Pedro Crixel

Pedro Crixel is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Cicero Costha, who worked extensively with Guilherme and Guto Campos, as well as André Galvão and Pedro Marocco. One of the main representatives of the PSLPB Academy in the sport’s international circuit, Crixel gained notoriety in the rooster weight division (57.5Kg – 127.0 lbs) after his wins at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) World Championships (gi and nogi) in the colored belt divisions.

Pedro Crixel Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Pedro Iahnke de Oliveira Crixel

Nickname: N/A

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rickson Gracie > Marcelo Behring > Waldomiro Perez > Roberto Godoi > Marco Barbosa > Cicero Costha >Pedro Crixel

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2019 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship NoGi (2014 blue, 2018 / 2017 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2015 blue)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2014 blue)
• 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship (2016 purple)

Favorite Position/Technique: Open Guard

Weight Division: Peso Galo (57.5Kg – 127.0 lbs)

Team/Association: PSLPB

Pedro Crixel Biography

Pedro Crixel was born on November 11, 1988, in Porto Alegre, the famous capital city of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil (Gaucho region).

Martial arts appeared in Pedro’s life through kung fu, which he started at the age of 13. As the years past, Crixel trained other Chinese combat systems, becoming a devout martial artist, and an instructor himself, while spending 10 years perfecting his technique and his views/concepts on the world of traditional martial arts with Master Adriano Jagsmin D’Ávila.

After his 22nd birthday, Pedro decided to allocate more of his time to grappling, an area of expertise he felt was lacking in his combat portfolio. He was advised by a few friends to seek the help of Gustavo and Guilherme Campos of the Getho Academy in Porto Alegre. Two black belts that guided Crixel to his love affair with the sporting aspect of jiu-jitsu.

Crixel quickly became embedded in the competition scene and started traveling abroad in search of the best tournaments. During this time, Pedro would often participate in training camps at the Atos Headquarters gym – to which Getho was affiliated with. At the Atos HQ in San Diego, California, Pedro trained with André Galvão, an important figure in Crixel’s no-gi development.

As a purple belt, Pedro spent time training with João and Paulo Miyao at the Unity Academy in New York City, from which grew a link with Cicero Costha‘s academy (the Miyao’s original coach). Before moving to Cicero’s gym in São Paulo, however, Crixel returned home and trained with Pedro Marocco, a relationship that grew stronger throughout Pedro’s career from then on. Marocco is often credited by Crixel as the person who brought some of the martial arts elements back to jiu-jitsu, in a time when Crixel believed BJJ was merely a sport.

Once Crixel moved to São Paulo, in 2017, he immediately felt at home in the Cicero Costha (PSLPB) grappling program. Pedro said in an interview to BJJ Heroes on July 2019:

“The environment Cicero created here [at the academy] is unbelievable. It’s a lot of people with the same goals on their minds, everyone living their dreams and struggling together. It is a magical place that transforms you, no doubt. You will learn how to be a champion here, all you need to do is pay the price in sweat.”

Under the guidance of Master Costha, Crixel earned his brown and later his black belt, in June 2019, after 3 world titles in the brown belt division.