Gabriel Gonzaga
“Napão”
Source: bjjheroes.comWander Braga's student from Rio won the 2006 IBJJF world title, knocked out Cro Cop with a head kick at UFC 70 and kept teaching through his UFC years.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Heroes, "Gabriel 'Napão' Gonzaga" (athlete profile).(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes gives his full name as Gabriel Gonzaga Santos Nogueira.
Where in the source: Fact list below the introduction, the Full Name line.
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He is known by the nickname Napão, Portuguese slang for a broad nose.
Where in the source: Fact list, Nickname line — "Broad/wide Nose".
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He was born on 18 May 1979.
Where in the source: Biography section, first sentence — "May 18, 1979".
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He was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Where in the source: Biography section, first sentence (birthplace).
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He started martial arts with judo at 14, trained it only briefly, and took up jiu-jitsu at 15, in 1994.
Where in the source: Biography, second paragraph — "15 YO (1994)".
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Wander Braga, of the Jorge Pereira academy, was his coach from the start, took him through the coloured belts, and awarded him the black belt in 1999 after he placed third at the IBJJF World Championship.
Where in the source: Biography, third paragraph — "from the very get-go".
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BJJ Heroes traces his lineage Carlos Gracie, Helio Gracie, Rickson Gracie, Jorge Pereira, Wander Braga, Gabriel Gonzaga.
Where in the source: Fact list, Lineage line.
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After Wander Braga moved to the United States in 2000, Gonzaga moved to São Paulo in 2002 and joined Jorge Patino's academy, Macaco Gold Team, where he became one of the region's leading black belts.
Where in the source: Biography, fourth paragraph — "moved to São Paulo (2002)".
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In São Paulo he developed an interest in MMA and made his debut in 2003 while still giving priority to grappling; when Jorge Patino later joined Chute Boxe in Curitiba, Gonzaga began travelling to that academy to improve his cage fighting.
Where in the source: Biography, fifth paragraph — "developed an interest in MMA".
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BJJ Heroes names pressure passing as his favourite position.
Where in the source: Fact list, Favorite Position/Technique line.
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BJJ Heroes, "Wander Braga" (athlete profile).(opens in a new tab)
Wander Braga, a black belt under Jorge Pereira, built a team in Rio de Janeiro whose black belts included Gonzaga; in 2000, after Jorge Pereira moved to the United States, Braga co-founded the Big Brother team with Leo Dalla, Otavio Duarte and Luiz Guilherme.
Where in the source: Wander Braga biography, paragraphs on his own team and on the founding of Big Brother.
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BJJ Heroes, "Hulk dominates, Lo, Meyram and Napao steal the show at BJJ Stars event", July 2020.(opens in a new tab)
At the BJJ Stars event in São Paulo in July 2020 he beat Leo Leite by armbar in a masters match fought mostly standing: he landed a tornado throw, and when Leite threw him with a tai otoshi in the final minute he reversed to mount and finished with the armbar.
Where in the source: Match reports, the entry for the Napão vs Leo Leite masters match — "tornado throw".
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IBJJF, official results, Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 1996.(opens in a new tab)
At the 1996 Brazilian National Championship, 'Gabriel Napao' of Jorge Pereira placed second in the adult blue belt male heavy division, behind Marcelo Couto.
Where in the source: Results by category, ADULT / BLUE / MALE / HEAVY: 1 Marcelo Couto (Equipe 3), 2 Gabriel Napao (Jorge Pereira), 3 Antonio Ninotaw, 3 Andre Domingues.
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IBJJF, official results, World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 1999.(opens in a new tab)
At the 1999 World Championship, 'Gabriel Napão' of Jorge Pereira placed third in the adult brown belt male heavy division; the division was won by Ricardo Arona ahead of Fabio Leopoldo.
Where in the source: Results by category, ADULT / BROWN / MALE / HEAVY: 1 Ricardo Arona (Carlson), 2 Fabio Leopoldo (Gracie Barra), 3 Erick Wanderley, 3 Gabriel Napão (Jorge Pereira).
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IBJJF, official results, Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 1999.(opens in a new tab)
At the 1999 Brazilian National Championship, Gabriel Gonzaga of Jorge Pereira placed third in the adult black belt male super heavy division.
Where in the source: Results by category, ADULT / BLACK / MALE / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Daniel Simoes, 2 Alexandre Dantas, 3 Gabriel Gonzaga (Jorge Pereira), 3 Ricardo Reis.
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IBJJF, official results, World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2000.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2000 World Championship, 'Gabriel Napao' of Big Brothers placed third in the adult black belt male super heavy division, won by Saulo Ribeiro ahead of Daniel Simoes.
Where in the source: Results by category, ADULT / BLACK / MALE / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Saulo Ribeiro, 2 Daniel Simoes, 3 Gabriel Napao (Big Brothers), 3 Renato Ferro.
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IBJJF, official results, World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2002.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2002 World Championship, Gabriel Gonzaga of Macaco Gold Team placed third in the adult black belt male open class, won by Marcio Cruz ahead of Saulo Ribeiro.
Where in the source: Results by category, ADULT / BLACK / MALE / OPEN CLASS: 1 Marcio Cruz, 2 Saulo Ribeiro, 3 Alexandre Ribeiro, 3 Gabriel Gonzaga (Macaco Gold Team).
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IBJJF, official results, World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2006.(opens in a new tab)
Gabriel Gonzaga of Macaco Gold Team won the adult black belt male ultra heavy division at the 2006 World Championship; Leonardo Leite (Brasa) was second, Luiz Theodoro and Lucio Rodrigues third.
Where in the source: Results by category, ADULT / BLACK / MALE / ULTRA HEAVY: 1 Gabriel Gonzaga (Macaco Gold Team), 2 Leonardo Leite (Brasa), 3 Luiz Theodoro, 3 Lucio Rodrigues.
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IBJJF News, Danny O'Donnell, "2023 World Master Results: Masters Athletes Shine At Biggest Jiu-Jitsu Event In History", 8 September 2023.(opens in a new tab)
The IBJJF named Gabriel Gonzaga among the gold medallists of the Master 3 to Master 7 divisions at the 2023 World Master Championship, held as part of Jiu-Jitsu CON.
Where in the source: Article body, paragraph listing gold medalists from Master 3 through 7.
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ADCC News, "ADCC 2005: A Serious Look Back!", 27 June 2005.(opens in a new tab)
At ADCC 2005, the sixth Submission Wrestling World Championships and the first held in the United States, 'Gabriel Napao' of Brazil took second place in the men's over-99 kg division behind Jeff Monson, with Fabricio Werdum third.
Where in the source: THE CHAMPIONS list, 99kg+ line: 1st Jeff Monson (USA), 2nd Gabriel Napao (Brazil), 3rd Fabrizio Werdum (Brazil); opening paragraph on the first US edition.
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He also entered the ADCC 2005 absolute division, where the draw paired him with Eduardo Telles.
Where in the source: Final section, THE ABSOLUTE CLASS pairings list (Gabriel Napao v. Eduardo Telles).
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ADCC News, Kid Peligro, "Kid Peligro Jiu-Jitsu News", 29 June 2009.(opens in a new tab)
In June 2009 ADCC News reported that he had accepted an invitation to ADCC 2009 in Barcelona, saying he always liked competing at ADCC, and that he had just won a NAGA superfight at the Twin Rivers casino in Rhode Island.
Where in the source: First item, Gabriel Napao confirmed on ADCC 2009 — "I always like to compete in the ADCC".
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Sherdog, "Gabriel 'Napao' Gonzaga" fighter profile.(opens in a new tab)
Sherdog lists him as born 18 May 1979 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, fighting at heavyweight, with Team Link as his association.
Where in the source: Fighter header: flag line, AGE line, ASSOCIATION and CLASS fields.
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His professional MMA record on Sherdog is 17 wins and 12 losses, from a debut win at Brazilian Gladiators 2 on 2 April 2003 to a loss to Aleksander Emelianenko at RCC 2 on 5 May 2018.
Where in the source: Win/loss summary and FIGHT HISTORY - PRO table, first and last rows.
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In his second pro fight he submitted Branden Lee Hinkle with a triangle choke at Meca World Vale Tudo 9 on 1 August 2003; his first loss came against Fabricio Werdum at Jungle Fight 1 in Manaus on 13 September 2003.
Where in the source: FIGHT HISTORY - PRO table, rows for Meca 9 and Jungle Fight 1.
