Before opening the jiujitsu studio in 2016, Azevedo ran a studio in Brazil. He came back to Pearland when Vinicius Magalhaes, owner of Gracie Barra Texas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wanted to open another studio.
“I love the school like my passion,” Azevedo said.
At the Pearland location, Azevedo focuses on self-defense, but one of the first things he teaches students is how to be confident.
“You’re not going to be able to defend [yourself if you’re not confident],” he said. “You can be the [toughest] guy in the world, but if you don’t have confidence, you’re going to be scared when something happens.”
Students get more confidence when they practice more jiujitsu, Azevedo said. Students can come to the studio every day, but if they cannot attend class all the time, Azevedo recommends training two to three times a week.
“You have to improve yourself day by day,” Azevedo said. “If I’m 1% better than I was yesterday, it’s perfect.”
When Azevedo was starting his self-defense and jiujitsu training as a young boy, he was given the nickname Uirapuru, a type of bird in the Amazon that can sing.
“I was a shy kid,” Azevedo said. “I [didn’t] have any confidence, and jiujitsu has given [me] a lot of confidence, and I want to pass [that on].”
Azevedo said he would like to open another studio in Pearland in 2023, but his main goal is to focus on being a good professor for his students.
“I want to pass this passion for the students,” Azevedo said. “This is my goal: to improve the life of the person.”
Know when to defend yourself
Azevedo listed the steps to take before defending yourself when faced with a bully.
Step 1
Walk away. A bully only wants attention.
Step 2
Talk to someone who will help or tell the bully to stop if they continue.
Step 3
Defend yourself. Jiujitsu is not about punching first but what to do when someone attacks you first.
Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Pearland
3229 E. Broadway St., Pearland
832-406-7298
www.gbpearland.com
Hours: Mon., Wed. 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Tue., Thu. 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Fri. 11 a.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., closed Sun.
