Braga Neto

Braga Neto arrived at the 2011 Worlds having just moved to the United States and left Long Beach with his second black belt world title. Representing Ralph Gracie, he won the ultra-heavyweight division, with the previous year’s champion Rodrigo Cavaca in second. In the open class he was submitted by Marcus Buchecha with a bow and arrow choke.

Born on October 29, 1987, he started Jiu-Jitsu at 4 in Manaus under Fábio Aníbal. At 17 he moved to Rio de Janeiro to train with Roberto “Gordo” Correa at Gracie Barra, who gave him his black belt. His first world title at the new rank came in 2008, at super-heavyweight. In 2009 he lost to Demente, and in 2010 he was caught by Roberto Cyborg in a triangle in the final seconds and took bronze. He also won Pans in 2009 and 2010.

In MMA he debuted in 2006 and is 9-3 with one no contest. He reached the UFC in June 2013 in Fortaleza, submitting Anthony Smith with a kneebar at 1:52 of the first round, and later lost to Clint Hester and Trevin Giles. He left the promotion in 2021.

In 2019 he won the ADCC São Paulo trials over 99 kg, beating Gabriel Lyrio in the final, and lost to Buchecha at the main event. In 2024 he won opens in Brasília and Itajaí over 100 kg and faced Buchecha again in an ADXC 7 superfight.