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Joao Miyao

João Miyao is a gi and no-gi world champion who teaches at Studio 1908, the Jersey City academy he runs with his twin brother Paulo.

Last updated: 20 September 2026

Biography

João Miyao is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor and teacher who won adult black-belt world titles in no-gi in 2014 and in the gi in 2019. He and his twin brother Paulo run Studio 1908 in Jersey City, while João's IBJJF competition affiliation remains PSLPB Cicero Costha USA. Choosing full-time training Born in Andirá, Paraná, in 1991, João first practised judo alongside Paulo. At sixteen he turned his focus to jiu-jitsu, beginning with Adriano Carvalho in Andirá. In a 2012 interview, João named the Mendes brothers, Murilo Santana and Bruno Frazzato among the athletes he admired. Looking back in 2016, João told Erin Herle that he had left nutrition studies and later a government job to pursue jiu-jitsu. He linked the move to São Paulo to declining support for his hometown gym and dissatisfaction with office work. After a short stay at Barbosa's gym, he and Paulo joined Cícero Costha's residential training project. They shared crowded accommodation, trained for hours and saved on food to afford competitions. Paulo passed a travel prize to João, helping him reach international events; later prize money helped their parents accept the career. By December 2012, João described a routine of two jiu-jitsu sessions a day and weight training three times a week. Cícero's own account of the academy emphasized a close-knit group, frequent competition and developing the games individual athletes preferred. The training environment combined shared support with room for those differences. Cícero awarded both brothers black belts in June 2013. In their interview that month, they described daily training as a pleasure and resisted the prospect of competing against each other. Black-belt competition João finished fourth in the under-66-kilogram division at the 2013 ADCC. Justin Rader, who placed third, later described the adjustments needed to pass João's guard. His account identified pace, flexibility, berimbolo sweeps and threats to the back as problems he had to solve. The berimbolo uses rotation underneath an opponent to create a sweep or a route to the back; Rader's preparation addressed that specific threat. In 2014, João took silver in the men's adult black-belt roosterweight division at the IBJJF Worlds in the gi. At that year's No-Gi Worlds, he won the men's adult black-belt light-featherweight title. Both official results list him with PSLPB Cicero Costha. His first adult black-belt world title in the gi came in 2019, at light featherweight. The official podium placed João first and Paulo second, both representing Cicero Costha Internacional. The brothers closed out the division: they took the top two places without fighting each other in the final. Teaching through exchanges on the mat By 2016, João and Paulo had moved to New York to train at Unity. Herle's reporting there included her own rounds and technical conversations with João. Specific questions brought help with torreando passing, which moves around an opponent's legs, and using lasso guard, where a leg wraps an arm, to defend against that pass. She also described him letting her work back into guard during their rounds and adjusting his effort to keep her involved. These were her experiences of training with him: instruction came through both his answers and the opportunities he gave her to continue working during sparring. The brothers left Unity in 2020 while keeping their Cícero Costha competition affiliation. By March 2023, they had secured a New Jersey space for their own academy, Studio 1908. Explaining their joint project, Paulo linked its name to Japanese immigration and their family's agricultural heritage. He also said he wanted the school to carry forward the mutual support they had experienced at Cícero's academy. The academy is in Jersey City, where an IBJJF gym-tour introduction identifies João and Paulo as its owners. The separate IBJJF athlete record continues to list João as a black belt competing for PSLPB Cicero Costha USA. His influence has also reached athletes studying his competition footage. Shay Montague credits João's matches with shaping his developing guard game. João has continued competing alongside his teaching. On March 12, 2026, he made his UFC BJJ debut with a unanimous decision over Jussier Formiga in a bantamweight grappling match. The promoter's report emphasized sweeps, takedowns and pressure from top position. He also won the men's Master 1 black-belt roosterweight division at the 2026 IBJJF World Master Championship, an age-group title distinct from his adult world championships.

