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Júlio César Pereira

Júlio César Pereira, an eighth-degree coral belt by 2025, leads GF Team and placed first at four IBJJF Master 7 events that year.

Biography

Júlio César Pereira, an eighth-degree jiu-jitsu coral belt by 2025, leads GF Team, the Rio de Janeiro team he helped build. In a 2025 interview, he recalled entering his first tournament in Rio de Janeiro in 1974 and said he preferred athletes, students and friends to call him Júlio rather than “master.” GF Team traces its roots to 1996 at Universidade Gama Filho's Taquara campus in Rio de Janeiro. Its account names Pereira, Marcus Bello and Alexandre Baraúna as the three professors who began building the jiu-jitsu group, with support from Pedro Gama Filho and Paulo Jardim. Training moved from Taquara to the university's Piedade campus as the group grew. The organisation later separated from the university and adopted the GF Team name. Pereira had led the Gama Filho team before GF Team developed branches abroad. At GF Team's Méier gym, Pereira helped build Cachanga, an arrangement that let out-of-town competitors live and train there. He identified Vitor Oliveira as the first athlete he supported this way; Jaime Canuto, Gutemberg Pereira and Jake Mackenzie were among later residents. In 2018, Pereira moved from Rio de Janeiro to Orange, California, to develop a GF Team competition programme in the United States. His student Vinicius Pedrosa took charge of the Rio headquarters. That July, Pereira entered the IBJJF Master International South America in Rio de Janeiro as a seventh-degree red-and-black belt. Graciemag reported that teaching in the United States and encouragement from his students had brought him back to competition; his previous tournament had been in 2016. The IBJJF results place him first in the Master 5 medium-heavyweight division. Graciemag described three matches in that title run: a points win over Carlos Medeiros, a referee decision over Claudio Muniz and an 8–3 final against Jairo Alves, in which Pereira swept twice and took the back. By January 2025, Pereira wore the eighth-degree red-and-white belt and was also a judo black belt. At the European Championship, the IBJJF results placed him first in the Master 7 heavyweight division. FloGrappling reported that he won two matches there, finishing the first with a choke and taking the final 3–0 after a guard pass. IBJJF results also place him first in Master 7 heavyweight at the 2025 Pan and Brazilian championships and at the World Master Championship. The Pan results list another first place in the Master 7 open class. FloGrappling called the four-event sequence a “Masters Grand Slam” after his World Master result. Instituto GFTeam identifies Pereira as its president. It describes programmes for children and young people that use sport and cultural activities, and says he has supported affiliated teachers with equipment and competition entry fees. In remarks published by Graciemag, Pereira encouraged people to compete for enjoyment. He described jiu-jitsu as pleasurable regardless of the result, with winning making it better and money and other goals following from the practice.

Sources for this profile

  • GFTeam, 'Sobre GFT' (undated official team history)(opens in a new tab)

    • GFTeam dates the beginning of its history to 1996 at Universidade Gama Filho's Taquara campus in Rio de Janeiro. This is a date for the team's roots, not an asserted date for the GFTeam name.

      Where in the source: Nossa história; opening sentence beginning 'A história da GFTeam teve início em 1996'

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    • GFTeam names Júlio César, Marcus Bello and Alexandre Baraúna as the three professors who began building the jiu-jitsu team at Universidade Gama Filho, with support from Pedro Gama Filho and Paulo Jardim.

      Where in the source: Nossa história; 'os professores Júlio César, Marcus Bello e Alexandre Baraúna deram os primeiros passos'

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    • According to GFTeam, its training moved from the UGF Taquara campus to Piedade as the group grew; the organisation later separated from the university and adopted the name GFTeam.

      Where in the source: Nossa história; paragraphs beginning 'Inicialmente, os treinos aconteciam na UGF Taquara' and 'Com o processo de profissionalização'

      Accessed:

  • Joe Gilpin, FloGrappling, 6 January 2025(opens in a new tab)

    • FloGrappling identifies Júlio César Pereira as GFTeam's leader and founder; Graciemag also identifies him by full name as its founder and leader. GFTeam's own history names two other formative professors.

