Eddie Bravo

Early life

Born in Santa Ana, California, on May 15, 1970, to the birth name Edgar Cano, his last name was later legally changed to Bravo, the same as his stepfather. Bravo first partook in grappling when he joined his high school's wrestling team. After moving to Hollywood, California in 1991 to pursue a music career, Bravo took an interest in martial arts and began taking karate classes. Watching Royce Gracie win multiple Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events in the mid-1990s then inspired Bravo to become a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner which he began under the tutelage of Jean Jacques Machado. Bravo also attended a Jeet Kune Do academy from 1996 to 1998.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

In 1998, Bravo decided to abandon practicing all other forms of martial arts and focus on jiu-jitsu. Shortly after, he received a blue belt and developed ways to finish opponents with a "Twister", a specific spinal lock submission hold. In 1999, Bravo earned a purple belt and began establishing his signature guard, the rubber guard.

In 2003, after winning the under 145 lbs/66 kg North American trials as a brown belt, Bravo competed at the Abu-Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Submission Wrestling World Championship, a professional no-gi grappling competition. In what was considered an upset, Bravo defeated Gustavo Dantas in the first round by rear naked choke.

Bravo then faced four time world champion and three time ADCC champion Royler Gracie in the quarter-finals. Despite the esteemed difference of level, Bravo traded comfortably top positions with him before deploying his game of rubber guard, and eventually caught Gracie in a triangle choke, making him submit. Although Bravo would then lose to eventual-tournament champion Léo Vieira in the semi-finals, his victory over Gracie was considered a highlight of the tournament and a jump to fame for Bravo.

Upon his return to the United States after the competition, he was awarded a black belt by Jean Jacques Machado and subsequently opened his first 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu school in Los Angeles, California, a no-gi jiu-jitsu system.

In March 2014, after having both retired from competition for years, Bravo and Royler Gracie agreed to a submission-only grappling match at Metamoris III. The contest started with Bravo defending Royler's attacks from his guard, but at the eight minute mark he switched to attack himself. He initiated a series of techniques from half guard, including several iterations of his patented "electric chair" and a calf slicer which almost finished the fight. The match lasted 20 minutes and was ruled a draw.

Also in 2014, Bravo founded the Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI), a no-gi submission-only grappling tournament. In 2016, it was announced that the EBI and UFC partnered together to feature EBI events on the UFC's streaming service Fight Pass.

Instructor lineage

Jigoro Kano → Mitsuyo Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr. → Carlos Gracie, Jr. → Jean Jacques Machado → Eddie Bravo

Personal life

Bravo is of Mexican descent. He is married and has one son. Bravo is a strong proponent of cannabis, attributing it with helping his creativity in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is in a music band called "Smoke Serpent". Bravo is close friends with Joe Rogan, comedian and podcast host. They both used to work for the UFC and Rogan holds a black belt rank under 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. Bravo is also a regular guest on Rogan's podcast The Joe Rogan Experience . Bravo had his own podcast, titled "Eddie Bravo Radio", from 2012 to 2015. A known "conspiracy theorist", he is part of the "9/11 Truth movement", publicly raising questions about the September 11 attacks, usually mentioning the World Trade Center Building 7 collapse. Bravo also subscribes to the idea that governments have sprayed chemtrails on unknowing civilians. In 2017, Bravo brought back his podcast, "Eddie Bravo Radio", to discuss the flat Earth conspiracy in the first episode.

Books

DVDs