Elan Santiago

Elan Santiago's journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu began in 1993 when he stepped onto the mats at the legendary Carlson Gracie Academy in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. Training during one of BJJ's most formative eras, Santiago immersed himself in the Carlson Gracie lineage at a time when the academy stood as one of the sport's most influential institutions. The competitive intensity and technical culture forged there left a permanent imprint on his approach to the art.

Following internal disputes within the Carlson Gracie group, Santiago continued his development under Mauro Chueng, maintaining focus and commitment despite the organizational upheaval. After nearly a decade of dedicated training, he earned his black belt under Chueng in 2002/2003 — a milestone reflecting years of perseverance and technical refinement. During this period, he also cross-trained with Murilo Bustamante and the Brazilian Top Team, broadening his competitive outlook and technical foundation through exposure to some of Brazil's elite grapplers.

Santiago's path continued to evolve as he trained under Fernando Tererê at his São Paulo academy, adding another influential chapter to his development. Following Tererê's arrest, he transitioned to Alliance Jiu-Jitsu under Alexandre Paiva, embedding himself within one of the sport's most accomplished coaching environments and further shaping the instructor he would become.

Beyond his personal athletic development, Elan Santiago earned recognition as a pioneer in bringing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the Minas Gerais region of Brazil, extending the art's reach beyond its traditional strongholds in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. His willingness to cultivate BJJ in less-established markets demonstrated both an entrepreneurial spirit and a genuine dedication to growing the sport.

In 2005, Santiago carried that commitment further by relocating to South Korea, where he worked to promote and develop martial arts in a country still building its grappling culture. This move placed him among an early generation of BJJ ambassadors who carried the sport beyond Brazil's borders at a time when international infrastructure for the art remained nascent. Santiago returned to Rio de Janeiro in 2006, bringing with him a broadened international perspective that enriched his subsequent work as a coach and community figure. His experience across multiple top-tier environments — from the Carlson Gracie system to Brazilian Top Team, Tererê's academy, and ultimately Alliance — gave him a uniquely layered foundation that informed his pioneering efforts wherever he planted roots.

Upon returning to Rio de Janeiro, Elan Santiago channeled his experience and passion for jiu-jitsu into meaningful community work by joining the 'Sonho do Beija-Flor' (Hummingbird Dream) social project in Nilópolis, Rio de Janeiro. The initiative used sport as a vehicle to reach children living in impoverished communities, offering them structured guidance, discipline, and opportunity through martial arts training.

Santiago's involvement reflected a deep conviction that jiu-jitsu carries value far beyond the competition mat. By dedicating his expertise to at-risk youth in one of Rio de Janeiro's more vulnerable communities, he demonstrated the transformative potential of sport as a tool for social change. This commitment to community-oriented coaching became a defining thread in his identity as a practitioner and instructor — distinguishing him not only as a technically accomplished black belt, but as a role model genuinely invested in the well-being of those he served.

Elan Santiago's coaching career stands as the most enduring expression of his contributions to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His most prominent achievement in this role is his work with Lucas Lepri, a multiple-time IBJJF World Champion and one of the most decorated lightweights in the sport's history. Lepri's ascent to the pinnacle of competitive BJJ carries Santiago's fingerprints, reflecting the depth and quality of instruction he provided within the Alliance system. Santiago also coached Gabriel Goulart, a notable competitive talent who further illustrates the caliber of athletes to emerge from his guidance.

Santiago's effectiveness as a coach is inseparable from the richness of his own training history. Having absorbed technical knowledge and competitive culture across the Carlson Gracie lineage, Brazilian Top Team, Tererê's academy, and Alliance under Alexandre Paiva, he brought a rare breadth of perspective to his teaching. His own accomplishments on the mat — including recognition as a Rio de Janeiro State Champion — lent credibility and authority to his instruction, grounding his coaching in firsthand competitive experience. Across decades of work in Brazil, South Korea, and within Rio de Janeiro's social projects, Santiago built a legacy defined as much by the athletes and communities he elevated as by his own achievements between the lines.