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Joao Mendes

“Bisnaga”

Source: onefc.com

Brazilian featherweight who moved from Curitiba to train under André Galvão and won the 2025 IBJJF black belt world title as the 22nd seed.

Biography

João Pedro Bueno Mendes, known in grappling as "Bisnaga", is a Brazilian featherweight who won the black belt featherweight division at the 2025 IBJJF World Championship after entering the bracket as the 22nd seed. His path there began in a small gym in Paraná, ran through a string of teenage world titles at blue belt, and turned in 2016, when a training camp at André Galvão's Atos academy in San Diego became a move to California. Curitiba and Bokão Mendes was born on 21 July 1997 in Curitiba, capital of Paraná state, and grew up in Colombo, in the Curitiba metropolitan area, according to BJJ Heroes. ONE Championship describes him as a child who was small for his age and very shy, and whose parents turned to martial arts to give him confidence; training, in ONE's account, helped him connect with other people. He has followed cars and motorsport since childhood, and away from the mats he races karts and keeps a sim-racing setup at home. The nickname dates from his first day on the mats. In Portuguese, bisnaga can mean a water pistol or a tube of ointment, and it is also slang for a mother's boy. Mendes told BJJ Heroes in 2017 that on that first day his father asked the instructor to look after "my Bisnaga". He protested, too quietly to make a difference, and the name stuck. ONE reports that he disliked it at first and now carries it with pride. The gym was a small one, in a region not known for the sport. Its coach, Alexandre Nunes, called Bokão, was Mendes's first instructor and, in BJJ Heroes' account, a central figure who stayed with him through most of his colored belt career. A 2017 BJJ Heroes feature says that watching Nunes compete is what drew Mendes to jiu-jitsu and towards a career as a professional athlete, and names Nunes, André Galvão and Ary Farias as his idols. Without strong training partners at home, he made up the difference with study. He described spending his time away from practice watching matches of black belt world champions, working out how their games functioned and then copying moves in training, which kept him, in his words, "never stagnant". BJJ Heroes dates his first Brazilian national title to 2011, when he was a junior orange belt, and Mendes told FloGrappling in 2023 that he became a four-time Brazilian national champion while competing at the Brasileiro, the country's national championship, from orange to blue belt between 2011 and 2015. At the IBJJF World Championship, competing for Gracie Barra as a teenage blue belt, he won the juvenile middleweight division in both 2013 and 2014, and each time added the open class, in which competitors of all weights meet. BJJ Heroes also credits him with juvenile titles at the 2014 Pan Championship and at the Brazilian Nationals in 2013 and 2014. San Diego and Atos In 2016 Mendes joined the World Championship training camp that André and Angélica Galvão coached at the Atos headquarters in San Diego. ONE says he had planned only a short stay but took to Galvão's technical approach and to the group he trained with, and decided to move to California. BJJ Heroes credits his work rate and talent with earning him an invitation back and a place in the academy's training group. ONE writes that the gym he had meant to pass through became his second home. At the 2016 World Championship he won the adult purple belt featherweight title, now competing for Atos Jiu-Jitsu. Together with the four juvenile golds, that made five IBJJF world titles below black belt, the total ONE Championship gives. At brown belt he took silver at the 2017 World Championship behind João Paulo Gonçalves Neto of Alliance, and bronze in 2018; BJJ Heroes also lists brown belt wins at the 2017 IBJJF San Diego and Las Vegas Opens and second place at the 2018 Pan Championship. On 8 June 2018, days after the 2018 World Championship, Galvão