Prof. Daniel/ Program Director

ICP6, ICP6_Revisited, CPR

Daniel Amorim Junior was born on August 17, 1998, in São Gonçalo a large municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.

A sporty young man from his early childhood, Daniel practiced a few different sports before his dad – a jiu-jitsu athlete himself – signed Amorim to a local grappling academy.

Daniel’s father was a great influencer throughout his career. When Amorim Junior started competing, they looked for a more tournament-driven gym, then joining the legendary Oriente Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Niteroi. Established in the 1960s, Oriente is recognized across Brazil as one of the sport’s foremost child programs, being behind great grappling names such as Ramon Lemos, Gilbert “Durinho” Burns, Thiago Fernandes, Rafael “Fofitio”, to name a few.

While training at Oriente, Daniel Amorim Junior added wrestling to his daily activities, becoming a Rio de Janeiro State freestyle champion in the Cadet division during 2013, 2014, and 2015. His performances at the state tournaments qualified Amorim to compete at the Brazilian Nationals, where he earned bronze medals during 2013 and 2015 as well as silver in 2014.

At the Oriente Academy, Daniel Junior’s tuition was handed by Rafael “Fofitio” Barros and Master Max Câmara, who promoted the young talent all the way up to purple belt. As Amorim reached adulthood the Oriente Academy lacked in the way of an adult competition team. This led Junior to the Soul Fighters Academy.

Daniel’s time at Soul Fighters was short-lived as, he soon received an invite from Rafael and Guilherme Mendes of the Art Of Jiu-Jitsu, in Costa Mesa, California, to take part in the team’s scholarship program: Believe & Achieve. An offer accepted by the Rio native.

During his time with the Mendes Brothers, Daniel Junior earned his brown belt, while conquering several important medals on the international jiu-jitsu circuit.

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic stopped jiu-jitsu’s competitive circuit and closed many grappling academies, Daniel Amorim Junior decided to return to his native Brazil, there re-joining with his former teammates at the former Soul Fighters Academy – which had since changed its name to Double Five – and coach Leandro Escobar. It was Escobar who promoted Junior to the rank of black belt on December 5, 2020.

Main Achievements:

2nd Place IBJJF South American Championship (2021)
2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2021)
3rd Place IBJJF South American Championship (2020)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

1st Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2018 brown)
1st Place IBJJF World Championship Juvenile (2015)
1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2016 blue)
1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Juvenile (2014 / 2015)
2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2016 blue)
2nd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2016 purple)
2nd Place IBJJF World Championship Juvenile (2014)
2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals NOGI (2014)
3rd Place IBJJF World Championship (2017 purple)
3rd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2018 purple)
3rd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals NOGI (2018 brown)