Marcel Gonçalves
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Mato Grosso do Sul – Brazil
Phone
About Us
Marcel Gonçalves was born on December 15, 1986, in the region of Pantanal. The world’s largest tropical wetland area, located in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul – Brazil.
During his early teenage years, Marcel lost his mother. Unable to deal with his feelings; the sense of loss, sadness, and anger led him down to more obscure walks of life. He learned how to overcome his grief through jiu-jitsu, a martial art he started practicing in 2002.
Although Marcel started training with coach Isaías, he quickly switched camps, becoming one of Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu’s first students when he opened the doors of his academy (close to the Gonçalves’s residence).
In 2007, as a blue belt, Marcel traveled to the United States to compete at the IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championships. He decided to stay in the northern hemisphere for a while longer to improve his English, traveling to Canada with his teammate Jake Mackenzie to train with him there. While staying with Mackenzie, Cyborg moved to the USA to set camp in Florida, he would later bring Gonçalves to his academy and help establish his base there.
During 2008 Marcel spent time in California, training at the Beverly Hills Jiu-Jitsu Club with instructor Marcos Vinicius who promoted Gonçalves to purple belt. All other jiu-jitsu promotions were handed by coach Abreu, including his black belt, which he received in 2010.