      Where in the source: GF Team's Julio Cesar Pereira Enters IBJJF Euros In Masters Division; opening two paragraphs, 'GF Team leader Julio Cesar Pereira' and 'founder of the Grappling Fight Team'

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    • FloGrappling reports that Pereira led the Gama Filho team before GFTeam and that the Rio-based organisation later developed branches abroad.

      Where in the source: GF Team's Julio Cesar Pereira Enters IBJJF Euros In Masters Division; second paragraph, 'before that was the leader of the Gama Filho team'

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    • By January 2025 FloGrappling described Pereira as an eighth-degree jiu-jitsu belt holder, with a red-and-white belt; the report also calls him a judo black belt.

      Where in the source: GF Team's Julio Cesar Pereira Enters IBJJF Euros In Masters Division; final paragraph, 'Mestre Julio is an 8th-degree coral belt'

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  • FloGrappling, 1 February 2018(opens in a new tab)

    • In 2018 Pereira moved from Rio de Janeiro to Orange, California, to establish a GFTeam competition programme there; he told FloGrappling that he wanted to develop champions in the United States. The Rio headquarters was left in the care of his student Vinicius Pedrosa.

      Where in the source: GF Team Begins Aggressive Expansion Into USA; paragraphs beginning 'Head coach Julio Cesar Pereira has relocated' and 'The command of the Rio HQ has been passed'

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  • Redação Graciemag, Graciemag, 25 July 2018(opens in a new tab)

    • Three days before the July 2018 Master International in Rio de Janeiro, Graciemag reported that Pereira had registered in the black belt Master 5 group, and quoted him saying that teaching in the United States and encouragement from students had helped bring him back to competition.

      Where in the source: A coral-belt and leader of GFTeam; opening paragraphs, 'among those enrolled in the black belt, master 5 group' and 'I came to the U.S. to teach BJJ'

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    • Graciemag described Pereira as a seventh-degree coral belt in July 2018 and said his previous competition had been in 2016, before that promotion.

      Where in the source: A coral-belt and leader of GFTeam; paragraph beginning 'Julio's last tournament was in 2016' and ending 'seventh degree around their waist'

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  • Redação Graciemag, Graciemag, 31 March 2020(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag reports that Pereira fought three matches at the 2018 Master International: a points win over Carlos Medeiros, a referee decision over Claudio Muniz, and an 8–3 final against Jairo Alves. The article describes his sweeps and back take in the final.

      Where in the source: Vídeo: Reveja mestre Julio César Pereira; paragraphs from 'O mestre fez três lutas' to '8 a 3 nos pontos'

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    • Asked about competing, Pereira told Graciemag in Portuguese that he encourages people to fight for enjoyment; he said jiu-jitsu can be pleasurable regardless of winning and that money and other goals follow from it.

      Where in the source: Vídeo: Reveja mestre Julio César Pereira; closing quote beginning 'Eu digo para todo mundo lutar por prazer'

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  • IBJJF, official final results, Master International South America 2018 (final result 30 July 2018)(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF's 2018 Master International South America results place Julio Cesar Pereira of GF Team first in Male / Master 5 / Black / Medium Heavy (88.30 kg), ahead of Jairo Alves, Affonso Henrique Serralha Filho and Claudio Silva Muniz.

      Where in the source: Master International IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship - South America 2018; complete 'MALE / MASTER 5 / BLACK / MEDIUM HEAVY (88.30KG)' division block

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  • Carlos Arthur Jr., FloGrappling, 1 February 2025 (Portuguese original)(opens in a new tab)

    • FloGrappling's Portuguese interview describes Pereira wearing the red-and-white belt for his 2025 return to competition; its text identifies this as his eighth degree.

      Where in the source: Julio Cesar Pereira quer o Grand Slam; paragraph beginning 'Fundador e líder da equipe GFTeam' and the phrase 'faixa vermelha-e-branca'

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    • FloGrappling reports that Pereira won two matches on the way to the 2025 European Master 7 title: a choke in his first match and a 3–0 points decision in the final after a guard pass.