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He made his UFC debut at UFC 56 on 19 November 2005, knocking out Kevin Jordan with a superman punch in the third round, and followed it with wins over Fabiano Scherner (UFC 60) and Carmelo Marrero by armbar (UFC 66).
Where in the source: FIGHT HISTORY - PRO table, rows for UFC 56, UFC 60 and UFC 66.
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At UFC 70 on 21 April 2007 he beat Mirko Filipovic (Cro Cop) by head-kick knockout at 4:51 of the first round.
Where in the source: FIGHT HISTORY - PRO table, UFC 70 - Nations Collide row.
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At UFC 74 on 25 August 2007 he lost to Randy Couture by TKO (punches) at 1:37 of the third round.
Where in the source: FIGHT HISTORY - PRO table, UFC 74 - Respect row.
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Between 2008 and 2010 he went 3–4 in the UFC, losing to Fabricio Werdum, Shane Carwin, Junior dos Santos and Brendan Schaub and beating Justin McCully (kimura), Josh Hendricks and Chris Tuchscherer.
Where in the source: FIGHT HISTORY - PRO table, rows from UFC 80 (19 January 2008) to UFC 121 (23 October 2010).
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After returning he submitted Parker Porter with an arm-triangle choke at Reality Fighting on 8 October 2011, then in the UFC submitted Ednaldo Oliveira (rear-naked choke, UFC 142, 14 January 2012) and Ben Rothwell (guillotine, 19 January 2013).
Where in the source: FIGHT HISTORY - PRO table, rows for Reality Fighting, UFC 142 and UFC on FX 7.
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He met Mirko Filipovic again in the main event of UFC Fight Night 64 (Gonzaga vs. Cro Cop 2) on 11 April 2015 and lost by TKO in the third round; his last UFC bout was a first-round knockout loss to Derrick Lewis on 10 April 2016.
Where in the source: FIGHT HISTORY - PRO table, rows for UFC Fight Night 64 and UFC Fight Night 86.
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UFC.com, Thomas Gerbasi, "On This Day in UFC History: Mirko gets Cro Copped by Gonzaga", 21 April 2020.(opens in a new tab)
At UFC 70 in Manchester, the UFC's first event in England since UFC 38, Gonzaga caught Cro Cop's first big body kick and took him down, cut him with forearms on the mat, and, after Cro Cop got a reprieve with about 35 seconds left in the round, knocked him out with a single right kick to the head at 4:51 of round one, earning a title shot against Randy Couture.
Where in the source: Article by Thomas Gerbasi, paragraphs on the main event — "a single right kick to the head".
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UFC.com, Thomas Gerbasi, "Gabriel Gonzaga: Eight Years Later", 10 April 2015.(opens in a new tab)
He went into UFC 70 with a 7–1 professional record, three of the wins in the UFC.
Where in the source: Second paragraph — "With a 7-1 pro record".
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Gonzaga said the Cro Cop win changed his life: afterwards he could stop working and train full time as a professional fighter, though the upheaval also made it a hard period.
Where in the source: Quote after the description of the knockout — "My life changed a lot".
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In the years after the Couture fight he settled with his family in Ludlow, Massachusetts, and kept teaching jiu-jitsu, which the article calls his first love, alongside his UFC career.
Where in the source: Paragraph after the Couture title shot — "teaching his first love of jiu-jitsu".
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Before the 2015 rematch he said he had no ambition to be popular and wanted to be the best at what he does and provide for his family; he still regarded Cro Cop's high kick as his most dangerous weapon.
Where in the source: Late quotes in the article — "the best in what I do".
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UFC.com calls him a Brazilian heavyweight.
Where in the source: Fourth paragraph, where the article gives each heavyweight's nationality.
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UFC.com, Thomas Gerbasi, "Gabriel Gonzaga - The Return of 'Napao'", 11 January 2012.(opens in a new tab)
After losing to Brendan Schaub at UFC 121 he was released by the UFC and announced on 28 October 2010 that he was going back to normal life and jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Third paragraph, quoted tweet — "back to normal life and BJJ forever".
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Out of the UFC he kept teaching and training daily with his students at his school in Worcester, Massachusetts; students and family pushed him to fight again, and when his coach and friend Marco Alvan set up a bout with the winner of a heavyweight title match at Mohegan Sun, he took it. He estimated that more than 600 people from his team attended the Parker Porter fight at Mohegan Sun.
