Rafael Gamba

Rafael Gamba competes for Alliance and is registered with the IBJJF under the team’s branch in Porto Alegre, in southern Brazil. He was world champion in 2022 and got his purple belt on the podium.

At purple belt he won the Brazilian Nationals in 2023 and, in 2024, Pans and the Brazilian Nationals at lightweight. At Pans he won every match by submission, five in all.

“In essence, I’m still the same, but with much more muscle maturity and fight awareness. I know what’s happening with the score at every moment, but without suppressing my predator side, which is what makes me see the submissions.”

Rafael Gamba, to VF Comunica, March 2024. Translated from Portuguese. Read the story (in Portuguese)

In 2025, still at lightweight, he was runner-up at Europeans and took bronze at Pans and Worlds. He then moved up to middleweight and won the South Americans.

In 2026 he dominated the brown belt division: European, Brazilian and world champion at middleweight. At Europeans and the Brazilian Nationals, according to the IBJJF, he submitted every opponent. At Worlds he finished his first three matches with triangles and beat Emerson Feitosa in the final. He got his black belt on the podium.

His first event at the new rank is The Crown on November 8, at middleweight.