Roberto Traven

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title: "Roberto Traven" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["brazilian-practitioners-of-brazilian-jiu-jitsu", "people-awarded-a-black-belt-in-brazilian-jiu-jitsu", "people-awarded-a-coral-belt-in-brazilian-jiu-jitsu", "brazilian-male-mixed-martial-artists", "middleweight-mixed-martial-artists", "martial-arts-school-founders", "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"] description: "Brazilian grappler and mixed martial arts fighter" topic_path: "geography/brazil" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Traven" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Brazilian grappler and mixed martial arts fighter ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox martial artist"]

Field	Value
name	Roberto Traven
other_names	Spider
image	RobertoTravenCoralBelt.jpg
image_size	200px
birth_name	Roberto Traven
birth_date
birth_place	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
height
weight	205 lb
weight_class	Heavyweight
style	Brazilian jiu-jitsu
team	Roberto Traven BJJ
rank	7th deg. BJJ coral belt
mma_kowin	2
mma_subwin	2
mma_decwin	2
mma_koloss	2
mma_subloss	1
mma_decloss	1
mma_draw	1
sherdog	142
::

| name = Roberto Traven | other_names = Spider | image = RobertoTravenCoralBelt.jpg | image_size = 200px | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Roberto Traven | birth_date = | birth_place = Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | height = | weight = 205 lb | weight_class = Heavyweight | reach = | style = Brazilian jiu-jitsu | stance = | team = Roberto Traven BJJ | rank = 7th deg. BJJ coral belt | years_active = | mma_kowin = 2 | mma_subwin = 2 | mma_decwin = 2 | mma_koloss = 2 | mma_subloss = 1 | mma_decloss = 1 | mma_draw = 1 | mma_nc = | url = | sherdog = 142 | footnotes = | updated = | medaltemplates =

Roberto "Spider" Traven (born September 16, 1968) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) Coral Belt practitioner. He is a former ADCC Absolute Champion, IBJJF World Champion, and UFC veteran. Traven is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the global BJJ community, known for both his competitive achievements and his coaching legacy.

Early life and Brazilian jiu-jitsu career

Traven was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 16 under Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti, founder of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu. He earned his black belt in just four years, training alongside future legends such as Fábio Gurgel, Léo Vieira, and Eduardo "Jamelão" da Conceição. His natural talent and dedication led him to train three times a day, enabling him to quickly rise through the ranks.  He was promoted to Corel Belt (7th degree black) on July 10, 2021.  There are only approximately 50 to 60 living BJJ coral belts worldwide.

Competitive achievements

• 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 (grappling) – 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 (grappling) – 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 heavyweight – 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
• First Place - IBJJF World No-Gi Championship - 2024

Mixed martial arts career

Traven made his MMA debut at UFC 11 in 1996, defeating Dave Berry by TKO. He later faced Frank Mir at UFC 34, losing via armbar in the first round. His professional MMA record stands at 6 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw, with victories in promotions such as UFC, Rings, and IAFC.

Mixed martial arts record

| draws= 1 | nc= | ko-wins= 2 | ko-losses= 2 | sub-wins= 2 | sub-losses= 1 | dec-wins= 2 | dec-losses= 1 | dq-wins= | dq-losses= | other-wins=

other-losses=
Loss
align=center
John Salter
KO (punches)
Adrenaline MMA 3

| | align=center| 1 | align=center| 2:15 | Birmingham, Alabama, United States | |- | Draw | align=center| 6–3–1 | Yukiya Naito | Draw | Warriors Realm 3 | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | Brisbane, Australia | |- | Loss | align=center| 6–3 | Elvis Sinosic | KO (punch) | Warriors Realm 1 | | align=center| 2 | align=center| 0:35 | Queensland, Australia | |- | Loss | align=center| 6–2 | Frank Mir | Submission (armbar) | UFC 34 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 1:05 | Las Vegas, Nevada | |- | Loss | align=center| 6–1 | Dave Menne | Decision (unanimous) | Rings: King of Kings 2000 Block A | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |- | Win | align=center| 6–0 | Mikhail Borissov | Decision (unanimous) | Rings: King of Kings 2000 Block A | | align=center| 2 | align=center| 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |- | Win | align=center| 5–0 | Gueorguiev Tzvetkov | Decision (majority) | Rings: Millennium Combine 2 | | align=center| 2 | align=center| 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |- | Win | align=center| 4–0 | Maxim Tarasov | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Absolute Fighting Championship 2 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 2:47 | Moscow, Russia

