Diogo Almeida
Address
Itaquera, east side of São Paulo, Brazil
Phone
About Us
Diogo Almeida was born on January 10, 1983, in Itaquera, east side of São Paulo (SP) – Brazil.
Growing up Diogo was highly invested in football (soccer), also spending his spare time on the streets of his neighborhood running kites with his friends. In 1999 his posse started attending jiu-jitsu classes at a social project that taught grappling to local kids. Almeida didn’t care for martial arts, but since his friends were found mostly at the academy, he decided to give it a try, starting by the end of the year.
Diogo and his brothers (Gustavo and Caio) all started training jiu-jitsu together at this same social project, named “Cohab 2”. An endeavor put forward by Antônio Carlos Bergamo – the founder of the organization, and his student Everdan Olegário (better known as “Mestre Dan”). This development would raise numerous jiu-jitsu athletes, including stars like Sergio Moraes, Guilherme Augusto, and Dimitrius Souza.
As a blue belt, Diogo started teaching jiu-jitsu (free of charge) from his house to some of the kids in his neighborhood. A decision fully supported by his coaches Bergamo and Olegário. As a purple belt, Everdan offered Almeida a coaching position at a gym, this way officially starting his career as an instructor.
In 2009, 10 years after he started his jiu-jitsu training and following a spectacular run competing in the brown belt division, Diogo Almeida was promoted to black belt by Mestre Dan. A ceremony also attended by Sergio Moraes.
Through his hard work and that of his brothers, the Almeida JJ association (founded by Diogo when he was a purple belt) grew exponentially with every passing year, raising gyms around his area.
By 2010 de Almeida brothers became members of the Ryan Gracie Association, a partnership that lasted for 6 years, ending midway through 2016. Once the Almeida brothers severed their ties with RGA, they moved on unaffiliated, quickly establishing themselves as one of the strongest teams in the state of São Paulo.
