André da Silva

André 'Marola' da Silva was born on March 2, 1973, in Brazil, and began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the remarkable age of five. His introduction to the art came directly through his father — a devoted practitioner who held a blue belt under the legendary Carlson Gracie. Growing up in a household where jiu-jitsu was both a passion and a way of life gave André a foundational appreciation for the art that would shape his entire journey on the mats.

Though the identity of his earliest coach remains unknown, the academy's leadership eventually passed to Walter Nogueira, who guided André's development through his most formative years. Nogueira led the team until André turned fourteen, providing consistent and structured instruction during a critical period of growth. Wendell Alexander then assumed the role of head instructor, stepping in as André's primary coach and forming a relationship that would prove defining for the rest of his jiu-jitsu career.

Wendell Alexander graded André da Silva at every stage of his development within the Nova União system, creating a continuity of instruction that forged a deep bond between student and teacher. That unbroken lineage reflected the discipline and consistency that Nova União demanded of its elite practitioners.

André's passion for teaching emerged well before he reached the senior ranks. In 1990, while still a purple belt, he began assisting his instructors in coaching — a clear signal of the depth of understanding he had already cultivated. That early start on the coaching side would come to define his legacy as profoundly as his competitive achievements.

André received his black belt from Wendell Alexander in December 1996, a milestone underpinned by strong competitive results. Earlier that same year, competing at brown belt, he earned 3rd Place at the Brazilian National Championship in both the weight and absolute categories — performances that spoke directly to his readiness for the black belt division. His competitive career unfolded primarily in the Pesadíssimo division, reserved for athletes competing above 100kg (221lbs).

André 'Marola' da Silva built his competitive record during one of the most dominant periods in Nova União's history. Competing in the Pesadíssimo (over 100kg/221lbs) division, he was an active contributor to the team's golden era in the late 1990s and early 2000s — a stretch during which Nova União captured two World Team titles by 2002.

At the individual level, André posted consistent results across Brazil's most competitive circuits. His 3rd Place finish at the 1996 Brazilian National Championship at brown belt — across both the weight and absolute categories — signaled his arrival as a serious competitor. As a black belt, he anchored Nova União's team efforts at the Brazilian Teams Nationals, contributing to 2nd Place finishes in 1996, 1997, and 1998. He extended his competitive relevance into the following decade with a 3rd Place finish at the World Cup in 2003.

His influence as a coach later brought the team back to the national stage in full force. Nova União claimed the Brazilian Team National Championship title in 2013, and finished 2nd Place at the Brazilian Teams Nationals in 2012 — results that reflected both his ability to develop competitors and his commitment to sustaining the team's collective standard.

Nova União had established itself as one of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu's premier organizations through the late 1990s and early 2000s, accumulating two World Team titles by 2002 and producing some of the sport's most recognizable names. As the decade progressed, however, a significant transition reshaped the team's competitive landscape. High-profile black belt competitors — including Vitor Shaolin, Leonardo Santos, and Thales Leite — shifted their athletic focus toward Mixed Martial Arts, leaving a structural void in Nova União's BJJ roster.

André 'Marola' da Silva recognized this shift not simply as a dip in trophy count, but as a long-term threat to the team's identity and competitive future in both BJJ and MMA. Rather than stand by, he proactively approached team founders Dedé Pederneiras and Wendell Alexander, requesting direct charge of the competition program. Both founders agreed, and in 2008 André was officially appointed head coach — stepping into a role previously held by the legendary André Pederneiras, a figure whose legacy set a formidable standard for anyone who followed.

The appointment drew on nearly two decades of hands-on coaching experience. Having begun assisting instructors as a purple belt in 1990, André brought rare institutional depth to the position — an insider's understanding of the Nova União system earned through every stage of the journey, from student and competitor to long-serving assistant coach.

Following his appointment as head coach of Nova União's headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, André 'Marola' da Silva rebuilt the team's competitive program with methodical purpose. Working alongside Fabio Andrade, he spearheaded a resurgence of Nova União's presence on both the national and international BJJ stage throughout the 2010s.

The results spoke for themselves. The Brazilian Team National Championship title in 2013 stood as a landmark achievement, confirming that Nova União had returned as a genuine force in organized team competition. That success was not a single moment of fortune but the product of sustained development — a long-term investment in the next generation of competitors within the Nova União framework.

André's coaching career spans from 1990 to the present, making him one of the longest-serving instructors within the Nova União lineage. His journey — from a five-year-old introduced to jiu-jitsu by his father, through his formative years under Walter Nogueira and Wendell Alexander, to his leadership as head coach of one of Brazil's most storied BJJ organizations — represents a rare and unbroken continuity within a single team. He carries the institutional memory and competitive culture of Nova União, and his work as a coach reflects a lifelong commitment to preserving and advancing the team's legacy in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.