Jan Buatim was born on the 20th of December, 1989 in Blumenau, Santa Catarina – Brazil.Jan was introduced to martial arts at the age of 5, starting with judo. A sport he practised regularly for 6 years, reaching his purple belt before a switch to taekwondo at 12. Two years into his TKD training Buatim decided to stop his athletic endeavours, going on to lead a sedentary lifestyle of video games and fast food. This new approach to life led to obesity in his mid teens, nearing 100kg (221lbs) at the age of 14.It was around then that Jan decided to make a change in his life, joining a health club where he started lifting weights. At this same gym, Buatim met Juliano Wandalen a jiu jitsu coach who also worked out there. Juliano, commonly known as “Ninja”, was in shape and highly popular with members of the opposite sex, quickly becoming a strong influence for a young and impressionable Buatim, who decided to join his jiu jitsu class.Through jiu jitsu Jan lost 20kg (44lbs). Travelling, hanging around his academy’s colleagues and going to tournaments with them transformed Buatim in a more independent and extrovert teenager. At 16 years of age Jan Buatim travelled to Niterói on his own, to compete at the CBJJO World Cup (where he reached a second place). This was another big step for the youngster, who realised then the potential jiu jitsu had in his life. The places, experiences and opportunities the sport offered.Once Jan joined the University of UFSC in Florianópolis, he dropped jiu jitsu, finding it hard to reconcile his academic life with sports, particularly due to the lack of high level training near him. He would return to the sport two years later, at Pedro Mello’s academy. One of the top coaches in Santa Catarina.Under Mello’s guidance, Jan returned to competition, travelling around the country while also making his first trips abroad to train with the Mendes brothers at the Art of Jiu Jitsu academy (AOJ) and compete, earning his brown belt from Pedro shortly after his first Pan American Championship experience in 2014.After graduating from university as a chemical engineer (June 2016), Buatim started working in the industry – while daydreaming about jiu jitsu. The desire to be on the mats drove Buatim to quit his job and move to Sao Paulo, where the sport is stronger than in Santa Catarina. A few of Jan’s training partners had moved to the (then) newly founded New School Brotherhood, and Buatim decided to join them on October 2015.Under Leandro Lo’s guidance, the leader of NSB, Jan Buatim grew as a competitor, earning his black belt from Lo on July 1, 2016.