BJJ Gyms in Lagoa Santa, Brazil

Equipe Gavião Jiu-Jitsu was founded in 1979 by Mestre José Adilson Ferreira in Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais, with a second location established in Belo Horizonte in 1985. The gym is part of a rich lineage tracing back to the Japanese masters who brought Jiu-Jitsu to Brazil, specifically through Mestre Takeo Yano and Mestre Yoshio Kamada. Mestre José Adilson Ferreira holds a red and white belt (8th degree/grau), representing one of the highest ranks in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He trained under the legendary Japanese masters Takeo Yano (who arrived in Brazil in 1932) and Yoshio Kamada (who arrived in 1934), alongside other notable Brazilian masters Walter Teixeira and José Senador Rosa. Mestre José Adilson is a Technical Director of the Liga Brasileira de Jiu-Jitsu (LBJJ), a member of the Superior Technical Council of LBJJ and the Federação Mineira de Jiu-Jitsu (FMJJ), and serves on the black belt examination board. The training philosophy at Equipe Gavião emphasizes traditional Jiu-Jitsu techniques rooted in the original Japanese teachings, combined with Brazilian innovation. The gym has produced numerous black belts and champions over its 45+ year history, including several high-ranking female practitioners. Mestre José Adilson's dedication to preserving the "Arte Suave" (Gentle Art) while developing competitive athletes has made Equipe Gavião a respected institution in Minas Gerais and beyond, with affiliations extending to Pará state.