Draft:Daniel Cherubin

• Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest guideline, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. DC Jiu Jitsu (talk) 09:46, 4 August 2026 (UTC)

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Daniel Cherubin, also known by the nickname "Cabeça de Fogo" ("Head of Fire"), is an Australian Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner that holds the rank of 4th degree black belt, he is also coach, academy owner, and competitor. He is the founder and head instructor of DC Jiu Jitsu in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, where he teaches Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), NOGI grappling, wrestling, and self-defence.

Cherubin has competed in Australian and international Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournaments for more than three decades and is known for his work developing beginner, youth, and competition training programs.

Early life

Daniel Grow up in Torquay, Victoria (near bells beach) Surfing and skating, Daniel developed an interest in martial arts at a young age and began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at approximately 13 years of age. He spent much of his adolescence immersed in training, quickly developing a passion for the sport and its competitive aspects. By the age of 14, he had begun competing regularly on the Australian tournament circuit, often entering multiple competitions each year to gain experience against more seasoned opponents.

Cherubin's rapid progression saw him become one of Australia's youngest blue belts at the age of 16. During his junior competitive years, he frequently competed against larger and more experienced athletes, earning recognition for his technical ability and determination. In 1998, he won both the Victorian and Australian Championships at blue belt level and was awarded the Victorian Championships' Most Outstanding Fighter award.

In 2000, while still a blue belt, Cherubin travelled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to compete at the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships. He earned a bronze medal after winning his opening three matches by submission before being defeated in the semi-finals by Roger Gracie. The result made him one of the first Australian competitors to win a medal at the World Championships in Brazil and marked an important milestone in the development of Australian Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Linage

Daniel Cherubin is a 4th-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt whose lineage traces through one of Australia's pioneers of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners. He was awarded his black belt on 27 November 2008 by Peter de Been of Gracie barra, one of the earliest black belts in Australia and a key figure in the development of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu across the country.

During his career, Cherubin also maintained an affiliation with the De La Riva Jiu-Jitsu team, training under the renowned Brazilian master Ricardo De La Riva and receiving his 1st degree in Brazil from Master Ricardo De la Riva and later His 2nd degree in Australia also from Master Ricardo De La Riva.

Danile would later be graded to his 3rd and 4th degree from longtime friend and Instructor and 5th degree Black belt Gustavo Falciroli

Peter de Been (Black Belt) > Ricardo De la Riva (1st & 2nd Degree Black Belt) >

Gustavo Falciroli (3rd & 4th degree black belt)

Compitition history and results

Daniel Cherubin has competed extensively in Brazilian jiu-jitsu since the mid-1990s, participating in gi and no-gi tournaments throughout Australia and internationally. Beginning competition at approximately 14 years of age, he quickly established himself as one of Australia's leading young competitors, regularly competing outside his age and weight divisions. At the age of 16, he became one of Australia's youngest blue belts and, in 1998, won both the Victorian and Australian Championships while receiving the Victorian Championships' Most Outstanding Fighter award.

In 2000, Cherubin represented Australia at the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Competing as a blue belt, he won his opening three matches by submission before losing to Roger Gracie in the semi-finals and earning the bronze medal. The performance made him one of the first Australians to medal at the World Championships in Brazil and is regarded as a significant achievement for Australian Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Following his promotion to purple belt, Cherubin continued to compete successfully in Australia, including winning the Pan Pacific Championship open-weight division. After a seven-year absence from competition, he returned at brown belt and won four gold medals at the Australian Championships across both gi and no-gi divisions, while also being awarded the tournament's Most Technical Fighter award.

After receiving his black belt in November 2008, Cherubin continued competing at national and international level. His results included victories at the Victorian Championships, podium finishes at the Australian Cup and Pan Pacific Championships, and international success in Japan. In 2009 he won the Tokyo International Jiu-Jitsu Cup in the heavyweight division and placed third in the open-weight division. In 2012 he won the heavyweight division at the Rickson Gracie Cup in Tokyo and earned another bronze medal in the open-weight division.

Throughout his competitive career, Cherubin has accumulated numerous state, national, and international titles. According to DC Jiu Jitsu, his achievements include 17 Victorian Championships, six Australian Championships, and five Pan Pacific Championships, in addition to medals earned at international events in Brazil and Japan.

