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Nino Schembri

“Elvis”

Source: web.archive.org

Rio-born Gracie Barra guard player credited by BJJ Heroes with popularizing the omoplata in 1990s competition, who later beat Kazushi Sakuraba in Pride.

Biography

Antonio "Nino" Schembri is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from Rio de Janeiro, a student of Carlos Gracie Jr. who competed for Gracie Barra in the 1990s. He fought from the guard, the position in which a grappler works off his back, and BJJ Heroes credits his technique with making the omoplata, a shoulder lock, a popular competition move in the mid-1990s. When an OnTheMat interviewer asked how he had come up with moves the interviewer had never seen, Schembri's answer was that he cared more about submissions than points and tried to invent new ways to finish. He was born in Rio de Janeiro on June 1, 1974. According to BJJ Heroes, Nino is a Portuguese short form of Antonio, while his other nickname, Elvis, came from his admiration for Elvis Presley and his habit of copying Presley's dance moves to celebrate wins. His academy's instructor biography from 2012 says he began training at five under Marcelo and Silvio Behring in Nova Ipanema, in Rio, and at 13 started elite-level training under Jorge Pereira, whom it credits with shaping his early game. At 18, as a blue belt, he moved to Gracie Barra to train under Carlos Gracie Jr. and Renzo Gracie, and two years later he was promoted to black belt. BJJ Heroes adds that his father was born in Italy, that Schembri helped him sell duvets at a street market, and that he found it hard to keep pace with better-off rivals who could train full-time. The omoplata was not new. Otávio Peixotinho, a Carlson Gracie student in the 1970s and 1980s, told BJJ Heroes that the move existed in his day but was tried in training rather than in competition, and that not even Rickson or Rolls Gracie used it. BJJ Heroes, which calls Schembri the king of the omoplata, ties its rise to a 1994 rule change by the CBJJ that began awarding points for a reversal from the position, and to Schembri himself. In its account, he showed other competitors what the move could do, using it to set up sweeps, which reverse the position, as well as armbars and chokes. The same site calls the gogoplata, a choke, his creation. The story of the rubber guard is less settled. BJJ Heroes says the position's origin is unknown, that it was first seen in competition when Schembri used it in the late 1990s, and that Eddie Bravo took it up in the early 2000s and developed it much further. OnTheMat gives Schembri a bigger part. In 2009 it described him as part of Bravo's inspiration from the time Bravo was a blue belt. In 2014 it credited him with developing much of what Bravo later turned into the rubber guard, and with inventing the gogoplata. In Schembri's own telling, the names came later than the positions. Asked by BJJ Heroes about the rubber guard, he said that to him it was one more variation of the open guard, and that he first heard the name in the United States around 2009, when a student told him he was one of its creators; if he gave every position a name, he added, there would be no end to them. The same site lists him among the earliest grapplers on record with the lasso guard. In another of its articles he said that in his day everything was simply called open guard, and that he had been playing the lasso guard for 25 years when someone in the US told him its name. At Gracie Barra his training partners included Márcio Feitosa. Speaking to OnTheMat, he called Carlos Gracie his master and pointed to Renzo Gracie as the model of a fighter who always looks for the finish. The IBJJF's published results show him winning both his weight class and the open class at the 1996 Brazilian National Championship, and his weight class at the 1999 Pan American Championship. At the World Championship the results list him second in 1997, behind Saulo Ribeiro of Gracie Humaitá; in 1998, behind Rafael Correa, also of Gracie Barra; and in 2000, behind Fernando Tererê of Alliance. BJJ Heroes records the 1997 final as a loss on advantages and the 2000 final as a 2-0 loss on points. It lists 1997 and 1998 among his world titles, with a footnote that one final was closed out