João Miyao

João Ricardo Bordignon Miyao was born on May 11, 1991, in Andirá, in the north of the Brazilian state of Paraná. He is Paulo’s twin brother. Sons of a farmer and of Japanese descent, the two started in judo and found Jiu-Jitsu at 16, with Adriano Carvalho.

They moved to São Paulo to train at PSLPB, Cícero Costha’s team, and lived in the gym itself. At purple and brown belt, between 2011 and 2013, they became known for their guard game and for reaching open class podiums while weighing under 65 kg (143 lb). João was world champion at purple and brown belt and got his black belt from Cícero Costha on June 24, 2013, the same day as Paulo.

In 2015 the brothers moved to New York to train at Unity. As an adult black belt, João won No-Gi Worlds four times, in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019, Pans from 2016 to 2018 and the 2018 World Pro. At the gi Worlds he was runner-up three times, first at roosterweight and then at light-featherweight, before his 2019 title, in a final closed out with Paulo. At the 2013 ADCC, still newly promoted, he finished fourth at 66 kg (145 lb).

Since 2021 he has competed in Master 1, where he has four Master Worlds titles, in 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026, and others at Pans, Europeans and the Brazilian Nationals. Outside the IBJJF, he submitted Gevorg Arutiunian at ACBJJ 19 in November 2025 and beat Jussier Formiga by unanimous decision at UFC BJJ 6 in March 2026.

In 2023 he and Paulo opened Studio 1908 in Jersey City, New Jersey. The name refers to the year the first ship of Japanese immigrants arrived at the port of Santos, in Brazil. In October he is registered for the Houston Fall Open and the No-Gi Europeans, both in Master 1.