 While training and competing for Brasa Club he received his Black Belt in 2004 from the famed Léo Vieira.In Brazil, he went on to win multiple national and world titles, becoming the 2nd US national to win an IBJJF black belt World title (2005), after BJ Penn.In 2007 he won the prestigious ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship – Open Division ADCC, submitting Marcelo Garcia in just over two minutes, a feat considered to be the equivalent of "out-swimming" Michael Phelps.