Who is Nata Tenca, the Brazilian who makes his UFC BJJ debut against Nicky Rod
A student of Andre Galvao at Atos, he started training in 2019, won a world title and got his black belt in 2026, and comes in less than a month after his first major title as a black belt
Nata Tenca will make his UFC BJJ debut against one of the best-known names in grappling. On October 29, in Las Vegas, the Brazilian from the Atos team faces Nick “Nicky Rod” Rodriguez at light heavyweight at UFC BJJ 13. It is a big match for someone who got his black belt this year and started training Jiu-Jitsu in 2019.
He made that point himself when he announced the match. “It’s a huge honor to face Nick, someone I’ve watched compete since I started training Jiu Jitsu in 2019. Back then, he was already competing in ADCC finals,” he wrote on social media.
From the Europeans to double gold at the Pan
Nata Tenca Lima first showed up on the international circuit as a purple belt. In January 2023, competing for Almeida Jiu-Jitsu, he won the IBJJF European Championship at heavyweight, with three submissions in four matches. After moving to Atos, where he trains under Andre Galvao, he had the run that put him on the list of names to watch: gold in the super-heavy division and in the open class at the 2024 Pan, with five submissions.
World champion and black belt on the same day
As a brown belt, he won bronze at super-heavy and silver in the open class at the 2025 Europeans, where he and teammate Marlon Tajik reached the final together and did not fight each other. In 2026, he won the Brazilian Nationals at ultra-heavy and then the IBJJF World Championship. On the day of the world title, he got his black belt from Andre and Angelica Galvao.
“An unforgettable day, world champion submitting everyone and being promoted to black belt by my professors,” he wrote at the time, in Portuguese.
The title his coach gave him
His first major title as a black belt came in early October, at the IBJJF Pan No-Gi in New Jersey. Tenca beat Jefferson Batista, Kasper Larsen and Marcelo Gonzalez Montoro and reached the super-heavy final against his own coach. Andre Galvao, who was back in competition at 44, gave up the final and left the gold medal with his student.
Tenca said Galvao came to him before the final and told him the title should be his. “He chose to give me the title, and that is something I will carry with me forever,” he wrote.
The test against Nicky Rod
Less than a month after the Pan No-Gi, he has his first match in the Bowl, the UFC BJJ competition area, against an opponent who just fought for the title in the division. In September, at UFC BJJ 11, Rodriguez and champion Mason Fowler went to a split draw, and Fowler kept the light heavyweight belt.
When he announced the match, Tenca thanked his coaches and the organization and closed with a short message: “See you at the Bowl!” UFC BJJ 13 streams on UFC Fight Pass on Thursday, October 29.
