Bruno Lopes Mendes
“Tank”
Source: voyagedallas.comFrom Kioto’s mats to Soul Fighters in Texas, Bruno “Tank” Mendes built a career around teaching, organization, and team-building.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Heroes, “Bruno Mendes” (publication date not shown), accessed 8 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes reports that Bruno Mendes was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1981.
Where in the source: Biography opening. Exact anchor: “May 7, 1981”
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BJJ Heroes reports that Alvaro Mansor and Francisco Mansor awarded Mendes his black belt in December 2004.
Where in the source: Biography, coaching progression at Kioto. Exact anchor: “December 2004”
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BJJ Heroes lists Mendes as Rio de Janeiro state champion from 2002 through 2004 and a state silver medallist in 2007.
Where in the source: Main achievements list. Exact anchor: “Rio de Janeiro State Champion”
Accessed:
VoyageDallas, “Meet Bruno Mendes of Soul Fighters,” 25 October 2017.(opens in a new tab)
In a 2017 first-person interview, Mendes describes himself as Brazilian and says he was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro.
Where in the source: Opening answer about his background. Exact anchor: “I am Brazilian”
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Mendes says the Kioto academy's competition team gave him the nickname Tank during his first months of training.
Where in the source: Opening answer, early Kioto period. Exact anchor: “nickname Tank”
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Mendes says he sought out Kioto Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu near his home in Rio, entered its competition team within six months and regarded Alvaro Mansor as his professor and mentor.
Where in the source: Opening answer, choice of academy and first months there. Exact anchor: “mentor Alvaro Mansor”
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Mendes says he progressed from assistant instructor to main professor at Kioto's headquarters and then head coach of the team.
Where in the source: Opening answer, teaching progression before leaving Kioto. Exact anchor: “assistant instructor”
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Mendes says he left Kioto at the end of 2005, started a school and team with his brother Augusto in March 2006, and in May 2008 co-founded Soul Fighters with Augusto Mendes, Rafael Barbosa, Leandro Escobar and Alvaro Mansor.
Where in the source: Opening answer, transition from Kioto to the new teams. Exact anchor: “May of 2008”
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Mendes says he moved to the United States in 2013 and began working in Allen, Texas, in early 2014, where he developed Soul Fighters' Texas program and used it as a base for wider expansion.
Where in the source: Opening answer, move to the United States and Allen partnership. Exact anchors: “In 2013” · “January of 2014”
Accessed:
Soul Fighters Allen, “About Us” (publication date not shown), accessed 8 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Soul Fighters' current history says the partnership of Bruno Mendes, Augusto Mendes, Alvaro Mansor, Rafael Barbosa and Leandro Escobar became Soul Fighters in May 2008.
Where in the source: How Soul Fighters Began and lineage block. Exact anchors: “May 2008” · “Founders”
Accessed:
Soul Fighters Allen, “Bruno ‘Tank’ Mendes” (publication date not shown), accessed 8 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Soul Fighters Allen's current biography labels Mendes its program director and says he serves as the association's lead IBJJF professor after earlier work as an IBJJF official and at the federation's head office.
Where in the source: Role heading and expanded biography. Exact anchors: “PROGRAM DIRECTOR” · “lead professor”
Accessed:
TATAME / Lance!, “Bruno Tank revela planos de expansão da Soul Fighters para 2022,” Terra, 20 April 2022.(opens in a new tab)
A 2022 TATAME report carried by Terra described Mendes as leading Soul Fighters' United States headquarters in Texas and focusing on the team's organizational structure, affiliates, projects and developing athletes.
Where in the source: Article introduction and final background paragraph. Exact anchors: “Atualmente no Texas” · “organizacional”
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International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, “Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu Sem Kimono 2013,” official results, accessed 8 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
The official 2013 Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu Sem Kimono results place Bruno Lopes Mendes of Soul Fighters BJJ joint third in the Master 1 men's black-belt ultra-heavy division.
Where in the source: Master 1 / Male / Black / Ultra-Heavy — 3 Bruno Lopes Mendes Soul Fighters BJJ
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Jesse Palmer Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, “About Jesse” (publication date not shown), accessed 8 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Jesse Palmer's academy biography says he is a black belt under Bruno Mendes and became the first American to receive a black belt from Mendes in November 2016.
Where in the source: About Jesse and lineage sections. Exact anchors: “first American” · “November 2016”
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BJJ Heroes, “Igor Paiva” (publication date not shown), accessed 8 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes reports that Bruno Mendes awarded Igor Matosinho de Paiva his black belt on 14 June 2017 after Paiva had trained under the Mendes brothers and assisted classes at Soul Fighters.
Where in the source: Igor Paiva biography, training and promotion paragraphs. Exact anchor: “black belt on June 14, 2017”
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