Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
About Mauricio Villardo
- Mauricio Villardo Reis (born January 14, 1975) best known as Mauricio Villardo is a fourth-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Royler Gracie, head instructor of Gracie Humaitá and he is also a former World Champion of the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF).
- Living close to the beautiful beaches in Brazil, Mauricio's hobby was surfing, but once he experienced Jiu-Jitsu, he fell in love with the sport.
- Mauricio's first experience with the martial arts was not Jiu-Jitsu.
- When he was seven,he began practicing Judo at Clube do Flamengo,in Rio de Janeiro. At the age of fifteen, Mauricio began to practice Muay Thai.
- A few months later, a friend invited him to visit a Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy and for Mauricio, it began a lifelong journey studying the worlds most effective fighting and self-defense system. Almost immediately after becoming a Jiu-Jitsu student, Mauricio began to compete at local and regional tournaments in Brazil.
- Later, he began to assist Professor Royler Gracie with classes, developing his passion for teaching.
- He won many major tournaments including the 1996 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
- In 1997, Mauricio accomplished a lifelong dream receiving his black belt from the hands of his professor Royler Gracie. In 2002 Mauricio moved to south Florida.
- Recognizing the opportunity to build a small business in the United States, he decided to continue teaching his style of jiu-Jitsu in the Palm Beach County, Florida area.
- Since 2002, Mauricio has been developing and expanding Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the West Palm Beach area where he lives and operates an academy in Wellington. WIth an expanding academy Professor Villardo has also continued his success in competition.
- In 2009 he won a silver medal at the IBJJF PAN Championships in California.
- He also won gold medals at the IBJJF 2009 and 2010 PAN No-Gi championships in New York City.
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