Roberto Francisco Jimenez
Roberto Jimenez is a jiu-jitsu black belt and 2023 No-Gi Worlds open-class champion whose teacher was his father, Raul.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Heroes, athlete biography.(opens in a new tab)
Jimenez was born in Miami in 2000 to Ecuadorian parents.
Where in the source: Biography opening.
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BJJ Heroes identifies him as Ecuadorian-American.
Where in the source: Opening identification.
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His father, Raul Jimenez, taught him and awarded his black belt.
Where in the source: Opening and final biography paragraph.
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Terry, BJJ Legends, 2015-08-23.(opens in a new tab)
As a child, he initially disliked jiu-jitsu and avoided classes.
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At fifteen, he combined school wrestling with evening jiu-jitsu; during holidays he trained three times daily and helped teach children.
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He felt responsible for setting an example because younger academy students looked up to their teacher's son.
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He valued getting to know Lucas Lepri and Cobrinha when they stayed at his family's Houston home during seminar visits.
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Synatschk, Grappling Insider, 2020-06-09.(opens in a new tab)
After a teenage break, missing training with his father made Jimenez choose jiu-jitsu himself. He prepared for Cornelius with available European partners, without a dedicated camp. He described black-belt competition as demanding professionalism in diet, mindset and conditioning. He credited wrestling, strength training and lessons adapted from different academies with improving his game. His free Houston seminar in June 2020 shared knowledge to support teammates after quarantine. He described Studio 76 as helping people beyond competition.
Where in the source: Childhood, preparation, development, seminar and academy answers.
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Moya Brand, 2017-08-21.(opens in a new tab)
In 2017, the family moved from Spring, Texas, to Las Vegas to establish its academy there.
Where in the source: Opening announcement paragraph.
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Raul led instruction in Las Vegas, with Roberto assisting; their mother and younger brother were also part of the family academy.
Where in the source: Announcement's instructor and family paragraphs.
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IBJJF, 2018 World Championship results.(opens in a new tab)
He won adult purple-belt heavyweight gold at the 2018 IBJJF Worlds for Alliance.
Where in the source: Male, adult, purple, heavyweight podium.
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He also won the 2018 adult purple-belt open division.
Where in the source: Male, adult, purple, open podium.
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IBJJF, 2019 World No-Gi results.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2019 No-Gi Worlds, he took adult brown-belt heavyweight silver behind Pedro Marinho.
Where in the source: Male, adult, brown, heavyweight podium.
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He won that tournament's adult brown-belt open division, ahead of Roosevelt Sousa.
Where in the source: Male, adult, brown, open podium.
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Danny O'Donnell, IBJJF, 2025-10-08.(opens in a new tab)
His black-belt promotion came in late 2019.
Where in the source: Opening athlete introduction.
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Chase Smith, FloGrappling, 2020-02-08.(opens in a new tab)
He beat Keenan Cornelius 6–4 in his first black-belt match at Who's Number One in February 2020.
Where in the source: Jimenez–Cornelius heavyweight match report.
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Wrestling and repeated berimbolo attacks produced sweeps in that debut victory.
Where in the source: Same match's technical account.
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ADCC, second South American Trials, 2022-02-12.(opens in a new tab)
Jimenez won the men's professional under-77-kilogram division at the second South American ADCC Trials in 2022.
Where in the source: Men's professional under-77 ordered podium and qualification summary.
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IBJJF, 2023 World No-Gi results.(opens in a new tab)
He won adult black-belt open-class gold at the 2023 No-Gi Worlds for Studio 76.
Where in the source: Male, adult, black, open podium.
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He also finished third in the adult black-belt heavyweight division.
Where in the source: Male, adult, black, heavyweight podium.
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Danny O'Donnell, IBJJF, 2023-12-13.(opens in a new tab)
All five of his 2023 No-Gi Worlds open-class wins came by submission.
Where in the source: Men's open-division recap.
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His route to the back combined stack passing, exposing the opponent's back and trapping an arm before choking.
Where in the source: Jimenez's winning strategy paragraph.
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Ruiz, Expreso, 2023-12-22.(opens in a new tab)
Looking back in 2023, he said wanting to travel helped motivate his teenage commitment to jiu-jitsu.
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After his world title, he emphasized discipline and learning rather than describing himself as naturally gifted.
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He described confidence in himself as a central competitive challenge.
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He recalled temporarily pausing his schooling at fifteen to train full time.
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Ben Coate, Grappling Insider, 2024-01-03.(opens in a new tab)
He said repeating five songs without headphones before matches helped him stay present and remember his supporters.
Where in the source: First interview quotation about pre-match focus.
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He drew inspiration from athletes and musicians and wanted his preparation and grappling to express his own contribution.
Where in the source: Interview passages on influences and contribution.
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IBJJF, 2025 Pan Championship results.(opens in a new tab)
He took adult black-belt heavyweight silver at the 2025 Pan Championship behind Adam Wardzinski.
Where in the source: Male, adult, black, heavyweight podium.
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He also took open-class silver at the 2025 Pan Championship behind Gutemberg Pereira.
Where in the source: Male, adult, black, open podium.
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IBJJF, athlete profile, accessed 2026-09-20.(opens in a new tab)
IBJJF currently lists Jimenez with Unity Jiu Jitsu.
Where in the source: Athlete header immediately below name.
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IBJJF lists his belt rank as black.
Where in the source: Athlete header belt label.
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