Professor Valerio and the Gracie Barra community ignited my spark for Jiu Jitsu. I had never known anything abut BJJ except for casually watching UFC until I stepped onto the blue mat. I was first taught under Professor over 3 years ago, and his love for the art and his students is undeniable. He is a wealth of knowledge and makes the entire environment feel like family instead of a constant competition like I have seen in other BJJ gyms. I will be forever grateful for taking the step to try a class with Professor so many years ago. My life and my mentality changed when I began my BJJ journey and it all started with taking that first step to try a class at Gracie Barra to see what it’s all about.