Mário Yokoyama
Mario Yokoyama grew a Sydney backyard class into myBJJ, building a school where teaching and his own learning could continue.
Biography
Sources for this profile
myBJJ, History and Association(opens in a new tab)
The team’s history dates its beginnings to Yokoyama’s backyard in 2007.
Where in the source: Association opening
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myBJJ describes a Sydney headquarters with affiliated clubs in Japan, New Zealand, Korea and Brazil.
Where in the source: Association
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Its association offers curriculum development, instructor training and a business network for schools.
Where in the source: Association final paragraphs
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myBJJ identifies Mario Sergio Yokoyama as its founder.
Where in the source: Where does myBJJ fit in?
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The academy he founded is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.
Where in the source: Association and headquarters footer
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BJJ Heroes, Mario Sergio Yokoyama(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes identifies the São Paulo-born Ryan Gracie student as Mario Sergio Yokoyama.
Where in the source: Full name and biography opening
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BJJ Heroes gives his birth date as 24 April 1979 in São Paulo.
Where in the source: Biography opening
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According to BJJ Heroes, Yokoyama first trained judo, then studied jiu-jitsu with Roberto Lage, who promoted him through purple belt.
Where in the source: Biography opening
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BJJ Heroes places his move to Australia in 2004, explaining that his wife was Australian.
Where in the source: Biography second paragraph
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myBJJ Miyazawa, About myBJJ Team(opens in a new tab)
The myBJJ Miyazawa academy dates Yokoyama’s black-belt promotion by Ryan Gracie to 27 April 2006.
Where in the source: Founder section and lineage
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Toshi Miyazawa’s academy says he has trained under Yokoyama since 2008 and draws its syllabus and grading standards from that relationship.
Where in the source: Founder section
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Flo Alcasas, interview with Mario Yokoyama, 30 July 2018(opens in a new tab)
Yokoyama told Flo Alcasas that he entered Lage’s school at thirteen to improve his judo groundwork and was helping teach by purple belt.
Where in the source: Student and Teacher
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He recalled teaching police in Japan before starting Australian classes in his garden with three students.
Where in the source: Student and Teacher
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Growing classes forced repeated moves; he described Marrickville as the point where myBJJ developed its identity, followed by larger Camperdown premises.
Where in the source: Student and Teacher, locations
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He wanted a school where he could train and keep learning alongside his students.
Where in the source: Student and Teacher, repeated concluding quote
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Yokoyama said visits to other schools and invited teachers helped him develop new approaches to training.
Where in the source: Paragraph beginning Sometimes I like to go away
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He recalled four years at white belt under Lage and carried forward the idea that ability mattered more than belt colour.
Where in the source: Belts and Grading Systems
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He preferred to promote each student when ready, giving the belt as a gift rather than waiting for a fixed grading date.
Where in the source: Belts and Grading Systems
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He described students staying after classes to discuss techniques and building close friendships through training.
Where in the source: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Australia
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During the 2018 visit, Alcasas observed Yokoyama teaching a children’s holiday class.
Where in the source: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: An Art for All Ages
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Graciemag, Welcome to Gracie Oceania, 29 September 2010(opens in a new tab)
In September 2010, Graciemag reported that Gracie Oceania in Marrickville, Sydney, was led by Ryan Gracie black belt Mario Sergio Yokoyama, with Adriano Magnani also teaching there.
Where in the source: Full contemporary GMA announcement
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myBJJ, Instructors & Staff, expanded public biographies(opens in a new tab)
The school credits Yokoyama with developing its curriculum and instructor development programs.
Where in the source: Mario expanded panel #myModal1
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myBJJ identifies Yokoyama as a fifth-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Ryan Gracie and also a judo black belt.
Where in the source: Mario expanded panel #myModal1
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His current myBJJ instructor biography lists fifth degree on his BJJ black belt.
Where in the source: Mario expanded panel #myModal1
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The academy says Ben Gottlieb began training under Yokoyama in 2012 and now teaches there as a black belt.
Where in the source: Ben Gottlieb expanded panel #myModal4
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Matt Lim’s instructor biography identifies him as a black belt under Yokoyama.
Where in the source: Matt Lim expanded panel #myModal6
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Kangjin Choi’s biography says he joined myBJJ as a purple belt in 2015 and later became a black belt running its Lidcombe school.
Where in the source: Kangjin Choi expanded panel #myModal14
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His academy lists CFC and King of the Ring lightweight MMA titles among his achievements.
Where in the source: Mario expanded panel, titlelist
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myBJJ Nelson, History(opens in a new tab)
The Nelson academy identifies Stuart Marks as Yokoyama’s first student to progress from white to black belt entirely under him.
Where in the source: History middle paragraph
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It describes a relationship lasting over twenty years, with Marks travelling to Sydney and Yokoyama visiting New Zealand to teach and supervise the branch.
Where in the source: History, friendship and visits paragraph
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Asturkón/Crazy Team blog, Chiquito interview with Ezekiel Zayas(opens in a new tab)
Ezekiel Zayas recalled that Yokoyama gave him Saturday teaching time in one of his Japanese dojos and helped him find work when he was establishing himself in Japan.
Where in the source: Preguntas interesantes a gente interesante: Ezekiel Zayas, answer about hardest/easiest parts of Japan
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Flo Alcasas, myBJJ trial-class account, 29 June 2018(opens in a new tab)
During her June 2018 visit, Alcasas witnessed Yokoyama present instructor Salvador with his black belt at the end of a fundamentals class.
Where in the source: My Trial Class Experience
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Alcasas described the class as beginning with practical self-defense and progressing toward competition-focused training at higher levels.
Where in the source: My Trial Class Experience
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Pancrase official report, DEEP2001 4th Impact,30 March2002(opens in a new tab)
Pancrase’s contemporary report lists Mario Sergio Yokoyama defeating Hitoyo Kimura by TKO between rounds at DEEP 2001 4 th Impact in Nagoya on 30 March 2002.
Where in the source: Future fight#4 and eventheader
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IBJJF, World No-Gi Championship2012 results(opens in a new tab)
The 2012 IBJJF World No-Gi results place Mario Sergio de O. Yokoyama second in male Master 1 black-belt featherweight, representing Gracie Elite Team.
Where in the source: Male/Master1/Black/Feather149.00lb fulltable
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IBJJF, Melbourne No-Gi Open2015 results(opens in a new tab)
At the 2015 Melbourne IBJJF No-Gi Open, he placed first in male Master 1 black-belt middleweight and open class for MyBJJ Team.
Where in the source: Master1/Black/Male/Middle79.50kg and OpenClass fulltables
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