Shimon Mochizuki

Shimon Mochizuki is a highly influential figures in European Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), recognized as the first Danish practitioner to achieve the rank of BJJ black belt. Beyond his personal competitive success, he is widely celebrated as one of Europe’s premier grappling coaches, responsible for developing a generation of world-class competitors.  

Early Life and Martial Arts Journey
Born on February 6, 1975, in Gentofte—a suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark—Mochizuki’s martial arts path was deeply influenced by his father, a native of Japan and a Judo black belt. This heritage sparked a lifelong curiosity for combat sports.  

Throughout his youth, Shimon explored a wide array of disciplines, starting with traditional Ju Jutsu and Japanese Jiu-Jitsu before transitioning to Taekwondo at age 13. At 19, he immersed himself in Wing Tsun, a Chinese trapping style that was highly popular in Copenhagen at the time. Shimon dedicated 10 years to training and coaching Wing Tsun, even building his own academy for the discipline.  

Discovering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
In 2002, a Wing Tsun training partner introduced Shimon to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The pair began making a weekly, 30-minute train commute across the border to Malmö, Sweden, to train at MMA Alliance under Peter Blackwell. They spent the rest of the week drilling the techniques on their own back in Copenhagen.

While initially split between Wing Tsun and grappling, Shimon’s perspective completely shifted after attending a seminar by BJJ legend Leo Vieira. Seeing Vieira effortlessly dominate much larger students with technical precision hooked Shimon completely.

The Growth of “Arte Suave”
To eliminate the long commute to Sweden, Shimon arranged for Peter Blackwell to travel to Copenhagen to teach. When Blackwell eventually had to step back from traveling, Shimon (then a purple belt) took over the classes.  

This transition marked the birth of Arte Suave, an academy that would grow into one of the most prestigious and successful grappling gyms in Europe, cultivating numerous homegrown black belts and consistent world medalists.

While Blackwell awarded Shimon all of his colored belts, it was Leonardo “Leozinho” Vieira who officially awarded Mochizuki his black belt in 2008.  

Notable Students Developed
Under Shimon’s guidance at Arte Suave, the academy became a major European powerhouse affiliated with the Checkmat team. He has been instrumental in the development of elite international competitors, including:

Alexander Trans

Ida Hansson

Shanti Abelha

Janni Larsson

Camila Hansen

Main Achievements
1st Place: IBJJF London International Open (2012 Black – Senior 1)

1st Place: IBJJF European Open Championship (2006 Master Purple)  

1st Place: Swedish Open (2012 Senior 1, 2013 Master)

1st Place: Scandinavian Open Champion (2007 Brown Absolute)

2nd Place: IBJJF European Open No-Gi Championship (2012 Senior 1)

3rd Place: IBJJF European Open Championship (2011 Black Master Absolute)

Practitioner Profile
Weight Division: Meio Pesado (88.3 kg / 194.3 lbs)

Favorite Technique: Guard Passing  

Team Association: Checkmat (Arte Suave)