with a teammate, meaning the two finalists from the same team did not fight it. The federation's results place him second in both years. Graciemag returned in 2020 to his match with Fernando Margarida in April 2000, the main event of the Taça da Amizade in São Paulo, a tournament between athletes from Rio and São Paulo. The magazine recalled that Schembri swept Margarida and won. BJJ Heroes gives the score as 5-0. Preparing for an ADCC event, the Abu Dhabi submission-grappling championship, he told OnTheMat that he liked its rules because they favored a fighter who wants to submit, and that he had been working more on chokes and sweeps because a strong opponent is hard to finish with an armbar or an omoplata. At ADCC 2001 in the United Arab Emirates, in the 88-kilogram division, he beat Akihiro Gono with a rear-naked choke and Alexander Savko with an omoplata, lost his semi-final to Saulo Ribeiro on a penalty, and took third place with a points win over Egan Inoue. Sanae Kikuta won the division. His academy later said he was voted the most technical competitor of that event. In 2001 he also began fighting in mixed martial arts. He won his professional debut at Pride 14 on May 27, 2001, submitting Johil de Oliveira with an armbar in the first round, and at Pride 25 on March 16, 2003, he beat Kazushi Sakuraba in the first round, by knees and soccer kicks according to Sherdog. Sakuraba won their rematch by unanimous decision at Pride Critical Countdown 2004 on June 20, 2004, a bout BJJ Heroes names as the earliest mainstream MMA footage of the rubber guard it knows of. Sherdog lists his professional record as five wins and five losses; the latest fight on that record is a first-round TKO loss to Mauro Chimento Jr. at Fury FC 7 in December 2008. Around the time of his MMA debut, according to BJJ Heroes, he left Gracie Barra for the Chute Boxe academy, spending many years there as its grappling coach and learning striking from Rafael Cordeiro. The same site says Maurício "Shogun" Rua received his black belt from Schembri after winning the Pride middleweight Grand Prix final. His academy's biography dates his teaching at Chute Boxe in Curitiba from 2004 and names Wanderlei Silva and Rua among the fighters he trained there. In 2006 he was back at the World Championship, where BJJ Heroes records a semi-final loss to André Galvão by clock choke. By September 2009 OnTheMat was reporting that he had made his home in the United States and had his own school in Manhattan Beach, California. In 2010, according to BJJ Heroes, he won the Fabio Santos open tournament. By 2012 his academy's website placed him at his school in Lawndale, also in California, and that year he faced Bill Cooper in a superfight at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo. In February 2013 he entered the adult division of the San Francisco Open, an IBJJF tournament, after years in which MMA had come first. Beforehand he told Graciemag that his students now took up far more of his attention and that he entered championships for fun when time allowed. He won the adult super-heavyweight division, beating Gustavo Sirizinho of Gracie Barra 5-0. In August 2014 Roberto "Gordo" Correa gave him the fifth degree on his black belt at his academy in California. Schembri wrote that it came after 19 years as a black belt, and that the day was also the anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. Later that year he came out of retirement for a 15-minute superfight in the gi, the jiu-jitsu uniform, against Vitor Shaolin at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo. He told Graciemag he had first said no to the invitation and changed his mind on hearing who the opponent would be. Shaolin recalled that the two had almost met in a tournament in the 1990s and called Schembri one of the most creative players in the sport. BJJ Heroes records an 8-0 points win for Shaolin. In 2017 Graciemag described him as an experienced, creative teacher who studies the details of ground positions old and new and every now and then produces something new. The example it presented was a sweep it called his invention, the labyrinth guard: with the opponent's arm trapped under his leg, he has an armbar ready and chances to sweep, and once he comes up on top the armbar is still on.

