Nuno Martins is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Arnaldo Alves of Portuguese nationality, who worked extensively with a number of coaches from around the world, notably André Galvão, Marco Barbosa, Mário Reis, Marcelo Garcia, Lloyd Irvin, and Ricardo Vieira. Regarded as one of the top European grapplers of his generation, Martins built his reputation while competing in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) circuit, where he conquered numerous titles, including in the Pan-American, European, and Brazilian Nationals.
Nuno Martins Jiu-Jitsu
Full Name: Nuno Manuel N. Fragoso Martins
Nickname: N/A
Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > George Gracie > Jurandir Moura > Jairo Moura > Arnaldo Alves > Nuno Martins
Main Achievements:
- 1st Place IBJJF European Open NoGi – Masters Division (2017)
- 1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship NoGi – Masters Division (2015)
- 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals – Masters Division (2016)
- 2nd Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro – Masters Division (2018)
- 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship NoGi – Masters Division (2017)
- 2nd Place IBJJF European Open – Masters Division (2016)
- 2nd Place IBJJF European Open NoGi – Masters Division (2016*)
- 3rd Place IBJJF Pans Championship – Masters Division (2016)
- 3rd Place IBJJF European Open – Masters Division (2017 / 2018)
- 3rd Place IBJJF European Open NoGi – Masters Division (2016)
- 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship NoGi – Masters Division (2015 / 2016 / 2018)
- 3rd Place IBJJF Masters World Championship (2017)
- 3rd Place IBJJF Pans Championship NoGi – Masters Division (2015*)
Main Achievements (Colored Belts):
- 1st Place IBJJF Masters World Championship (2014 brown)
- 1st Place IBJJF World Championship NoGi – Masters Division (2013 brown)
- 1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship – Masters Division (2014 brown)
- 1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship NoGi – Masters Division (2014** brown)
- 1st Place IBJJF European Open – Masters Division (2014 brown)
- 1st Place IBJJF European Open NoGi – Masters Division (2012 purple, 2014 brown)
- 1st Place IBJJF International Master & Seniors Championship (2013 brown)
- 2nd Place IBJJF Masters World Championship (2013 brown)
- 2nd Place IBJJF Pans Championship NoGi – Masters Division (2013 brown)
- 2nd Place IBJJF Masters World Championship (2013 brown)
- 2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2014 brown)
- 3rd Place IBJJF Pans Championship – Masters Division (2014* brown)
- 3rd Place IBJJF European Open – Adult Division (2010)
- 3rd Place IBJJF European Open – Masters Division (2013** purple)
- 3rd Place IBJJF Masters World Championship (2013* brown)
Favorite Position/Technique: Open Guard
Weight Division: Peso Leve (76,00 kg / 168.0 lbs)
Team/Association: N/A
Nuno Martins Biography
Nuno Martins was born on February 17, 1981, in Lisbon, Portugal where he grew up.
Around the time when he was 18-19 years old, Martins found out about the efficiency of jiu-jitsu, after watching Royce Gracie compete, and win, the Ultimate Fighter Championship (UFC). Around that same period of time, Martins started looking for a place where he could learn the Gracie style of combat, finding what he was looking for at the Instituto Superior Técnico University campus. There, he jumpstarted his grappling tuition under the guidance of black belt Marcello Rosa.
Martins’ training with Rosa was short-lived as one year later he joined Jean Kleber‘s newly formed Kimura-Nova União workgroup. Nuno earned his blue belt from Kleber (2001), remaining with the team once Jean relocated abroad and was replaced by Dinarte Lima Junior. It was Dinarte who graded Martins with his purple belt in 2004.
Around the mid-2000s, Nuno Martins started paying more attention to his profession as an airline pilot. This demanding occupation slowly drove him away from a career as a jiu-jitsu athlete, with a complete departure from BJJ taking place after a serious training injury to his spine. An ailment that had the young pilot on the sidelines for an extended period of time.
Fully recovered from his back injury, Martins returned to the mats in 2009, under the guidance of Reinaldo Ribeiro (Checkmat), and by 2010 he earned his first IBJJF European Open medal (adult purple belt division). His training with Ribeiro was shortlived as Nuno went on to train under Arnaldo “Pitbull” Alves of Brazilian Power Team (BPT). During his period with BPT Nuno made the most of his pilot lifestyle, by visiting, and training with an array of top-level coaches from around the world, while competing as often as possible.
Nuno’s hard work earned him the black belt in 2015, awarded by coach Arnaldo Pitbull and shortly after the promotion, Martins decided to quit his airline job to focus solely on his grappling career, opting to relocate to São Paulo, the Mecca of jiu-jitsu at the time, to train with Marco Barbosa (B9). During his period with Barbosa, Nuno became widely recognized as one of the toughest lightweights on the Masters’ division international circuit. With the emphasis of BJJ slowly shifting towards the United States, Martins chose to follow the trend and move to where the most competitive tournament circuit was located, a shift that took place midway through 2019, settling roots in the Northern Hemisphere.
Nuno Martins vs Benedikt Schotthöfer (2016)
