Rolando Samson
Rolando Samson is a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt under André Galvão, Rolando has also earned a reputation as one of the top athletes of his generation while competing in the lower ranks of this sport/martial art, winning important championships like the World Championship, the World No-Gi Championship, and the American Nationals of the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). Additionally, Samson is recognized for his hard work ethic.
Rolando Samson is a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt under André Galvão, Rolando has also earned a reputation as one of the top athletes of his generation while competing in the lower ranks of this sport/martial art, winning important championships like the World Championship, the World No-Gi Championship, and the American Nationals of the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). Additionally, Samson is recognized for his hard work ethic.
Rolando Samson was born on September 13, 1994 in San Diego, California – United States of America.
Rolando became interested in martial arts as a child, influenced by cartoons like Dragon Ball Z. After watching classes at the after-school karate program in his neighborhood, Samson's curiosity increased.
At the age of nine, Samson showed a keen interest in martial arts and was guided by his father to a Brazilian jiu jitsu school. Rolando’s dad was a mixed martial arts (MMA) fan and had a decent understanding of grappling and it’s value in hand-to-hand combat, opting to register his son to Alex Brandão’s academy – a gym under the lineage of Master Fábio Santos.
His first IBJJF World Championship came while competing for Brando, where he was a child and juvenile belter. He began to ponder switching to a gym that emphasized competition over his jiu jitsu career as a blue belt. This thought was doubled down on after a conversation with fellow competitor Michael Liera Junior – who advised Rolando to try a class at Atos HQ in San Diego.
Already a big fan of André Galvão‘s game, Rolando decided to take the challenge and visit this famed grappling stable. Once there, and given that Samson was already a relatively well known blue belt competitor, he was put through ‘the ringer’. In an interview given to BJJ Heroes in 2017 Rolando remembered that first experience at Atos HQ: “I tried to keep up and I was completely exhausted. I learned so much in that one night and I was already looking forward to the next class right after the class finished. That was how I knew Atos was where I wanted to be“.
While training and competing regularly, Rolando Samson’s focus never strayed from his academic studies having attended a junior college for 3 years before being transferred to San Diego State University to further his education – all this while also working part-time.
On June 2017, after another fantastic competitive year where he achieved a silver medal at the Worlds (while training only 2 times per week), Samson was promoted to black belt by André Galvão.
Today you can find Rolando teaching our fundamentals classes with a lot of enthusiasm helping every single student to achieve their goals on and off the mats!
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Single Leg X Review Emphasizing Off-Balance | Part 2
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Single Leg X Review Emphasizing Off-Balance, during the fundamental class on 10/09/2024.
Part 1- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/single-leg-x-review-emphasizing-off-balance-part-1
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June ...
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Single Leg X Review Emphasizing Off-Balance | Part 1
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Single Leg X Review Emphasizing Off-Balance, during the fundamental class on 10/09/2024.
Part 2- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/single-leg-x-review-emphasizing-off-balance-part-2
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June ...
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Trouble Shooting Single Leg X
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Trouble Shooting Single Leg X, during the fundamental class on 10/08/2024.
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-Gi Champion, an IBJJF World Champion, and a UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro Champion (all durin...
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Back Take From Leg Drag | Part 2
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Back Take From Leg Drag, during the fundamental class on 10/03/2024.
Part 1- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/back-take-from-leg-drag-part-1
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-Gi Champio...
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Back Take From Leg Drag | Part 1
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Back Take From Leg Drag, during the fundamental class on 10/03/2024.
Part 2- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/back-take-from-leg-drag-part-2
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-Gi Champio...
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Leg Drag Concepts | Part 2
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Leg Drag Concepts, during the fundamental class on 10/02/2024.
Part 1- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/leg-drag-concepts-part-1-1
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-Gi Champion, an IBJJ...
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Leg Drag Concepts | Part 1
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Leg Drag Concepts, during the fundamental class on 10/02/2024.
Part 2- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/leg-drag-concepts-part-2-1
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-Gi Champion, an IBJJ...
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Coming Up Using the Leg Drag | Part 2
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Coming Up Using the Leg Drag, during the fundamental class on 10/01/2024.
