Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is more than a martial art — it is a system of leverage, patience, and problem-solving forged on the mat. At Soca BJJ, that art is taught with world-class instruction, structured curriculum, and a community built to help every student grow.
YEARS IN MARTIAL ARTS
IBJJF PAN AMERICAN GOLD
WORLD MASTER TITLES
ACADEMY LOCATIONS
01 — THE ORIGIN
Jiu-Jitsu was first developed in India, practiced by Buddhist monks who needed an effective form of self-defense without weapons. Built on balance, leverage, and control — not size or strength — it traveled through Asia, took root in Japan, and became one of the most respected martial arts in the world. It is still practiced in its traditional form today.
02 — Carlos Gracie
When Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese Jiu-Jitsu master, arrived in Brazil in the early 20th century, he taught the art to a young Carlos Gracie. Carlos was quick, athletic, and saw something others had not — that with the right adjustments, Jiu-Jitsu could become more effective and available to anyone. He and his family spent decades refining the art through challenge matches, developing their own methods, and establishing one principle above all: technique beats size, every time.
03 — Carlos Gracie Jr.
Carlos’s son carried that mission further than anyone before him. Carlos Gracie Jr. founded the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), standardized belt progression and competition worldwide, and built the infrastructure that turned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into a global sport. He is also the direct instructor of Master Alexandre “Soca” Freitas.
04 — Alexandre "Soca" Freitas
Soca began training at 15 years old. His older brother, a blue belt at the time, trained at Gracie Barra — and one day, Soca decided to go with him. After that first class, he never wanted to stop.
He trained under Jean Jacques Machado, who showed him the most effective techniques and helped establish the foundation for what would become one of the most distinctive games in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Later, under Carlos Gracie Jr., Soca deepened his understanding of the art and began competing at the highest levels — first locally, then nationally, then internationally.
What followed was nearly four decades of competition at the top of the sport. 10x IBJJF World Master Champion. 6x Pan-American Champion. ADCC World Champion. 2x Abu Dhabi World Legend Champion. Nominated in 2016 among the Top 10 BJJ Fighters of All Time. His wife, Samantha Freitas, trained alongside him and built her own legacy — 10x IBJJF World Master Champion and 6x Pan-American Champion in her own right.
But the titles only tell part of the story. What Soca built over those years was not just a competitive record — it was a team. A culture. A way of teaching that reflects everything the art is supposed to be: technical, honest, ego-free, and open to anyone willing to put in the work.
He founded Soca BJJ with one clear purpose — to bring authentic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, taught at a world-class level, to students of all ages and backgrounds. Not watered down. Not commercialized. The real thing, from the source.
Today, Soca BJJ operates across four locations — Wantagh and Glen Cove in New York, and San Diego and Lemon Grove in California. Master Soca continues to train, teach, and compete. The standard he set on the mat is the same standard every Soca BJJ instructor carries into every class.
