Carlos Lemos Jr.
“Escorrega”
Source: carloslemosjr.comCalled Escorrega, "slippery", the 2002 black-belt world champion from Rio spread Gracie Barra across Europe for Carlos Gracie Jr. before settling in Illinois.
Biography
Sources for this profile
Carlos Lemos Jr. (official site), 'About Carlos Lemos Jr.' profile page.(opens in a new tab)
His own site credits him with mentoring Gracie Barra leaders in Sweden, the United Kingdom, Italy, Finland, Japan and Mexico, naming among others Niclas Gustafsson and Peter Berglund in Sweden, Federico Tisi in Italy, Ryo Ominami in Japan and Gibran Alvarez in Mexico.
Where in the source: Section on the European mission, list of countries and students — 'Sweden'
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Carlos Lemos Jr. is known by the nickname Escorrega, which his own site glosses as Portuguese for 'slippery'.
Where in the source: Profile page, opening paragraph under the main heading — 'Escorrega'
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He was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, started Tae Kwon Do at three, moved to judo at ten, where he competed successfully, and was also a keen surfer.
Where in the source: Section on his early life, first paragraph — 'Tae Kwon Do'
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By his own account he walked into his first jiu-jitsu class at 14 wanting to get even with a rival who trained, and within a couple of months came to see the art as being about brotherhood and friendship rather than revenge.
Where in the source: Section on how he started jiu-jitsu, his quoted recollection — 'Within a couple of months'
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His first jiu-jitsu teachers were Roberto 'Gordo' Correa, Alexandre 'Soca' Carneiro and Renzo Gracie; Gordo promoted him to blue belt and he became an assistant coach at Gordo's gym, an early Gracie Barra school in Rio.
Where in the source: Section on his first teachers, the list and the paragraph after it — 'promoted to blue belt'
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After Gordo moved to São Paulo, Lemos trained under Carlos Gracie Jr., founder of Gracie Barra, who promoted him through every rank from blue belt to black belt at the original Gracie Barra school.
Where in the source: Same section, paragraph after the blue-belt paragraph — 'original Gracie Barra school'
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In 2004 Carlos Gracie Jr. gave Lemos the task of taking Gracie Barra to Europe, where he travelled between countries opening schools and mentoring students.
Where in the source: Section on the European mission, first paragraph — 'In 2004'
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Carlos Lemos Jr. (official site), 'Fighter Stats' page.(opens in a new tab)
His official site lists world titles at purple belt in 1999 and at black belt in 2002, 2015 and 2018, a world silver medal at black belt in 2003, and world bronze medals at brown belt in 2000 and black belt in 2005.
Where in the source: Fighter Stats, 'Major Titles & Achievements' — '4x World Champion' entry and the silver and bronze entries below it
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The same list records a European title at black belt in 2004, a Pan American title at black belt in 2015, an American No-Gi title in 2009, Brazilian national titles in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2003, and an MMA record of two wins and no losses.
Where in the source: Fighter Stats, 'Major Titles & Achievements' list — entries from 'European Champion' to 'MMA Record'
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Gracie Barra Downers Grove, coach page 'Carlos "Escorrega" Lemos Jr.'(opens in a new tab)
Gracie Barra Downers Grove, in Downers Grove, Illinois, presents Carlos 'Escorrega' Lemos Jr. as its head instructor.
Where in the source: Page header under his name — 'Head Instructor'
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The academy lists him as a black belt.
Where in the source: Page header, rank line — '6th Degree'
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The academy lists his current rank as 6th-degree black belt.
Where in the source: Page header, rank line — '6th Degree'
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He studied law for four years at Universidade Estácio de Sá in Rio de Janeiro before committing to teaching jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Paragraph on his studies and early teaching — 'Estacio de Sa'
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He became Carlos Gracie Jr.'s personal assistant instructor, sharpening his teaching in the group classes, and Gracie Jr., who expected Gracie Barra to become a worldwide organisation, encouraged him to learn languages.
Where in the source: Same paragraph, on his teaching role — 'personal assistant instructor'
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In 2002, after winning the black-belt world title, he recorded his first series of DVDs, under the name 'Legends of Gracie Barra'.
