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Ivaniel Oliveira

Roosterweight from Manaus who won a purple belt world title in 2005, trained in Rio and São Paulo, then took three Brazilian national titles for Checkmat.

Biography

Ivaniel Oliveira is a roosterweight black belt from Manaus who won a world title at purple belt in 2005 and, a year later, a world silver medal at black belt. After several years training in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo state, he won three Brazilian national titles for Checkmat between 2013 and 2015 and took bronze at the World Championship in 2014 and 2015. He later won three IBJJF World Master titles at black belt. Manaus and Carioca Team According to BJJ Heroes, Oliveira was born in Manaus and began training there under Cristiano Carioca. The site traces his lineage from Cristiano Carioca through the Monteiro brothers and Luís Façanha back to Carlos Gracie Sr. and Mitsuyo Maeda, and gives his full name as Ivaniel Oliveira Cavalcante. Competing for Carioca Team and entered as Ivaniel Cavalcante, he won the adult purple belt roosterweight division at the 2005 IBJJF World Championship; Caio Terra was one of the two bronze medalists. BJJ Heroes counts the next year's World Championship as his black belt debut, and he took silver in the roosterweight division there, behind Daniel Otero. South to Rio and São Paulo BJJ Heroes dates his move to Rio de Janeiro to 2009 and says he left with his teacher's consent. From 2010 the jiu-jitsu magazine Graciemag covered his moves and results in a series of reports and interviews, and most of the detail about the next five years comes from them. In August 2010 it reported that he had spent close to a year living in Rio and training at the academy of Cézar "Casquinha" Guimarães, and that he was about to join Atos in São Paulo at the invitation of Gilbert "Durinho" and the team's leader, Ramon Lemos. He told the magazine he would go with Durinho to Rio Claro and live at the team's headquarters while preparing for the coming championships, and admitted that his target was Bruno Malfacine, already a three-time world champion. Cristiano Carioca, the magazine wrote, fully supported the move, and Oliveira thanked Casquinha and Ligeirinho for standing by him in Rio. Malfacine had already beaten him earlier that year. At the 2010 SP Cup in São Paulo, where the division winners received travel packages to that year's World Championship, Malfacine choked him in their black belt final. By December 2010 Oliveira was living in the interior of São Paulo state and teaching with the CT Brasil team. He had just won the Amazon Meeting Black Belt and the World Cup on consecutive weekends, and his next aim was the World Championship. Speaking to Graciemag, he thanked Durinho, Ligeirinho, Davi Ramos and Cristiano Carioca, adding that his teacher was then in Japan training Kid Yamamoto. In March 2011 the magazine described him as part of a competition team formed at CT Brasil, the Centro de Treinamento Brasil in Paulínia, and led by Leonardo "Ligeirinho" Rodrigues. He was training six hours a day for the Brazilian Nationals and said he wanted to get back to the top of the world podium that year. In May 2011 Graciemag, listing him with CTBrasil/Atos and as the 2010 Nationals bronze medalist, reported that he would compete at the World Championship in Long Beach. He told the magazine he had gone four years without competing at the sport's biggest tournament and felt ready and confident. At the 2011 Rio Open, entered for Top Brothers, he won the black belt roosterweight division, beating Felipe Costa of Brasa. When Graciemag announced him for the Miami International Open that October, it presented him as that year's Rio Open winner and as a roosterweight known for giving Malfacine a hard fight; in the same piece he again thanked Cristiano Carioca, along with Ângelo Carioca, Casquinha and Ligeirinho. BJJ Heroes adds a second Rio Open title in 2012 and, at black belt, a silver medal at the 2009 Brazilian Nationals and bronze medals there in 2007 and 2010. The Checkmat years BJJ Heroes says he moved on to Checkmat after Atos's leading representatives and his training partners left for the United States. Competing for Checkmat, he won the black belt roosterweight division at the 2013 Brazilian Nationals in Barueri, São Paulo, and beat Felipe "Felipinho" Costa of Brasa in the final. He had prepared with flexible guard players, among them Lukas Matheus and Christopher Andrade. Afterward he told Graciemag that he had put the periods of training and the lack of sponsorship in his home state behind him, and that he had brought the gold back to Manaus. At the 2014 Pan American Championship his roosterweight semifinal against Milton Bastos was, in effect, fought twice. Bastos caught him in a tight triangle, and the referee stopped the match, thinking Oliveira had lost consciousness. He was awake and said he had not tapped, and according to Graciemag the referee later said he should have checked more closely. The match was restarted with Bastos two points ahead. Oliveira passed Bastos's guard and nearly took his back, but in the closing seconds Bastos escaped, reached Oliveira's back and choked him, and Oliveira tapped. In May 2014 he won the Nationals again, his second black belt title there, after three matches. In the final he met his Checkmat teammate João Pedro "Somália". Teammates who meet in a final may close out the division, settling the medal between themselves without fighting; the two chose to fight instead, and after several changes of position Oliveira won 8–4, on points from guard passes and sweeps. He told Graciemag that both of them needed the win, that their friendship had not changed, and that in his view close-outs happen because there is too little financial incentive. For that title he had changed his training and diet to make weight well and done specific work with Carlos Holanda, Lukas Matheus, Paulo Serrão and Matheus Uchoa, and he thanked his strength coach, Carmelo Forrero. BJJ Heroes lists the toe hold as his favorite technique, but in his Graciemag interviews after the 2013 and 2014 titles he talked about passing the guard. In 2013 he explained that he had built a base, controlled Costa's hips and then fought for inside position to complete the pass, a sequence he said he drilled a great deal at his academy. A year later he described a pass he had used since he was a small boy: wrap up a leg, take the lapel with a grip from the outside and wear the opponent down until the pass comes, then tighten the grips so that the hips and legs cannot move freely enough to sweep. At the 2014 World Championship he choked Leandro Tatu from the back in the quarterfinal and then lost his semifinal to João Miyao on advantages, with the points level at 2–2. He finished with bronze; Malfacine won the division and Miyao took silver. Graciemag introduced him as that year's world bronze medalist when it announced that he had joined the IBJJF Pro League, held on October 19, 2014, at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo in Long Beach. Each division champion was to receive US$5,000, and he and Jackson Sousa were the Checkmat athletes invited. Paulo Miyao was among the other athletes confirmed for the event. In the semifinal Osvaldo Moizinho took his back and choked him with the lapel, and Moizinho went on to win the division. In May 2015 he won his third Brazilian national title at black belt, beating Jorge Nakamura of GFTeam on advantages in the roosterweight final in Barueri. The World Championship that followed went the way the previous one had. Miyao took his back in the semifinal and submitted him at 3:43, and Oliveira again finished third, behind Malfacine and Miyao. Teaching and the masters divisions After the 2014 Nationals he thanked his own students and called Lukas Matheus both his brother and his pupil. BJJ Heroes' profile of Carlos Henrique, known as CH7, describes the Manaus gym from a student's side. After a break from the sport in the mid-2010s, Henrique came back at the Checkmat affiliate in Manaus, coached by Oliveira and John Kleicy, and found a training room built around competition. The same profile says Oliveira moved to the United States in 2019; the gym then had fewer training partners focused on competing, and Henrique left. In the IBJJF's age-based masters divisions, still registered with Checkmat, Oliveira won the Master 1 black belt roosterweight title at the 2018 World Master Championship and the Master 2 black belt light-featherweight title in 2023 and again in 2024. At the 2025 World Master Championship he took bronze in the same division.

