Professor Rafael Ellwanger represents Gracie Barra schools in Mississippi ,Louisiana and other areas of the southwest. Since mixed martial arts have received so much popularity in the recent year, there have been some training facilities that will do anything to have a good reputation.

Gracie Barra is known for its good reputation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and its remarkable philosophy which goes back decades. Ellwanger has established the GB name in a respectable manner with his eight schools across the south. 2011 will be a year full of accomplishments and achievements and its only just begun.

Professor ended 2010 with a bang, he hosted the first GB Comp Net outside of California and it was a huge success. There were a handful of competitors who traveled far and wide to come participate in the event. Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisianan were all present at the 200+ man tournament. Mr. Ellwanger is ready to wave the GB flag in other areas of his region. He his looking to expand his community of students in to the 1,000’s. Plans for expanding into Alabama and putting a Gracie Barra in the top 5 cities is in his sights. He is focused on doing this by the book and the way its supposed to be done, correctly. Ellwanger say’s he is a fan of rules and keeping things in order ” Im going to follow all the rules put in place, its the best way”

It doesnt stop there for this blackbelt, he is planing on competing again sometime in 2011. Since the birth of his child in 2009 he has been spending time raising the baby and spreading the GB lifestyle. He only competed once only since then, that will change in 2011. He is also planing to bring the GB Compnet into Texas and Louisiana all while implementing the new systems and expansions of the GB Association. He is most looking forward to sharing the great lifestyle with the women in the community. “The pink team is awesome, its going to be good for the women in the area to learn bjj and live the lifestyle we love.”