José Olímpio da Rocha Neto
“Zé Radiola”
Source: ajptour.comJosé Olímpio da Rocha Neto, or Zé Radiola, is a Pernambuco-based fifth-degree jiu-jitsu black belt and founder of ZR Team.
Biography
Sources for this profile
ZR Team France, 'About us,' no publication date shown(opens in a new tab)
The ZR Team page identifies its leader as José Olímpio da Rocha Neto, also known as Zé Radiola, and describes him as a fifth-degree black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr.
Where in the source: Rendered text under 'Association ZR Team'; anchors: 'José Olímpio da Rocha Neto, également connu sous le nom de Zé Radiola' and 'ceinture noire 5ᵉ degré ... Carlos Gracie Jr.'
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The ZR Team page says Zé Radiola received his black belt in 2001 under Carlos Gracie Jr.
Where in the source: Rendered text under 'Association ZR Team'; anchor: 'a obtenu sa ceinture noire en 2001 sous la tutelle ... Carlos Gracie Jr.'
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The organization says ZR Team was founded in June 2016 and names Zé Radiola as its founder.
Where in the source: Rendered text under 'Association ZR Team'; anchors: 'Fondée en juin 2016' and 'fondateur de la ZR Team.'
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Secretaria de Educação e Esportes de Pernambuco, 'Resultado Final Bolsa Técnico 2024,' February 2024(opens in a new tab)
Pernambuco's 2024 Bolsa Técnico final result lists José Olímpio da Rocha Neto, born in 1964, in jiu-jitsu under the Técnico Internacional B category.
Where in the source: PDF page 7 of 7, full 'CONTEMPLADOS MODALIDADES NÃO OLÍMPICAS' table with column headers and neighboring rows; row 20 names JOSE OLIMPIO DA ROCHA NETO, gives a 1964 birth year, JIU-JITSU and TÉCNICO INTERNACIONAL B, code 3.3.3.
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Redação Graciemag, 'Zé Radiola: das ondas aos dojôs,' January 21, 2010(opens in a new tab)
In a 2010 interview, José Olímpio says he was a professional surfer and first encountered jiu-jitsu through a friend in São Paulo.
Where in the source: Rendered article body below the headline; anchors: 'Zé foi surfista profissional' and first-person 'Conheci o Jiu-Jitsu através de um amigo meu, em São Paulo.'
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He says that after meeting Carlos Gracie Jr. at a tournament, he began traveling from Pernambuco to Gracie Barra in Rio de Janeiro, eventually making the trip every two months for technical development.
Where in the source: Rendered interview paragraphs beginning 'Em Recife tive um pouco de dificuldade'; anchors: 'conhecer o mestre Carlinhos (Gracie Jr.) num campeonato', 'ir ao Rio de Janeiro, na Gracie Barra', and 'a cada dois meses.'
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Graciemag reported that his academy opened in late 1996 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, next to Recife.
Where in the source: Rendered article under 'Formando uma família'; anchor: 'A academia foi inaugurada no final de 1996, em Jaboatão dos Guararapes.'
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In his 2010 interview, Radiola said he sought sponsorship for athletes and connected that effort to Bráulio Estima's first Pan appearance.
Where in the source: Under 'Formando uma família': 'Corri atrás de patrocínio para os meus atletas' and 'o Bráulio Estima lutou pela primeira vez no Pan.'
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Radiola recalled that Bráulio Estima came to his jiu-jitsu academy from judo while Radiola was still a purple belt, and that Estima's tournament results encouraged other students.
Where in the source: Under 'Formando uma família': 'Bráulio treinava judô e veio fazer Jiu-Jitsu ... quando eu ainda era faixa-roxa' and 'Começaram a aparecer resultados.'
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Jiu Jitsu Legacy, interview with Alain Pozo, November 8, 2019(opens in a new tab)
Student Alain Pozo recalls starting with Zé Radiola in Recife in 1996, when the gym and team were still very small, and says Radiola was already known locally as a professional surfer.
Where in the source: Rendered text under 'Nice to meet you, Mr. Pozo' and 'How did your BJJ journey begin?'; anchors: 'I started with Ze Radiola in Recife, Brazil', 'very small gym and a very small team', and 'he was a professional surfer.'
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IBJJF, 'Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 1999' results(opens in a new tab)
The IBJJF archive records José Olímpio of Gracie Barra in third place in the 1999 Brazilian Championship Master 1 purple-belt featherweight division.
Where in the source: Full 'Master 1 / Purple / Male' block read with adjacent Light Feather, Light, Middle, Medium Heavy and later divisions; within 'Feather' the row reads '3 | Jose Olimpio Gracie Barra.'
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IBJJF, 'Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2000' results(opens in a new tab)
The IBJJF archive records José Olímpio of Gracie Barra as the 2000 Pan Master 2 purple-belt champion at featherweight and in the open class.
Where in the source: Full 'Master 2 / Purple / Male' block read with Master 1 and Master 4 controls; within 'Feather' the row reads '1 | Jose Olimpio Gracie Barra,' and within 'Open Class' he appears first above '2 | Marcio Shaur Mario Sucata.'