Sources for this profile

  • BJJ Heroes, "Ivaniel Oliveira" (undated fighter profile).(opens in a new tab)

    • BJJ Heroes names the toe hold as his favourite technique.

      Where in the source: Fact list — "Favourite Technique"

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes gives Ivaniel Oliveira's full name as Ivaniel Oliveira Cavalcante and describes him as a roosterweight black belt and a pupil of Cristiano Carioca.

      Where in the source: Opening paragraph (division, teacher) and fact list — "Full Name" line

      Accessed:

    • According to BJJ Heroes, Oliveira was born in Manaus, Brazil, and began training there under Cristiano Carioca.

      Where in the source: Biography section, first paragraph — "born in Manaus"

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes traces his lineage through Cristiano Carioca to the Monteiro brothers and Luís Façanha, back to Carlos Gracie Sr. and Mitsuyo Maeda.

      Where in the source: Fact list — "Lineage" line

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes says his black belt debut came at the 2006 World Championship, one year after his purple belt world title, and that he took silver.

      Where in the source: Biography section, end of first paragraph — "debut"

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes lists among his black belt results: Rio International Open champion (2011, 2012), WLPJJ World Cup champion (2010), Amazon Meeting champion (2010), CBJJ Brazilian National runner-up (2009) and third place (2007, 2010), and CBJJO World Cup third place (2006).

      Where in the source: "Main Achievements" list (black belt results)

      Accessed:

    • According to BJJ Heroes, he moved to Rio de Janeiro in 2009 with his teacher's consent, trained for a year with the Casquinha Team, and joined Atos in 2010 at Ramon Lemos's invitation.

      Where in the source: Biography section, third paragraph — "master’s consent"

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes says he went on to represent Checkmat after Atos's main representatives and his training partners moved to the United States.

      Where in the source: Biography section, third paragraph — "represented the Checkmat team"

      Accessed:

  • BJJ Heroes, "Carlos Henrique" (Carlos Henrique Costa Campos fighter profile, undated).(opens in a new tab)

    • BJJ Heroes' profile of Carlos Henrique (CH7) says that Henrique, after a break from the sport in the mid-2010s, returned at the local Checkmat affiliate in Manaus under the instruction of Ivaniel Oliveira and John Kleicy, and found there a training environment fully geared towards competition.

      Where in the source: Carlos Henrique biography, early-career paragraphs — "under the instruction of"

      Accessed:

    • The same BJJ Heroes profile says Ivaniel Oliveira relocated to the United States in 2019, after which the number of competition-minded training partners at the Manaus gym fell and Henrique left.

      Where in the source: Carlos Henrique biography, same section — "relocated to the United States"

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2005" results.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2005 IBJJF World Championship he won the adult purple belt roosterweight division as Ivaniel Cavalcante of Carioca Team; Caio Terra was one of the two bronze medallists.

      Where in the source: Results table, division "ADULT / PURPLE / MALE / ROOSTER" — 1st "Ivaniel Cavalcante", "Carioca Team"

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2006" results.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2006 IBJJF World Championship he took silver in the adult black belt roosterweight division for Carioca Team, behind Daniel Otero.

      Where in the source: Results table, division "ADULT / BLACK / MALE / ROOSTER" — 2nd "Ivaniel Oliveira", "Carioca Team"

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, "World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2014" results.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2014 IBJJF World Championship he won bronze in the adult black belt roosterweight division for CheckMat; Bruno Malfacine won and João Miyao was second.

      Where in the source: Division "Male / Adult / Black / Rooster (122.60lb)" — 3rd "Ivaniel Cavalcante de Oliveira", "CheckMat"

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, "World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2015" results.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2015 IBJJF World Championship he again won bronze in the adult black belt roosterweight division for CheckMat, with Bruno Malfacine first and João Miyao second.

      Where in the source: Division "Male / Adult / Black / Rooster (122.60lb)" — 3rd "Ivaniel Cavalcante de Oliveira"

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, "World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2018" results.(opens in a new tab)

    • He won the Master 1 black belt roosterweight division at the 2018 IBJJF World Master Championship, competing for CheckMat.

      Where in the source: Division "Male / Master 1 / Black / Rooster (127.00lb)" — 1st "Ivaniel Cavalcante de Oliveira"

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, "World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023" results.(opens in a new tab)

    • He won the Master 2 black belt light-featherweight division at the 2023 IBJJF World Master Championship for CheckMat.

      Where in the source: Division "Male / Master 2 / Black / Light Feather (141.60lb)" — 1st "Ivaniel Cavalcante de Oliveira"

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, "World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024" results.(opens in a new tab)

    • He won the same Master 2 black belt light-featherweight division again at the 2024 IBJJF World Master Championship for CheckMat.

      Where in the source: Division "Male / Master 2 / Black / Light Feather (141.60lb)" — 1st "Ivaniel Cavalcante de Oliveira"

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, "World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025" results.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2025 IBJJF World Master Championship he took bronze in the Master 2 black belt light-featherweight division, still competing for CheckMat.

      Where in the source: Division "Male / Master 2 / Black / Light Feather (141.60lb)" — 3rd "Ivaniel Cavalcante de Oliveira", "CheckMat"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Jiu-Jitsu’s workers, unite!", 2 May 2010.(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag reported that at the 2010 SP Cup in São Paulo, where division winners received travel packages to that year's World Championship, Bruno Malfacine beat him by choke in the black belt final of their weight group.

      Where in the source: Report on the black belt weight groups — "he squeezes on the neck of Ivaniel Cavalcanti"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Atos brings in roosterweight reinforcement", 6 August 2010.(opens in a new tab)

    • In August 2010 Graciemag reported that Oliveira, a black belt from Manaus produced by Carioca Team, had spent nearly a year living in Rio de Janeiro training at Cézar “Casquinha” Guimarães's academy, and was moving to São Paulo to join Atos at the invitation of Gilbert “Durinho” and Atos leader Ramon Lemos.