Where in the source: Paragraph on 2002, the DVD series named in capitals — 'LEGENDS OF GRACIE BARRA'
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According to the academy, he was invited in 2003 to spend a couple of months in South Korea to expand Gracie Barra there.
Where in the source: Paragraph on 2003 — 'South Korea'
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In 2004, following Carlos Gracie Jr.'s instructions to spread Gracie Barra in Europe, he moved to England, resumed his studies there and built several Gracie Barra franchises on the continent; the academy says he is fluent in four languages and can communicate in three more.
Where in the source: Paragraph on 2004, opening sentences — 'move to England'
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The academy lists black belts he awarded in Europe and the Americas, including Niclas Gustafsson (2008) and Peter Berglund (2010) in Sweden, Salvatore Pace in Bath, England, Federico Tisi, head of Tribe Jiu-Jitsu in Rome, and Gibran Alvarez in Cancún and Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Where in the source: Paragraph on 2004, the list of promoted students with names and years
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The academy says he promoted six new black belts in Europe in 2016, four of them at Gracie Barra Gothenburg in Sweden, and further black belts in 2017 in Sweden, Serbia and England and at Gracie Barra Downers Grove, among them Hector Vargas and Pedro Tello.
Where in the source: Same paragraph, the later lists of 2016 and 2017 promotions with names, schools and years
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According to the academy, he moved to the United States in December 2008 on Carlos Gracie Jr.'s instructions, made Chicago his home and returned to competition after a break of almost five years; he made his MMA debut there in 2011.
Where in the source: Paragraph on December 2008 — '5 year break'
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BJJ Heroes, 'Carlos Lemos Jr "Escorrega"', published 30 October 2011.(opens in a new tab)
Carlos Lemos Jr. was born on 9 April 1978 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Where in the source: Biography section, first sentence — '9th of April 1978'
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The nickname Escorrega was given to him as a child by his judo coach, Antonio Pedroso, because the other children could not hold him down in groundwork.
Where in the source: 'Nickname' entry in the fact list — 'Antonio Pedroso'
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BJJ Heroes describes him as one of Gracie Barra's 'missionaries' in Europe around the turn of the century, opening several of the team's franchises there.
Where in the source: Introductory paragraph — 'missionaries'
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Gracie Barra Downers Grove, instructor page 'Ryo Ominami'.(opens in a new tab)
Japanese instructor Ryo Ominami travelled to Brazil in 2004 to train at Gracie Barra, where he befriended and learned from Lemos, and received his black belt in 2008 from Carlos Gracie Jr. and Lemos; Ominami leads Gracie Barra in Japan.
Where in the source: Ryo Ominami biography, paragraphs on 2004 and 2008 — 'befriended Professor Carlos Lemos Jr.'
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Gracie Barra Downers Grove, instructor page 'Pedro Tello'.(opens in a new tab)
Pedro Tello, who found his passion for jiu-jitsu with Lemos, was promoted to black belt under him in 2017 and named head instructor of Gracie Barra Downers Grove.
Where in the source: Pedro Tello biography — 'promoted to black belt on 2017 under Professor Carlos Lemos Jr.'
Accessed:
On The Mat, Christie Sullivan, 'Carlos Lemos Jr.: A Gracie Barra black belt's journey from his roots in Brazil, traveling the world, and fighting in MMA', 17 August 2011 (Internet Archive copy, 23 June 2024).(opens in a new tab)
Lemos began jiu-jitsu in 1993 under Roberto 'Gordo' Correa in Barra da Tijuca, at a school where Ryan Gracie, Ralph Gracie, Gordo and 'Soca' were then teaching, and later trained with Soca at Gordo's satellite school in Novo Leblon.
Where in the source: Paragraph on his start in Barra da Tijuca — '1993'
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In 1998, shortly before his purple belt, Gordo moved to São Paulo and Lemos, with Gordo's blessing, accepted an invitation to train at the Gracie Barra academy in Barra da Tijuca, where Carlos Gracie Jr. became his teacher.
Where in the source: Following paragraph, on his move to Gracie Barra — '1998'
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Soon after joining Gracie Barra he submitted all four opponents at blue belt in the Brazilian Nationals, was promoted to purple shortly after, and, by his account, won the 1999 World Championship after six months at purple despite some thinking the promotion too quick.
