Vetoraci twins get their first US visa after three denials: “Every wait was worth it”
The Rio-born twins, black belts based in Portugal, had their first US visa approved on Wednesday, October 7; on the same day, Davi was confirmed for The Crown, set for November at the Long Beach Pyramid
Davi and Matheus Vetoraci will finally be able to compete in the United States. The twins from Rio de Janeiro, black belts based in Portugal, had their first US visa approved on Wednesday, October 7, after three denied applications. The athletes shared the news themselves on social media, with a photo next to the consulate sign.
“After 3 denials, today we finally got our first American visa,” Davi wrote in a post shared with his brother. “We spent years dreaming of this moment. Years dreaming of stepping into the Pyramid, on top of several match offers we had to turn down because of the visa.”
In the post, he also wrote about the wait. “In every ‘no,’ as painful as it was, I felt there was a purpose and that something bigger was being prepared for us,” he said. “And what an incredible feeling to look back and understand that every wait was worth it.”
Davi already has a date for his debut
The Pyramid Davi mentions is the Walter Pyramid, the arena in Long Beach, California, that is home to the IBJJF World Championship. It is also where The Crown takes place. Hours after the visa announcement, the IBJJF confirmed Davi in the heavyweight bracket of the 2026 Crown, set for November 8.
The brothers’ post ends with a message: “This is only the beginning, we already have a commitment scheduled.” The Crown heavyweight bracket still has two open spots, and Matheus has not been announced by the IBJJF so far.
Who the twins are
Born in Sepetiba, on the west side of Rio de Janeiro, Davi and Matheus are 26 and started jiu-jitsu as kids with their father, Leonel Menezes, and their cousin Alexandre Carrera. Both received their black belts in 2021 and, at the end of that year, moved to Portugal, where they make a living from the sport as athletes and coaches. Davi represents Focus Jiu-Jitsu, and Matheus runs Blvckout Jiu-Jitsu.
The brothers are used to sharing brackets. In January 2025, they closed out the medium-heavyweight final at the IBJJF European Championship in Lisbon. This year, now at heavyweight, they faced each other in the quarterfinals of the same tournament: Matheus won, reached the final and took silver, losing to Leonardo “Leo” Ferreira. Davi was the runner-up at the Brazilian Nationals in 2025 and a semifinalist at the same event in 2026.
With the visa, the two now have access to the IBJJF calendar in the United States, which includes tournaments like the Pan and the World Championship. In the post, Davi thanked his family, sponsors, friends and those who helped through the process.
Which US tournament do you want to see the Vetoraci brothers in first? Leave your opinion in the comments.
