HISTORY OF CHECKMAT
The Checkmat Jiu Jitsu organization is one of the most successful teams in competitive BJJ. The team was founded in 2008 when the Vieira Brothers decided to leave Brasa. Though Checkmat is still in its infancy when comparing to some of the more established teams, they have hit the ground running. The Checkmat organization has also spread fast throughout the world having already franchises in at least 16 different countries.
How Checkmat Started
The team was founded by two brothers, Leonardo Vieira and Ricardo “Rico” Vieira, who belonged to an elite generation of grappling competitors raised under the Alliance team camp in the late 1990s. After a series of quarrels between the team and the main Alliance coach (Fabio Gurgel), many of the fighters were expelled from the group (in 2002), which propelled this gang of “Ronin” to form their own academy. Team (Brasa) had Ricardo and “Leo” two of its main figures. The Brasa team command was divided among a few of these fighters and, according to the Vieira brothers, lacked serious leadership and direction. For these reasons, the brothers decided to break their bond with Brasa and launched their own endeavor, the Checkmat team which was founded in 2008.
Checkmat BJJ in Detail
Name: Checkmat
Team Lineage: Academia Gracie > Alliance Jiu Jitsu > Brasa > Checkmat
Founded: 2008
Founders: Ricardo Vieira / Leonardo Vieira
Checkmat Founder and Instructor
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