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Roberto de Alencar

“Tussa”

Source: bjjee.com

Five-time IBJJF No-Gi world champion between 2007 and 2012, and head instructor at Gracie Barra New Mexico.

Biography

Gracie Barra New Mexico lists Roberto "Tussa" Alencar as its head instructor and a fourth-degree black belt. A grappling results database gives his birth date as 15 May 1981, puts him at peso pesado, 94 kg, with starts at super-heavyweight as well, and records his black belt as coming from Carlos Gracie Junior. The two pages do not give the same team: the academy claims him for its own, while the database files him under Jackson-Wink MMA. The IBJJF No-Gi World Championship is where his record is firmest. The event's own tally of its most-titled competitors credits Alencar with five, one of them in the open division and four at 91.5 kg, spread over 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2012. In 2009 he occupies two columns of a single row, taking the weight class and the absolute at the same edition; 2012 was his last title there. Gracie Barra New Mexico's page arrives at the same figure of five, and adds a Pan American title and an ADCC Brazil Trials win, neither of which appears in the other sources here. A match database covers the rest of the career in numbers. It holds eighty recorded bouts, 46 won and 34 lost, none drawn. Thirteen of the wins came by submission — 28 percent, against a 40 percent average across the site — and twenty were settled on points. The same database notes a reputation for flying triangle chokes that its own tally does not support: his finishes run to three darce chokes, two triangles, one rear naked choke and one kimura. Several series went entirely against him. Rodolfo Vieira won all five of their recorded meetings; Lucas Leite and Bernardo Faria took all four of theirs apiece. Against Rafael Lovato Jr. he is level, two-all across four meetings, one of his wins a decision at the 2012 No-Gi Worlds. Three years earlier at the same championship he is down for a kimura over João Assis and a points win against Antonio Braga Neto. On 11 April 2015 the table gives him four wins at the ADCC South American Trials at –99 kg: Marcio Pedra, Rodrigo Cavaca and Marcus Vinicius on points, Aleksandro Souza by rear naked choke. The academy's ADCC Brazil Trials line most likely names that same event, though nothing in these sources says so outright. The following August he lost on points to Felipe Pena at the ADCC World Championship, on the 30th. The table's record ends on 21 December 2019, at the IBJJF Austin Winter Open. Where Alencar is quoted at length, the subject is usually promotion. Speaking to BJJ Eastern Europe in 2023, he put grading at his Gracie Barra school on the framework of the Brazilian federation, the CBJJ: a student is expected in the gi at least twice a week to move up a grade, and professional MMA fighters, he said, do not have the time for that. He wanted them learning modern gi jiu-jitsu regardless — lapel sweeps, where to take grips, the language of the sport. His own jiu-jitsu had been formed inside Gracie Barra, he said, and he had followed the federation's rules ever since. The point of the training was for a student to use its lessons in life and not only in MMA, and he thought it was keeping his own student humble. That standard had been tested publicly in 2015. Jon Jones had been training at Gracie Barra New Mexico since early 2013, and a much-discussed photograph had shown him in a white belt. Alencar's account was that Jones had simply never trained in a kimono, and that submitting black belts in MMA does not make a man a black belt himself. He would not hand over a blue belt for a name: the student had to understand the principles, the rules and the philosophy first, and put time into them. His stated reason was the people already in his room, who work a year or two for that same belt. Jones, he said, trained once or twice a week, as far as a busy schedule allowed. Under his name the academy prints a line about what an instructor owes a student beyond technique — confidence, discipline, and an attitude that does not give up.

Sources for this profile

  • Wikipedia, «World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship», medaljetabell og samletabell (lest 20.09.2026).(opens in a new tab)

    • The championship's table of most-titled competitors lists him with five titles in all: one in the open division and four in a weight class, won in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2012.

      Where in the source: Roberto Alencar 5 1 4 2007, 2008, 2009 , 2012 M

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    • He is listed as the 91.5 kg winner for 2007, entered under the fuller name form Roberto Camargo de Alencar.

      Where in the source: 2007 [ 2 ] Takeo Tani (1/1) Samuel Braga (1/1) Rubens Charles (1/4) Jeff Glover (1/1) Pablo Popovitch (1/3) Kim Johnson (1/1) Roberto Camargo de Alencar (1/5)

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    • He is listed as the 91.5 kg winner for 2008.

      Where in the source: 2008 [ 3 ] Pablo Texeira (1/2) Caio Terra (1/10) Bruno Frazatto (1/1) Rubens Charles (2/4) Daniel Moraes (1/1) Saulo Ribeiro (1/1) Roberto Alencar (2/5)

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    • For 2009 he appears in two columns of the same row: both 91.5 kg and the open division.

