Paulo Miyao

Paulo Henrique Bordignon Miyao was born on May 11, 1991, in Andirá, in the north of the Brazilian state of Paraná. He is João’s twin brother. Sons of a farmer and of Japanese descent, the two started in judo and switched to Jiu-Jitsu at 16, with Adriano Carvalho.

They moved to São Paulo to train at PSLPB, Cícero Costha’s team. Between 2011 and 2013, at purple and brown belt, they became known for their guard game and for reaching open class podiums while weighing under 65 kg (143 lb). In 2013, at brown belt, Paulo won the open class at Worlds. He got his black belt from Cícero Costha in June 2013, alongside his brother.

In January 2015 the two moved to New York to train at Unity. That year Paulo was world champion at light-featherweight. He also won Pans from 2014 to 2016 and the Brazilian Nationals in the same three years.

In 2017 USADA announced a positive test for clomiphene from a sample collected at the 2016 Worlds. Paulo received a two-year suspension, counted from September 29, 2016, and lost that year’s world title. In 2018 the agency added three months to the penalty because he had competed during the suspension.

Outside the IBJJF, he took bronze at ADCC in 2017 and 2019, at 66 kg (145 lb), and won the Abu Dhabi World Pro in 2018 and 2019. In 2019 he reached the Worlds final with João, closed out between the two, and took silver. In 2021 he won No-Gi Pans and the Master Worlds and was runner-up at No-Gi Worlds.

In 2023 he and João opened Studio 1908 in Jersey City. In his most recent matches, he beat Junior Righetti at ADXC 7 in 2024 and, in 2025, won the São Paulo No-Gi Open and submitted Muhammad Temeev with a bow and arrow choke at ACBJJ 19.