Lucas Gualberto

Lucas Gualberto Nascimento, also known as “Simba” or “Piauí”, is a jiu-jitsu black belt under Isaque Bahiense and Gabriel Figueiró, who worked extensively with Mário Reis, Michael Langhi, Fábio Gurgel, and Everton “Babu” Eduardo while representing both the Alliance Academy and the Dream Art Project in the sport’s international circuit. Lucas Gualberto first gained notoriety in the sport while competing in the colored belt divisions of jiu-jitsu where he conquered World, Pan, South American, Brazilian and European titles, prior to his black belt promotion.

Lucas Gualberto Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Lucas Gualberto Gomes Nascimento

Nickname: “Piauí” is a commonly used nickname among Lucas’ teammates. The byname is used due to Gualberto’s place of birth.

Gualberto also goes by “Simba”, a pseudonym he uses in his social media presence. That name came from Disney’s series, The Lion King, which his family, and his mother, in particular, loved. When Lucas was a kid and started training BJJ, he was constantly beaten up, but always came back to the main character of the plot, Simba, who was weak when young, but always had the heart of a lion. A sentiment channeled by the young athlete.

Lineage 1: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie > Romero Cavalcanti > Fábio Gurgel > Isaque Bahiense > Lucas Gualberto

Lineage 2:  Carlos Gracie (Senior)> Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie >Romero Cavalcanti (Jacaré) > Fábio Gurgel > Gabriel Figueiró > Lucas Gualberto

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF South American Championship (2020)
• 1st Place AJP South American Continental Pro (2021)
• 1st Place AJP Brazil National Pro (2021)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam, RJ (2020)
• 3rd Place AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro (2021)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2018 purple)
• 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2019 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship Juvenile (2015)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2017 / 2018 purple, 2019 brown)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Juvenile (2012 / 2015)
• 1st Place IBJJF South American Championship (2016 blue, 2019 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF South American Championship Juvenile (2014)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam, LA (2019 brown)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam, RJ (2018 brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2016 blue, 2017 purple)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2016 blue)
• 2nd Place IBJJF South American Championship Juvenile (2015)
• 2nd Place AJP Grand Slam, RJ (2019 brown)
• 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship (2016* blue, 2018 purple, 2019 brown)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2017 purple, 2019 brown)
• 3rd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2018* purple)
• 3rd Place IBJJF South American Championship (2017 purple, 2019* brown)
• 3rd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Juvenile (2014)
• 3rd Place AJP Grand Slam, AD (2020 brown)

* Absolute
** Weight and Absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Distance Passing

Weight Division: Peso Médio (82,30 kg / 181.5 lbs)

Team/Association: Dream Art Project / Alliance

Lucas Gualberto Biography

Lucas Gualberto was born on April 28, 1998, in Parnaíba, a small coastal town located in the Brazilian State of Piauí.

Football (soccer) and capoeira were the two sports Lucas was most invested in when he was a child. By the time he was 10YO, however, most of his friends had joined a jiu-jitsu class at a local social project. Influenced by his colleagues, Gualberto decided to join the classroom, there meeting coach Weverton Fonseca Eduardo, also known as “Babu”. Weverton followed Lucas’ progression from white to blue belt.

Up until he started jiu-jitsu, Lucas was not a popular boy in sporting events, as he was not particularly successful at them. As a result of his past blunders, when he joined coach Babu’s class, he did not have any intention of following a competitor’s lifestyle. The reason why he decided to participate in local events came down to his registration being paid for by the club, and all his friends taking part in these tournaments. Unhappy with being the one left behind, Gualberto entered the local circuit, and there found his winning mentality. As he started winning matches and medals, his confidence grew, and with time he decided he wanted to become a professional athlete.

After a very successful run as a juvenile and adult blue belt, in 2016, Gualberto was offered a place at Team Lloyd Irvin’s young grapplers’ development program, in the United States, a proposal to which Lucas agreed. Before moving to the US, the young Brazilian passed by São Paulo to compete at the South American Championships. While in SP, Gualberto had the opportunity to train for a few days at the Alliance Matriz gym (HQ), where he was also offered a spot. The chance to train with the most successful jiu-jitsu team of all time was too much of an opportunity to pass, as such, Gualberto opted to stay, later being promoted to purple belt by Alliance HQ’s coaches, Fábio Gurgel and Michael Langhi.

After 18 months at Alliance Matriz, Lucas spent time with another successful Alliance program, in Porto Alegre, under Mario Reis‘ guidance, (who promoted Gualberto to brown belt,) before joining his friend, Isaque Bahiense‘s, newly started pro-jiu-jitsu project, Dream Art, midway through 2019.

After a prosperous career in the colored belt divisions, in October 2020, Dream Art Project’s head coaches, Isaque Bahiense and Gabriel Figueiró promoted the Piauí native to black belt.