Kids
Kids & young studentsAges 4–13
Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Confidence is built one detail at a time.
A place for children to build confidence, body awareness, discipline, and trust, without needing to be the loudest person in the room.
The art is
handed down here.
Train with Master Fredson Paixão in a room built on discipline, detail, and family. A beginning for some. A home for those who stay.
Real skill is not rushed.
Neither is belonging.
Jiu-jitsu is more than a collection of moves. At this academy, the details matter: how you enter the room, how you care for your training partner, how you apply pressure, and how you keep learning when the easy answer runs out.
The story of this AcademyBefore he was Master Fredson,
he sold ice cream in Manaus.
The medals are real. So is the road behind them: Manaus, Rio, Tokyo, Las Vegas, and now a mat in Henderson, Nevada, where he still teaches and still competes.
- 4×
- World Champion, three at black belt
- 9
- Brazilian national titles, blue through black
- 2010
- Fought the first featherweight bout in UFC history
- 2026
- IBJJF Masters gold, still competing
Now
Henderson, Nevada
Master Fredson Paixão
Sixth-degree black belt. Four-time World Champion. Still teaching, still competing. This is where the road arrives. Here is where it began.
1979
Parintins and Manaus, Amazonas
Ice cream and kung fu films
Fredson was born May 13, 1979, in Parintins. He grew up poor in the Japiim neighborhood of Manaus, selling ice cream on the streets. He loved Bruce Lee and kung fu films.
1992–1994
Manaus, Amazonas
The door he almost missed
A school friend asked him to train in 1992. He said no for two years. Then, while he helped paint and re-mat Professor Orley Lobato’s academy, Lobato offered him free training. His friend made sure he said yes.
Fredson, far left. Photo courtesy of Fredson Paixão 1995–1996
Amazonas, Brazil
Four months in, the semifinals
First tournament: the Amazonas state championship. A white belt with about four months of training, he reached the semifinals of a mixed white-and-blue division. The next year, Brazilian National Champion at blue belt.
1997
Rio de Janeiro
A belt up, and bronze
At the World Championship, his team’s blue-belt places were full. Osvaldo Alves entered him a belt up, at purple. He took bronze. He stayed in Rio, living in Alves’s apartment for several years.
1998
Rio de Janeiro
World champion, then black belt
World Champion at purple belt in 1998, he was then promoted by Grand Master Osvaldo Alves straight to black belt, skipping brown. The lineage: Carlos Gracie, Reylson Gracie, Osvaldo Alves, Fredson Paixão.
2001
Rio de Janeiro
The first world title
July 29, 2001: IBJJF World Champion at black belt featherweight, his first world title at black belt. At home he won the Brazilian Nationals at black belt five years straight, 2000 through 2004.
2002
Through de la Riva, by choke
IBJJF World Champion again. On the way he beat Ricardo de la Riva, namesake of the De La Riva guard, and won the final by choke. In Manaus, a superfight win over Robson Moura.
2003. Photo © Denis Martins2005, with the gold
2003–2005
Bronze, silver, then gold again
Bronze at the Worlds in 2003. Silver in 2004. In 2005, IBJJF World Champion at black belt featherweight for the third time. Two years just short of the top. Then the top again.
2004–2006
Manaus and Tokyo
The same art, gloves on
May 15, 2004, Jungle Fight 2 in Manaus: his professional MMA debut, a win by decision over Rani Yahya. August 4, 2006, Tokyo: a decision over Masakazu Imanari at DEEP. The jiu-jitsu traveled well.
2010
Las Vegas, Nevada
A first in UFC history
WEC: a rear-naked choke on Courtney Buck, a split decision over Bryan Caraway. Caol Uno tapped at the UFC Fan Expo. On December 4 he fought the first featherweight bout in UFC history.
Photo courtesy of Fredson Paixão Then and now
The King of Wristlocks
“If I had back mount and both hands on the collar, they’d tap, no matter who they were.” The rarer finish: the wristlock, credited to Osvaldo Alves’s school, taught in his instructional Wristlock Master.
Gold at the 2026 IBJJF American Nationals. Photo courtesy of Fredson Paixão Today
Henderson, Nevada
Still on the mat
Las Vegas became home. A sixth-degree black belt, Fredson now teaches at his academy in Henderson, Nevada, and still competes: World Master No-Gi silver in 2025, IBJJF Masters gold in 2026.
If all you see are my medals, you’ve missed my life.
— Master Fredson Paixão The rest happens on the mat. Come train with Master Fredson.
Record compiled from IBJJF results, BJJ Heroes, Sherdog, and UFC.com. Photos of Master Fredson courtesy of Fredson Paixão. The other images are illustrations.
There is a place
for your beginning.
Whether you are bringing your child, taking your first step onto a mat, or returning to the art, we will meet you where you are.
Choose a card to see each program.
KidsAdults
Adult Jiu-JitsuGi and no-gi
Adult Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
A real place to begin. A deeper place to stay.
For beginners who want a thoughtful start, experienced students who want sharper details, and anyone looking for a practice that lasts.
Private
Private trainingOne-on-one
Private Training
Closer attention. A practice shaped around you.
One-on-one attention for a specific goal, a return to training, or a deeper look at the details that make a technique work.
The room teaches
what words cannot.
Still, the people who train here have found a few.
I have been working with Professor Fredson for a little more over a year now. Myself being a lifetime martial artist Fredson and his fellow coaches attention to detail is amazing and the vibe & sense of community in this gym is truly a family. Could not recommend it more!
This is the place to train in the Las Vegas area! I train at Professor Fredson’s North Carolina Academy affiliate, Groundstone BJJ, and Professor Fredson and his team welcomed me in with open arms before I competed at a tournament here. Clean mats and a fun vibe. Highly recommend this academy.
Fredson is one of the best Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the world, you get world class coaching for a great price. Great kids classes as well.
Best Jiu-Jitsu gym. From the moment I started I instantly felt like part of the FP family.
Start your journey with one of the best academies in Vegas!!!
At Paixão Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, we build unbreakable people.
Some of them become champions.
— Master Fredson Paixão
Make room
for the practice.
Gi on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No-gi on Tuesday and Thursday. Kids classes throughout the week, with open mat Saturday.
See the full scheduleMON / WED / FRIGi · Fundamentals · Kids · Adults
TUE / THUNo-gi · Kids · Adults
SATOpen mat · 11 am–noon
Evening adult classes begin at 7 pm; the end time varies with training.You do not have to be ready.
You only have to begin.
Pick a class time and you’re booked. No card, no account, no waiting for a call back.