Roberto "Spider" Traven (born September 16, 1968) is a Brazilian
mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...
whose fighting style is based in
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and
submission wrestling
Submission wrestling, also known as submission grappling, submission fighting, or simply grappling, is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on ground fighting and submission techniques. It is a hybrid discipline that incorporates elem ...
. He was a sporty person growing up, it took him 16 years to find
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but straight away he picked up tuition with one of the most highly decorated coaches of all time,
Romero Cavalcanti
Romero Cavalcanti (born October 22, 1952) is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master and the founder of Alliance Jiu Jitsu. He is one of the six men who were promoted to black belt by Rolls Gracie prior to his fatal 1982 hang gliding accident. AKA “Jacaré”. His natural ability for BJJ was clear from the get-go and the fact that he was obstinate made a recipe for a good fighter. Training 3 times per day alongside other historical figures such as
Fabio Gurgel,
Leo Vieira, Jamelão and many others, Traven managed to reach the grade of black belt within 4 years, an almost record breaking time frame in BJJ.
Traven started coaching at the “Academia Strike”, and soon pulled out one of his students, Muzio de Angelis, to help him with the classes. The team grew strong, but the venue ended closing in 1997. Roberto Traven did not give up and he re-opened his academy, this time making his former student, Muzio, his associate naming the team “Academia Muzio & Traven”.
Having started his MMA career in the United States in 1996
UFC 11 vs. Dave Berry and in
UFC 34 vs.
Frank Mir
Francisco Santos Miranda III (; born May 24, 1979), is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division. He competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) for sixteen years, and Bellator MMA. A former UFC Heavywe ...
, Roberto Traven started seeing more and more of US territory as the years went by. Understanding that America had a great potential for jiu-jitsu, Roberto decided to leave the “Muzio & Traven” partnership a few years after he began it, and moved for long term to the US.
Traven won the Russian Absolute Championship in 1997.
Though his once promising MMA career died down after the turn of the millennium, due to a series of losses, Traven’s career as a BJJ instructor blossomed with several students, having also graduated some of the American students with the grade of black belt.
Traven is currently sponsored by UK Jiu Jitsu apparel company, AESTHETIC.
Roberto Traven BJJ are multiple time IBJFF Atlanta International Open Champions & 2016 Atlanta BJJ Pro Champions.
As of 2024, Roberto Traven serves as the head instructor a
Team Octopusin Midtown Atlanta, Georgia. Team Octopus is a renowned martial arts and fitness facility offering a variety of classes, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), Muay Thai, kickboxing, and fitness boxing. Traven, a highly respected figure in the BJJ community, brings his extensive experience and expertise to the role, providing top-tier instruction and mentorship to students of all ages and skill levels.
Titles
*First Place - Brazilian National Championship - 1995
*First Place - Brazilian Team Championship - 1995
*First Place - Brazilian Team Championship – 1996
*First Place - AFC Russia Ultimate Fighting – 1997
*First Place -
World Jiu-Jitsu Championship – 1998
*First Place - open class in the
ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship
The ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship is an international submission grappling competition, organised by the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC). ADCC is considered one of the most prestigious No-Gi submission grappling tournaments in the world ...
(
grappling
Grappling is a fighting technique based on throws, trips, sweeps, clinch fighting, ground fighting and submission holds.
Grappling contests often involve takedowns and ground control, and may end when a contestant concedes defeat. Shou ...
) – 1999
*First Place - Brazilian Team Championship – 1999
*First Place -
World Jiu-Jitsu Championship – 1999
*First Place - Rings Japan – 2000
*Second Place - Super fight in the
ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship
The ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship is an international submission grappling competition, organised by the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC). ADCC is considered one of the most prestigious No-Gi submission grappling tournaments in the world ...
(
grappling
Grappling is a fighting technique based on throws, trips, sweeps, clinch fighting, ground fighting and submission holds.
Grappling contests often involve takedowns and ground control, and may end when a contestant concedes defeat. Shou ...
) – 2000
*Second Place - Masters World Championship– 2002
*First Place - Master's World Cup super heavy-weight – 2002
*First Place - Master's World Cup open class – 2002
*First Place - Master's World Cup heavy weight – 2003
*First Place - Pan Ams open and super heavy weight division (class Senior I) - 2006
*First Place - Pan American Senior II Heavy Weight division - 2010
*Third Place - ADCC Trials New Jersey Adult division - 2011
*First Place - World Master Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship Heavy Weight Division (class Master IV) - 2014
*First Place - Pan Ams open and super heavy weight division (class Master IV) - 2015
*First Place - World Master Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship Heavy Weight Division (class Master IV) - 2016
Mixed martial arts record
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 6–4–1
,
John Salter
, KO (punches)
, Adrenaline MMA 3
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 2:15
,
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County. The population was 200,733 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
,
, -
, Draw
, align=center, 6–3–1
, Yukiya Naito
, Draw
, Warriors Realm 3
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 6–3
,
Elvis Sinosic
, KO (punch)
, Warriors Realm 1
,
, align=center, 2
, align=center, 0:35
,
Queensland
Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 6–2
,
Frank Mir
Francisco Santos Miranda III (; born May 24, 1979), is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division. He competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) for sixteen years, and Bellator MMA. A former UFC Heavywe ...
, Submission (armbar)
,
UFC 34
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 1:05
,
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 6–1
,
Dave Menne
, Decision (unanimous)
,
Rings: King of Kings 2000 Block A
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 6–0
, Mikhail Borissov
, Decision (unanimous)
,
Rings: King of Kings 2000 Block A
,
, align=center, 2
, align=center, 5:00
,
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 5–0
, Gueorguiev Tzvetkov
, Decision (majority)
,
Rings: Millennium Combine 2
,
, align=center, 2
, align=center, 5:00
,
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 4–0
, Maxim Tarasov
, Submission (rear-naked choke)
, Absolute Fighting Championship 2
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 2:47
,
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
,
Won IAFC 2 Day 1 Tournament
, -
, Win
, align=center, 3–0
, Leonid Efremov
, TKO (submission to punches)
, Absolute Fighting Championship 2
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 2:54
,
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 2–0
, Artyom Vilgulevsky
, Submission (rear-naked choke)
, Absolute Fighting Championship 2
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 2:28
,
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 1–0
, Dave Berry
, TKO (submission to strikes)
,
UFC 11
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 1:23
,
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a city on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies directly across the Savannah River from North Augusta, South Carolina at the head of its navigable portion. Augusta, the third mos ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
,
Grappling record
References
# International Federation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
World Championship ''ibjjf.com''. URL last accessed April 21, 2007.
# Ultimate Fighting Championship
UFC Home PagePast UFC Events URL last accessed April 21, 2007.
External links
*
*
BJJHeroes: Roberto Traven
Official WebsiteWebsite of Traven's training facility, "Unit 2 Fitness"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Traven, Roberto
Brazilian practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
People awarded a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Brazilian male mixed martial artists
Middleweight mixed martial artists
Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Living people
1968 births
Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters
World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship medalists
Martial artists from Rio de Janeiro (city)
20th-century Brazilian sportsmen