promoted him to black belt, two years after he began training with the Galvão team, according to BJJ Heroes. Black belt His first six months at black belt produced a 10-2 record by BJJ Heroes' count, and the site lists podium finishes at the 2018 UAEJJF Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro (second), the 2019 IBJJF European Open (third) and the 2020 Grand Slam in Miami (third). The pandemic then brought his progress to a stop in 2020. In 2021 he made his black belt debut in no-gi, where athletes compete without the jacket, at the IBJJF No-Gi Pan Championship, entering at lightweight, one class above his usual weight. He told BJJ Heroes he signed up because the pandemic had kept him from competing, called it a very good test with three hard matches, and said the gi remained his focus for the year. He finished second at the 2021 IBJJF American Nationals and beat Diogo Reis, a student of coach Melqui Galvão, to qualify for the EUG event. In the same interview he explained that André Galvão adjusts the Atos training sessions to the ruleset of each coming event, but he did not think the rules alter how people compete: someone inclined to stall will stall under any rules, and an aggressive athlete will keep moving forward. In his view, everyone should simply compete under IBJJF rules. He did not compete at the 2022 World Championship. FloGrappling reported his return to competition in 2023, with wins over athletes including Pablo Lavaselli and Gabriel Souza, and Mendes said his focus was now entirely on his life as an athlete. At the 2023 Pan he lost to Marcio André, whom he called one of his idols since childhood; he counted the match among his best performances and said a late mistake decided it. That spring he prepared for the 2023 Brasileiro, which was to be his first at black belt, five years after his promotion; he had not entered the event since moving to the United States. In 2024 he finished second at the IBJJF Crown, according to BJJ Heroes. World champion Before the 2025 World Championship, an opening-round defeat at the Brazilian Nationals had pushed his ranking down. According to BJJ Heroes he arrived in Long Beach as the 22nd seed in the black belt featherweight bracket; ONE Championship later put it at 22 of 23. BJJ Heroes' coverage shows an advantage win over Thiago Macedo, a 4-2 points win over Marco Mendes in the quarterfinal and a Caio Terra footlock on Diego Sodre in the semifinal. The final brought him up against the top seed, Meyram Maquiné. BJJ Heroes lists open guard and the omoplata as his favorite positions, and its report describes how he used spider guard to take away Maquiné's outside passing and attacked when openings came; the referee's decision went to Mendes. The official IBJJF results list him as champion for Atos Jiu-Jitsu, with Maquiné second and Cole Abate and Diego Sodre in third place. BJJ Heroes called it "the underdog moment" of the championship. In September 2025 the IBJJF presented him as the reigning featherweight world champion, still training under Galvão at Atos HQ, as he prepared to chase his first IBJJF Crown title. He reached the Crown final and lost to Abate on an advantage. In February 2026 he made his ONE Championship debut at ONE Fight Night 40 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, a 10-minute featherweight submission grappling match against Fabricio "Hokage" Andrey, and lost by unanimous decision. Alliance In 2026 he competed for Alliance. He took bronze at the Pan Championship in March and at the World Championship at the end of May, and both times Abate beat him in the semifinal, by kneebar at the Pan and on points at the Worlds, according to BJJ Heroes' record. The IBJJF black belt registry lists him as a second-degree black belt with Alliance San Diego, and the academy's staff page includes him on its instructor team. In September 2026 the IBJJF announced him as the first entrant in the eight-man featherweight division of the 2026 Crown, set for 8 November in Long Beach, where he will try again for a first Crown title.

Sources for this profile

  • ONE Championship, Kriel Ibarrola, '5 Things To Know About Joao Pedro Bueno Mendes Ahead Of ONE Fight Night 40', 10 January 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • Joao Pedro Bueno Mendes grew up in Curitiba, Brazil, where he was small for his age and very shy; his parents looked to martial arts to build his confidence, and jiu-jitsu training helped him connect with others.

      Where in the source: Section #1, first two paragraphs — 'Growing up in Curitiba, Brazil'

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    • Mendes is known in grappling as 'Bisnaga', a Portuguese word for a water gun or ointment tube that is also slang for a mother's boy; the nickname came from his first jiu-jitsu class, when his father asked the coach to take good care of 'my Bisnaga'. ONE reports that he disliked it at first but now carries it with pride.

      Where in the source: Section #2 — nickname origin, second and third paragraphs

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    • ONE Championship states that Mendes won five IBJJF World Championship titles as a colored belt.

      Where in the source: Section #3, first paragraph (colored belt world titles)

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    • In 2016 Mendes planned only a short training camp at Atos Jiu-Jitsu HQ in San Diego, but he connected with founder and head coach André Galvão's technical approach and the training group, and decided to move to California.

      Where in the source: Section #4, second paragraph — 'short training camp'

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    • Mendes received his black belt from André Galvão by 2018, and ONE describes the Atos gym, meant as a brief stop, as having become his second home.

      Where in the source: Section #4, third paragraph — 'By 2018'

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    • According to ONE, an earlier loss left Mendes with a low ranking going into the 2025 IBJJF World Championship, where he was seeded 22nd of 23 in the black belt featherweight division; he worked through the bracket and beat top seed Meyram Maquiné in the final on a referee's decision, with ONE crediting his spider guard.

      Where in the source: Section #3, second and third paragraphs — 'number 22 out of 23'

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    • Outside jiu-jitsu, Mendes races karts, has followed cars and motorsport since childhood and keeps a sim-racing setup at home.

      Where in the source: Section #5 — 'kart racing'

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    • Mendes was booked for his ONE Championship debut against Fabricio 'Hokage' Andrey in a 10-minute featherweight submission grappling match at ONE Fight Night 40 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.

      Where in the source: Opening paragraphs (bout announcement)

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  • ONE Championship, athlete page 'Joao "Bisnaga" Mendes'.(opens in a new tab)

    • ONE Championship's athlete record lists one bout for Mendes: a unanimous-decision loss to Fabricio Andrey in submission grappling at ONE Fight Night 40, dated 14 February 2026, over one 10-minute round.

      Where in the source: ONE Championship Records, Event Results table — 'LOSS', 'Unanimous Decision', 'Fabricio Andrey'

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    • ONE Championship's athlete page lists Mendes's team as Atos Jiu-Jitsu.

      Where in the source: Athlete header — 'TEAM Atos Jiu-Jitsu'

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    • ONE Championship lists Mendes's country as Brazil.

      Where in the source: Athlete header — 'COUNTRY Brazil'

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  • IBJJF, 'World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025' results, final result dated 1 June 2025.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2025 World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Mendes won gold in the male adult black belt featherweight division for Atos Jiu-Jitsu; Meyram Maquiné Alves (Soldiers Jiu-Jitsu) took silver, and Cole Anthony Abate (AOJ) and Raimundo Diego Pinto Sodre (BJJ College) took bronze.

      Where in the source: Division 'MALE / ADULT / BLACK / FEATHER (154.60LB)' — '1 João Pedro Bueno Mendes Atos Jiu-Jitsu'

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  • IBJJF, 'World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2013' results (page labelled 'Partial result').(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2013 World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Mendes won both the male juvenile 1 blue belt middleweight division and the juvenile 1 blue belt open class, competing for Gracie Barra.

      Where in the source: Divisions 'MALE / JUVENILE 1 / BLUE / MIDDLE (147.00LB)' and '... / OPEN CLASS' — '1 João Pedro Bueno Mendes Gracie Barra'

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

    • At the 2014 World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Mendes again won both his weight division (male juvenile 2 blue belt middleweight) and the juvenile 2 blue belt open class, competing for Gracie Barra.

      Where in the source: Divisions 'MALE / JUVENILE 2 / BLUE / MIDDLE (158.00LB)' and '... / OPEN CLASS' — '1 João Pedro Bueno Mendes Gracie Barra'

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  • IBJJF, 'World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2016' results.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2016 World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Mendes won the male adult purple belt featherweight division, now competing for Atos Jiu-Jitsu.

      Where in the source: Division 'MALE / ADULT / PURPLE / FEATHER' — '1 João Pedro Bueno Mendes Atos Jiu-Jitsu'

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  • IBJJF, 'World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2017' results.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2017 World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Mendes took silver in the male adult brown belt featherweight division for Atos Jiu-Jitsu, behind João Paulo Gonçalves Neto of Alliance.

      Where in the source: Division 'MALE / ADULT / BROWN / FEATHER (154.60LB)' — '2 João Pedro Bueno Mendes Atos Jiu-Jitsu'

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  • IBJJF, 'World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2018' results, final result dated 3 June 2018.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2018 World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Mendes took bronze in the male adult brown belt featherweight division for Atos Jiu-Jitsu; the division was won by Matheus Gabriel Pinheiro Barros of CheckMat.

      Where in the source: Division 'MALE / ADULT / BROWN / FEATHER (154.60LB)' — '3 João Pedro Bueno Mendes Atos Jiu-Jitsu'

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  • IBJJF, 'Certified Black Belts' registry (searchable list).(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF certified black belt registry lists João Pedro Bueno Mendes as a black belt, second degree, registered with the academy Alliance San Diego.

      Where in the source: Registry search by name 'Bueno Mendes' — single result row: Name, Graduation 'Black 2nd degree', Academy 'Alliance San Diego'

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    • IBJJF records Mendes's current graduation as black belt, second degree.

      Where in the source: Registry search by name 'Bueno Mendes' — Graduation column

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  • IBJJF, 'World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026' results, final result dated 31 May 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2026 World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Mendes took bronze in the male adult black belt featherweight division, listed as competing for Alliance; Cole Anthony Abate (AOJ) won gold and Samuel A. Nagai Hatchwell (CheckMat) silver.

      Where in the source: Division 'MALE / ADULT / BLACK / FEATHER (154.60LB)' — '3 João Pedro Bueno Mendes Alliance'

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  • IBJJF, 'Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026' results, final result dated 29 March 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2026 Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Mendes took bronze in the male adult black belt featherweight division, listed as competing for Alliance; Cole Anthony Abate (AOJ) won the division.

      Where in the source: Division 'MALE / ADULT / BLACK / FEATHER (154.60LB)' — '3 João Pedro Bueno Mendes Alliance'

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  • BJJ Heroes, 'João Mendes "Bisnaga"' fighter profile.(opens in a new tab)

    • BJJ Heroes gives Mendes's full name as João Pedro Bueno Mendes and his birth as 21 July 1997 in Curitiba, the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná.

      Where in the source: Biography, first paragraph — 'born on July 21, 1997'

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    • According to BJJ Heroes, Mendes grew up in the Curitiba metropolitan area (Colombo), trained in a small gym in a region not known for the sport, and won his first Brazilian national title as a junior orange belt in 2011.

      Where in the source: Biography, second to fourth paragraphs — 'orange belt (junior)'

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    • BJJ Heroes names Alexandre Nunes, known as Bokão, as Mendes's first instructor and a central figure in his development, who stayed with him through most of his colored belt career.

      Where in the source: Biography, fourth paragraph — 'first instructor'

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    • BJJ Heroes reports that in 2016 Mendes attended the IBJJF World Championship training camp at the Atos headquarters in San Diego with coaches André and Angélica Galvão, and that his work rate and talent earned him an invitation to return and a place in the academy's training group.

      Where in the source: Biography, fifth paragraph (2016 training camp at the Atos headquarters)

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    • BJJ Heroes states that after two years training with the Galvão team, Mendes was promoted to black belt by André Galvão on 8 June 2018.

      Where in the source: Biography, last paragraph — 'June 8, 2018'

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    • BJJ Heroes lists the omoplata and open guard as Mendes's favorite positions and his division as featherweight (70 kg).

