UFC rising star Alan Belcher, fast becoming a force in the Middleweight division, has become one of only three Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts in the state of Mississippi. Belcher earned the belt through through Helio Soneca BJJ (X3) in Atlanta.

“It’s an honor to earn a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a martial art I’ve trained in for nearly half of my life. It is made much more special by the fact that I am included such a limited number of Mississippi residents, as well as the first is the Gulf Coast region, to earn the black belt,” stated Belcher, who resides in Biloxi, Miss.

Belcher, 27 years old, began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 14. He earned a blue belt in 2006, purple in 2007 and brown in 2009, all of which were earned from Helio Soneca, before his ascension to a black belt.

As a fighter, Belcher holds a 16-5 career record and won his most recent fight on Sept. 17 by submission. It was his first fight in over one year after suffering a detached retina in 2010.

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