Jeff Rockwell

About Professor De La Riva: The art of Jiu-Jitsu was introduced to Brazil by Japanese Jiu-Jitsu Champion Conde De Koma, a friend of Carlos Gracie. Carlos not only learned the techniques, but also taught his brothers. To this day the Gracie Family is still practicing and teaching their style of Jiu-Jitsu.

Ricardo De La Riva, a student of the great late Master Carlson Gracie, started training in January of 1980 (at the age of 15 years old) in the house of his friend Vinicios Landmarks, also a student of Master Carlson Gracie. It became clear from very early on that De La Riva would make a great mark on the Jiu-Jitsu world. Master De La Riva soon began to help Master Carlson Gracie give lessons at his school starting at blue belt. He continued to teach at Master Carlson Gracie's school for an additional four years after achieving his Black Belt in 1986.

Master De La Riva is best known for his legendary "De La Riva Guard". He was able to display his great knowledge and skill in victories against highly skilled adversaries as Royce, Royler, and Rolker Gracie. Master De La Riva defeated Royce and Rolker Gracie in the same competition to be the only man alive ever to beat two Gracie on the same day. Master De La Riva has also beaten Royler Gracie two times in additional competitions.

Master De La Riva has been training for more than 25 years in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu art. He is constantly modifying and improving the Jiu-Jitsu art. Recently he has renamed his legendary "De La Riva Guard" to "De La Riva Hooks." Always working to improve his own techniques, he found a better way to apply the guard. This is what Master De La Riva has always done to the art - improve it! The information and skill that Master De La Riva possesses cannot be found with anyone else in the world.

"He's an interesting guy, and possibly the only person in Brazil who doesn't have enemies. He's the only one in Rio who nobody dislikes, according to many Brazilians I talk with. Believe it or not, there are a lot of people in Rio who don't like the Gracies, but no one doesn't like De La Riva. He is regarded as the quintessential technician. One of his students, former Pride HW champion Rodrigo Antonio Nogueira, said recently in Tokyo 'I've tried and I've tried, but I still can not pass professor's guard'." - Roberto Pedreira - http://www.fusionbjj.com/robertointerview.htm

Repository of Professor De La Riva's Instructional and Competition Video Clips: