Rodrigo Cavaca
Rodrigo Henrique Cavaca · Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
The 2010 ultra-heavyweight world champion, the CheckMat athlete from Santos made the botinha foot lock his trademark and three years later founded Zenith with Robert Drysdale.
- wins
- 53
- by submission, 47% of wins
- 25
- losses
- 38
- submissions with the botinha, the foot lock that became his trademark
- 5
Record against pros, including matches before black belt.
Who is Rodrigo Cavaca
Rodrigo Cavaca lost the 2009 ultra-heavyweight world final to Gabriel Vella by two advantages and came back the following year to take gold. In 2010, for CheckMat, he won the division with Roberto Cyborg in second and also took open class bronze, behind Roger Gracie and Rômulo Barral.
Born on January 27, 1981, in Santos, he played futsal and started Jiu-Jitsu at 19. He trained at Alliance Santos, at Élcio Figueiredo’s Integração and at Leonardo Vieira’s Brasa before joining CheckMat in 2008. Élcio Figueiredo gave him his black belt on October 28, 2005. The botinha, a straight foot lock he refined with coach Roli Delgado, became the trademark of his game.
He was also world runner-up in 2011 and 2013, European champion in 2009 and 2010 and Brazilian national champion in 2008 and 2010. In October 2013 he left CheckMat and founded Zenith with Robert Drysdale. That December, in Santos, he gave Marcus Buchecha his first black belt degree.
He competed until 2019. He now presents himself as a mentor to academy owners, focused on business management, and still leads Zenith.
Recent wins
- 2017Paul ArdilaPans, semifinal · 10-0
- 2017Dany GerardPans, quarterfinal · advantage
- 2017Igor MarquesBrazilian Nationals · points
- 2016Ricardo EvangelistaWorlds, open class · foot lock
- 2016Nelton PontesCopa Pódio · advantage
- 2010Roberto CyborgWorlds, final
- 2010Antonio PeinadoWorlds, semifinal · foot lock
Losses
- 2019Igor SchneiderWorlds · 10-4
- 2018Igor SilvaACB 10, superfight · choke from the back
- 2017Otávio NalatiWorlds, quarterfinal · advantage
- 2017Abdurakhman BilarovACBJJ 5 · decision
- 2016Gabriel LyrioCopa Pódio · 3-2
- 2016Alexander TransCopa Pódio · 2-0
- 2009Gabriel VellaWorlds, final · advantage
Major titles
2017
- IBJJF Pans Silver
2013
- IBJJF Worlds Ultra-heavyweight Silver
2011
- IBJJF Worlds Ultra-heavyweight Silver
2010
- IBJJF Worlds Ultra-heavyweight Gold
- IBJJF Worlds Open class Bronze
- IBJJF Europeans Gold
- Brazilian Nationals (CBJJ) Gold
2009
- IBJJF Worlds Ultra-heavyweight Silver
- IBJJF Europeans Gold
2008
- Brazilian Nationals (CBJJ) Gold
Submission wins
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