Where in the source: Paragraph after that, on the Brazilian Nationals and the 1999 Worlds
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In the early 2000s visiting American grapplers, including Dave Camarillo and Kenny and Keith Florian, stayed at his house in Barra, and for three years he travelled back and forth to compete in the United States before winning the 2002 black-belt world title.
Where in the source: His recollection of American visitors staying at his house in Barra
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Lemos says Carlos Gracie Jr. chose him as an ambassador to open Gracie Barra schools abroad partly because he was smaller, reasoning that sending larger relatives such as Roger and Rolles Gracie would be less convincing.
Where in the source: Paragraph on Carlos Gracie Jr.'s plans for him, his quote — 'smaller'
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He recalled a team of about 300 at Gracie Barra in Barra da Tijuca, training alongside Feitosa, Mariano and Soca, and said Carlos Gracie Jr. told him he had survived the academy's 'Lions Den' before he accepted the offer to open schools abroad.
Where in the source: The two paragraphs after that — '300 guys' and 'LionsDen'
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Lemos says he went to Mexico in 2001 and opened three academies there.
Where in the source: His quote on Mexico and South Korea — 'Mexico'
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Carlos Lemos Jr. is Brazilian; in the 2011 interview he describes himself as the first Brazilian to teach jiu-jitsu in South Korea, where he says he founded Gracie Barra in 2003.
Where in the source: Same quote on Mexico and South Korea — 'first Brazilian'
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Lemos credits Carlos Gracie Jr. with shaping his character, saying Gracie Jr. taught him the most valuable life lessons after his own parents.
Where in the source: Paragraph after that quote, on Carlos Gracie Jr.'s influence — 'shaped my character'
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In Europe Lemos was involved in founding Gracie Barra schools in Lithuania, Sweden, Finland, Italy and England; he taught in England during the week and gave seminars in a different European country each weekend, and in Italy he promoted Federico Tisi, later head of the team's federation in Italy.
Where in the source: His quote on his years in Europe — 'weekdays in England'
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Lemos returned to live in the United States in 2008 and came to Chicago in early 2009 to help an existing Gracie Barra school, where he says the focus was on good jiu-jitsu, good individuals and self-defence for children and students.
Where in the source: Paragraphs on his return, his quote on arriving in Chicago — 'early 2009'
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Back in competition, Lemos says he had a match against Rafael Mendes go to a referee's decision at the 2009 IBJJF World Championship, beat UFC fighter Jeff Curran at the 2009 NAGA, and in 2010 won his weight class and the absolute at a NAGA Midwest event and also won at the Chicago Open.
Where in the source: His quote on his recent competition results — 'ref decision'
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In August 2011, as a Gracie Barra third-degree black belt, Lemos travelled to Rio to coach American UFC fighter Spencer Fisher's jiu-jitsu for his 27 August UFC Rio bout against Thiago Tavares.
Where in the source: Opening paragraph, on his trip to Rio with Spencer Fisher
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Lemos said Japanese black belt Ryo Ominami visited every year to train with him, and that Spencer Fisher came from Iowa from time to time.
Where in the source: His quote on the academy's results and visitors — 'every year'
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Graciemag, 'Lemos wins MMA debut', 25 January 2011.(opens in a new tab)
Lemos won his MMA debut on 15 January 2011, taking Jason Rine down, mounting him and finishing with a rear-naked choke in the first round.
Where in the source: Report dated 25/01/2011 — 'finish by rear naked choke barely two minutes into the first round'
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Graciemag, 'Carlos Lemos again victorious at MMA', 1 August 2011.(opens in a new tab)
On 23 July 2011 at Total Fight Challenge 17 he beat a late replacement opponent, Mike Philips of Team No Ego, by unanimous decision after three rounds, finishing the fight working an armbar from mount; Graciemag called it an all-out war.
Where in the source: Report dated 01/08/2011 — 'earning him a unanimous decision for the win'
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Graciemag, 'Carlos Lemos goes arround Europe', 15 October 2010.(opens in a new tab)
In October 2010 Graciemag reported that Lemos, head of Gracie Barra Countryside, had returned from touring his affiliated Gracie Barra academies in Finland, Sweden and the UK, and had led the grand-opening seminar of Salvatore Pace's school in Bath, England.
