Alain Pozo

Main Achievements

• 1st Place — IBJJF European No-Gi Open (2015 Black Belt Master 3)
• 1st Place — IBJJF London International Open (2015 Black Belt Master 3)
• 1st Place — IBJJF European Open (2012 Brown Belt Senior 1)
• 1st Place — NAGA Paris Champion (2012 Brown Belt Gi)
• 1st Place — Atlantic Cup Champion (Purple Belt)
• Winner — Manchester Open Black Belt Superfight (2014)
• Winner — Dorset & Hants Open Black Belt Superfight (2014)
• 2nd Place — NAGA Paris (2011 Purple Belt Gi & No-Gi)

Overview

Alain Guerra Pozo, widely recognized by his nickname “Fera,” is an accomplished Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and a major pioneer of the United Kingdom’s competitive grappling landscape. Serving as the UK Head Coach for the ZR Team network, Pozo transitioned a small regional Essex academy into a national powerhouse, producing a dominant wave of modern British competitors.

Biography

Alain Pozo was born on February 1, 1974, in Quito, Ecuador, but relocated to Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, as an infant. His introduction to combat sports began in his childhood garage, where his uncle—a former amateur boxer—started coaching Alain and his neighborhood friends.

Jiu-Jitsu did not enter Alain’s life until 1998, when he was in his mid-20s. At the time, the martial art had not yet fully permeated the northern region of Brazil. However, a family friend and local surfing icon named Zé Radiola had recently started running backyard Jiu-Jitsu classes taught by Charles dos Anjos. Alain was initially highly skeptical of the sport because it lacked punches and kicks, but he agreed to try a class out of respect for Radiola. After being soundly controlled by every novice in the room, Alain gained an immediate appreciation for the effectiveness of grappling.

He trained diligently under Charles dos Anjos, who famously awarded Alain his blue belt on the fly after witnessing him technical-coaching another blue belt. Alain later spent time traveling, training under Nelson Solari and Wilson Junior in London (where he earned his purple belt), before spending four years sharpening his No-Gi and MMA skills at the F2 Fight Team gym in Florida.

In 2009, Alain returned to England for a visit and realized how rapidly the UK grappling scene was growing. By a stroke of luck, his close friend and UFC veteran Claudio Silva was leaving his coaching position in Colchester, Essex, and offered the mantle to Alain. Accepting the role, Alain turned the small-town gym into a dominant powerhouse, establishing Carlson Gracie Essex as one of the top competitive hubs in the country and producing standout UK competitors like Taylor Pearlman, James Costa, and Janis Rietskins.

In December 2013, Alain was officially awarded his black belt by Wilson Junior. In 2017, he transitioned from the Carlson Gracie team to reunite with his very first martial arts community, launching the UK’s first affiliate for Zé Radiola’s ZR Team, where he currently serves as the head coach.

Origin of the Nickname

The tongue-in-cheek moniker “Fera” translates directly to “Beast” in Portuguese. It was playfully given to him by gym partners and close friends in Brazil as a lighthearted nod to his notoriously short temper and fiery intensity on the mats.