      Where in the source: First two paragraphs — "produced by Carioca Team"

      Accessed:

    • He told Graciemag he would go with Durinho to Rio Claro and live at the team's headquarters to prepare for the coming championships, and admitted he had his sights on three-time world champion Bruno Malfacine.

      Where in the source: Quoted paragraph — "we’ll head to Rio Claro"

      Accessed:

    • Graciemag wrote that Cristiano Carioca, his teacher in Manaus, fully supported the move, and that Oliveira thanked Casquinha and Ligeirinho for backing him during his months in Rio.

      Where in the source: Last paragraph — "in full support of the move"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Galinho promete fazer frente a Malfacine e Cia", 14 December 2010 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • In December 2010 Graciemag described him as settled in the interior of São Paulo state and teaching with the CT Brasil team; he had won the Amazon Meeting Black Belt and World Cup titles on consecutive weekends and was now aiming at the World Championship, where Bruno Malfacine was the three-time roosterweight champion.

      Where in the source: Opening paragraph — "dando aulas na equipe CT Brasil"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Roosterweight promises to confront Malfacine and Co.", 14 December 2010.(opens in a new tab)

    • In the same interview he thanked Gilbert Durinho, Ligeirinho, Davi Ramos and his teacher Cristiano Carioca, noting that Carioca was then in Japan training Kid Yamamoto.

      Where in the source: Closing quote — "He’s in Japan right now"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Ivaniel quer brilhar no Brasileiro; Ligeirinho luta em Campinas", 31 March 2011 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • In March 2011 Graciemag reported that Oliveira was part of a competition team formed at Centro de Treinamento Brasil (CT Brasil) in Paulínia, São Paulo state, led by black belt Leonardo “Ligeirinho” Rodrigues; he was training six hours a day for the Brazilian Nationals and said he wanted to return to the top of the world podium in 2011.

      Where in the source: Second and third paragraphs — "treinando seis horas por dia"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Ivaniel Oliveira back in the Worlds fray", 20 May 2011.(opens in a new tab)

    • In May 2011 Graciemag reported that Oliveira, then with CTBrasil/Atos and the 2010 Brazilian Nationals bronze medallist, would compete at the World Championship in Long Beach; he said he had gone four years without competing in the sport's biggest tournament and felt ready and confident.

      Where in the source: Quoted paragraph — "I’ve gone four years without competing"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "The kings of Rio, of all ages", 25 July 2011.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2011 Rio Open he won the black belt roosterweight division, beating Felipe Costa (Brasa) while entered for Top Brothers.

      Where in the source: "Rio Open – black belt" list — "Roosterweight: Ivaniel Oliveira (Top Brothers)"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Ivaniel joins Miami Open lineup", 8 October 2011.(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag introduced him in October 2011 as that year's Rio Open winner and a roosterweight known for giving world champion Bruno Malfacine a hard fight; before the Miami International Open he thanked Cristiano and Ângelo Carioca, Cesar Guimarães and Leonardo Ligeirinho.

      Where in the source: Opening and quote — "The winner of this year’s Rio Open"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Ivaniel de Oliveira detalha passagem de guarda e conquista no Brasileiro 2013", 1 May 2013 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • Representing Checkmat, the Manaus native won the black belt roosterweight division at the 2013 Brazilian Nationals in Barueri, São Paulo, beating Felipe “Felipinho” Costa (Brasa) in the final.

      Where in the source: Opening paragraph — "vencer Felipinho Costa"

      Accessed:

    • He described passing Costa's guard in the final by establishing his base, controlling his hips and then fighting for inside position to pass, and said he drills that position a lot at the academy.

      Where in the source: Answer on how he passed the guard — "dominei o quadril"

      Accessed:

    • He said his preparation included training with very flexible guard players, naming Lukas Matheus, whom he called his brother, and Christopher Andrade.

      Where in the source: Same answer — "parceiros bom de guarda"

      Accessed:

    • He said he had left behind all the training periods and the lack of sponsorship in his home state, and spoke of bringing the gold back to Manaus.

      Where in the source: End of the answer on difficult moments — "voltei com o ouro"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Ivaniel celebra ouro no Brasileiro e explica por que não fechou categoria", 6 May 2014 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • He won his second CBJJ Brazilian Nationals black belt title in May 2014 in Barueri after three matches; in the final he and Checkmat teammate João Pedro “Somália” chose not to close out the division and fought, and he won after several changes of position.

