Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Fighter Wiki, All their history from their favorite techniques to the meaning behind their Portuguese nicknames as well as fight videos and techniques. Learn more about your favorite Jiu Jitsu figures on this section.
Yukinori Sasa is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under the legendary Yuki Nakai, from the renowned grappling academy Paraestra in Japan. Although Sasa is not an avid competitor in the main IBJJF competitions, his skills have earned him medals at the black belt division of the World (Mundial) and Pan American championships, making him one of the top super featherweights of his generation.
A Brazilian native of Japanese descent, Juan Caio Kamezawa, was regarded by the end of 2012 as one of the hottest Jiu Jitsu prospects in the world, since then the Fabio Gurgel and Luciano Nucci (Casquinha) black belt from the Alliance academy has confirmed this status.
John Crouch is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under the legendary Gracie Jiu Jitsu fighter, Royce Gracie. Crouch learned his BJJ skill from the Gracie family having used his knowledge as a coach, teaching both MMA (mixed martial arts) and BJJ at the world famous martial arts academy, MMA Lab.
Ian Behring is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt who is part of one of the most traditional families in BJJ, the Behrings. Ian is the son of Sylvio Behring and grandson of Grandmaster Flávio Behring who earned his place in Jiu Jitsu as a respected coach through his own hard work, first coaching at the worldly renowned X-Gym in Rio de Janeiro, and later moving to the South of Brazil where he joined another big BJJ academy, the Sul Jiu Jitsu.
Luis Herédia, also known by his nickname ‘Limão’ within the Jiu Jitsu community is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt which he earned training under Rickson Gracie’s tuition, and a historical figure in the development of the martial art in Hawaii, especially in island of Maui, the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands.
Rockson Gracie was the oldest son of the legendary Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighter and MMA pioneer Rickson Gracie, who was considered by many, to be one of the greatest prospects in BJJ during the 1990’s decade. Rockson Gracie would also become one of the sports saddest losses when he passed away on December of 2000 in New York.
John Lewis is former MMA fighter and a martial artist who holds black belts in a variety of fighting styles, including a black belt in judo awarded by the legendary Gene LeBell and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Master André Pederneiras, having been mentioned by many as one of the first true mixed martial artists, considering he mastered many different styles in a time when only style specialists were fighting MMA.
Another quick interview made by our Portuguese correspondent Hugo Miranda, during the European open. This time, with the established Jiu Jitsu black belt, Mr Alan ‘Finfou’ do Nascimento. Alan has been living in Sweden for a number of years, raising some of the hottest prospects in the country. Hugo had a quick chat with the black belt at Casal Vistoso in Lisbon.
Another quick interview by our Portuguese correspondent Hugo Miranda, during the European open. This time, with the rising star Jackson Sousa, newly crowned European heavyweight Jiu Jitsu champion, a man who has trained his fare share in London, England
Rodrigo Conceição, more commonly known as Rodrigo “Aquiles” (also spelled Akillis or Achilles), is one of the top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belts in the lightweight division who competes for the Alliance Academy, Rodrigo Aquiles is also part of an incredible tradition of BJJ competitors from the Cantagalo slums in Rio de Janeiro, an area of the city that has produced several big names of the sport.
Jackson Sousa is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Rico Vieira, competitor off of the Fightzone academy in Rio de Janeiro – Checkmat Academy headquarters, and who is another child of Vieira’s social project at the Cantagalo’s slums.
Shanti Abelha is a Brazilian born, black belt competiror in Jiu Jitsu, who fights for the Checkmat team in Denmark (Arte Suave). Shanti is one of the top female athletes in the world, having medalled in many of the top tournaments on the BJJ roster.
Crézio Chavez is an important figure of Jiu Jitsu having attained the 9th degree (red belt) in the gentle art. Crézio Chavez competed several times for the Gracie Academy in the 1950s decade in Vale Tudo fights ending his career undefeated. Chavez was also a great ambassador of BJJ in Petropolis, Brazil, where he opened the first academy of the region
Helio Vigio is a 9th degree red belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and an important figure in this martial art’s history. A former instructor of the Gracie Academy in the 1950’s, alongside Carlson Gracie, Robson Gracie and Joao Alberto Barreto, Helio Vigio defended the Gracie Jiu Jitsu name in several “Vale Tudo” (No Holds Barred) fights later becoming one of the best BJJ/NHB/MMA referees in the world
Luiz Panza is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Marco Barbosa who is one of the top heavyweight competitors of his generation. A former professional model, Luiz Panza traded the catwalk for Jiu Jitsu, turning professional in 2013. On his first year as a black belt competitor, Luiz immediately made a name for himself piling up medals at the highest level of BJJ.
Bruno Mendes, more commonly known in the Brazillian Jiu Jitsu world by his nickname “Tank”, is one of the leaders and founding members of the BJJ team: Soul Fighters. A black belt under Alvaro Mansor, Tank spent several years working behind the scenes of IBJJF competitions before fouding his own team with his brother, the world champion Augusto “Tanquinho” Mendes, Leandro Escobar and Rafael Barbosa.
One of the top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors of an exciting new generation of featherweight fighters to have appeared in BJJ post 2010, Victor Genovesi is also the son of marathon runner Dani Figueiredo and one of the top BJJ coaches in the world, Alexandre Paiva with whom Victor has trained since his teenage years.
Marcio Corleta is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Mauricio and Sylvio Behring, who was considered one of the top ultra heavyweights of his generation in the sport. Through his excellent sporting career, Corleta brought awareness to the quality of Jiu Jitsu practiced in the south of Brazil
Marcio Stambowsky, also known as Macarrão, is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu coral belt, who is one of the 10 men to have been graded as a black belt by the legendary Rolls Gracie, often mentioned as the “Famous Five”. Stambowsky, who was one of the top grappling competitors in the 1980s.
Abraham Marte is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Abraham Tabar from team Basico BJJ of the Dominican Republic. Marte was the first high end competitor to come out of the Dominic Republic and the first to medal at the World Championships in a black belt division.