrongerfirst-roundtopwork.

      Where in the source: Entirepersonboutparagraph, allthree-roundcontext.

      Accessed:

Lineage

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Open lineage