      Where in the source: Opening paragraph — "ignoraram o fechamento"

      Accessed:

    • He said he had changed his training and diet to make weight well, did specific training with Carlos Holanda, Lukas Matheus (whom he called his brother and pupil), Paulo Serrão and Matheus Uchoa, and thanked his students and his strength coach Carmelo Forrero.

      Where in the source: First answer — "Mudei meus treinos e minha alimentação"

      Accessed:

    • He explained the guard pass he had used since he was a small boy: hug the leg, grip the lapel from the outside and wear the opponent down until the pass comes, then tighten the grips so the opponent's hips and legs cannot move freely to sweep.

      Where in the source: Second answer — "faço desde molequinho"

      Accessed:

    • On fighting his teammate he said both of them needed the win, their friendship was unchanged, and that in his view a lack of financial incentive was behind close-outs.

      Where in the source: Third answer — "falta de incentivo financeiro"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Conheça todos os campeões brasileiros de Jiu-Jitsu de 2014 na faixa-preta", 4 May 2014 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag's list of 2014 Brazilian Nationals black belt champions records that he beat João Pedro (Checkmat) 8–4 in the roosterweight final, with points from guard passes and sweeps.

      Where in the source: "Faixa-preta adulto masculino" list — "Peso-galo: Ivaniel Oliveira (Checkmat)"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu: a pressão de Ivaniel Oliveira na final peso-galo", 13 May 2015 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • In May 2015 he won his third Brazilian national title at black belt, beating Jorge Nakamura (GFTeam) on advantages in the roosterweight final in Barueri while representing Checkmat.

      Where in the source: Opening paragraphs — "seu terceiro título brasileiro"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "The match Milton Bastos had to win twice at the 2014 Pan", 19 March 2014.(opens in a new tab)

    • In the black belt roosterweight semifinal of the 2014 Pan, Milton Bastos caught him in a tight triangle and the referee stopped the match, believing he had lost consciousness; Oliveira was awake and said he had not tapped, and the referee later said he should have checked more closely.

      Where in the source: Opening paragraphs — "Ivaniel was wide awake"

      Accessed:

    • The match was restarted with two points to Bastos; Oliveira then passed his guard and nearly took his back, but in the final seconds Bastos escaped, took Oliveira's back and choked him, and Oliveira tapped.

      Where in the source: Middle and end of the report — "Ivaniel passes"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Mundial de Jiu-Jitsu 2014: a trajetória dos finalistas na faixa-preta masculino", 1 June 2014 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2014 World Championship he choked Leandro Tatu from the back in the roosterweight quarterfinal and lost the semifinal to João Miyao on advantages after a 2–2 score.

      Where in the source: Roosterweight bracket list — "João Miyao venceu Ivaniel Oliveira por 3 vantagens"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Mundial: o hepta Malfacine, João Miyao e a vantagem que acabou não sendo", 1 June 2015 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • In the 2015 World Championship semifinal, João Miyao took his back and submitted him at 3:43.

      Where in the source: Paragraph on Miyao's path — "foi logo para as costas de Ivaniel Oliveira"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Ivaniel Oliveira joins the IBJJF Pro League roster at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo", 20 July 2014.(opens in a new tab)

    • As the 2014 Worlds roosterweight bronze medallist he was added to the IBJJF Pro League, held on 19 October 2014 at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo in Long Beach, to compete in the rooster/light-feather division; Paulo Miyao was among the other athletes the article listed as confirmed for the event.

      Where in the source: Opening lines — "the latest addition to the IBJJF Pro League"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "Dupla da Checkmat é convocada para a IBJJF Pro League de Jiu-Jitsu", 22 July 2014 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag reported that the IBJJF Pro League would pay US$5,000 to each division champion, and that Oliveira and Jackson Sousa were the Checkmat athletes invited.

      Where in the source: Headline and list intro — "vai pagar 5 mil dólares a cada campeão"

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, "BJJ Pro League; Moizinho, Oliveira, Cornelius, Faria crowned", 20 October 2014.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the October 2014 Pro League, Osvaldo Moizinho took his back and choked him with the lapel in their semifinal; Moizinho went on to win the division.

      Where in the source: Featherweight paragraphs — "After taking Oliveira’s back"

      Accessed:

Lineage

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Open lineage