Renowned WWE star and actor, Dave Bautista, achieved a significant milestone in his martial arts journey as he was recently promoted to the esteemed brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Taking to Instagram, Bautista shared a heartfelt post, expressing his gratitude for the recognition bestowed upon him by his brothers and teammates.
While Bautista initially possessed proficiency in Kali, his passion for martial arts led him to explore Muay Thai. However, it was in 2010 that he embarked on his BJJ training under the guidance of Cesar Gracie.
Recalling his early experiences, Bautista admitted, “Even though I got my ass handed to me by everyone at the academy, I immediately fell in love. It’s a puzzle I’ll never solve, and if you know me, you know I get obsessed with things I can’t figure out. It’s been a challenging process with my work schedule.”
During his transition from WWE to MMA in 2011, Bautista’s dedication and progress in BJJ were recognized, and he was promoted to the blue belt.
The following year, he made his professional debut at CES 13, showcasing his skills and securing a victory over Vince Lucero via TKO in the first round.
In 2014, Bautista’s commitment to BJJ was rewarded with the prestigious purple belt. However, between 2014 and 2021, his acting career demanded significant attention, limiting his training opportunities. During this period, he immersed himself in projects for Marvel Studios, making notable appearances in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Bautista also graced the screens in Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead and Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune. Additionally, he made brief returns to WWE in 2014 and from 2018 to 2019.
In late 2022, Bautista reignited his training regimen, showcasing his unwavering dedication. Now, with Cesar Gracie’s blessings, he has ascended to the coveted rank of brown belt.
“Very proud to be posting this. I started training BJJ with @cesargraciebjj @graciefighterph in 2010 and even though I got my ass handed to me by everyone at the academy, I immediately fell in love. It’s a puzzle I’ll never solve and if you know me, you know I get obsessed with things I can’t figure out. It’s been a challenging process with my work schedule, in fact I barely trained from 2014 when I got my purple belt to 2021.”
“Last fall I dedicated myself to progressing and this week it finally happened. I was presented my brown belt by my brothers and teammates Black Belt @matheusandre1 and Black Belt @joshraff_ with the blessing of Cesar and teammate Black Belt @jasonmanly . Jason you’re a warrior and a gentleman and I’m grateful AF to know you and call you a friend. Thank you for traveling across the globe and giving up time with your babies to train my old ass.”
“❤️🙏🏼.. Josh and Matheus you guys have been there for me since DAY ONE , you’ve seen me at my highest and my lowest and never left my side. You can’t put a price on that type of loyalty and I’m proud to call you family. I love the s**t out of you guys! ❤️ I gotta thank my homies Brown belt and World Champ @the305mvp and Brown Belt @andrew.wags for traveling in to keep me honest and help me get those reps in. Love and appreciate you both. ”
“Last but definitely not least I want to thank Black Belt and owner of Gracie Tampa South @mattarroyomma for going out of his way to get me on the mat and always making time for me. Love and respect you brother, you’re the real deal. Good days and bad days, there’s only truth on the mat. You’re exposed one way or another. If you know what I mean then you know what I f**king mean. Respect to everyone willing to put it all out there. Let’s finish what we started. Ossss.. 👊🏽”