      Where in the source: Profile info block — 'Favorite Position/Technique' and 'Weight Division'

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    • BJJ Heroes' fight record shows Mendes's route to the 2025 world title: an advantage win over Thiago Macedo, a points win over Marco Mendes, a footlock submission of Diego Sodre in the semifinal, and a referee's decision over Meyram Maquiné in the final.

      Where in the source: Fight history table, the four 2025 World Championship rows (opponent, result, method, stage)

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    • BJJ Heroes lists among Mendes's colored belt results juvenile titles at the 2014 Pan Championship (weight and open class) and the CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2013 weight and open class, 2014), a 2016 purple belt win at the UAEJJF Curitiba Pro, 2017 brown belt wins at the IBJJF San Diego and Las Vegas Opens, and second place at the 2018 Pan Championship at brown belt.

      Where in the source: Second achievements list on the profile (colored belts)

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    • BJJ Heroes lists Mendes's black belt podiums before and after his world title as second at the 2018 UAEJJF Grand Slam Rio, third at the 2019 IBJJF European Open, third at the 2020 UAEJJF Grand Slam Miami, second at the 2021 IBJJF American Nationals and second at the 2024 IBJJF Crown.

      Where in the source: First achievements list on the profile (black belt)

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    • BJJ Heroes' fight record shows Cole Abate beating Mendes three times after his world title: on advantage in the final of the 2025 Crown, by kneebar in the 2026 Pan semifinal, and on points in the 2026 World Championship semifinal.

      Where in the source: Fight history table — the 2025 Crown final row and the 2026 Pan and World Championship semifinal rows against Cole Abate

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  • BJJ Heroes, 'Joao Pedro "Bisnaga", Parana's Rising Star', 1 December 2017.(opens in a new tab)

    • In a 2017 BJJ Heroes feature, written when he was a brown belt, Mendes's home gym is described as a small academy in Paraná run by coach Alexandre Nunes (Bokão); watching Nunes compete drew him to the sport and to a professional career, and he named Nunes, André Galvão and Ary Farias as his idols and references.

      Where in the source: Paragraph after the nickname quote — 'ran by coach Alexandre Nunes'

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    • The 2017 feature says Mendes lacked high-level training partners at home and made up for it with study: in his own words, he watched matches of black belt world champions, tried to work out their games and copied moves in training so that he was 'never stagnant'.

      Where in the source: Following paragraph, Mendes quote — 'always evolving my game'

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    • The 2017 feature reports that André and Angélica Galvão invited Mendes to the Atos academy in San Diego, where he prepared for that year's IBJJF World Championship.

      Where in the source: Paragraph on the invitation from the Galvãos to the Atos academy in San Diego

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    • In his own account to BJJ Heroes, Mendes said the nickname 'Bisnaga' came from his first day at the academy, when his father asked the coach to take good care of him with that word; he tried to reject it, but too quietly, and it stuck.

      Where in the source: Opening quote — 'take good care of my Bisnaga'

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  • BJJ Heroes, 'João Mendes Interview "Everyone Should Follow IBJJF Rules"', 19 July 2021.(opens in a new tab)

    • A 2021 BJJ Heroes interview says Mendes reached black belt after a strong brown belt season of IBJJF open titles and medals at the Worlds and Pans, went 10-2 in his first six months at black belt, kept progressing with Atos in San Diego, and saw that momentum stopped in 2020 by the pandemic.

      Where in the source: First two paragraphs — '10-2 record in the first 6 months'

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    • In 2021 Mendes made his black belt no-gi debut at the IBJJF No-Gi Pan Championship, entering the lightweight division one class above his usual weight; he told BJJ Heroes he entered because the pandemic had kept him from competing and called it a very good test with three tough matches, but said his focus that year remained the gi.

      Where in the source: Fourth to sixth paragraphs — Mendes on the no-gi Pans, 'my focus is the gi'

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    • In 2021 Mendes qualified for the EUG event by beating Diogo Reis, a student of coach Melqui Galvão, in the qualifier.

