Carlos Elias

Carlos "Caique" Elias founded the Caique Jiu-Jitsu Association, of which T.O.S.S. Academy in Bentonville is a member; the academy's instructors Shawn Pretat, Darin Baldridge, and Elle Jackson received their black belts directly from him. Caique earned his black belt from Helio Gracie in 1982, one of only eight non-Gracies to do so, and received his 7th degree red-and-black belt from Rickson Gracie in March 2009 and his 8th degree in February 2023. Caique first encountered jiu-jitsu in 1972 at a Copacabana judo academy and began training in 1974 at 16 after meeting Relson and Rickson Gracie while surfing. He trained with Relson through blue belt and then with Rickson and Helio, taught at Gracie Humaita for many years, won the Brazilian Nationals in 1995, and moved to the United States in 1996 at Helio's invitation. He opened his own academy in 2000 and still teaches there with his sons.