Dimitrios Mavraganis

Dimitri’s training in brazilian jiu-jitsu started at the age of 18 at the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Torrance. There his instructors included Royce & Rorion Gracie & Caique Elias. After seeing the world championship’s on a video, he decided that he wanted to become a champion in brazilian jiu-jitsu and felt that the Machado’s may be able to help him more to achieve this goal.

In 1999, Dimitri started training under Roger Machado. He was very impressed with Roger’s style of jiu jitsu and began training very consistently becoming one of Roger’s most dedicated students. Dimitri received his purple belt under Roger. He began training In his garage and more with Rigan Machado once Roger moved his academy to a location too far to follow.

In 2004 Dimitri started training with Pan-American champion Paulo Guillobel at a Machado affiliate academy near his home. Dimitri received his brown belt from Paulo Guillobel. In 2005 Paulo received an opportunity to expand his academy and also began teaching at a location that was too far to follow.

In early 2007 Dimitri received his Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from world renowned Black Belt Master Rigan Machado. Rigan received his black belt from one of the two founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Carlos Gracie) leaving Dimitri only 1 generation away from the source of this beautiful sport.

During his Jiu-Jitsu career Dimitri has won state, national, and pan-american titles as well as many other Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu titles. At the end of 2005 he remains the only competitor to win 2 championship belts in one NAGA tournament. He did this by dominating both the no-gi expert division, and the brown and black belts in the gi division!

He also conducts arrest and control seminars for the US Marshal’s, FBI secret service, and correctional officers at the federal prison of Terminal Island, in Long Beach.

Check out Dimitri’s article in March 2006 Grappling