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IBJJF, 'Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2001' results(opens in a new tab)
The IBJJF archive records José Olímpio of Gracie Barra as the 2001 Pan Master 2 brown-belt featherweight champion and a bronze medalist in the open class.
Where in the source: Full 'Master 2 / Brown / Male' block read with Master 1 and Adult Black controls; within 'Feather' the row reads '1 | Jose Olimpio Gracie Barra,' and within 'Open Class' it reads '3 | Jose Olimpio Gracie Barra.'
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IBJJF, 'Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2002' results(opens in a new tab)
The IBJJF archive records José Olímpio of Gracie Barra as the 2002 Pan Master 2 black-belt featherweight champion and a bronze medalist in the open class.
Where in the source: Full 'Master 2 / Black / Male' block read with Master 1 and Master 3 controls; within 'Feather' the row reads '1 | Jose Olimpio Gracie Barra,' and within 'Open Class' it reads '3 | Jose Olimpio Gracie Barra.'
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Assembleia Legislativa do Estado de Pernambuco, Diário Oficial, August 7, 2008, Requerimento no. 2289/2008(opens in a new tab)
A 2008 Pernambuco legislative record identifies José Olímpio da Rocha Neto as director of Academia Gracie Barra Pernambuco when proposing a vote of applause for his athletes' performance at the June world jiu-jitsu championship in California.
Where in the source: Diário Oficial do Estado de Pernambuco, Poder Legislativo, page 5, full sequence of Requerimentos 2288-2292; Requerimento 2289 reads 'Professor José Olímpio da Rocha Neto, diretor da Academia Gracie Barra Pernambuco' and refers to the June world championship in California.
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Federação de Jiu-Jitsu do Estado de Pernambuco, 'Academias Ativas,' live list retrieved September 4, 2026(opens in a new tab)
The Pernambuco jiu-jitsu federation's active-academy list names José Olímpio da Rocha Neto as the professor responsible for ZR Team Pernambuco.
Where in the source: Rendered 'Lista de Academias Ativas' table with headers 'Nº REGISTRO NA FJJPE | NOME | PROFESSOR | STATUS'; row 57 reads 'ZR TEAM PERNAMBUCO | JOSE OLIMPIO DA ROCHA NETO | CADASTRO ATIVO.'
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Redação Tribuna do Norte, 'Academia ZR Team é campeã do 13º NE Open,' July 16, 2019(opens in a new tab)
Tribuna do Norte identified José Olímpio da Rocha Neto, known as Zé Radiola, as ZR Team's leader while reporting the team's first-place finish at the 13th Nordeste Open in 2019.
Where in the source: Rendered article under 'Academia ZR Team é campeã do 13º NE Open'; anchors: 'com 1.009 pontos, a ZR Team subiu ao lugar mais alto do pódio' and 'O líder da ZR Team, José Olímpio da Rocha Neto, conhecido como "Zé Radiola".'
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Redação Graciemag, interview with Bráulio Estima, first published 2016, web edition May 4, 2019(opens in a new tab)
Bráulio Estima recalled that Fernando Cavalcante introduced him to Radiola, whose Recife Gracie Barra academy gave him a supportive place to train; Estima also remembered Radiola returning from Rio de Janeiro with new instruction.
Where in the source: Under 'Going back a little': 'Fernando Cavalcante, then introduced me to Zé Radiola'; 'at Recife’s Gracie Barra branch'; 'go to Rio de Janeiro and get up to date.'
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Jiu Jitsu Legacy, interview with Max Carvalho, October 23, 2019; updated December 12, 2019(opens in a new tab)
Max Carvalho identified Radiola as his teacher, said that Radiola inspired his commitment to jiu-jitsu, and described later teaching in Hungary and eastern Europe.
Where in the source: Under 'Nice to meet you, Mr. Carvalho' and 'How did you start with BJJ': 'black belt under master Ze Radiola'; 'Then, I met my master Ze Radiola'; 'When I went to Hungary 15 years ago'.
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IBJJF, 'Master International Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2000' results(opens in a new tab)
The IBJJF archive lists José Olímpio of Gracie Barra first in the 2000 Master International Master 2 purple-belt featherweight division.
Where in the source: 'Master 2 / Purple / Male / Feather' full block: '1 Jose Olimpio Gracie Barra'; then '2 Alcino Seibt Alliance' and '3 Armindo Pinho Brazilian Top Team.'
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Abu Dhabi Jiu Jitsu Pro, 'Zr Team Association' club record, viewed October 8, 2026(opens in a new tab)
The Abu Dhabi Jiu Jitsu Pro organizer lists José Olímpio da Rocha Neto, with the nickname Zé Radiola, as the person responsible for ZR Team Association in Jaboatão dos Guararapes.
Where in the source: 'Zr Team Association' club page: 'Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Brazil'; under 'Responsável', 'josé olimpio da rocha neto (zé radiola)'.
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Jornal O Poder, 'Professor pernambucano de jiu-jitsu parte em tour pela Europa nesta quarta-feira,' November 1, 2023(opens in a new tab)
A 2023 Pernambuco report said Radiola planned seminars in eight countries with ZR Team affiliates.
Where in the source: Expanded 'DESTINOS' section: anchors 'visitará 8 países no total' and 'Serão vários seminários e worlshops'; the destination list includes Cazaquistão.
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