Sources for this profile

  • BJJ Heroes, 'Antonio "Nino" Schembri' (fighter biography, undated).(opens in a new tab)

    • BJJ Heroes says he was born Antonio Schembri on 1 June 1974 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

      Where in the source: Biography section, first sentence — 'born on the 1st of June 1974'

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes describes him as a jiu-jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. who came to prominence in the mid-1990s competing for the Gracie Barra academy.

      Where in the source: Opening paragraph — 'black belt under Carlos Gracie Junior'

      Accessed:

    • According to BJJ Heroes, 'Nino' is a Portuguese short form of Antonio, and the nickname 'Elvis' comes from his admiration for Elvis Presley and his habit of copying Presley's dance moves when celebrating wins.

      Where in the source: Profile panel, nickname entry

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes says his father was born in Italy, that Schembri helped him sell duvets at a street market, and that he found it hard to keep up with better-off competitors who could train full-time.

      Where in the source: Biography section, third paragraph, on his family and the street market

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes calls him the king of the omoplata, says he built that game on a flexible, attacking guard, and counts him among the first grapplers recorded using the lasso guard and the rubber guard.

      Where in the source: Opening paragraph — 'king of the omoplata'

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes says he used the guard as an attacking tool, and names the omoplata shoulder lock, the gogoplata choke and an early version of what is now called the rubber guard among his best-known moves.

      Where in the source: Biography section, fourth paragraph, on his creativity and flexibility

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes says that around the time of his 2001 MMA debut he left Gracie Barra for the Chute Boxe academy, where he was the grappling coach for many years and learned striking from Rafael Cordeiro.

      Where in the source: Biography section, fifth paragraph, sentences on Chute Boxe

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes says that while at Chute Boxe he awarded Maurício 'Shogun' Rua his black belt, after Rua won the Pride FC middleweight Grand Prix final.

      Where in the source: Biography section, fifth paragraph, last sentence

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes says he returned to jiu-jitsu competition in 2010 and won the Fabio Santos open tournament.

      Where in the source: Biography section, last paragraph, first clause

      Accessed:

    • Conflicting accounts

      BJJ Heroes lists world titles in 1997 and 1998 among his main achievements, with a footnote that a final was closed out with a teammate, alongside the 1996 Brazilian national open-class title.

      Where in the source: Main achievements list and its asterisk footnote

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes' fight table records his 1997 world final at 82 kg as a loss to Saulo Ribeiro on advantages, and a 1998 world semi-final at 88 kg won by footlock over Rinaldo Santos.

      Where in the source: Fight history table, rows Saulo Ribeiro (1997) and Rinaldo Santos (1998)

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes' fight table records that at the 2000 World Championship he lost the 82 kg final to Fernando Tererê on points (2-0) and lost to Rodrigo Comprido by kimura in the open class.

      Where in the source: Fight history table, World Championship rows dated 2000

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes' fight table records his 2001 ADCC run at 88 kg: wins over Akihiro Gono by rear-naked choke and Alexander Savko by omoplata, a semi-final loss to Saulo Ribeiro on a penalty, and a points win over Egan Inoue for third place.

      Where in the source: Fight history table, ADCC rows dated 2001

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes' fight table records a 2006 World Championship run at 82 kg, with an 8-4 points win over Eduardo Rios and a semi-final loss to André Galvão by clock choke.

      Where in the source: Fight history table, World Championship rows dated 2006

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes' fight table records an 8-0 points loss to Vitor Shaolin in an open-weight superfight at the 2014 World Expo.

      Where in the source: Fight history table, World Expo row dated 2014

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes' fight table records a 5-0 points win over Fernando 'Margarida' in an open-weight superfight at a Rio versus São Paulo event in 2000.

      Where in the source: Fight history table, Rio versus São Paulo row dated 2000

      Accessed:

  • BJJ Heroes, 'The Omoplata' (technique article, undated).(opens in a new tab)

    • BJJ Heroes' history of the omoplata says the position became popular in competition in the mid-1990s through Schembri's technical advances, after a 1994 CBJJ rule change began awarding points for reversals from it.

      Where in the source: Opening paragraph and history section, paragraph on the 1994 rule change

      Accessed:

    • According to BJJ Heroes, Schembri showed other competitors how effective the omoplata could be, using it to set up sweeps as well as armbars and chokes.

      Where in the source: History section, paragraph after the rule change — 'opened the eyes of many fighters'

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes quotes Otávio 'Peixotinho', a Carlson Gracie student of the 1970s and 1980s, saying the omoplata existed but was something tried in training rather than competition, and that even Rickson and Rolls Gracie did not use it.

      Where in the source: History section, quote attributed to Otávio 'Peixotinho'

      Accessed:

  • BJJ Heroes, 'The Rubber Guard' (technique article, undated).(opens in a new tab)

    • BJJ Heroes says the rubber guard, whose origin is unknown, was first seen in competition used by Schembri in the late 1990s, and was later taken up and developed much further by Eddie Bravo in the early 2000s.