      Where in the source: 2009 [ 4 ] Pablo Texeira (2/2) Caio Terra (2/10) Baret Yoshida (1/1) Lucas Lepri (1/3) Lucas Leite (1/3) Romulo Barral (1/1) Roberto Alencar (3/5) Antonio Braga Neto (3/3) Josh Barnett (1/1) Roberto Alencar (4/5)

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    • He is listed as the 91.5 kg winner for 2012, his fifth and last title at the championship.

      Where in the source: 2012 [ 7 ] Caio Terra (5/10) Henrique Rezende (1/1) Rubens Charles (4/4) Augusto Mendes (1/2) De'Alonzio Jackson (1/2) Pablo Popovitch (3/3) Roberto Alencar (5/5)

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    • The column headings of the results table show that the column he occupies in all four years is the 91.5 kg division.

      Where in the source: Year 55.5 kg 61.5 kg 67.5 kg 73.5 kg 79.5 kg 85.5 kg 91.5 kg 97.5 kg +97.5 kg Absolute

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  • BJJ Eastern Europe (bjjee.com), «Jon Jones BJJ Coach: ‘I Won’t Promote him to Brown Belt Until He Trains at Least 2x a Week in the Gi’», 15.03.2023. Sitatene er oversatt fra et intervju BJJ Doc gjorde.(opens in a new tab)

    • He says that grading at his own Gracie Barra school is based on the framework of the CBJJ federation.

      Where in the source: I believe that our way of promoting our students here in Gracie Barra is based on the federation, on the CBJJ.

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    • He describes the federation's grading framework as a requirement to train in a kimono at least twice a week in order to move up a grade, and says professional MMA fighters seldom have the time for it.

      Where in the source: And the federation graduation framework, which recommends that you train twice a week, at least in a kimono, so you can progress in the ranks. Something that MMA pros don’t do, there’s no time for them to do it..

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    • He wants MMA fighters to learn modern gi jiu-jitsu — lapel sweeps, the grips and the "language" of the sport — even when they have no time to prioritise the kimono.

      Where in the source: but I need them to have a knowledge of modern Jiu-Jitsu, which is coming. Lapel sweeps, using lapels, using the Gi itself, where to make the grips, the language of Jiu-Jitsu, the philosophy of Jiu-Jitsu itself.

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    • He describes jiu-jitsu as something the student should apply in life rather than only in MMA, and says it makes the practitioner humble.

      Where in the source: using the lessons of Jiu-Jitsu in life, not only MMA, but in his personal life as well. And I believe that Jiu Jitsu has been influencing him. That Jiu-Jitsu makes him humble, daily.

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    • He says his own jiu-jitsu was formed inside Gracie Barra, and that he has therefore always followed the federation's rules.

      Where in the source: I was raised by this, my Jiu Jitsu was made in Gracie Barra. So we always followed the rules of the federation.

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  • BJJ Eastern Europe (bjjee.com), «Jon Jones ‘Aims for BJJ Black Belt’ but Coach Won’t Promote Him to Blue Belt yet», 15.04.2015. Sitatene er gjengitt fra et intervju TATAME gjorde.(opens in a new tab)

    • He refused to grade a well-known MMA fighter to blue belt on the strength of the name alone, saying the student must first grasp jiu-jitsu's principles, its rules and its philosophy.

      Where in the source: But he has to understand the principle of Jiu-Jitsu, has to understand the rules, philosophy, have to spend some time on it. I can not give the belt to him just because he’s Jon Jones.

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    • He explains the much-discussed photograph of the student in a white belt: the student had simply not trained in a kimono, and finishing a black belt in MMA does not make you one.

      Where in the source: I’ll tie the white belt on you there because you have never trained kimono. You are good enough to have submitted a BJJ black belt with guillotine and americana (Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort) and everything, but that does not make you a black belt

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    • He justifies the strict line by fairness to his own students, who put in a year or two to earn a blue belt.

      Where in the source: I do not think that it’s fair for my students who work for one or two years to get a blue belt

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    • He puts the student's training volume at once or twice a week, when the schedule allowed it.

      Where in the source: Jon Jones trains Jiu-Jitsu once or twice a week, when it is possible. His schedule is very busy. He has plenty to do.

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    • He is listed as professor at Gracie Barra New Mexico, where the student had trained since early 2013.

      Where in the source: has been training since early 2013 at Gracie Barra New Mexico under professor Roberto ‘Tussa’ Alencar.

