Edson Carvalho
“Baiano”
Source: bjjheroes.comEdson “Baiano” Carvalho is a Carlson Gracie black belt whose Rio reputation helped build jiu-jitsu interest in Bahia.
Biography
Sources for this profile
FightBook MMA, “New Jersey Martial Arts Hall of Fame to honor Edson Carvalho”, 2019.(opens in a new tab)
After winning titles in Bahia, Carvalho moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1989, studied with Prof. Mehdi, and represented both Flamengo and Carlson Gracie in competition.
Where in the source: Champion of Champions — Rio move, Prof. Mehdi and teams
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A 2019 New Jersey Martial Arts Hall of Fame biography reports that Carvalho started martial arts at age four under his father, Ciro.
Where in the source: Champion of Champions — early training
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Carvalho's approach linked judo projection and positional control to an offensive ground game built around position before submission.
Where in the source: Champion of Champions — training theory and fighting style
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The New Jersey Martial Arts Hall of Fame selected Carvalho for its 2019 MMA Fighter and Corner award.
Where in the source: Induction announcement and 2019 inductee list
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BJJ Heroes, “Carlson Gracie”, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Carlson Gracie's published black-belt list includes Edson Carvalho with the nickname Baiano.
Where in the source: Official List of Carlson Gracie's Black Belts — Edson Carvalho
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Edson Carvalho appears on the black-belt list Carlson Gracie prepared before his death, placing Carvalho directly in Carlson Gracie's jiu-jitsu lineage.
Where in the source: Official List of Carlson Gracie's Black Belts
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Carvalho Judo & Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy, “Our History”, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Team Carvalho identifies Edson Carvalho as a native of Bahia whose reputation in Rio de Janeiro helped make him a catalyst for jiu-jitsu's growth in Bahia.
Where in the source: Our History — Bahia origin and regional influence
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The current Team Carvalho site identifies Edson Carvalho as an eighth-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.
Where in the source: TCMS — rank sentence
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The current Team Carvalho site gives Carvalho's Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt an eighth-degree rank.
Where in the source: TCMS — 8th Degree
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Team Carvalho says Ricardo Carvalho founded the academy in 1991 and named it Academia Edson Carvalho to honor his brother, whose reputation helped build interest in jiu-jitsu in Bahia.
Where in the source: Our History — academy foundation and naming
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- Conflicting accounts
Edson and Ricardo Carvalho helped create the Bahia Jiu-Jitsu Federation during the 1990s to organize the sport's growth in the state.
Where in the source: Our History — federation creation and purpose
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Carvalho currently leads Team Carvalho's Dunnellon academy, where the program combines judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the site credits him with more than 45 years of experience.
Where in the source: Academy team introduction — Dunnellon leadership; programs introduction
Accessed:
Bruno Carvalho, official website, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Bruno Carvalho identifies Edson as his uncle and one of the instructors who awarded him a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt in 2004.
Where in the source: About Bruno Carvalho and Lineage
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BJJ Heroes, “Mark Ramos”, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes reports that Edson Carvalho awarded Mark Daniel Ramos his black belt on 8 October 2011 after Ramos trained in Carvalho's judo-informed program.
Where in the source: Mark Ramos Biography — Edson Carvalho academy and promotion
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UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, “Carvalho Judô/BJJ Academy”, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation lists Edson Carvalho Pinto as the person in charge and manager of Carvalho Judo/BJJ Academy in Paterson, New Jersey.
Where in the source: Club profile — Person in charge and Contact Persons
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