      Where in the source: Opening paragraph, on the position's origin

      Accessed:

    • Asked by BJJ Heroes about the rubber guard, Schembri said he saw it as just one variation of the open guard, that he only heard the name in the United States around 2009 when a student told him he was one of its creators, and that naming every position would produce endless names.

      Where in the source: History section, Schembri quote — 'just a variation of the open guard'

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes calls the gogoplata choke a creation of Schembri, and says the earliest mainstream MMA footage of the rubber guard it knows of is his 2004 Pride bout with Kazushi Sakuraba.

      Where in the source: History section, paragraph after the Schembri quote — 'a creation of Nino'

      Accessed:

  • Nino Schembri Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, 'Instructors' page (academy website, archived by the Wayback Machine 23 October 2012).(opens in a new tab)

    • As of 2012, the academy page says he was teaching at his own academy in Lawndale, California.

      Where in the source: Instructor entry, last sentence

      Accessed:

    • His academy's instructor page says he began training at age five under Marcelo and Silvio Behring in Nova Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, and at 13 began elite training under Jorge Pereira, who helped shape the early stages of his game.

      Where in the source: 'Nino Schembri' instructor entry, first two sentences

      Accessed:

    • The same page says he moved to the Gracie Barra academy as an 18-year-old blue belt to train under Carlos Gracie Jr. and Renzo Gracie, and was promoted to black belt after two years there.

      Where in the source: Instructor entry, third and fourth sentences — 'promoted to the acclaimed rank of black belt'

      Accessed:

    • The academy page says he was voted the most technical competitor at ADCC 2001.

      Where in the source: Instructor entry, sentence on ADCC 2001

      Accessed:

    • The academy page says that in 2004 he began teaching jiu-jitsu at the Chute Boxe academy in Curitiba, where he trained fighters including Wanderlei Silva and Maurício 'Shogun' Rua.

      Where in the source: Instructor entry, sentences on Chute Boxe

      Accessed:

  • BJJ Heroes, 'The Open Guard' (feature article, undated).(opens in a new tab)

    • Speaking to BJJ Heroes, Schembri said that positions which had long existed were now being given brand names, that in his day everything was simply called open guard, and that he had used the lasso guard for 25 years before learning its name in the United States.

      Where in the source: Body text, Schembri quote on the evolution of guards — 'it was all called open guard'

      Accessed:

  • OnTheMat.com, 'Nino Schembri Interview', by Scotty (page dated 01.01.03; archived by the Wayback Machine 17 September 2004).(opens in a new tab)

    • In an OnTheMat interview headed 'Nino Interview 2000', asked how he had developed moves the interviewer had never seen, Schembri said he preferred submissions to points and tried to create new techniques for finishing.

      Where in the source: Final questions of the interview — 'create new techniques for finalization'

      Accessed:

    • In the same interview he said he trained at Gracie Barra with partners including Márcio Feitosa, called Carlos Gracie his master, and named Renzo Gracie as the example of always looking for the finish.

      Where in the source: Questions on his training partners and on what it takes to become a champion

      Accessed:

    • Preparing for an Abu Dhabi (ADCC) event, he said he liked its submission-friendly rules and was working more on chokes and sweeps, because a strong opponent is hard to finish with an armbar or an omoplata.

      Where in the source: Questions on the Abu Dhabi rules and on changing his game

      Accessed:

  • OnTheMat.com, 'The King is Back! Nino Schembri in Los Angeles!' (21 September 2009; archived by the Wayback Machine 26 September 2009).(opens in a new tab)

    • OnTheMat reported in September 2009 that Schembri had made a new home in the United States and opened a school in Manhattan Beach, California.

      Where in the source: Article dated 09.21.09, first paragraph

      Accessed:

    • The same OnTheMat article says Schembri was part of Eddie Bravo's inspiration for the rubber guard when Bravo was still a blue belt.

