In the wake of organizational upheaval at Atos Jiu Jitsu HQ, the academy’s website has quietly undergone significant changes to its coaching staff listings.
The most notable update shows Sarah Galvao, who received her black belt within the past year, now listed as head coach alongside Michael Perez and Orlando Samson.
The coaching restructure follows the immediate separation of Andre Galvao and Angelica Galvao from all organizational roles at Atos HQ. According to the academy’s statement, a third-party investigation is currently underway following allegations of misconduct by former student Alexa Herse.
The previous archived version of the website had listed Andre Galvao, Angelica Galvao, Michael Perez, and Samson as head coaches.
H/t to Alec Baulding for being the first to notice this major change.
Sarah Galvao is a talented competitor, but there are likely to be significant issues due to her lack of experience. Andre was renowned for his deep understanding of judging and refereeing at major competitions in addition to having won countless titles himself.
There is also the question of whether Galvao will act merely as a proxy for her parents. This would make her the head of a still-large affiliation despite numerous major departures.
Multiple high-profile athletes and longtime affiliates have publicly distanced themselves from Atos, including Kaynan Duarte, Murasaki, Lucas Barbosa, Bruno Frazatto, JT Torres, Dom Bell, Lucas Pinheiro, and Gustavo Batista. These departures cited leadership actions as unacceptable in their statements.
The BJJ community has expressed skepticism about the organizational changes, with many viewing them as reactive rather than proactive measures. Questions persist regarding the legitimacy of the separation, particularly given Galvao’s ownership of multiple Atos-related limited liability companies and the timing of announcements following extensive social media activity and affiliate departures.
A search of California Secretary of State records reveals that Atos Jiu Jitsu LLC lists Andre Galvao as its sole registered agent. The company has been delinquent on required filings since 2016 and has maintained a suspended license status since 2017, though informational updates were made in 2025. Galvao also operates Galvao Jiu Jitsu LLC, Galvao Jiu Jitsu 2 LLC, and Galvao Jiu Jitsu 3 LLC, all currently active with him listed as the agent for service. R/bjj was first to examine the corporate structure.
Despite the turmoil, the Atos HQ website continues to display class schedules and affiliate locations. The academy appears to be maintaining operations with its reduced coaching staff of three instructors. However, the atmosphere at the facility and the long-term implications of the rapid exodus of talent remain uncertain.
Andre Galvao has denied the allegations as false and retaliatory. Nevertheless, the ongoing scrutiny and continued departure of prominent figures from the organization suggest potential lasting effects on what was once considered one of the premier competition teams in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
