Black belts
on the mat with you.

Head Coach — Australia

Paulo Guimaraes

Black Belt 6th Degree — est. black belt 1998

The highest-ranked Brazilian black belt in Australia, with over 40 years on the mat. Paulo served as a close-combat and self-defence instructor for the Brazilian Army’s 5th Guard Company in the Amazon division, and was the first Brazilian BJJ black belt to open an academy in Australia. He founded the NSW Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, and today leads ROOTS as founder and head instructor at the Northern Beaches HQ. Off the mat: professional surfer and airplane pilot.

Achievements

• BJJ World Cup Champion — 2003, Brazil
• IBJJF Pan American Silver Medalist — 2004, USA
• King of the Cage Super Fight MMA winner — 2006, Australia
• IBJJF Asian Champion — 2008, Japan
• BJJ Australasia Professional Champion — 2009
• IBJJF Sydney Open Champion — 2016
• IBJJF Pan Pacific Champion — 2019
• Multiple NSW State Championships
• Martial Arts Australia Master Award — 2022
• Northern Beaches Local Business Awards Finalist — 2023

Seminars

South Korea · Ireland · Italy · Netherlands · USA · Brazil · Australia

Head Coach — South Korea

Jaesub Jo

BJJ Black Belt — 18+ years with ROOTS

Jo holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with over 18 years of training with ROOTS BJJ, and leads Team Roots Korea as head instructor from the Jakjeon HQ in Incheon. His martial arts background also spans Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do and MMA.

Achievements

• Motor One BJJ Championship — 2009, Seoul
• XI Copa Prata Casa de Jiu-Jitsu — 2010, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Estadual Rio — 2010, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Korea Trial — 2014, Seoul
• Korea Pro Jiu-Jitsu League — 2014, Seoul

Find Team Roots Korea’s nine academies on the world map · @rootsbjjkorea

Instructor

Átila Cardoso

BJJ Black Belt — athlete & coach

Átila Cardoso is a 25-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt from Belém, Pará, Brazil. He began training at eleven and earned his black belt at 23 under the renowned Coral Belt Master Amaury Bitetti. With a strong competitive background and coaching experience, Átila develops students through high-level technical instruction, discipline, and the core values of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Competitive achievements

• Multiple-time Pará State Champion
• Rio de Janeiro State Champion
• CBJJE Pan American Champion
• IBJJF Pan Pacific Championship — Black Belt Silver Medalist
• Multiple-time FJJRIO Champion
• AJP Rio de Janeiro Champion (Brown Belt)

Coaching experience

Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu, Brazil — started as an instructor and was promoted to professor through consistent performance and dedication. Experienced in teaching children, adults, competitors and recreational students, with a focus on technical development, competition preparation and a positive learning environment.

“My mission is to use Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to help people develop confidence, discipline, resilience, and technical excellence — both on and off the mats.”