      Where in the source: Second paragraph — 'Eddie Bravos' inspiration'

      Accessed:

  • OnTheMat.com, 'Nino Schembri Recieves his 5th degree on his black belt from Master Gordo', by Scotty OTM (17 August 2014; archived by the Wayback Machine 5 December 2020).(opens in a new tab)

    • OnTheMat's August 2014 report on his fifth degree credits him with developing much of what Eddie Bravo later turned into the rubber guard and with inventing the gogoplata, and says Gracie Magazine voted him fighter of the decade in 2000.

      Where in the source: Body text, first two paragraphs under the capitalized 'Congratulations' heading

      Accessed:

  • Nino Schembri Academy, 'About' page (academy website, archived by the Wayback Machine 24 July 2019).(opens in a new tab)

    • Conflicting accounts

      His academy's 2019 'about' page lists among his titles 'Most Technical Competitor' at ADCC 2001, five Brazilian national titles, two Pan American titles and two world titles, and says he received his black belt at 20 under Carlos Gracie.

      Where in the source: 'About' page, first paragraph

      Accessed:

    • His academy presents him as Nino 'Elvis' Schembri.

      Where in the source: 'About' page, first paragraph, opening words

      Accessed:

  • Nino Schembri Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 'About' page (academy website, archived by the Wayback Machine 30 September 2009).(opens in a new tab)

    • In 2009 his academy, Nino Schembri Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, was located in Manhattan Beach, California.

      Where in the source: 'About' page, first sentence and footer

      Accessed:

  • Sherdog, 'Antonio "Nino" Schembri' fighter profile.(opens in a new tab)

    • Sherdog lists Antonio 'Nino' Schembri, born 1 June 1974 and from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a professional MMA record of five wins and five losses between May 2001 and December 2008.

      Where in the source: Fighter header and 'Fight History - Pro' table

      Accessed:

    • He won his MMA debut at Pride 14 on 27 May 2001, submitting Johil de Oliveira with an armbar in the first round.

      Where in the source: 'Fight History - Pro' table, Pride 14 row

      Accessed:

    • At Pride 25 on 16 March 2003 he beat Kazushi Sakuraba in the first round, with knees and soccer kicks according to Sherdog.

      Where in the source: 'Fight History - Pro' table, Pride 25 row

      Accessed:

    • Sakuraba won their rematch by unanimous decision at Pride Critical Countdown 2004 on 20 June 2004.

      Where in the source: 'Fight History - Pro' table, Critical Countdown 2004 row

      Accessed:

    • His last listed MMA fight was a first-round TKO loss to Mauro Chimento Jr. at Fury FC 7 on 5 December 2008.

      Where in the source: 'Fight History - Pro' table, first row (Fury FC 7)

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 'Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 1996' results.(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 1996 Brazilian National Championship list him first in the adult black belt medium-heavy division and first in the black belt open class, both for Gracie Barra.

      Where in the source: Sections 'ADULT / BLACK / MALE / MEDIUM HEAVY' and '/ OPEN CLASS', entries spelled 'Antonio Shembi' and 'Antônio Shambri'

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 'World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 1997' results.(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's 1997 World Championship results list him second in the adult black belt middle division, for Gracie Barra, behind Saulo Ribeiro of Gracie Humaitá.

      Where in the source: Section 'ADULT / BLACK / MALE / MIDDLE', entry 'Antonio Shembri'

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 'World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 1998' results.(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's 1998 World Championship results list him second in the adult black belt medium-heavy division, behind Rafael Correa; both are listed for Gracie Barra.

      Where in the source: Section 'ADULT / BLACK / MALE / MEDIUM HEAVY', entry 'ANTONIO SHEMBRI'

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 'Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 1999' results.(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's 1999 Pan American Championship results list him first in the adult black belt medium-heavy division, for Gracie Barra.

      Where in the source: Section 'ADULT / BLACK / MALE / MEDIUM HEAVY', entry 'Antonio Shembri'

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 'World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2000' results.(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's 2000 World Championship results list him second in the adult black belt middle division, for Gracie Barra, behind Fernando Tererê of Alliance.

      Where in the source: Section 'ADULT / BLACK / MALE / MIDDLE', entry 'Antonio Schembri'

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 'Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 1998' results.(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 1998 Brazilian National Championship list him third in the adult black belt middle division, for Gracie Barra.

