Pedro Sauer is a 8th Degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu red and black belt under Rickson Gracie and Helio Gracie. On May 17, 2005, he was named "Best of the Best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Instructor" in a worldwide poll conducted by the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC).
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Personal History
Pedro Sauer was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where from an early age, he began training in the martial arts. At age five, he began boxing and later took up judo and taekwondo. At age fifteen, however, his friend, Rickson Gracie, invited him to train Brazilian jiu-jitsu with his younger brother, Royler, who at the time was only nine years old. The outcome of this experience convinced him that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was the most effective of all the martial arts, and he began training the next day.[citation needed]
Pedro worked towards a double major (Economics and Business Administration) in college, and took post graduation course at Fundacao Getulio Vargas. He worked in Brazil as a stockbroker for eleven years[citation needed] before deciding to move to the United States and pursue a career teaching Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In 1990, he moved to California with the original wave of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors. He lived in California with Rickson Gracie and trained daily with the Gracie brothers (Rickson, Rorion, Relson, and Royce), their father, Helio Gracie, their cousin, Renzo Gracie, and the Machado Brothers, as well as many others. In December of that same year, he moved to Utah where he lived for sixteen years, pioneering Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the Southwestern United States.
In the fall of 2006 Pedro Sauer and his family relocated to Leesburg, Virginia. He currently teaches at the Pedro Sauer Total Self Defense Academy in Sterling VA. As well as at over eighty affiliate schools throughout the world. To date he has promoted 40 black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
On February 24, 2010 Professor Sauer was promoted to an 8th degree red black belt by Relson Gracie.
Certifications
1985 - Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from Helio and Rickson Gracie
1986 - Tecnico de Jiu-Jitsu. This is a special certificate given by Helio Gracie in recognition of superior technical mastery of the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
1990 - Certified Black Belt Instructor by Robson Gracie and the Federacao de Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Judo
1993 - 3rd degree black belt from Rorion Gracie
1996 - Level 6 Instructor Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy (Rorion and Royce Gracie)
2000 - 5th degree black belt under the Federacao de Jiu-Jitsu
2003 - 6th degree black belt
2007 - 7th degree red and black belt awarded by Relson Gracie
2010 - 8th degree red and black belt awarded by Relson Gracie
Teaching History
Pedro earned his Black Belt from Helio and Rickson in 1985, after years of training at Gracie Humaita. He then began his career as an instructor in 1986 when asked to teach with an organization known in Brazil as Corpo/Quatro (Body of Four) where he taught and continued his training under jiu-jitsu instructors Alvaro Barreto, who is a 9th degree (red belt) master under Helio Gracie.
After moving to Utah in December 1990, he taught as one of only two non-Gracie black belts under the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy (run by Rorion and Royce Gracie). In October 1996, he became an official representative Black Belt Instructor under the Rickson Gracie American Jiu-Jitsu Association.
Professor Sauer currently teaches at the Pedro Sauer Total Self Defense Academy in Sterling VA. He also has several affiliated schools across the country, and visits them on a regular basis to give instruction to the students and instructors.[citation needed]
On May 17, 2005, he was named "Best of the Best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Instructor" in a worldwide internet poll conducted by the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC).[1]
He is the head of the Pedro Sauer Jiu-Jitsu Association.