Alliance was founded in 1993 by Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti, Alexandre Paiva, and Fabio and Fernando Gurgel. Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti trained for many years with Rolls Gracie, earning his black belt from this true BJJ legend. After Rolls Gracie’s death, Romero spent some time training alongside Rickson Gracie, before leaving the Gracie Academy in the 1980’s to form his own team. Alexandre Paiva started training Jiu-Jitsu in 1983 at the famous Jacaré Academy in Rio de Janeiro with Romero Cavalcanti. It was at this Academy that he met fellow BJJ fighters Fabio and Fernando Gurgel.
Fábio was the first of the Gurgel brothers to try Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but by the end of 1983, only a few months later Fernando joined him. They both started training under coach “Carlinhos”, but a few short months later the Gurgel’s moved to Jacare Academy where they met and befriended both Romero Cavalcanti and Alexandre Paiva.

Since forming in 1993 Alliance has gone from strength to strength as a club and is now the most successful Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu team in the world and is also the current defending World team champion! Alliance has been incredibly successful in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world stage over the years and has won the world titles at the World Championships from 2008-2016. They also won the World Championships back to back in 1998, and 1999 and 2010 Alliance accomplished what no other team has ever achieved, they won all major competitions the European Championship, Pan American Championship, and the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

The current Alliance Global headquarters is found in Atlanta, Georgia at the Alliance Martial Arts Academy, where "Jacare" is the head instructor. Fabio Gurgel is the head instructor at Alliance Sao Paulo while Alexandre "Gigi" Paiva heads the third main Alliance Academy in Rio de Janeiro.