Miguel Ángel Alderete

Miguel Ángel Alderete was born on March 11, 1989, in Adrogue, Buenos Aires province, Argentina. His family relocated to the nearby city of Burzaco early in his life, where he grew up and took his first steps in combat sports. At the age of 20, he entered the world of kickboxing, developing quickly enough to draw serious attention from his coaching staff. Recognizing his athletic potential, his kickboxing coach identified grappling proficiency as the essential next step toward a future in mixed martial arts.

Acting on that advice, Alderete took up jiu-jitsu at the age of 21 under Damian Srur, a practitioner trained under Mario Sukata. Srur's structured guidance carried Alderete from white belt through to purple belt, instilling the technical discipline and competitive mindset that would define his development. That formative period under Srur established the groundwork for what would become a distinguished career at the sport's highest levels.

As Alderete's commitment to jiu-jitsu deepened, he recognized that reaching the next level required a more demanding competitive environment. Having earned his purple belt under Damian Srur in Argentina, he made the decision to travel to Brazil in pursuit of elite instruction. There, he trained under Cicero Costha, one of the most respected figures in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, who promoted Alderete to brown belt.

A Defining Partnership at Nova União

Seeking continued growth, Alderete subsequently joined Nova União under the direct tutelage of Eduardo "Dudu" Duarte. The partnership proved transformative. Competing at the 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Rio de Janeiro as a brown belt, Alderete earned a podium finish — a result that signaled his readiness for the sport's elite tier. In recognition of both his competition performance and overall progression, Eduardo Duarte awarded Alderete his black belt in January 2016, formally establishing him as one of Nova União's most accomplished representatives in the heavyweight division.

Alderete's black belt debut on the major competition circuit announced his arrival at the elite level in unmistakable terms. At the 2016 Brazilian National Championship (Brasileiro CBJJ) — one of the most prestigious domestic events in the sport — he navigated the heavyweight bracket with composed, technical jiu-jitsu, defeating established black belts Dimitrius Souza, Felipe Cranivata on his way to the final. His silver medal finish made history: Alderete became the first Argentine athlete ever to medal at the Brazilian Nationals in the adult black belt division.

A Legacy Beyond the Podium

The magnitude of that achievement extended well beyond the result itself. Competing as a foreigner in Brazil's most celebrated domestic championship, and doing so in the physically demanding heavyweight division, Alderete's performance resonated throughout the Argentine jiu-jitsu community and drew recognition from the broader global scene. The milestone cemented his legacy as a trailblazer for Argentine BJJ and positioned him as both a formidable competitor and an influential coach with a platform to inspire the next generation of grapplers from his home country.