Eldar “Yakuza” Rafigaev

Eldar Rafigaev, commonly known as Yakuza, is an Eastern European grappler, from Moldova, and one of the prominent competitors of his generation. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Fernando Araújo, Yakuza gained notoriety while competing in the sport’s international gi and nogi circuits – with a particular incidence in Europe, being praised for his submission oriented style, particularly successful with lower limb submissions.

Eldar Rafigaev Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Eldar Rafigaev

Nickname: Eldar is widely recognized as ‘Yakuza’, to the point that it is used by Rafigaev as his social media handle. The nickname was given by his boxing training partners, a combat style he practiced prior to discovering BJJ. The reason for that label being his love for Japanese design tattoos, which he has covering his body to a large extent. This was a style popularized by the Yakuza, the well-known members of Japan’s crime syndicates, from which his nickname derives.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Francisco Albuquerque > Fernando Araújo > Eldar Rafigaev

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place ADCC European Trials (2018)
• 1st Place ACBJJ European Championship (2018)
• 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2018 Master)
• 1st Place IBJJF Masters European Open (2018** / 2019)
• 1st Place IBJJF European Open NoGi (2018)
• 1st Place IBJJF Spanish Nationals (2018)
• 1st Place IBJJF German Nationals (2017)
• 1st Place IBJJF German Nationals NoGi (2017)
• 1st Place IBJJF Poznan Open (2019**)
• 1st Place IBJJF Rome Open (2019)
• 1st Place IBJJF Paris Fall Open (2018)
• 1st Place IBJJF Paris Spring Open (2019*)
• 1st Place IBJJF Paris Fall Open NoGi (2018)
• 1st Place UAEJJF Netherlands Nat. Pro (2018)
• 2nd Place ACBJJ European Championship (2018*)
• 2nd Place IBJJF European Open (2019 Master)
• 3rd Place IBJJF European Open (2018* Master)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro (2017 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2017** brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF Masters European Open (2017** brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF European Open (2014 purple, 2016 brown)

Favorite Position/Technique: Toe Hold / Kneebar

Weight Division: Super Pesado (100,50 kg / 222.0 lbs)

Team/Association: Jungle BJJ

Eldar Rafigaev Biography

Eldar Rafigaev was born on April 14, 1987, in Chisinau, the capital city of Moldova in Eastern Europe.

Rafigave’s interest in martial arts started during his adulthood while living in the Czech Republic. A time when he joined a boxing club, aged 23. One year later, in 2011, Yakuza finally came across jiu-jitsu, a sport that was just emerging in Eastern Europe at the time. Eldar first started in a smaller Czech gym, whose name was lost with time.

As a blue belt, Eldar arrived at the biggest grappling gym in the Czech Republic, Jungle BJJ. An academy run by Fernando Araújo, one of the country’s grappling pioneers. It was at Jungle BJJ that Yakuza truly started developing as a competitor, a side of grappling he felt compelled to do. His competitive drive helped him accelerate through the belt system at a faster pace than most, earning his black belt with 6 years of training, midway through 2017, after conquering a brown belt world title with the UAEJJF.

Eldar Rafigaev vs Mathias Ribeiro

Eldar Rafigaev vs Thiago Abud

Eldar Rafigaev vs Dimitrii Vostikov