Where in the source: Report dated 15/10/2010 — 'back from touring his affiliated Gracie Barra academies'
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Graciemag, 'An evening seminar with Carlos Lemos', text by Paula Ralph, 1 December 2011.(opens in a new tab)
At Gracie Barra Bath's annual seminar with Lemos on 23 November 2011, about 50 students took part, and he and Salvatore Pace promoted four students to purple belt and the school's first two brown belts under Pace.
Where in the source: Report by Paula Ralph dated 01/12/2011 — '50 students lined up on the mat' and the closing paragraphs on new belts
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A student's report of the seminar says Lemos stressed building a solid foundation before flashier techniques and told stories about a student to show that helping team-mates learn also helps one's own progress.
Where in the source: Report by Paula Ralph, fourth paragraph — 'a solid foundation on which good, strong Jiu-jitsu can be built'
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Graciemag, 'Medals for GMAs in Chicago', 23 August 2010.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag reported that at the 2010 IBJJF Chicago International Open, Lemos of Gracie Barra Countryside and Marcos Barros of Gracie Barra Springfield shared the black-belt master lightweight and absolute divisions between them.
Where in the source: Report dated 23/08/2010 — 'dominated the black belt master'
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Gracie Barra, 'GB Motivation: Prof. Carlos Lemos on Jiu-jitsu Attitude and the Pandemic', 5 October 2020 (Internet Archive copy, 21 March 2025).(opens in a new tab)
In October 2020 Gracie Barra introduced him as a 5th-degree black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. and the head instructor and owner of Gracie Barra Downers Grove, Illinois.
Where in the source: Interview introduction — 'head instructor and owner of Gracie Barra Downers Grove'
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Lemos compared the pandemic to a jiu-jitsu match in which you breathe, assess and work patiently for an escape instead of panicking; during the shutdown his academy offered virtual classes every day and phoned students to keep them supported.
Where in the source: Interview answers — 'Your whole life is a Jiu-Jitsu match!' and 'We offered virtual classes, every day'
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IBJJF, official results, 1999 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship.(opens in a new tab)
At the 1999 IBJJF World Championship, Carlos Lemos of Gracie Barra won the adult male purple-belt light-featherweight division.
Where in the source: Division 'Adult / Purple / Male / Light Feather' — place 1, 'Carlos Lemos', 'Gracie Barra'
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IBJJF, official results, 2000 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2000 IBJJF World Championship he took one of the two bronze medals in the adult male brown-belt light-featherweight division.
Where in the source: Division 'Adult / Brown / Male / Light Feather' — place 3, 'Carlos Lemos', 'Gracie Barra'
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IBJJF, official results, 2000 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2000 IBJJF Pan American Championship he placed second in the adult male brown-belt light-featherweight division, behind Gracie Barra team-mate Jorge Coelho.
Where in the source: Division 'Adult / Brown / Male / Light Feather' — place 1 'Jorge Coelho', place 2 'Carlos Lemos', both 'Gracie Barra'
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IBJJF, official results, 2002 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2002 IBJJF World Championship he won the adult male black-belt light-featherweight division, with Andre Soares second.
Where in the source: Division 'Adult / Black / Male / Light Feather' — place 1 'Carlos Lemos', place 2 'Andre Soares'
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IBJJF, official results, 2003 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2003 IBJJF World Championship he was second in the adult male black-belt light-featherweight division, behind Gracie Barra team-mate Bibiano Fernandes.
Where in the source: Division 'Adult / Black / Male / Light Feather' — place 1 'Bibiano Fernandes', place 2 'Carlos Lemos'
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IBJJF, official results, 2004 European Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2004 IBJJF European Championship he won the adult male black-belt featherweight division, ahead of Anderson Pereira.
Where in the source: Division 'Adult / Black / Male / Feather' — place 1 'Carlos Lemos Jr', place 2 'Anderson Pereira'
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IBJJF, official results, 2005 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2005 IBJJF World Championship he took one of the two bronze medals in the adult male black-belt light-featherweight division, won by Bibiano Fernandes.
Where in the source: Division 'Adult / Black / Male / Light Feather' — place 3 'Carlos Lemos', place 1 'Bibiano Fernandes'
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IBJJF, official results, 2009 American National IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2009 IBJJF American National No-Gi Championship he won the Master 1 black-belt featherweight division and was second in the Master 1 black-belt open class behind Joao Cunha.
