Roberto "Spider" Traven (born September 16, 1968) is a retired Brazilian mixed martial artist whose fighting style is based in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission wrestling. He was a sporty person growing up, it took him 16 years to find Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but straight away he picked up tuition with one of the most highly decorated coaches of all time, Romero Cavalcanti AKA “Jacaré”. His natural ability for BJJ was clear from the get-go and the fact that he was obstinate made a recipe for a good fighter. Training 3 times per day alongside other historical figures such as Fabio Gurgel, Leo Vieira, Jamelão and many others, Traven managed to reach the grade of black belt within 4 years, an almost record breaking time frame in BJJ.
Traven started coaching at the “Academia Strike”, and soon pulled out one of his students, Muzio de Angelis, to help him with the classes. The team grew strong, but the venue ended closing in 1997. Roberto Traven did not give up and he re-opened his academy, this time making his former student, Muzio, his associate naming the team “Academia Muzio & Traven”.
Having started his MMA career in the United States in 1996 UFC 11 vs. Dave Berry and in UFC 34 vs. Frank Mir, Roberto Traven started seeing more and more of US territory as the years went by. Understanding that America had a great potential for jiu-jitsu, Roberto decided to leave the “Muzio & Traven” partnership a few years after he began it, and moved for long term to the US.
Though his once promising MMA career died down after the turn of the millennium, due to a series of losses, Traven’s career as a BJJ instructor blossomed with several students, having also graduated some of the American students with the grade of black belt.
Traven is currently sponsored by UK Jiu Jitsu apparel company, AESTHETIC.
Roberto Traven BJJ are multiple time IBJFF Atlanta International Open Champions & 2016 Atlanta BJJ Pro Champions.
Titles
- First Place - Brazilian National Championship - 1995
- First Place - Brazilian Team Championship - 1995
- First Place - Brazilian Team Championship – 1996
- First Place - AFC Russia Ultimate Fighting – 1997
- First Place - World Jiu-Jitsu Championship – 1998
- First Place - open class in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship (grappling) – 1999
- First Place - Brazilian Team Championship – 1999
- First Place - World Jiu-Jitsu Championship – 1999
- First Place - Rings Japan – 2000
- Second Place - Super fight in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship (grappling) – 2000
- Second Place - Masters World Championship– 2002
- First Place - Master's World Cup super heavy-weight – 2002
- First Place - Master's World Cup open class – 2002
- First Place - Master's World Cup heavy weight – 2003
- First Place - Pan Ams open and super heavy weight division (class Senior I) - 2006
- First Place - Pan American Senior II Heavy Weight division - 2010
- Third Place - ADCC Trials New Jersey Adult division - 2011
- First Place - World Master Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship Heavy Weight Division (class Master IV) - 2014
- First Place - Pan Ams open and super heavy weight division (class Master IV) - 2015
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | |
|---|
| 11 matches | 6 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 0 | 2 |
| By submission | 4 | 1 |
| By decision | 2 | 1 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|
| Loss | 6–4–1 | John Salter | KO (punches) | Adrenaline MMA 3 | 000000002009-06-13-0000June 13, 2009 | 1 | 2:15 | Birmingham, Alabama, United States | |
| Draw | 6–3–1 | Yukiya Naito | Draw | Warriors Realm 3 | 000000002005-03-15-0000March 15, 2005 | 3 | 5:00 | Brisbane, Australia | |
| Loss | 6–3 | Elvis Sinosic | KO (punch) | Warriors Realm 1 | 000000002004-09-03-0000September 3, 2004 | 2 | 0:35 | Queensland, Australia | |
| Loss | 6–2 | Frank Mir | Submission (armbar) | UFC 34 | 000000002001-11-02-0000November 2, 2001 | 1 | 1:05 | Las Vegas, Nevada | |
| Win | 6–1 | Mikhail Borissov | Decision (unanimous) | Rings: King of Kings 2000 Block A | 000000002000-10-09-0000October 9, 2000 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Loss | 5–1 | Dave Menne | Decision (unanimous) | Rings: King of Kings 2000 Block A | 000000002000-10-09-0000October 9, 2000 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 5–0 | Gueorguiev Tzvetkov | Decision (majority) | Rings: Millennium Combine 2 | 000000002000-06-15-0000June 15, 2000 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 4–0 | Maxim Tarasov | Submission (rear naked choke) | Absolute Fighting Championship 2 | 000000001997-04-30-0000April 30, 1997 | 1 | 2:47 | Moscow, Russia | Won IAFC 2 Day 1 Tournament |
| Win | 3–0 | Leonid Efremov | Submission (punches) | Absolute Fighting Championship 2 | 000000001997-04-30-0000April 30, 1997 | 1 | 2:54 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Win | 2–0 | Artyom Vilgulevsky | Submission (rear naked choke) | Absolute Fighting Championship 2 | 000000001997-04-30-0000April 30, 1997 | 1 | 2:28 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Win | 1–0 | Dave Berry | Submission (strikes) | UFC 11 | 000000001996-09-20-0000September 20, 1996 | 1 | 1:23 | Augusta, Georgia, United States | |
Grappling record
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event | Gi/No-Gi | Date | Notes |
|---|
| Loss | Jefferson Moura | Submission (Triangle) | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - -94 kg Division semi finals | Gi | 2003 | |
| Win | Charles Faria | Points | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - -94 kg Division first round | Gi | 2003 | |
| Loss | Tom Erickson | N/A | ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - +99 kg first round | No-Gi | 2001 | |
| Loss | Mario Cruz | Points | ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Absolute Division first round | No-Gi | 2001 | |
| Loss | Mario Sperry | Points | ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Super Fight | No-Gi | 2000 | Sliver in ADCC Super Fight |
| Win | Hayato Sakurai | Points (2x0) | ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Absolute Division finals | No-Gi | 1999 | Wins Gold in Absolute |
| Win | Garth Taylor | Points (5x0) | ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Absolute Division semi finals | No-Gi | 1999 | |
| Win | Luis Roberto | Points (6x0) | ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Absolute Division quarter finals | No-Gi | 1999 | |
| Win | Fabiano Capoane | Points (2x0) | ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - Absolute Division first round | No-Gi | 1999 | |
| Loss | Jeff Monson | Points (0x3) | ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - +99 kg Division semi finals | No-Gi | 1999 | |
| Win | Jurie Rachel | Submission | ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship - +99 kg Division first round | No-Gi | 1999 | |
| Win | Andre Marques | N/A | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - +100 kg Division semi finals/ finals | Gi | 1999 | Wins Second Gold |
| Win | Minotauro Nogueira | Points | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - +100 kg Division quarter finals | Gi | 1999 | |
| Win | John Machado | Points (10x0) | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - +100 kg Division finals | Gi | 1998 | Wins First Gold |
| Win | Otavio Duarte | Penalty | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - +100 kg Division semi finals | Gi | 1998 | |
| Win | Roberto Godoi | N/A | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundials) - +100 kg Division quarter finals | Gi | 1998 | |
