Antonio Carlos Junior

Antonio Carlos Junior, also known as “Cara de Sapato” (shoe face) is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Helder “Bob Esponja” Medeiros from the Checkmat Team (Paraíba state affiliate), who was ranked as the “#1 BJJ Fighter to Watch” in 2011 by the well established Gracie Magazine. With an extensive list of medals in important tournaments such as the Mundial and the Brazilian Nationals, Antonio Carlosbecame part of an exciting generation of competitors that started making a name for themselves at international tournaments at the turn of the 2010 decade. Cara de Sapato has since moved to a career in Mixed Martial Arts, where he earned his spot at The Ultimate Fighter house in the TUF Brazil heavyweights season (Wanderlei Silva x Chael Sonnen), the UFC’s reality show.

Antonio Carlos Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Antonio Carlos Coelho de Figueiredo Barbosa Júnior

Nickname: “Cara de Sapato” which literally means shoe face (shoe-shaped chin), the nickname first came up when Ricardo Vieira was giving a seminar at Antonio’s academy. Vieira is renowned for giving funny nicknames to everyone he meets, and he saw Antonio as having a bigger chin then his(!), thus the name.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie > Romero Cavalcanti > Ricardo Vieira > Helder Medeiros > Antonio Carlos

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2012*)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2012*)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2012)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2010** brown)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2011 / 2010** brown, 2009 /purple, 2008** blue)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Juvenile (2007**)
• 1st Place IBJJF South American Championship (2008** purple, 2007 blue junior)
• 1st Place IBJJF South American Championship Juvenile (2007)
• 1st Place CBJJBrazilian Team Nationals (2008 / 2007)

* Absolute
** Weight and absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Taking the back from De La Riva Guard

Weight Division: Peso Pesado (94kg/207lbs)

Team/Association: Checkmat

Antonio Carlos Junior Biography

Antonio Carlos Junior was born on the 16th of March, 1990 in João Pessoa, state of Paraíba – Brazil. He lived in Salvador da Bahia for a while, and it was there that he began his jiu-jitsu training in 2005 with Renato Velame as an instructor. It was Renato Velame who graduated Antonio Carlos with the blue belt, Antonio then moved back to his hometown of Joao Pessoa, picking up where he had left off, training with the acclaimed instructor and competitor, Helder Medeiros – nicknamed “Bob Esponja” (Sponge Bob Square Pants) – it was training under Medeiros that Antonio Carlos blossomed to BJJ with several significant victories in many important state, national and international level competitions.

Cara de Sapato was pointed out by Gracie Mag as the number 1 fighter to watch in 2011 (see article here) after his victory at the Mundial earlier in 2010 where he won both his weight and the open weight division, closing both finals with his teammate Marcos Buchecha. “Cara de Sapato” would receive his black belt while still on the podium of the World Pro Cup Trials, after he submitted several high caliber competitors in the mixed brown and black belt division.

In 2013 Antonio Carlos Junior decided to put a hold on his competitive Jiu-Jitsu career to try his shot at an MMA (mixed martial arts) career. “Cara de Sapato” had a rampant start with 3 straight submission wins in the professional circuit in Brazil, which earned him a spot at The Ultimate Fighter House in the TUF Brazil heavyweights season (Wanderlei Silva x Chael Sonnen), reaching the final of the event.

Antonio Carlos Jr vs Leandro Lo (Mundial 2012)

Antonio Carlos Jr vs Bernardo Faria (World Pro Cup 2011)

Antonio Carlos vs Antonio Peinado (Brasileiro 2012)

Antonio Carlos Jr vs Romulo Barral (Brasileiro 2012)

Antonio Carlos vs unknown (Brasileiro 2011)