5 x Pan Pacific Champion

1998 Victorian Titles Most Outstanding Fighter (Blue Belt)

2014 Tasmanian BJJ OPEN 97+ Black Belt 1st

2014 Tasmanian BJJ OPEN Open Black Belt 1st

2013 GTA Australian Championship 97+ Black Belt 1st

2012 Rickson Gracie Cup (Japan) 97+ Black Belt 1st

2012 Rickson Gracie Cup (Japan) Open Black Belt 3rd

2012 World Pro (Sydney Trials) 92+ Brown/Black 2nd

2011 Tasmanian State Super Fight Black Belt 1st

2010 GTA Classic Black Belt 1st

2010 Pan Pacific 97+ Black Belt 1st

2010 Victorian Titles 97+ Black Belt 1st

2009 Tokyo International Jiu Jitsu Cup 97+ Black Belt 1st

2009 Tokyo International Jiu Jitsu Cup Open Black Belt 3rd

2009 Victorian Titles Open Black Belt 1st

2009 Victorian Titles 97+ Black Belt (NO GI) 1st

2009 Victorian Titles Open Black Belt (NO GI) 2nd

2009 Victorian Titles 97+ Black Belt 2nd

2009 Australian Cup Titles Open Black Belt 2nd

2009 Australian Cup Titles 97+ Black Belt 2nd

2009 Pan Pacific Open Black Belt 3rd

2009 Pan Pacific 97+ Black Belt (NO GI) 2nd

2008 Victorian Titles 2008 open brown belt 1st

2008 Victorian Titles 2008 91+ Brown Belt 1st

2008 Victorian Titles 2008 Open Brown Belt (NO GI) 1st

2008 Victorian Titles 2008 91+ Brown Belt (NO GI) 1st

2008 Victorian Titles Most technical fighter (brown belt 2008)

2000 Pan Pacs Open Purple Belt 1st

2000 World Jiu Jitsu Championships (Brazil) 3rd

2000 Victorian Titles Blue Belt 1st

1999 Pan Pacs Open Blue Belt 3rd

1999 Pan Pacs Blue Belt 1st

1999 Victorian Titles Blue Belt 1st

1998 Australian Titles Open Blue belt 1st

1998 Australian Titles Blue Belt 1st

1998 Victorian Titles Open Blue Belt 1st

1998 Victorian Titles Most Outstanding Fighter Blue Belt

1997 Australian Titles 1st

1997 Victorian Titles 1st

1997 Victorian Titles Most Outstanding Fighter White Belt

1996 Australian Titles 3rd

1996 Victorian Titles 1st

Founding of DC Jiu Jitsu

Following a successful competitive career in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Daniel Cherubin founded DC Jiu Jitsu in November 2010 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The academy was established with the aim of providing high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu instruction while creating an inclusive training environment for practitioners of all ages, skill levels, and competitive ambitions. According to Cherubin, the academy's vision was "to produce local and international champions" while also welcoming students who train for fitness, self-defence, recreation, or personal development.

From its inception, DC Jiu Jitsu has specialised exclusively in the grappling arts, offering instruction in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, no-gi submission grappling, and wrestling. The academy places a strong emphasis on structured technical development, positional understanding, live sparring, and competition preparation. Over time, its programs have expanded to include dedicated classes for children, teenagers, women, beginners, advanced practitioners, and competition athletes.

Under Cherubin's leadership, DC Jiu Jitsu has developed a reputation within the Geelong region for its competition-focused culture while maintaining an open-door philosophy for recreational students. The academy has produced numerous black belts and competitors who have represented the club at local, national, and international Brazilian jiu-jitsu events. Its grading system follows the guidelines of the Jiu Jitsu Global Federation (JJGF), with an emphasis on technical proficiency, mat time, and continued contribution to the academy.

Cherubin has stated that his coaching philosophy is influenced by decades of competition and training in both Australia and Brazil. The academy's curriculum emphasises fundamental principles, positional control, pressure-based passing, defensive skills, and adaptable problem-solving rather than memorisation of individual techniques. This approach has become a defining feature of DC Jiu Jitsu's teaching methodology and athlete development programs.