# André Galvão

> Six-time ADCC champion, multi-time IBJJF World Champion, Atos Jiu-Jitsu founder, and Hall of Fame coach.

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- **Last updated:** 2026-07-18

## Identity

- **Name:** André Galvão
- **Full name:** André Luiz Leite Galvão
- **Nickname:** Deco
- **Belt:** black belt
- **Team:** Atos Jiu-Jitsu
- **Nationality:** Brazil
- **Born:** 1982-09-29
- **Birthplace:** São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil
- **Weight class:** Meio Pesado / Medium-Heavyweight (~88 kg / 195 lb); ADCC −88 kg
- **Height:** 5'7" (170 cm)

## Biography

André Luiz Leite Galvão—widely known by the Portuguese nickname Deco—was born on September 29, 1982, in São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil. His family later moved to the Vale do Paraíba region, where he first trained judo and received an early gi from Calasans Camargo, father of future ADCC champion Cláudio Calasans. Galvão started Brazilian jiu-jitsu through the influence of his brother and trained under Luis Carlos “Careca” Dagmar, a student of Osvaldo Alves. Dagmar recognized his competitive ceiling and sent the teenage Galvão to Fernando “Tererê” Augusto, whose high-tempo style and TT team environment shaped one of the most dynamic games of the 2000s.

Galvão became a generational colored-belt standout. As a purple belt he went undefeated for roughly nine months and became the first purple belt credited with completing the IBJJF Grand Slam of Worlds, Pans, and Brazilian Nationals. He then won double gold at the 2003 CBJJO World Cup and IBJJF Worlds as a purple belt, repeated double-gold runs at brown belt in 2004, and received his black belt from Dagmar on March 17, 2005 after Tererê's well-documented absence from the sport. Only weeks later he won his first black-belt Pan title, then captured the 2005 IBJJF World Championship at middleweight, beginning a career defined by volume, versatility, and a willingness to fight far beyond the annual majors.

At black belt Galvão collected titles across both gi and no-gi: IBJJF World titles in 2005, 2008, 2014, 2016, and 2017 (with some official/marketing sources also counting 2019 among his world-title totals), multiple Pan American championships, three UAEJJF World Pro titles, double gold at the 2015 IBJJF European Open, and the 2011 Ultimate Absolute NYC. His ADCC résumé is central to his legacy. He took bronze at −77 kg and absolute in 2007, silver at −88 kg in 2009, then won both −88 kg and absolute at ADCC 2011. That run put him into the ADCC superfight path, where he defeated Braulio Estima in 2013, Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu in 2015, Cláudio Calasans in 2017, and Felipe Pena in 2019 before losing the 2022 superfight to Gordon Ryan. He was inducted into both the ADCC and IBJJF Halls of Fame in 2022.

Galvão also fought professionally in MMA from 2008 to 2010, competing in DREAM and Strikeforce and retiring with a 5-2 record, but his post-fighting influence has come primarily through coaching. In October 2008 he co-founded Atos Jiu-Jitsu with Ramon Lemos, opened the San Diego headquarters in 2010, and helped build a team that produced elite champions across IBJJF, ADCC, and professional no-gi circuits. His own technical identity blended pressure passing, wrestling development added after moving to the United States, armbar and choke finishes, wrist locks, and an unusually balanced gi/no-gi competition record. In 2026, public sexual-misconduct allegations by former Atos athlete Alexa Herse led Atos to announce a separation from André and Angelica Galvão, while Galvão denied the allegations and later announced that he had returned to teaching at Atos HQ; as of the sourced reporting, no criminal conviction or court ruling had been reported.

## Lineage

Carlos Gracie > Reyson Gracie > Osvaldo Alves > Luis Carlos Dagmar > André Galvão

## Instructors

- Luis Carlos “Careca” Dagmar
- Fernando “Tererê” Augusto
- Eduardo Telles

## Signature techniques / game

- Guard passing
- Pressure passing
- Armbar
- Choke from the back / rear naked choke
- Wrist lock
- Kimura
- Bow-and-arrow choke
- Wrestling-to-passing transitions

## Major achievements

- ADCC World Championship gold — −88 kg and Absolute (2011)
- ADCC Superfight Champion (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019)
- ADCC Hall of Fame inductee (2022)
- IBJJF Hall of Fame inductee (2022)
- IBJJF World Champion — black belt (2005, 2008, 2014, 2016, 2017)
- IBJJF Pan American Champion — black belt, multiple titles including weight-and-absolute runs (2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016)
- UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro Champion (2012, 2013, 2014)
- IBJJF European Open Champion — weight and absolute (2015)
- CBJJO World Cup Champion (2006)
- Ultimate Absolute NYC Champion (2011)
- ADCC World Championship silver — −88 kg (2009); bronze — −77 kg and Absolute (2007)
- Professional MMA record: 5-2 (DREAM, Strikeforce)
- Co-founder of Atos Jiu-Jitsu and longtime coach to multiple IBJJF and ADCC world champions

## Colored belt highlights

- IBJJF World Champion — blue belt (2002)
- IBJJF World Champion — purple belt weight and Absolute (2003)
- IBJJF World Champion — brown belt weight and Absolute (2004)
- CBJJO World Cup Champion — purple belt weight and Absolute (2003)
- CBJJO World Cup Champion — brown belt weight and Absolute (2004)
- First purple belt widely credited with an IBJJF Grand Slam: Worlds, Pans, and Brazilian Nationals

## Official / social links

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/galvaobjj/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GalvaoJiujitsu
- Website: https://andregalvao.com/
- X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/galvaobjj
- BJJ Fanatics: https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/andre-galvao

## Sources

- [BJJ Heroes — André Galvão](https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/andre-galvao-bjj-and-mma-fighter-wiki)
- [Wikipedia — André Galvão](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Galv%C3%A3o)
- [FloGrappling — Andre Galvao](https://www.flograppling.com/people/5951184-andre-galvao)
- [AndreGalvao.com — Career timeline](https://andregalvao.com/about/timeline/)
- [MMA Mania — 2026 Atos separation reporting](https://www.mmamania.com/bjj-news/420346/atos-separates-andre-galvao-after-sexual-allegations-but-filings-show-him-as-sole-owner)
- [Jits Magazine — Galvão returns to teaching at Atos HQ](https://jitsmagazine.com/andre-galvao-returns-to-teaching-at-atos-hq-after-just-5-weeks/)
- [Wikimedia Commons — Andrea Galvao.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andrea_Galvao.jpg)

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