On January 26th, our team competed in the first tournament of the year at NAGA Phoenix, bringing a full squad of kids and adults. The results were nothing short of incredible! Our kids’ team secured 1st place overall, while our adult team earned 2nd place overall, marking a fantastic start to the competition season.

A special shoutout to Professor Andre Freire, who put on a dominant performance in the Ultra Heavyweight (250+ lbs) division. In an unbelievable display of skill and determination, he defeated UFC top-3 heavyweight Alexander Volkov in the finals—an incredible achievement against an opponent nearly twice his size!

Congratulations to Professor Andre and the entire Carlson Gracie Tucson team for this outstanding performance! We are proud of everyone who stepped on the mats and represented our academy with heart and dedication.