Luigi Mondelli

Luigi Mondelli (born March 24, 1972) is a Brazilian-American Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner, Combatives Specialist, and MMA Coach based in Danbury, Connecticut. He is the head coach of American Top Team's Connecticut program under the umbrella of Ricardo Libório^[1] and the co-founder and head coach of his own program, KORE.^[2] Mondelli is a five-time Panamerican champion and a three-time world masters champion.^[3]

Mondelli began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 1991 under the instruction of Adalberto "Buda" de Souza and Crézio de Souza^[4] at their school in Petropolis, until attaining the rank of purple belt. When his family relocated to Rio de Janeiro, Mondelli continued his training, eventually receiving his black belt in December 2001.^[5] Most recently Mondelli was awarded his fourth degree by Adalberto "Buda" de Souza in 2015.

In addition to winning multiple championships, Mondelli has graduated a number of successful black belts and professional MMA fighters, notably Glover Teixeira. Mondelli oversees the curriculum of his Kore program from its headquarters in Danbury, designed to link the disciplines of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling and judo in a fluid and practical method of application.

Luigi Mondelli began competing in Brazil during his teenage years and progressed through the ranks in a tough and competitive environment in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, first winning the Masters Purple Belt Category in 1999 and later the brown belt division, before winning the Panamerican Championship five times. Mondelli is also a three-time world champion as a black belt in the Senior division in both the gi and no-gi categories.^[6]

Mondelli has been a guest instructor and coach at The Pit, a martial arts and MMA camp started by John Hackleman in 1986. The prominent camp has produced several prominent fighters such as Chuck Liddell and Glover Teixeira, among others. Mondelli credits John Hackleman as being one of his mentors and a valuable source of knowledge in the course of his development.

Additionally, Mondelli provides self-defense and combatives training to a broad range of military and law enforcement personnel.^[7] Mondelli has performed hundreds of seminars and demonstrations and continues to be active in the education and assistance of safety and self-defense training for veterans, active duty personnel and law enforcement across the United States and around the world.

2. Luigi E Mondelli (ATT CT) When you list two of your mentors as Ricardo Liborio (ATT) and John Hacklemen (The Pit), you are standing on the shoulders of giants. And when your star student is the hottest contender in the UFC (Glover Teixeira), it’s time to pay attention. Luigi Mondelli is a fifth-degree BJJ black belt with more than 21 years of martial arts experience. Luigi understands that MMA is evolving and that coaches need to keep an open mind and never stop learning. “Always keep the martial arts values as part of the training. Being a fighter is easy, being a martial artist living the Bushido is a challenge.” ^[8]

In 2003 Luigi Mondelli moved to the United States, looking to teach jiu-jitsu in the Northern Hemisphere, settling in Connecticut. When researching for the best place to set base, he found it in Danbury, CT. Soon after arriving in the US, Ricardo Liborio (Deco Almeida’s instructor) invited Mondelli to be part of American Top Team (ATT).

Although he always represented ATT in the US, in 2011, Luigi founded a martial arts association named Kore Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Kore set itself from ATT as the famous Miami-based academy is geared towards mixed martial arts (MMA), while Kore would be serving specifically grappling.

The focus of Kore Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was to function as a cooperative organization, always keeping certain values to high regard, with the institution’s adage being “Bushido for life”. Another idea of the Kore BJJ values, was to reintegrate jiu-jitsu with the techniques of judo and wrestling while making an effort to stay updated with the developments of jiu jitsu in its sporting element.

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Luigi Mondelli also holds the 4th Degree Black Belt in RMA under Walt Lysak, and Black Belt in Hawaiian Kenpo under Greg Davis.