Luís Mateus
“Manimal”
Source: bjjheroes.comLuís Carlos “Manimal” Mateus is a Carlson Gracie coral belt whose teaching lineage includes black belt Raphael Abi-Rihan.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Heroes, Luis Carlos Manimal profile.(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes identifies the subject as Luis Carlos Mateus Dias, known as Manimal.
Where in the source: Profile facts — “Full Name” and “Nickname”.
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BJJ Heroes says the Rio de Janeiro native had a capoeira background, began jiu-jitsu with Carlos Gracie Jr. and later moved to Carlson Gracie's academy.
Where in the source: Biography — opening paragraph, capoeira and first teachers.
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BJJ Heroes publishes the lineage Carlson Gracie to Luis Carlos Mateus and says Mateus first coached as Carlson's assistant before opening his own academy with Carlson's consent.
Where in the source: Opening summary; “Lineage”; biography paragraph about the assistant role.
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BJJ Heroes lists Manimal as 1992 Brazilian champion and 1999 International Masters and Seniors champion in both weight and absolute divisions.
Where in the source: “Main Achievements” — entries for 1992 and 1999.
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BJJ Heroes says Mateus paused coaching after Carlson Gracie's death in 2006 and returned to full-time coaching in 2009.
Where in the source: Luis Carlos Manimal Biography, final paragraph — coaching pause and return.
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Só Casca!, interview with Luiz Carlos Matheus Manimal, published December 21, 2012.(opens in a new tab)
In a 2012 interview, Manimal says he began jiu-jitsu in 1978 at age sixteen with Carlos Gracie Jr. and remained in the Zona Sul school under Carlson Gracie when Carlos Jr. moved to Barra da Tijuca.
Where in the source: Interview answer 30 — “comecei em 78”; answer 10 and the account of remaining in Zona Sul.
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Manimal says Carlson Gracie promoted him in 1993 and that he spent 27 years training, teaching and living alongside Carlson.
Where in the source: Interview answer 12 — “1993”; read with questions 7–11 about his black belt.
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Manimal says he began teaching self-defence while still a blue belt and opened Academia Pergus with a jiu-jitsu team.
Where in the source: Interview answers 12 and 30 — “faixa azul” and Academia Pergus.
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Asked how many black belts he had trained, Manimal estimated about 270 and explained that their students formed further generations in the Manimal network.
Where in the source: Interview answers 32–38 — “duzentos e setenta”.
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In a 2012 interview, Manimal says his Botafogo and Copacabana academies connected students from the urban districts and nearby communities, that he had taught free classes for people from Santa Marta and Babilônia for fifteen years, and that some later became instructors.
Where in the source: Interview answer 74 — “asfalto” and scholarships.
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BJJ Heroes, Raphael Abi-Rihan profile.(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes says Kiko Veloso's academy joined forces with Luis Carlos Mateus's academy around 2000; as Veloso later stepped away, Mateus took over full time and awarded Raphael Abi-Rihan his brown and black belts.
Where in the source: Biography, paragraph beginning with blue and purple belts; academy merger, subsequent takeover and “(2002)”.
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Academie Jackson Paulo, Manimal Europe Tour 2025 seminar page.(opens in a new tab)
A 2025 academy seminar page describes Manimal as a Carlson Gracie coral belt and names Raphael Abi-Rihan, Fulvio Mamede, Diego Galante and Edinho Ferreira Jr. among practitioners in his teaching line.
Where in the source: “Maître historique de l’Académie” — coral belt, students and academy lineage.
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