Rafael Barbosa
“Formiga”
Source: bjjheroes.comRafael “Formiga” Barbosa is a black belt, competitor, and teacher who helped build Soul Fighters and co-created Double Five.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Heroes, “Rafael Barbosa,” no exact publication date shown; accessed 7 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
The live row's source page identifies Rafael Barbosa's full name as Rafael Monteiro Barbosa and explains that his nickname developed from “Formiguinha” to “Formiga” after he began training as the youngest student in an adult class.
Where in the source: Rafael Barbosa Jiu-Jitsu — “Full Name: Rafael Monteiro Barbosa”; “started being called ‘Formiga’”
Accessed:
BJJ Heroes dates Rafael Barbosa's birth to 8 January 1983 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Where in the source: Rafael Formiga Barbosa Biography — “born on the 8th of January, 1983 in Rio de Janeiro”
Accessed:
VoyageDallas, “Community Highlights: Meet Rafael Barbosa of Rafael Formiga Jiu Jitsu Academy,” 2 July 2025.(opens in a new tab)
In a 2025 first-person interview, Barbosa said he began jiu-jitsu at 11 and was helping teach classes at his professor's academy by age 14.
Where in the source: Opening answer — “started training Jiu Jitsu when I was 11”; “by the time I was 14, I was already helping teach classes”
Accessed:
Barbosa said André ‘Dedeco’ Almeida coached him from white belt through black belt and awarded his black belt in 2002, when Barbosa was 19.
Where in the source: Opening answer — “white belt all the way to black belt”; “received my black belt in 2002 at the age of 19”
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Barbosa said he moved to the United States in 2010 and later established his family-operated academy in Highland Village, Texas.
Where in the source: Opening answer — “In 2010, I moved to the United States”; “Highland Village ... where I opened my own Jiu Jitsu Academy”
Accessed:
Rafael Formiga Jiu Jitsu Academy, “Instructors,” accessed 7 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Rafael Formiga Jiu Jitsu Academy currently lists Rafael ‘Formiga’ Barbosa as its owner and head instructor and as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.
Where in the source: Rafael ‘Formiga’ Barbosa — “Owner & Head Instructor”; “5th Degree Black Belt”
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The academy's current instructor page lists Barbosa as a fifth-degree black belt.
Where in the source: Rafael ‘Formiga’ Barbosa — “5th Degree Black Belt”; Certifications — “IBJJF Certified 5th Degree Black Belt”
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Barbosa's academy highlights butterfly guard, X-guard, competition strategy, culture building, and mentorship as his teaching specialties.
Where in the source: Specialties — “Butterfly and X-guard mastery”; “Competition strategy labs”; “Culture building & mentorship”
Accessed:
Rafael Formiga Jiu Jitsu Academy, “About Us,” accessed 7 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
The academy describes Barbosa's Highland Village school as the flagship headquarters of Double Five and presents it as part of the Double Five Jiu-Jitsu family.
Where in the source: From Rio to Highland Village — “flagship Double Five HQ”; footer — “Part of the Double Five Jiu-Jitsu family”
Accessed:
Soul Fighters Allen, “About Us: Soul Fighters History,” accessed 7 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Soul Fighters' own history says Rafael ‘Formiga’ Barbosa and Leandro ‘Tatu’ Escobar joined Bruno and Augusto Mendes' collaboration, with Álvaro Mansur later joining, and that the partnership became Soul Fighters in May 2008.
Where in the source: How Soul Fighters Began — “Rafael ‘Formiga’ Barbosa and Leandro ‘Tatu’ Escobar”; “By May 2008 ... Soul Fighters”
Accessed:
R7 Esportes/TATAME, “Em comunicado, Rafael Formiga, Leandro Tatu e João Gabriel Rocha anunciam saída da Soul Fighters e criação de nova equipe,” 1 December 2019; page updated 23 October 2025.(opens in a new tab)
A December 2019 report on their joint announcement says Rafael ‘Formiga’ Barbosa, Leandro ‘Tatu’ Escobar, and João Gabriel Rocha left Soul Fighters and created Double Five Jiu-Jitsu together.
Where in the source: Headline and lead — “Rafael Formiga, Leandro Tatu e João Gabriel Rocha”; “criação de uma nova equipe, a Double Five JJ”
Accessed:
International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, “Boston Summer International Open IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2011,” results page.(opens in a new tab)
Official IBJJF results place Rafael Monteiro Barbosa first in the adult male black-belt middleweight division at the 2011 Boston Summer International Open, representing Best Way.
Where in the source: Boston Summer International Open 2011 — Adult / Black / Male / Middle — “1 Rafael Monteiro Barbosa / BEST WAY”
Accessed:
Graciemag, “Absolute champ Formiga: ‘I plan to be at all the Opens’,” 19 April 2011.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag reported that Barbosa, then teaching in Connecticut, won his first IBJJF open-weight title at the 2011 New York Open by defeating Guybson Sá in the final.
Where in the source: Absolute champ Formiga — “won the absolute division at an IBJJF tournament for the first time”; “overcoming Guybson Sá in the final”
Accessed:
Graciemag, “What has Rafael Formiga learned after his defeat against DJ Jackson in Boston?,” 8 March 2013.(opens in a new tab)
After winning the middleweight division and finishing second in the open class at the 2013 Boston event, Barbosa told Graciemag that he viewed the final as a technical lesson and intended to keep an open, attacking game.
Where in the source: Rafael Formiga talks about his defeat — “I won the weight category”; “kept my game open and forward”
Accessed:
International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, “European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026,” final result 29 January 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Official results for the 2026 European IBJJF Championship place Rafael Monteiro Barbosa first in the Master 3 male black-belt middleweight division for Double Five Highland Village.
Where in the source: European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026 — Master 3 / Male / Black / Middle (82.30kg) — “1 Rafael Monteiro Barbosa / Double Five Highland Village”
Accessed:
International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, “2026 Jiu-Jitsu Con | Ranking Ceremony,” by Kaelan Crisosto, 31 August 2026.(opens in a new tab)
IBJJF's 2026 Jiu-Jitsu Con ranking announcement lists Rafael Monteiro Barbosa first among the 2025–2026 season's top three male Master 3 competitors.
Where in the source: Top-3 Ranked Male Categories — “Master 3 / Rafael Monteiro Barbosa / Rodrigo Benedito Caporal / Lucas Gatti Garin”
Accessed:
Graciemag, “5 macetes para você não perder mais as costas no Jiu-Jitsu, com Rafael Formiga,” 27 October 2013.(opens in a new tab)
In 2013 Graciemag identified Barbosa as João Gabriel Rocha's first instructor and published Barbosa's position-first advice for controlling and attacking from the back.
Where in the source: Introduction — “o primeiro professor de João Gabriel Rocha”; lesson 2 — “Trave bem a posição e ganhe os pontos primeiro”
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