You probably have seen a new face at Gracie Sydney mats on Instagram. That is Domenico Novello, a black belt 1 stripe that just arrived from Brasil to coach with us!
Domenico started training BJJ at the age of 15. Everything happened when he was training Muay Thai and was dreaming to fight MMA. Back at that time, Dodo met Tanquinho who advised him to start training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu if he really wants to fight MMA. His advice was based that learning kicking and punching is quite repetitive and is linear learning, but the jiu-jitsu moves demand a bit more work in the long term. And, once you start mastering some BJJ movements, they will become very important on the Octagon. After Tanquinho’s wise advice, Domenico started training BJJ in Rio de Janeiro.
Since 2010, Domenico has been falling in love with BJJ each day and will never stop training. It has been 12 years on the mats now! Apart from training, Domenico also coaches. His coaching ‘career’ started with his second coach, Professor Tatu. Dodo migrated academies because Tanquinho was traveling too much and was forced to close his gym. Then, Tatu came into Dodo’s life. Time goes by and Domenico was each time more frequent on the mats. Tatu saw in him the potential to become the next coach in his academy and offered him a sponsorship in the gym. They traded the membership for Kids classes coaching when he was a blue belt. Dodo developed his patience and coaching skills throughout the years, what made Tatu invite him to become a full-time coach when he got his purple belt. Dodo has been coaching for 10 years now!
Additionally to coaching, Domenico developed his competition skills as well. Always a good competitor in both GI and NO GI, Domenico is an extremely talented guarder and his guillotine is something close to lethal (get to roll with him and you will feel what I am talking about). Nowadays, he prefers training and competing in NO GI but surely you will see him in his beautiful Blue Kings Gi training and competing.
Competition Highlights:
🥇 🟤 Brown Belt – Medium Division – Chicago International Open 2019;
🥇 🟤 Brown Belt NO GI – Medium Division – Rio International Open 2018;
🥉🥉 🟤 Brown Belt – Medium and Open Division – San Jose International Open 2019;
🥉 ⚫ Black Belt – Medium Division – Vitoria International Open 2019;
🥉 🟤 Brown Belt – Medium Division – Rio International Open 2019;
🥈 🟣 Purple Belt – Team – Brasileiro de Equipes.
His passion for NO GI and Kids will be the perfect fit for him to lead the NO GI program and to coach Toddlers, Kids, and Teens at Gracie Sydney. Dodo helped his parents to raise his younger brother and sister and his next dream is to have kids with his girlfriend. About NO GI, his next big challenge is the World’s Master NO GI in 2023!
Please, help us to welcome Domenico to Gracie Sydney and make he fells like Australia is home!
Favorite position: close guard.
Favorite submission: guillotine.
GI or NO GI: lately, NO GI. It is more fun and more real.
Weight Division: Light and Medium.
Instagram: @domeniconovello
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Address: 3/576 Botany Rd, Alexandria NSW 2015
Phone: (02) 8084 1978