Athlete Black belt Roosterweight

Felipe Costa

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The 2003 roosterweight world champion, crowned a year after earning his black belt, the Brasa standout from Rio spent the following decade on the Worlds podium and became a fixture in jiu-jitsu’s lightest division.

Updated Oct 7, 2026 @felipecostabjj 24.4K followers

Photo: Instagram @felipecostabjj

black belt Worlds medals, between 2003 and 2010: 7

Who is Felipe Costa

Felipe Costa needed only one season at black belt to reach the top. At the 2003 Worlds, registered under Master, he won the roosterweight division, leaving Daniel Moreno with silver. He had received his black belt a year earlier from Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros.

Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1978, he started training in 1991 and went from white belt to black belt at the same club, Brasa. He became known for his consistency in a weight class where every advantage can decide a match.

After the title he returned to the Worlds podium in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010, each time with bronze. Over the same period he was Pan runner-up three times, in 2009, 2010 and 2011. He often met Bruno Malfacine, the most decorated roosterweight in history, and the two built one of the division’s most repeated rivalries.

He kept competing in the masters divisions and announced his retirement from competition in 2020. He now teaches classes and seminars, including visits to Brasa academies in Europe, and coaches in the United States, in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.