Won IAFC 2 Day 1 Tournament
Win
align=center
Leonid Efremov
TKO (submission to punches)
Absolute Fighting Championship 2

| | align=center| 1 | align=center| 2:54 | Moscow, Russia | |- | Win | align=center| 2–0 | Artyom Vilgulevsky | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Absolute Fighting Championship 2 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 2:28 | Moscow, Russia | |- | Win | align=center| 1–0 | Dave Berry | TKO (submission to strikes) | UFC 11 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 1:23 | Augusta, Georgia, United States |

Grappling record

::data[format=table]

Result	Opponent	Method	Event	Gi/No-Gi	Date	Notes
Loss	Jefferson Moura	Submission (Triangle)	World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - -94 kg Division semi finals	Gi	2003	url=http://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/roberto-traven
Win	Charles Faria	Points	World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - -94 kg Division first round	Gi	2003
Loss	Tom Erickson	N/A	ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - +99 kg first round	No-Gi	2001	url=http://www.adcombat.com/adcc-2001-results
Loss	Mario Cruz	Points	ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Absolute Division first round	No-Gi	2001
Loss	Mario Sperry	Points	ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Super Fight	No-Gi	2000	Silver in ADCC Super Fight
Win	Hayato Sakurai	Points (2x0)	ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Absolute Division finals	No-Gi	1999	url=http://www.adcombat.com/adcc-1999-results
Win	Garth Taylor	Points (5x0)	ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Absolute Division semi finals	No-Gi	1999
Win	Luis Roberto	Points (6x0)	ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Absolute Division quarter finals	No-Gi	1999
Win	Fabiano Capoane	Points (2x0)	ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Absolute Division first round	No-Gi	1999
Loss	Jeff Monson	Points (0x3)	ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - +99 kg Division semi finals	No-Gi	1999
Win	Jurie Rachel	Submission	ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - +99 kg Division first round	No-Gi	1999
Win	Andre Marques	N/A	World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - +100 kg Division semi finals/ finals	Gi	1999	Wins Second Gold
Win	Minotauro Nogueira	Points	World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - +100 kg Division quarter finals	Gi	1999
Win	John Machado	Points (10x0)	World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - +100 kg Division finals	Gi	1998	Wins First Gold
Win	Otavio Duarte	Penalty	World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - +100 kg Division semi finals	Gi	1998
Win	Roberto Godoi	N/A	World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - +100 kg Division quarter finals	Gi	1998
::

Notable Black Belts Associated with Roberto Traven

• Muzio de Angelis – One of Traven’s earliest students and later his business partner in Brazil.
• Jared Dopp – High-level competitor and ADCC veteran, known to have trained under Traven at various points.
• Raphael Assunção – UFC veteran and BJJ black belt under Traven.
• Jeff Joslin – Canadian BJJ black belt and MMA fighter, trained under Traven.
• Carlos David Oliveira - 5th degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, under Roberto Traven.
• Anna Salome - Roberto Traven's first female black belt, promoted on September 9, 2017

Many of Traven’s black belts are instructors at Team Octopus locations or affiliated academies across the U.S., especially in the Southeast.

References

References

1. "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Coral Belt".
2. "Roberto Traven".
3. "Romero Jacare Cavalcanti {{!}} BJJ Heroes".
4. Bradshaw, Bobby. (2025-06-23). "Fabio Gurgel: The General of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu {{!}} Jiu Jitsu Legacy".
5. jiujitsucentral. (2024-02-25). "Leo Vieira: Legendary Jiu-Jitsu Competitor and Coach's Impact on the Martial Arts World".
6. (2011-04-24). "Eduardo 'Jamelão' Conceição {{!}} BJJ Heroes".
7. "Roberto Traven".
8. "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 1998".
9. "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 1999".
10. "World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2014".
11. "Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2015".
12. "World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2016".
13. "Full Results: The Final Day Of IBJJF No-Gi Worlds".
14. "Roberto Traven {{!}} UFC".
15. BJJ Heroes. (11 May 2011). "Roberto Traven". BJJ Heroes.
16. "ADCC 2001 – Results". ADCC NEWS.
17. "ADCC 2000 – Results". ADCC NEWS.
18. "ADCC 1999 – Results". ADCC NEWS.
19. says, Emerson. (2010-10-06). "Muzio de Angelis {{!}} BJJ Heroes".
20. "Jared Dopp {{!}} BJJ Heroes".
21. "Raphael Assunção {{!}} UFC".
22. (2010-04-02). "Jeff Joslin {{!}} BJJ Heroes".
23. "Certified Roberto Traven Affiliate".

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