Sources for this profile

BJJ Heroes, João Miyao biography.(opens in a new tab)
- Andirá, Paraná, is Miyao's birthplace; his birth year is 1991.
  Where in the source: Biography opening.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- Paulo is João's twin; their early martial-arts experience was judo.
  Where in the source: Family and early training.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- At sixteen, João switched his focus to jiu-jitsu.
  Where in the source: Early training paragraph.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
BJJEE, translated João interview, December 12, 2012.(opens in a new tab)
- Adriano Carvalho was his first jiu-jitsu teacher in Andirá.
  Where in the source: Answer about starting training.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- In 2012 João named the Mendes brothers, Murilo Santana and Bruno Frazzato among his influences.
  Where in the source: Answer about admired athletes.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- His stated routine combined two daily jiu-jitsu sessions with weight training three times weekly.
  Where in the source: Training-routine answer.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Ian Rollo, 2023-03-03.(opens in a new tab)
- Paulo connected the academy's name to Japanese immigration and their family's agricultural heritage.
  Where in the source: Paulo on naming.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- Paulo wanted their school to carry forward the mutual support experienced at Cícero's academy.
  Where in the source: Paulo on support.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- By March 2023 they had secured a New Jersey space for Studio 1908.
  Where in the source: Announcement.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, Studio 1908 gym-tour introduction.(opens in a new tab)
- IBJJF documented João and Paulo presenting their own Studio 1908 academy in Jersey City.
  Where in the source: Tour introduction and location.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, Shay Montague interview.(opens in a new tab)
- Shay Montague credits studying João's matches with shaping his own developing guard game.
  Where in the source: Answer about technical inspirations.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, current João Miyao athlete record.(opens in a new tab)
- IBJJF's current record identifies João as a black belt.
  Where in the source: Athlete header.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- His current IBJJF affiliation is PSLPB Cicero Costha USA.
  Where in the source: Athlete header.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, 2026 World Master official results.(opens in a new tab)
- In 2026 João won World Master gold in male Master 1 black-belt roosterweight.
  Where in the source: Complete Master 1 rooster table.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Simon Head, 2026-03-13.(opens in a new tab)
- UFC describes João as Brazilian.
  Where in the source: Bantamweight opening.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- His UFC BJJ debut ended in a unanimous decision over Jussier Formiga on March 12, 2026.
  Where in the source: Bantamweight result/date.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- The promoter's account emphasized sweeps, takedowns and pressure from top position.
  Where in the source: Bantamweight recap.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Erin Herle, 2016-04-14.(opens in a new tab)
- João left nutrition studies and government work for jiu-jitsu. Declining hometown-gym support and dissatisfaction with office work prompted his São Paulo move. After Barbosa, he joined Cícero’s residential project: long training hours and food savings for competitions. Paulo transferred a travel prize; later prize money helped their parents accept the career.
  Where in the source: Study, relocation, living and family.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
BJJEE, Cícero interview excerpt attributed to Tatame, September 30, 2013.(opens in a new tab)
- Cícero described a close-knit team that developed athletes' preferred games and competed frequently.
  Where in the source: Coach's explanation of his academy.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Graciemag, joint promotion interview, June 28, 2013.(opens in a new tab)
- Cícero awarded both brothers black belts in June 2013.
  Where in the source: Opening and promotion discussion.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- The brothers described daily practice as a pleasure and resisted competing against each other.
  Where in the source: Training and sibling-match answers.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
ADCC, official 2013 results.(opens in a new tab)
- At the 2013 ADCC, João placed fourth at -66 kg.
  Where in the source: Complete -66 kg category.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Dan Faggella, Rader interview, BJJEE, December 22, 2013.(opens in a new tab)
- Rader adjusted his passing to counter João's pace, flexibility, berimbolo sweeps and threats to take the back.
  Where in the source: Preparation and tactical discussion.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, 2014 Worlds official results.(opens in a new tab)
- The 2014 adult black-belt gi Worlds brought João silver at roosterweight.
  Where in the source: Male adult black rooster table.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, 2014 No-Gi Worlds official results.(opens in a new tab)
- At the 2014 No-Gi Worlds, he won adult black-belt light-feather gold.
  Where in the source: Male adult black light-feather table.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Erin Herle, 2016-06-01.(opens in a new tab)
- By 2016 the brothers had relocated to New York to train at Unity.
  Where in the source: Relocation.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- Through specific questions, Herle learned torreando passing details from João and how to use lasso guard to defend against that pass.
  Where in the source: Technical exchanges.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- She described João allowing guard recovery during rounds and adjusting his effort to keep her engaged.
  Where in the source: Training rounds.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, 2019 Worlds official results.(opens in a new tab)
- The 2019 adult black-belt light-feather world podium placed João first and Paulo second.
  Where in the source: Complete light-feather category.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Graciemag, annotated 2019 Worlds finals.(opens in a new tab)
- A sibling closeout in 2019 delivered João's first adult black-belt gi world title.
  Where in the source: Light-feather recap.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
BJJ Heroes, summer 2020 team update.(opens in a new tab)
- The brothers left Unity in 2020 while retaining their Cícero Costha competition affiliation.
  Where in the source: Miyao team-change section.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20

Competition results

Recorded tournament results, newest first
Year	Event	Result	Division
2019	IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-64 kgGiVerified	1st place	-64 kgGiVerified
2013	ADCC 2013Source: adcombat.com-66 kgNo-giVerified	4th place	-66 kgNo-giVerified

Lineage

View in lineage tree

Trained under

Cicero Costha Source: bjjheroes.com