Part 1- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/coming-up-using-the-leg-drag-part-1
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-...
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Coming Up Using the Leg Drag | Part 1
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Coming Up Using the Leg Drag, during the fundamental class on 10/01/2024.
Part 2- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/coming-up-using-the-leg-drag-part-2
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-...
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X Guard Entry From Closed Guard With Back Take Options | Part 2
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches X Guard Entry From Closed Guard With Back Take Options, during the fundamental class on 09/24/2024.
Part 1- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/x-guard-entry-from-closed-guard-with-back-take-options-part-1
Rolando Samson received his black belt from...
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X Guard Entry From Closed Guard With Back Take Options | Part 1
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches X Guard Entry From Closed Guard With Back Take Options, during the fundamental class on 09/24/2024.
Part 2- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/x-guard-entry-from-closed-guard-with-back-take-options-part-2
Rolando Samson received his black belt from...
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Entering X Guard From Closed Guard | Part 2
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Entering X Guard From Closed Guard, during the fundamental class on 09/23/2024.
Part 1- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/entering-x-guard-from-closed-guard-part-1
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJ...
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Entering X Guard From Closed Guard | Part 1
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Entering X Guard From Closed Guard, during the fundamental class on 09/23/2024.
Part 2- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/entering-x-guard-from-closed-guard-part-2
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJ...
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Guard Pull Counters
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Guard Pull Counters, during the fundamental class on 09/20/2024.
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-Gi Champion, an IBJJF World Champion, and a UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro Champion (all during his colo...
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Kick Out Sweep | Part 2
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Kick Out Sweep, during the fundamental class on 09/18/2024.
Part 1- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/kick-out-sweep-part-1
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-Gi Champion, an IBJJF World ...
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Kick Out Sweep | Part 1
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Kick Out Sweep, during the fundamental class on 09/18/2024.
Part 2- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/kick-out-sweep-part-2
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-Gi Champion, an IBJJF World ...
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Basic Guard Pulling With Tomoe Nage Review | Part 3
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Basic Guard Pulling With Tomoe Nage Review, during the fundamental class on 09/17/2024.
Part 1- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/basic-guard-pulling-with-tomoe-nage-review-part-1
Part 2- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/basic-guard-pulling-... -
Basic Guard Pulling With Tomoe Nage Review | Part 2
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Basic Guard Pulling With Tomoe Nage Review, during the fundamental class on 09/17/2024.
Part 1- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/basic-guard-pulling-with-tomoe-nage-review-part-1
Part 3- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/basic-guard-pulling-... -
Basic Guard Pulling With Tomoe Nage Review | Part 1
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Basic Guard Pulling With Tomoe Nage Review, during the fundamental class on 09/17/2024.
Part 2- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/basic-guard-pulling-with-tomoe-nage-review-part-2
Part 3- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/basic-guard-pulling-... -
Yoko-Tomoe-Nage Guard Pull to Sweep
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Yoko-Tomoe-Nage Guard Pull to Sweep, during the fundamental class on 09/11/2024.
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-Gi Champion, an IBJJF World Champion, and a UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro Champion (all...
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Split Pass Counter | Part 2
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Split Pass Counter, during the fundamental class on 09/12/2024.
Part 1- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/split-pass-counter-part-1
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-Gi Champion, an IBJJ...
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Split Pass Counter | Part 1
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Split Pass Counter, during the fundamental class on 09/12/2024.
Part 2- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/split-pass-counter-part-2
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He is 2x IBJJF World No-Gi Champion, an IBJJ...
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Passing Half Guard + Split Pass Review | Part 2
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Passing Half Guard and Split Pass Review, during the fundamental class on 09/11/2024.
Part 1- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/passing-half-guard-split-pass-review-part-1
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He i...
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Passing Half Guard + Split Pass Review | Part 1
Atos HQ black belt Rolando Samson teaches Passing Half Guard and Split Pass Review, during the fundamental class on 09/11/2024.
Part 2- https://live.atosbjjondemand.com/videos/passing-half-guard-split-pass-review-part-2
Rolando Samson received his black belt from Andre Galvao in June 2017. He i...