      Where in the source: Julio Cesar Pereira quer o Grand Slam; paragraph beginning 'Com toda sua experiência, Júlio venceu duas lutas'

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    • In a 2025 FloGrappling interview, Pereira said that his first tournament had been in Rio de Janeiro in 1974 and that he preferred athletes, students and friends to call him by his first name instead of 'master'.

      Where in the source: Julio Cesar Pereira quer o Grand Slam; interview paragraph beginning 'A faixa não fica na minha cabeça'

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  • IBJJF, official final results, European Championship 2025 (final result 25 January 2025)(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF's 2025 European Championship results place Julio Cesar Pereira of GF Team first in Male / Master 7 / Black / Heavy (94.30 kg), ahead of Alessandro Filippi and Thorsten Gunter Paul Picker.

      Where in the source: European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025; complete 'MALE / MASTER 7 / BLACK / HEAVY (94.30KG)' division block

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  • IBJJF, official final results, Pan IBJJF Championship 2025(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2025 Pan IBJJF Championship, the official results list Julio Cesar Pereira of GF Team first in the Male / Master 7 / Black / Heavy (208 lb) division.

      Where in the source: Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025; complete 'MALE / MASTER 7 / BLACK / HEAVY (208.00LB)' division block

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    • The same 2025 Pan IBJJF results also place Pereira first in Male / Master 7 / Black / Open Class, ahead of Alex da Silva, James R Foster and Robert George Marvin.

      Where in the source: Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025; complete 'MALE / MASTER 7 / BLACK / OPEN CLASS' division block

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  • IBJJF, official final results, Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2025 (final result 4 May 2025)(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF's 2025 Brazilian Championship results place Pereira of GF Team first in Male / Master 7 / Black / Heavy (94.30 kg), ahead of Marcos Aurelio de Camargo e Silva.

      Where in the source: Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2025; complete 'MALE / MASTER 7 / BLACK / HEAVY (94.30KG)' division block

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  • IBJJF, official final results, World Master Championship 2025 (final result 30 August 2025)(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF's 2025 World Master results place Julio Cesar Pereira of GF Team first in Male / Master 7 / Black / Heavy (208 lb), ahead of Gregory Lopez, Jesus Martin Zartuche Sr. and Marco Antonio Araujo Pena.

      Where in the source: World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025; complete 'MALE / MASTER 7 / BLACK / HEAVY (208.00LB)' division block

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  • Michael Sears, FloGrappling, 20 July 2018(opens in a new tab)

    • Pereira helped build GFTeam's 'Cachanga' arrangement at its Méier gym, where out-of-town competitors could live and train; he told FloGrappling that Vitor Oliveira was the first athlete he supported in this way. The article describes later residents including Jaime Canuto, Gutemberg Pereira and Jake Mackenzie.

      Where in the source: 'Cachanga': GF Team's Secret Program; sections 'What does Cachanga mean?' and 'Going All In On A Dream', including Pereira's recollection beginning 'It was a dream of mine'

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  • Instituto GFTeam, 'O Instituto' (undated official organisation page, viewed 7 October 2026)(opens in a new tab)

    • The Instituto GFTeam website identifies Júlio Cesar Pereira as its president and describes its work with children and young people through sport and cultural activities; it says he has supported affiliated teachers with equipment and competition entry fees.

      Where in the source: O Instituto; paragraphs beginning 'O Instituto tem como finalidade' and 'Presidente do Instituto GFTEAM Júlio Cesar Pereira'

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  • Carlos Arthur Jr., FloGrappling, 1 September 2025 (Portuguese original)(opens in a new tab)

    • FloGrappling's September 2025 World Master report says Pereira's heavyweight result completed what it called a Masters Grand Slam that season.

      Where in the source: Mundial Master 2025; closing overview paragraph beginning 'Fechando a lista' and the phrase 'Grand Slam dos masters'

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