Where in the source: Quotes in the middle of the article — "I run my school in Worcester"; "over 600 people from my team".
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He returned to the UFC at UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro on short notice after Rob Broughton withdrew injured, and at the time trained with Marco Alvan and Team Link.
Where in the source: Paragraphs on the UFC 142 call and on his training with Alvan and Team Link.
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UFC.com, Thomas Gerbasi, "Gabriel Gonzaga: Napao Rises Again", 10 April 2013.(opens in a new tab)
Gonzaga said he used his time away from the UFC to handle business and expand Team Link's association programme before refocusing on fighting.
Where in the source: Fourth paragraph, quote on taking time off.
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Squared Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – Mixed Martial Arts – Judo, home page.(opens in a new tab)
His academy, Squared Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, teaches Brazilian jiu-jitsu, no-gi grappling, MMA and kids' BJJ and judo in Worcester and Leominster, Massachusetts.
Where in the source: Home page: EXPLORE WHAT WE OFFER cards and the LOCATION footer.
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Squared Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, About page (Gabriel Napão Gonzaga).(opens in a new tab)
His academy describes him as a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: About page, CERTIFICATIONS list under his name — "6th Degree Black Belt in Jiu-Jitsu".
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His academy lists him as a sixth-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: About page, CERTIFICATIONS list under his name, first line.
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The academy site also lists him as a black belt in judo and head coach, and says his coaching combines structured fundamentals, advanced technique and competition training for gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu, MMA and self-defence.
Where in the source: About page, CERTIFICATIONS list and the Head Coach section with Specialties.
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Sherdog, Greg Savage, "Gabriel Gonzaga: Sensing the Prize", 23 August 2007.(opens in a new tab)
He prepared for the Couture title fight in Ludlow, Massachusetts, with his coach Marco Alvan and their students; Alvan, a friend from their youth competing in jiu-jitsu in Brazil, helped arrange his move from Rio de Janeiro to Ludlow, and the two started Team Link.
Where in the source: Dateline LUDLOW, Mass. and the paragraphs introducing Alvan — "fast friends while growing up".
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Before the Couture fight Alvan said their plan was to take the champion to the ground, because Gonzaga's strength was Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Paragraph on strategy — "Gabriel's strength is definitely Brazilian jiu-jitsu".
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Sherdog, "Gabriel Gonzaga's Turning Point", 30 June 2008.(opens in a new tab)
Against Couture he broke his nose when his own knee struck his face in a collision; in the third round Couture took the mount and landed strikes until the referee stopped the fight.
Where in the source: Paragraphs on the nickname and the third round — "broken nose".
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After the fight Couture praised Gonzaga's future and the speed and power of his high kick, which no one in his own training camp had managed to land on him.
Where in the source: Couture quotes from Sherdog's Beatdown — "His high kick was ridiculous".
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Graciemag, "Gabriel Napão: 'Esporte molda caráter, tira do ócio e forma um país melhor no futuro'", 4 June 2014 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)
In 2014 Graciemag described him as a Team Link black belt and a main supporter of Luta Por Educação, a social project in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, started by his students Leandro Rocha, Fabiano Menezes and Helvico Queiroz; according to Rocha, Gonzaga paid children's tournament entry fees and regularly donated gis.
Where in the source: Article body, second and third paragraphs — "Luta Por Educação"; "doação constante de kimonos".
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On a visit to the project he said that sport shapes character and keeps young people off the street, which in his view builds a better Brazil.
Where in the source: Quote near the end of the article — "Esporte molda caráter" (our translation).
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Graciemag, "UFC 142: enfim Jiu-Jitsu e o Zé Aldo de sempre", 15 January 2012 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag counted his rear-naked choke of Ednaldo Oliveira at UFC 142, in his return after the 2010 release, among three jiu-jitsu finishes that night in Rio.
Where in the source: Article body, paragraph naming Napão, Toquinho and Belfort.
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Competition results
| Year | Event | Result | Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org+100 kgGiVerified | 1st place | +100 kgGiVerified |
| 2005 | ADCC 2005Source: adcombat.com+99 kgNo-giVerified | 2nd place | +99 kgNo-giVerified |
Lineage
No teaching connections are shown on this page.
Open lineage