      Where in the source: Seventh paragraph — EUG qualifier, win over Diogo Reis

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    • Asked about the growing number of rulesets, Mendes said that André Galvão adjusts Atos training sessions to the ruleset of each upcoming event, but that rules do not change how athletes compete: a staller will find a way to stall and an aggressive athlete will keep pushing forward; in his view everyone should simply follow IBJJF rules.

      Where in the source: Mendes quote after the ruleset question — 'changes the training sessions'

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  • BJJ Heroes, 'IBJJF World Championship 2025 Results, Records Shattered And History Made', 1 June 2025.(opens in a new tab)

    • BJJ Heroes' report on the 2025 World Championship called Mendes's win the underdog moment of the tournament: he had fallen short several times before, entered Long Beach as the 22nd seed after a first-round loss at the Brazilian Nationals, and in the final used spider guard to neutralise top-ranked Meyram Maquiné's outside passing, attacking when he could, to win the judges' decision.

      Where in the source: Paragraph beginning 'The Underdog Moment of the tournament' — 'using the spider-guard'

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    • The report's featherweight bracket summary lists Mendes beating Marco Mendes 4-2 in the quarterfinal and Diego Sodre with a Caio Terra footlock in the semifinal, then Meyram Maquiné by decision in the final.

      Where in the source: Results list 'FEATHER, MALE' — QF, SF and F lines for Joao 'Bisnaga'

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  • FloGrappling, Mayara Munhos, 'João Mendes Will Make His Debut As A Black Belt At Brasileiros', 1 May 2023.(opens in a new tab)

    • Mendes told FloGrappling in 2023 that he was a four-time Brazilian national champion, having competed at the Brasileiro from orange to blue belt between 2011 and 2015, and that he had not entered it since moving to the United States; the 2023 edition, five years into his black belt, was to be his first Brasileiro at black belt.

      Where in the source: Second to fourth paragraphs — Mendes quote 'four-time Brazilian National champion'

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    • Before the 2023 Brasileiro, Mendes described his loss at the 2023 Pan to Marcio André, whom he called one of his idols since childhood, as one of his best performances, decided by a last-minute mistake.

      Where in the source: Mendes quote after the 2023 Pan paragraph — 'one of my idols since I was a kid'

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    • FloGrappling reports that Mendes did not compete at the 2022 IBJJF World Championship, returned to competition in 2023 with wins over athletes including Pablo Lavaselli and Gabriel Souza, and said that his focus was now entirely on his life as an athlete.

      Where in the source: Section on his path back after the 2022 Worlds, paragraph naming Pablo Lavaselli and Gabriel Souza

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  • IBJJF, Danny O'Donnell, 'From Underdog To World Champion! Joao Mendes Is Ready To Fight For The Crown', 25 September 2025.(opens in a new tab)

    • In September 2025 IBJJF presented Mendes, the reigning featherweight world champion, as training under André Galvão at Atos HQ in San Diego and seeking his first IBJJF Crown title in that event's featherweight division.

      Where in the source: Article body — 'Training under Professor Andre Galvão at Atos HQ'

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  • Alliance Jiu Jitsu San Diego, 'Our Staff' page.(opens in a new tab)

    • Alliance Jiu Jitsu San Diego's staff page lists Joao Mendes, a second-degree black belt, on its instructor team.

      Where in the source: Section 'The Team Behind The Mat', staff list — 'Joao Mendes'

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  • IBJJF, Kaelan Crisosto, '2026 Crown | Bisnaga is Back', 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • In September 2026 IBJJF announced Mendes, described as an Alliance representative and the 2025 featherweight world champion, as the first entrant in the eight-man featherweight division of the 2026 IBJJF Crown on 8 November in Long Beach, where he would again seek his first Crown title.

      Where in the source: Sections 'Elite Technician Eyes Crown Glory' and following — 'The Alliance representative'

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