10 Jiu-Jitsu talents who could blow up in 2027
VF Comunica’s list brings together blue, purple and brown belts from ten teams who collected titles in 2025 and 2026 and could earn more space next season
The new generation of Jiu-Jitsu keeps arriving strong, and some names are already drawing attention for their performances and their growing presence on the competitive scene. VF Comunica selected ten athletes who are on the rise and could earn even more space in 2027.
The list has six blue belts, two purple belts and two brown belts, from ten different teams. The results below are from IBJJF and CBJJ tournaments in the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
1. João Pedro Figueiredo (MAJJ)
A blue belt from Marcio André Jiu-Jitsu, João Pedro was Juvenile 1 world champion in 2025 at medium-heavyweight. In 2026, now in Juvenile 2, he won the Europeans, the Pans and the Worlds at middleweight, with silver in the open class at Worlds and bronze in the open class at Pans. He also won the American Nationals and Jiu-Jitsu Con, in gi and no-gi.
2. JP Tran (AOJ)
A student of Gui Mendes at Art of Jiu-Jitsu, in California, JP Tran closed 2025 with double gold at Worlds in Juvenile 1 (featherweight and open class), a No-Gi Worlds title and gold at the ADCC Youth Worlds in the under-17 category. At the 2025 Jiu-Jitsu Awards by VF Comunica, he won Standout Juvenile Athlete (Male), in the same edition in which his coach, Gui Mendes, was named Coach of the Year. In 2026, in Juvenile 2, he took the Europeans, the Pans (weight and open class) and the Worlds at featherweight.
3. Kauã Lasanha (Start Doing)
A blue belt from Instituto Start Doing, in Florianópolis, Brazil, Kauã “Lasanha” Gomes won the Europeans, the Pans, the Brazilian Nationals and the Worlds in 2026, the four tournaments of the IBJJF Grand Slam. “All 4 championships without conceding a single point!”, he wrote on social media. He then closed the South American Championship with double gold. The team’s youth work was the subject of a recent interview with coach Luciano Bernert.
4. Ale Zangado (Ágora Jiu-Jitsu)
Alê Borges, known as Zangado, trains at Ágora Jiu-Jitsu, in Jundiaí, São Paulo, the academy led by Diogo Reis. In 2026, he was European and world champion at blue belt, Juvenile 1, lightweight. About the Worlds, he wrote on social media: “Four matches, no points conceded, and one more title won.” He also won the AIGA Grappling Series in Argentina.
5. Guilherme Camargo (Checkmat)
Known as Castellinho, Guilherme had a three-gold season at adult blue belt in 2026: Europeans, Brazilian Nationals and Worlds, all at medium-heavyweight, with silver in the open class at the Brazilian Nationals and at Worlds. He received his purple belt on the Worlds podium and, at the new rank, won the open class at the Floripa Winter Open.
6. Jonathan Anderson (Gracie Barra)
An athlete from Gracie Barra Upland, in California, Jonathan had already appeared on VF Comunica’s list of juveniles to watch at the 2025 Worlds. That year, he won the Europeans, the Pans and the Brazilian Nationals in Juvenile 2 and took silver at Worlds. In 2026, at adult blue belt, he won the same three tournaments at light-featherweight. Promoted to purple belt, he won the No-Gi Pans in October at featherweight.
7. Dione Munis (Soldiers Jiu-Jitsu)
The younger brother of Erich Munis, Dione was purple belt world champion in 2026 at heavyweight, after taking silver at the Brazilian Nationals. At brown belt, he won his weight and the open class at the São Paulo Open in July.
8. Arthur Breier (Alliance)
A blue belt from Alliance, Arthur Breier Barbiero was world runner-up two years in a row at lightweight: in 2025, in Juvenile 1, and in 2026, in Juvenile 2. In the 2026 season, he also took silver in the light open class at Worlds and bronze at the Europeans and the Pans.
9. Luan Patrick (Almeida JJ)
A brown belt from Caio Almeida’s team, Luan Patrick competes in the adult division at medium-heavyweight. In 2026, he took silver at the Europeans, bronze at the Brazilian Nationals and gold at the Curitiba Summer Open. In 2025, he had been a bronze medalist at the South American Championship and at Jiu-Jitsu Con.
10. Davi Ledesma (Atos)
A blue belt from Atos, Davi trains in Bauru, São Paulo, with coach Paulo Ledesma. In 2026, he won the Pans and the Brazilian Nationals in Juvenile 1, medium-heavyweight, and also took silver in the heavy open class at the Brazilian Nationals and bronze at the Pans.
Different teams and career stages
They are athletes from different teams and at different stages of their careers, with results, evolution and the potential to appear more and more at the highest level of Jiu-Jitsu.
Who is missing from the list? Leave your opinion in the comments.