Where in the source: Divisions 'Master 1 / Black / Male / Feather' (place 1 'Carlos Lemos Jr.') and 'Master 1 / Black / Male / Open Class' (place 2)
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IBJJF, official results, 2010 Chicago International Open IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2010 IBJJF Chicago International Open he won the Master 1 black-belt open class and was second in the Master 1 black-belt lightweight division, with Gracie Barra team-mate Marcos Paulo Barros taking the other title.
Where in the source: Divisions 'Master 1 / Black / Male / Open Class' (place 1 'Carlos Lemos') and 'Master 1 / Black / Male / Light' (place 2 'Carlos Lemos Jr')
Accessed:
Wikipedia, 'Carlos Lemos (fighter)', revision 1364738243.(opens in a new tab)
Wikipedia's infobox records his 2015 and 2018 world titles as gold medals at the World Master Championship in Las Vegas.
Where in the source: Infobox medal table, 'World Master Championship' rows — '2015' and '2018', 'Las Vegas, Nevada'
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Graciemag, 'Mundial Master 2015 em Las Vegas conta com 10 campeões mundiais inscritos', 4 September 2015.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag's preview of the 2015 World Master Championship in Las Vegas listed him, representing Gracie Barra Downers Grove, among ten world champions entered, in the master 2 featherweight division.
Where in the source: Preview dated 04/09/2015, master 2 paragraph — 'Carlos Lemos "Escorrega" (GB Downers Grove)'
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Graciemag, 'The 2018 World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship's complete results', 27 August 2018.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag's complete results of the 2018 World Master IBJJF Championship list Carlos Lemos Junior of Gracie Barra as winner of the black-belt master 3 male featherweight division.
Where in the source: Results list dated 27/08/2018, division 'Black / Master 3 / Male / Feather' — '1 – Carlos Lemos Junior – Gracie Barra'
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Graciemag, 'Carlos Lemos graduates Black belt in Sweden', 15 December 2010.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag reported in December 2010 that Lemos, then of Gracie Barra Countryside, had recently travelled to Sweden and, on the last day of a seminar, awarded Peter Berglund of Gracie Barra Sweden his black belt, with Carlos Gracie Jr.'s blessing.
Where in the source: Report dated 15/12/2010 — 'Peter Berglund, of Gracie Barra Sweden, was awarded his black belt'
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Graciemag, 'Carlos Lemos Jr. promotes and teaches in Sweden', text by Jessica Kwan, 13 December 2011.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag wrote in December 2011 that Gracie Barra Sweden was founded by Lemos and his students Niclas Gustafsson and Peter Berglund, both black belts leading the team there; at the two-day seminar it reported, attended by schools from across Sweden, he taught a gi day ending in belt promotions and a no-gi day, and spoke about lessons from Carlos Gracie Jr. before going on to Italy and Finland.
Where in the source: Report by Jessica Kwan dated 13/12/2011 — 'GB Sweden was founded by Prof. Carlos Lemos Jr. and his students'
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Graciemag, 'UFC Rio exclusive: Fisher trains for Tavares', 18 August 2011.(opens in a new tab)
Speaking to Graciemag before flying to Brazil with Spencer Fisher in August 2011, Lemos said Fisher had come to him through a friend, that he had earlier had three weeks to prepare him for a fight, that Fisher had held an exchange with his academy, and that the ground was Fisher's one weakness, which they had been working on.
Where in the source: Interview dated 18/08/2011, answer to 'How did your coaching him come about?' — 'He showed up through a friend'
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Graciemag, profile of Federico Tisi, 18 December 2012.(opens in a new tab)
A 2012 Graciemag profile of Italian instructor Federico Tisi names Carlos Lemos Junior among his main influences and says Tisi earned his black belt in Rio de Janeiro in 2005.
Where in the source: Profile dated 18/12/2012 — 'His main influences in his tuition are Professors' and 'earned his black belt in Rio de Janeiro in 2005'
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Competition results
| Year | Event | Result | Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-64 kgGiVerified | 1st place | -64 kgGiVerified |
Lineage
No teaching connections are shown on this page.
Open lineage