GFTeam started in 1996 and was formally known at Gama Filho Team (GFT) at Gama Filho University Taquara campus in the north of Rio de Janeiro. Under the encouragement of Pedro Gama Filho Paulo Jardim, teachers Júlio Cesar, Marcus Bello and Alexandre Baraúna took the first steps for growth and expansion of Jiu-Jitsu at the University.
With the rapid growth and popularity of the Jiu Jitsu program, the space soon became too small relative to the growth of the team, UGF (University Gama Filho) Taquara moved to the UGF campus Pity that offered a better infrastructure. The Gama Filho Team soon expanded out of Rio de Janeiro to Sergipe, Aracaju capital with Professor Marcus Bello.
GFTeam emphasized on the important role of the education of proper teachers and instructors and Pedro Gama Filho Paulo Jardim offered an incredible amount of support to the team and its athletes, giving scholarships, and meeting needs as far as possible. This direction contributed greatly to the growth of the team in terms of both numbers and quality.
Through teachers Júlio Cesar, Marcus Bello and Alexandre Baraúna, GFTeam began training black belts officially accredited by the team and very soon after GFTeam satrted to expand from Rio de Janeiro to other parts of Brazil and abroad to the USA and UK.
With the professionalism of staff, teaching quality and training methodlogy, GFTeam athletes soon broadened their the horizons not only in BJJ but GFTeam athletes also adopted Judo and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) into its curriculum and competition circles. The need to change its name from Gama Filho Team to Grappling Fight Team came about because GFTeam could not link the sport of MMA to an educational institution, and also with the loss and death of is its main supporter Professor Pedro Gama Filho, GFTeam also lost the support and funding of the University.
The RE - Birth of Grappling Fight Team. (GFTEAM as we know today)
Currently, the team has more than 50 representatives throughout the Rio de Janeiro, Sergipe, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Australia ,United States and Europe.
GFTEAM headquarters is in the neighborhood Meier, North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, with a facilities to meet all of the athletes.