Tarsis Humphreys - 4th Degree Black Belt BJJ Champion

Tarsis Humphreys is a fourth-degree Black Belt under Master Fabio Gurgel of Alliance. He is the four times IBJJF World Champion. Tarsis is the first person to win the World Pro Jiu-Jitsu cup. He is also honored to be the first practitioner who trained from White to Black Belt under Master Fabio Gurgel. Tarsis continues his reverend affiliations with Alliance.

Tarsis Humphreys started his Jiu-Jitsu journey at the age of 13. One of his friends was learning Jiu-Jitsu. He showed young Tarsis a few BJJ techniques including Armbar and RNC. Tarsis found those techniques very effective and decided to join the Jiu-Jitsu academy.    

Tarsis proved very lucky that he joined Alliance as his first BJJ academy and Fabio Gurgel as his first coach. Tarsis was the first student who obtained all his belts (White to Black) from Master Fabio Gurgel. Tarsis has very good terms with the General. Under the brilliant supervision of Master Fabio Gurgel, Tarsis gradually took the steps to success. 

Tarsis showcased the best performance in his Brown Belt career. After his outclass presentation in Pans and CBJJ in 2006, Master Fabio promoted Tarsis to the Black Belt. Tarsis received his Black Belt from the head coach of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Fabio Gurgel in 2006. 

Under the coaching of a great instructor, Fabio Gurgel, Tarsis won various championships including World, Pans, European Open, and CBJJ Brazilian Nationals. In the IBJJF World championship, he was runner-up and bronze winner 3 and 5 times respectively (at different belt levels).

In 2007, Tarsis was the bronze winner of ADCC. He lost in the semi-final of the ADCC against the UFC star and ADCC champion, Demian Maia. This was one of the toughest matches of his career. 

Tarsis is honored to be the first person who won double gold in the first-ever match organized by Abu Dhabi World Pro. He won the championship in both weight and absolute divisions and enlisted his name in the history of the Abu Dhabi World World Pro Championship.  

Tarsis Humphreys went through various injuries in his BJJ career. In 2009, during the World Pro finals, he suffered from some minor injuries. While the most severe injury was a knee injury that was treated by surgery in 2011. He was not able to be on the mat for almost nine months. 

Tarsis started instructing BJJ students at Alliance. He also opened his academy in the US but this academy did not last because of various reasons. He moved to San Diego for a few years. Now he is working to open his Alliance-affiliated academy in San Diego.  

Tarsis has not announced his official retirement yet. He frequently appears in BJJ tournaments as a coach. Tarsis also worked with BJJ Fanatics to record videos about the “Unstoppable Pressure Passing” and “Leg Attacks vs. Modern Guards”.   

Two great fighters, Tarsis Humphreys and Braulio Estima faced each other in the first round of ADCC. This fight was one of the best fights of Tarsis’s career. It was filled with various dynamic techniques.

Both fighters started the match head-to-head. Braulio applied a pulling guard which was not proved effective as Tarsis’s strong core did not let him to fall to the ground. This unsuccessful pulling guard left Tarsis in the top position.

Tarsis successfully mounted Braulio. Braulio tried his best to escape. After a few minutes, he escaped but Tarsis applied an armbar. After defending the armbar, Estima transitioned into the turtle position. Tarsis again reversed the move and strangled his leg. Braulio tried his best to escape.

In his attempt to escape, Braulio took the top position and strangled Tarsis’s leg. After escaping from the leg strangle, Braulio stood up while Tarsis again strangled his leg to take him down. He took the back of Braulio and put all his weight on him. Braulio put him down and took the top position and secured the back of Tarsis.

At the end of the match, both fighters exchanged their positions at various times. Once Braulio was in the top position, Tarsis reversed the position. At the end of the match, Tarsis defeated Braulio Estima with points. 

Tarsis Humphreys faced Romulo Barral in the final of the World Championship 2010. Romulo Barral is a 5th Degree Black Belt who owns his gym, named Gracie Barra Northridge. At the start of the match, both fighters were ready to win the match.

Tarsis Humphreys applied a pulling guard but could not take control of Romulo Barral. Romulo took the top position but Tarsis strangled his leg. After a few minutes, Romulo tried to free his leg. Tarsis tried to revert his position which resulted in a turtle position. Romulo took his back and secured the back control as Tarsis tried to escape but Romulo did not surrender his back.

Tarsis took advantage of that position by strangling his leg and applying the leg lock. Romulo Barral could not escape his leg from the strong grip of the Tarsis and was submitted. 

Tarsis Humphreys faced Otavio Sousa in the semifinal of the IBJJF World Championship 2009. Otavio Souza represented Gracie Barra and is a three times World Champion and four times Pans champion. 

Sousa started by pulling guard and set his legs around Tarsis’s groin. Tarsis stood up to escape and succeeded. He strangled the foot of the Sousa and made a strong grip around it. Tarsis applied his full weight pressure on his foot. Otavio Sousa was submitted by Tarsis Humphreys in just 1 minute by foot lock.  

Tarsis Humphreys VS Eduardo Telles / World Championship 2010

Tarsis Humphreys VS Romulo Barral / World Championship 2010

Tarsis Humphreys VS Nivaldo Oliveira / World Championship 2010

Tarsis Humphreys vs Braulio Estima ADCC 2007 Absolute Division

Photo Credit: @tarsisjiujitsu