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About
| Full Name | Alexandre Paiva Genovesi |
| Nickname | “Gigi” |
| Date of Birth | March 4, 1967 |
| Rank & Title | Black Belt & Alliance Co-Founder |
| Weight Division | Peso Médio (Middleweight – 82.00 kg / 181 lbs) |
| Team Affiliation | Alliance Jiu-Jitsu |
Main Achievements
- 1st Place — IBJJF World Championship (1999)
- 1st Place — IBJJF Pan American Championship (1996)
- 5x 1st Place — International Masters & Seniors Championship (2002 / 2004 / 2007 / 2008 / 2010)
- 3rd Place — IBJJF World Championship (1997)
Overview
Alexandre Paiva, widely known by his nickname “Gigi,” is a figure of monumental importance in the history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. As a co-founder of the powerhouse Alliance Jiu-Jitsu team and a master strategist, Paiva has played an invaluable role in shaping sport grappling and developing multiple generations of world-class champions.
Biography
He began his martial arts journey in 1983 at the legendary Jacaré Academy in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, training under Romero Cavalcanti (a prominent black belt under Rolls Gracie). On those mats, Paiva trained alongside a cohort of future icons—including Fabio Gurgel, Leonardo Castello Branco, and Roberto Traven—who would collectively reshape sport Jiu-Jitsu.
Driven by an absolute obsession with the art, Paiva routinely spent upwards of eight hours a day on the mats. In addition to his training in Ipanema, he routinely commuted to the Botafogo area to train at the Gracie Academy under masters Rickson and Royler Gracie.
In 1988, Paiva suffered a major spinal injury that sidelined him for two years. Demonstrating incredible resilience, he underwent surgery, recovered, and returned to the mats to receive his black belt in 1991. Around this time, he also turned his attention toward coaching. In 1994, alongside Cavalcanti, Fabio Gurgel, and Roberto Traven, Paiva co-founded the Alliance Academy to unite their talent pools against dominant contemporary forces like Gracie Barra and Carlson Gracie.
As a master coach, Paiva has developed a long list of legendary competitors, including Fernando “Tereré”, Leonardo Leite, Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa, and his own world-class competitor son, Vitor Genovesi.
Origin of the Nickname
The moniker “Gigi” is a classic Portuguese diminutive shortened directly from his paternal family surname, Genovesi.
Black Belts Promoted 21
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