Helio Gracie / Francisco Mansor / Joe Moreira

Started training Aiki Ju-Jitsu in January, 1993. Some Small Circle Ju-Jitsu in 1995-1996. Entered my first BJJ tournament (gi) in September 1998. I was learning BJJ at that time through some basic VHS tapes and a few seminars taught by a BJJ brown belt (Don Banville of JBA Jiu-Jitsu Academy). Got to train for the first time with a legit BJJ black belt (rare in New England in those days) at a seminar with Michael Jen (a Joe Moreira black belt) in 2001. Then became affiliated and certified in 2992 as a (no gi) grappling instructor under Roy Harris (a 2nd degree black belt under Joe Moreira). Earned my BJJ blue belt under Professor Harris in May 2003, and made several trips to California to train with Professor Roy. In 2004, I finally met Master Joe Moreira in person, in Maine, at my friend Aaron Blake's promotion to BJJ black belt. Aaron was the first BJJ black belt ever in the state of Maine, and the 50th person to promoted to black belt by Master Joe. After learning and training with both Aaron and Master Joe in Maine on several occasions over the next 18 months, I received my purple belt directly from Master Joe Moreira in December 2005. Master Joe wanted me to come back out to California to receive my brown belt in 2007, but things went awry when my first wife died from cancer that year. A few other life events happened, and then Master Moreira moved back to Brazil when his own wife fell ill. I trained as basically a "ronin" purple belt for the next decade, finally affiliating with Nicolas Gregoriades and the Jiu-Jitsu Brotherhood in 2017. I received my brown belt in October 2018 from Professor Gregoriades. A couple months later, Prof Nic changed up his school affiliation requirements and I re-affiliated directly with Professor Mike Desrosiers (one of Nic's black belts) and the United Fighting Arts Institute (UFAI) in 2019. In 2020, Covid-19 happened. My school in Vermont was forced to close by the state Governor; But I also learned that Master Joe Moreira was going to be returning to Maine for a seminar in the fall of 2020, and I attended. I attended another in the spring of 2021. With Vermont still officially and legally "shut down" for close proximity classes, I took the opportunity to re-affiliate with my old Master, and in October of 2021 I finally received my BJJ black belt after over 23 years of training and teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In late 2024 I received my 1st degree stripe on my BJJ black belt, and Master Joe also gave me my "Professor Bars" and instructor certification.