MASTER MICHEL
“BUIU” PORFIRIO PEREIRA

Owner/Head Instructor

Michel Porfirio Pereira (Buiu), Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, began Judo at the age of 5. His family moved often and after a few years he was unable to continue Judo classes. In 1989, his family moved into a safer area and he found a Karate school that offered Martial Arts – Shoto Kan. His Karate Master, Paulo Goes, gave him an opportunity to teach beginners. With great success he eventually began giving students private lessons and quickly became friends with everyone in the area of Leblon, a neighborhood in Rio. In 1992, two of those friends, Francisco Albuquerque (Toco) Nova Geraçao Bjj and Rodrigo Medeiros, Bjj Revolution Team both who were Carlson Gracie students, invited him to learn a new martial art, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

In 1994, now a Purple Belt at Nova Geraçao Jiu Jitsu, Buiu became a new instructor with a new mission to help new students become champions, He helped Thiago Asfora, Rafael Nogueira(Batata), Diego Asenjo, Bruno Nahom, Alexandre Pimentel (Pulga), among others to build up their respect as top competitors on the world stage.  In 1999, all of the hard work paid off as he became the 1st Black Belt from Nova Geraçao. He received invitations to teach in others cities and spent 3 months in Minas Gerais, teaching in Manhuacu, then at Santa Catarina for 6 months, also in Joinville, where he trained and developed champion Ricardo Toscano. But two of the greatest opportunities came from his hometown. Ricardo Liborio a Black Belt under Carlson Gracie, invite him to teach in his school in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. Liborio is a World Jiu Jitsu Champion and nowadays he is the principal coach of American Top Team, so their friendship started since he was a white belt. His duties: were to teach and sign up Liborio’s school in tournaments, promotion material, payments, and advertising’s. It gave him a chance to teach his techniques to all of their students and build a strong relationship as well. 

The next great opportunity to come was when he began teaching Jiu Jitsu in the slums of Dona Marta in Botafogo. Some of his students were characters in the movie “City of God” and “City of Man”, Darlan Cunha and Douglas Silva. In 2001, he started the project Educating Children for the Future. The impoverished children would train Judo and Jiu Jitsu for free everyday (300 children). Gama Filho College paid for the children’s apparel and reimbursement for his time. The project suddenly stopped in 2004 when the government cut funding but he continued to teach due to his love of jiu jitsu and continued desire to help the children. He changed their young lives by taking them off the streets and away from the drug trafficking. Although he continued to teach, without the financial backing from the government, his financial situation became bleak and was forced to stop going to Dona Marta.

Two years later he finds himself in the US looking to share his Jiu Jitsu knowledge in the United States. His first stop was at the Spear Jiu Jitsu Academy in Germantown, Philadelphia in 2006 with his close friend and student a Jiu Jitsu World Champion Noah Spear. In June 2007, he moved to Miami Beach to change adolescent and adult lives teaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with friendship, discipline, respect, education and peace, eventually, develop a similar project here. Some of the places he taught at were: October 2007 ( 8 months) taught at Spirit In Motion. November 2007 (1 year) taught at American Top Team South Beach and finally in 2008 with the help of a few close friends, he opened his first school, Carlson Gracie Miami.

Today, Carlson Gracie Miami is one of the largest Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy in South Florida. As the head coach and team program director, he oversees the entire kids, teens and adult program until today. With diligent technical training, Carlson Gracie Miami has produced several World Champions competitors ranking from every belt color.    In 2021, Professor Buiu took the leap of faith to Colorado where he has opened his second school, Ghost Squad Castle Rock where he is determined and to continue to instill the pure authentic art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to the Castle Rock community.

JOSE PITA

1ST DEGREE BLACK BELT 

HEAD INSTRUCTOR & STRENGTH TRAINING COACH

Jose Pita was born and raised in Miami, FL. After high school he pursued a career as an Auto Tech.

He has been exposed to Jiu Jitsu and grappling thanks to a long time family friend Professor Brian Hargrove who currently teaches at Carlson Gracie Miami. In 2013 he began taking Professor Brian’s Friday Night Fundamentals Class. Here is where he discovered his passion for Jiu Jitsu. He continued to train and compete under Master Buiu and received his Black Belt in 2018.

He started Coach Cathy’s Strength and Conditioning program at Carlson Gracie Miami and quickly discovered how his Jiu Jitsu game improved, ever since he has implemented conditioning into his training. He has a wife and 3-year-old daughter who train as well. He has stayed actively training and coaching in Jiu Jitsu and Conditioning.

MARCO PRADO

BJJ BLACK BELT 

KIDS COMPETITION TRAINING 

Marco is a Black belt under Michel “Buiu” Porfirio, he has been training and competing with the Team at Carlson Gracie Miami for more than 5 years. He is originally from Venezuela where he found his passion for Martial arts at a young age, he practiced and competed in Karate Do since a very early age. Marco’s son and daughter have also been training Jiu Jitsu at Carlson Gracie Miami for the past 5 years. His son is now an elite high school wrestler competing nationally. 

Marco has competed numerous times, obtaining gold medal 8 different times at the Ibjjf Miami international open in two different weight classes and 2 different age groups. His passion for Jiu Jitsu and his team is out of this world. Marco has coached many of his Children’s sport teams like baseball, volleyball and track. He loves teaching and knows that a good foundation in life is key to success.

CATHY JONES

1ST DEGREE BLACK BELT 

WOMEN'S BJJ PROFESSOR STRENGTH TRAINING & CONDITIONING HEAD COACH

BRIAN HARGROVE

BROWN BELT KID'S INSTRUCTOR

MARCIA PALOMBA

BJJ BROWN BELT

WOMENS SELF DEFENSE BJJ COACH

VICTORIA CONDIS

BJJ PURPLE BELT WOMENS SELF DEFENSE BJJ INSTRUCTOR