Thiago Aguiar Abud
Thiago Abud returned from a career in law to full-time competition and teaches a structured approach to keeping guard.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Heroes, Thiago Abud individual biography(opens in a new tab)
Thiago Aguiar Abud is the Unity grappler known as Thiago Abud, a black belt under Murilo Santana.
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He was born on3August1984 in São Paulo.
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Before specialising in jiu-jitsu, he practised swimming, tennis, football as a goalkeeper and speed skating.
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He tried judo while seeking his parents’ permission to start jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Judo/BJJ transition paragraph
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Fernando Yamasaki was his first jiu-jitsu instructor and promoted him through the juvenile belts and blue belt.
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Murilo Santana awarded him his black belt on23February2019.
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Unity Jiu Jitsu, About Us, expanded Thiago Aguiar Abud biography(opens in a new tab)
Unity’s biography says he began jiu-jitsu at13 and became a four-time state champion as a young competitor.
Where in the source: Expanded Thiago biography opening
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An arm injury and surgery interrupted his teenage training; after returning he struggled to see a competitive future.
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He left training to attend university, completed a law degree and worked in the legal profession.
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At22 he resumed recreational training with Murilo Santana.
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Unity credits Santana’s repeated encouragement over several years with helping Abud commit to professional competition.
Where in the source: Seven years of encouragement paragraph
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He committed to a full-time competitive path around the end of his twenties, later describing finally believing in himself.
Where in the source: Age29and final personal quotation
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Unity’s record lists2019black-belt wins at Rome, Munich and Poznan gi Opens and the London Fall No-Gi Open.
Where in the source: Main Achievements before Colored Belts heading
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Unity’s New York website includes him in its Visitors section.
Where in the source: Visitors heading followed by Thiago Aguiar Abud panel
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IBJJF original worldmaster2018(opens in a new tab)
He won male Master1 brown-belt featherweight at the2018World Master Championship.
Where in the source: MALE / MASTER1 / BROWN / FEATHER154.60LB
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IBJJF original pan2021(opens in a new tab)
He earned adult black-belt featherweight bronze at the2021No-Gi Pans.
Where in the source: MALE / ADULT / BLACK / FEATHER149.00LB
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IBJJF original euro2025(opens in a new tab)
He won male Master3 black-belt lightweight at the2025European Championship.
Where in the source: MALE / MASTER3 / BLACK / LIGHT76kg
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IBJJF original euronogi2025(opens in a new tab)
He took bronze in male Master3 black-belt lightweight at the2025European No-Gi Championship.
Where in the source: MALE / MASTER3 / BLACK / LIGHT73.50kg
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IBJJF original ibathlete(opens in a new tab)
His current IBJJF athlete page lists Unity Jiu-Jitsu Brasil.
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Dave Leon, own instructor biography,410Academy(opens in a new tab)
Dave Leon credits Abud of Unity with awarding his purple belt in2016.
Where in the source: Dave Leon first-person biography
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J.W.Seo, BJJ Globetrotters,15May2019 Uplay Martial Arts visit(opens in a new tab)
A2019visitor’s account names Abud among the guest instructors who taught at Uplay Martial Arts in Luxembourg.
Where in the source: OverviewBJJLuxembourg final paragraph
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BJJ Fanatics,360Degrees Guard Retention, public course contents(opens in a new tab)
His instructional360Degrees Guard Retention presents a framework for maintaining guard against passing.
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The course outline begins with concepts including the compass, centreline, heavy hip and crossing line, then moves to mobility.
Where in the source: Part1public chapter list
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Its second section uses side-switching and centreline exercises before addressing seated guard and collar-grip guard pulls.
Where in the source: Part2public chapter list
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