Guilherme Bacha

Guilherme Bacha Guedes is a jiu-jitsu black belt under Ricardo Vieira (Rico) and Leonardo Vieira (Leozinho) who represents the Checkmat squad in the sport’s international circuit. Bacha was a fundamental part of Checkmat‘s first Team World Title with the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) in 2021, a championship greatly facilitated by Guilherme’s own unbeaten run in the tournament as a brown belt, a performance that won him global recognition as one of the top competitors in the ultra-heavyweight athletes in the sport.

Guilherme Bacha Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Guilherme Bacha Guedes

Nickname: N/A

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie > Romero Cavalcanti > Ricardo Vieira / Leonardo Vieira > Guilherme Bacha

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2022)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2021*** brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2019 purple, 2021*** brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals (2018 purple, 2019*** brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals NOGI (2018** purple, 2021 brown)
• 1st Place AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro (2021 brown)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam, MSK (2021 brown)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam, LDN (2018 purple, 2020 brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Pan Championship NOGI (2021 brown)
• 2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2017 purple, 2021 brown)
• 2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals NOGI (2016 purple)

* Absolute
** Weight and Absolute
*** Closed bracket with teammate

Favorite Position/Technique: Deep Half Guard

Weight Division: Pesadíssimo (+100,50 kg / +222.0 lbs)

Team/Association: Checkmat

Guilherme Bacha Biography

Guilherme Bacha was born on September 14, 1992, in Vassouras, a small town deep in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.

During his childhood, Bacha was an avid judoka, a sport he practiced up until the age of 12. Guilherme’s taste in sports changed dramatically during his teens as the young Brazilian removed his gi and swapped it for online computer games, dreaming of one day becoming a professional Esports player.

In 2012, 20-year-old Guilherme started training jiu-jitsu while studying Business & Management at the local university. Due to his studies, Bacha’s early grappling training was limited to two classes per week, moving on to 3-to-5 once he finished his degree, in 2015. The year when Guilherme started competing.

Quickly gaining a love for the competitive aspect of jiu-jitsu, in 2017 Bacha decided to move to the state’s capital, Rio de Janeiro, with the intent of becoming a professional grappler. To help him fulfill his dream, Guilherme opted to join the Fightzone gym in Copacabana, the headquarters of Checkmat in Brazil, a gym led by coach Ricardo Vieira.

Late in 2017, Guilherme met Ricardo Vieira’s brother, Leonardo Vieira, at the Gracie Pro event in Rio de Janeiro. Bacha won double gold in the purple belt division of the tournament and greatly impressed Leo. At the time Leonardo was scouting talent for the “Rising Stars”, a scholarship program developed with the Checkmat Academy in California, USA. A few months after they met, Bacha received an invitation to move to the United States and become part of Rising Stars, an offer accepted by the young athlete.

Coached by Ricardo Vieira and Leonardo Vieira, Guilherme climbed through the ranks of the sport, earning his black belt on December 13, 2021.