José Steve

José Steve Nduazulu Ndilu was born in Belgium in January 2002 and started Jiu-Jitsu in 2013 at CENS Academy, where he had gone along with a nephew. Khalid Houry has been his coach since day one and has given him every belt, up to black.

A juvenile European champion in 2018 and 2019, he won the IBJJF Worlds at blue belt in 2021 and Europeans at purple belt in 2022. At purple belt he was also Worlds runner-up three times, from 2022 to 2024.

In 2024 he began representing Dream Art and moved to Brazil to train with Isaque Bahiense’s team. That year he won the Brazilian Nationals at middleweight.

“Gold, gold, gold. For me, that goal is more than reachable. I’m used to making finals, but the goal now is to get there and leave with the gold.”

José Steve, to VF Comunica, April 2024. Translated from Portuguese. Read the story (in Portuguese)

As a brown belt in 2025, he won Europeans, the Brazilian Nationals and Worlds. His black belt came in July of that year.

As a black belt, he competed at the 2025 Crown and lost in the quarterfinals. In 2026 he reached the finals of Europeans and the Brazilian Nationals, losing both to Tainan Dalpra, and took bronze at Worlds, where Natan Chueng beat him in the semifinal. At the Brazilian Nationals he beat Jonnatas Gracie in the round of 16.

He returns to The Crown on November 8, again at middleweight.