      Where in the source: Section 'ADULT / BLACK / MALE / MIDDLE', entry 'Antonio Shembri'

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag Newsroom, article on Nino Schembri and the labyrinth guard (18 August 2017).(opens in a new tab)

    • In August 2017 Graciemag presented the 'labyrinth guard', which it called a new sweep invented by Schembri: with the opponent's arm trapped under his leg he has an armbar available and chances to sweep, and the armbar remains on once he comes on top.

      Where in the source: Article dated 18/08/2017: headline for Graciemag's invention wording; second paragraph for the arm trap, sweep and armbar mechanics.

      Accessed:

    • Graciemag described him as an experienced and creative teacher who studies the details of old and new ground positions and from time to time comes up with something new.

      Where in the source: Article of 18/08/2017, first paragraph

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, '20 years ago: the breathtaking duel between Nino Schembri and Margarida' (16 April 2020).(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag recalls that in April 2000 he beat Fernando Margarida, sweeping him in the main event of the Taça da Amizade in São Paulo, a tournament between athletes from Rio and São Paulo.

      Where in the source: Photo caption and first two paragraphs of the 16/04/2020 article

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, 'Nino Schembri receives fifth degree from Gordo; watch one of his greatest moments in Jiu-Jitsu' (18 August 2014).(opens in a new tab)

    • In August 2014 Roberto 'Gordo' Correa gave him the fifth degree on his black belt at his academy in California; Schembri wrote that it came after 19 years as a black belt, on the anniversary of Elvis Presley's death.

      Where in the source: Article of 18/08/2014, second paragraph and Facebook quote — 'After 19 years with my black belt'

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, 'Nino "Elvis" Schembri Resurfaces at San Francisco Open' (18 February 2013).(opens in a new tab)

    • In February 2013 Graciemag reported that Schembri, a Brazilian living in Manhattan Beach, California, was returning to IBJJF competition in the adult division at the San Francisco Open after turning his energy to MMA and leaving the competition circuit, having faced Bill Cooper in a superfight at the 2012 World Jiu-Jitsu Expo.

      Where in the source: Article of 18/02/2013 — 'the Brazilian who now resides'

      Accessed:

    • He told Graciemag that he was now far more dedicated to the students at his academy, and competed for fun when he had time.

      Where in the source: Article of 18/02/2013, second Schembri quote

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, 'Veja o retorno triunfal de Nino Elvis Schembri no San Francisco Open' (27 February 2013; in Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • Back in IBJJF competition at the 2013 San Francisco Open, he won gold in the adult super-heavyweight division, beating Gustavo Sirizinho of Gracie Barra 5-0.

      Where in the source: Article of 27/02/2013, first paragraph — 'superpesado adulto'

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, 'Do baú: relembre Saulo Ribeiro x Nino Schembri no ADCC 2001' (14 December 2023; in Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag recalls that at ADCC 2001 in the United Arab Emirates he met Saulo Ribeiro in the 88 kg semi-final; Ribeiro finished second and Schembri third, and the division was won by Sanae Kikuta.

      Where in the source: Article of 14/12/2023, both paragraphs

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, 'Amor à luta: Vitor Shaolin e Nino Schembri analisam superluta na Jiu-Jitsu Expo' (18 September 2014; in Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • Before a 15-minute gi superfight with Vitor Shaolin at the 2014 World Jiu-Jitsu Expo, Schembri told Graciemag he had been retired and first said no, but changed his mind when he heard Shaolin would be the opponent.

      Where in the source: Article of 18/09/2014, first Schembri quote — 'Eu estava aposentado'

      Accessed:

    • In the same article Vitor Shaolin called Schembri one of the most creative players in the sport and said the two had nearly met in a tournament in the 1990s.

      Where in the source: Shaolin quote — 'um dos caras mais criativos'

      Accessed:

    • Graciemag identified him in 2014 as a jiu-jitsu teacher at his academy in Lawndale, California, and a black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr.

      Where in the source: Second paragraph and closing sentence of the 18/09/2014 article

      Accessed:

Lineage

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Open lineage