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  • Gracie Barra New Mexico (gbnewmexico.com), akademiets egen forside, instruktørseksjonen (udatert; lest 20.09.2026).(opens in a new tab)

    • The academy's own instructor page carries him as head instructor, a black belt of the fourth degree.

      Where in the source: Head Instructor Roberto “Tussa” Alencar 4th Degree Black Belt

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    • On its own instructor page the academy credits him with five world titles without the gi, a Pan American title, and a win at the Brazilian qualifier for ADCC.

      Where in the source: A five-time No-Gi World Champion, Pan American Champion and ADCC Brazil Trials Champion.

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    • The quotation the academy prints under his name is about what an instructor should give a student over and above technique: confidence, discipline, and refusing to quit.

      Where in the source: Great instructors don't only teach technique. They help students discover confidence, discipline and a non-quitting attitude.

      Accessed:

  • Digitsu (digitsu.com), «Roberto “Tussa” Alencar BJJ Record, Stats & Bio» — kun infoboks, «Did you know?»-statistikken og kamptabellen (udatert; lest 20.09.2026).(opens in a new tab)

    • The fight database holds 80 recorded matches for him: 46 wins, 34 losses and no draws.

      Where in the source: Record: 46-34-0 (W-L-D)

      Accessed:

    • Of the 80 recorded matches, 13 ended in a submission — 28 percent — while 20 were won on points.

      Where in the source: Across 80 recorded matches he finished 13 by submission, a submission win rate of 28 percent. That sits below the site average of 40 percent, which fits a competitor who leaned on points to win 20 of his matches.

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    • His recorded finishes are led by the darce choke with three, ahead of the triangle with two; the rear naked choke and the kimura stand at one each. The database notes that this sits oddly with his reputation for flying triangle chokes.

      Where in the source: Despite a reputation for flying triangle chokes, his recorded finishes were led by the Darce choke with 3, ahead of the triangle at 2. The rear naked choke and kimura each accounted for 1.

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    • He met Rodolfo Vieira five times on record and lost all five; against Lucas Leite and Bernardo Faria he lost all four meetings with each.

      Where in the source: Tussa met Rodolfo Vieira 5 times on record and came up short in all 5. He had a similar story against Lucas Leite and Bernardo Faria, dropping all 4 meetings with each.

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    • Against Rafael Lovato Jr. he stands 2–2 across four recorded meetings, the one win a decision in the 2012 IBJJF World No-Gi Championship.

      Where in the source: One of his more even matchups was with Rafael Lovato Jr., where he split 4 recorded meetings 2 wins to 2 losses. One of those wins came by decision at the 2012 IBJJF World No-Gi Championship.

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    • At the 2009 IBJJF World No-Gi Championship he is recorded with a kimura submission over João Assis, and beat Antonio Braga Neto on points.

      Where in the source: The 2009 IBJJF World No-Gi Championship was a good hunting ground for him, with a kimura submission over Joao Assis plus points wins over Antonio Braga Neto.

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    • The infobox gives a date of birth of 15 May 1981.

      Where in the source: Born: May 15, 1981

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    • The infobox lists his team as Jackson-Wink MMA and his weight class as Peso Pesado, 94 kg, noting that he also competes at Super Pesado.

      Where in the source: Weight Class: Peso Pesado 94kg-207lbs (also fights at Super Pesado) Favorite Technique: Flying triangle chokes Team: Jackson-Wink MMA

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    • The fight table shows four wins on 11 April 2015 in the –99 kg ADCC South American Trials — over Marcio Pedra, Rodrigo Cavaca, Aleksandro Souza and Marcus Vinicius — the third of those by rear naked choke.

      Where in the source: Marcio Pedra W Points 2015 ADCC South American Trials -99kgs 2015 Apr 11 Rodrigo Cavaca W Points 2015 ADCC South American Trials -99kgs 2015 Apr 11 Aleksandro Souza W Rear Naked Choke 2015 ADCC South American Trials -99kgs 2015 Apr 11 Marcus Vinicius W Points 2015 ADCC South American Trials -99kgs 2015 Apr 11

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    • The same year he is entered in the ADCC World Championship of 30 August 2015, where Felipe Pena beat him on points.

      Where in the source: Felipe Pena L Points 2015 ADCC World Championship 2015 Aug 30

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    • The last recorded bout in the table is from the IBJJF Austin Winter Open on 21 December 2019.

      Where in the source: Joshua McKinney W Points 2019 IBJJF Austin Winter Open Medium Heavyweight 2019 Dec 21

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    • The infobox gives his black belt as awarded under Carlos Gracie Junior.

      Where in the source: Black Belt Under: Carlos Gracie Junior

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