# Wander Braga ("The Crusher")

> Black Belt

## Overview

**Name:** Wander Braga

**Nickname:** The Crusher

**Belt Rank:** Black Belt

**Date of Birth:** May 15, 1974 (age 52)


## Bio

A feared competitor whose name still carries weight in the old-guard lineage of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Wander Braga started at 12 under Rigan Machado at a Gracie Academy before being guided to black belt by Jorge Pereira after winning a no-holds-barred tournament in 1998. That belt was awarded on the spot following a 20-minute no-rounds challenge match against a rival stylist, cementing his reputation as a relentless pressure fighter. Alongside a 15-year unbeaten run in MMA (16-1-0, his sole loss coming after a five-year layoff), Braga built a formidable team under the Big Brother banner with Leo Dalla, Otavio “Tatá” Duarte, and Luiz Guilherme “Guigo,” producing black belts such as Gabriel “Napão” Gonzaga and Marcius Viana. After training five years under Rickson Gracie in the United States, he established his own Los Angeles academy with affiliates spanning Angola, Italy, Lebanon, Greece, and the USA.
## Lineage

- Rickson Gracie
- Jorge Pereira (Coral Belt)

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**Last Updated:** September 24, 2026

**Data Source:** bjj.space (https://bjj.space/people/wander-braga)