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Rodrigo Medeiros

Creator credit recorded on the linked source page: Greatmats · CC BY-SA 4.0

Rodrigo Medeiros

Rodrigo Comprido Medeiros is a Rio de Janeiro black belt who won the IBJJF World absolute title in 1999 and 2000.

Biography

Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros is a Brazilian black belt from Rio de Janeiro who trained under Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti and won two world absolute titles for Alliance. Most of what follows about his competitive record comes from the IBJJF's own results archive. At the first World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship in 1996 he won the blue belt middleweight division for Alliance, and was second in the blue belt open class. At the 1998 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he won the Medium Heavy division at brown belt for Alliance, and placed third in the brown belt open class at the same event. The following year he won the brown belt Super Heavy division at the 1999 Pan, ahead of Alexandre Dantas. The 1999 World Championship, the fourth edition of the event, was his first Worlds as a black belt. He beat Zé Mário Sperry, the reigning absolute champion, in the semifinal, and won the black belt open class for Alliance; Roberto Magalhães of Gracie Barra placed second, and Antônio Nogueira of De La Riva and José Mário of Carlson shared third. The final was held at the Tijuca Tênis Clube in Rio de Janeiro, where he finished Roberto "Roleta" Magalhães — the first black belt absolute final ever won by submission. Medeiros said he used a footlock; Graciemag calls the move "chave americana de pé" (a lock on the foot), while FloGrappling describes it as a toe hold. Graciemag counts three men who have done it: Comprido in 1999, Roger Gracie in 2007 and 2009, and Victor Hugo in 2023. He took that absolute title without a medal in any black belt weight class that year; the 1999 Super Heavy gold went to Leonardo Leite and the Ultra Heavy gold to Roberto Traven, both of Alliance. At the 2000 Worlds he won the black belt open class for a second consecutive year and placed third in the Heavy division. In 2001 he was second in the black belt Heavy division, behind fellow Alliance entrant Fábio Gurgel, and shared third in the open class. Those two open class golds are the whole of his black belt world title record: a year-by-year reading of the IBJJF results archive from 1996 through 2007 shows no black belt World gold for him in any weight class. A UFC.com feature in July 2015 likewise credited him with two absolute world titles in the black belt division. At the 2002 Pan he placed second in the black belt Super Heavy division for Alliance, behind Alexandre Dantas. At the 2003 Worlds he shared third place in the adult black belt Heavy division, with Master listed as his academy. Brasa was started in 2004 by four equal partners: the brothers Léo and Ricardo Vieira, Chico (Francisco Mendes) and Medeiros. Every decision required a unanimous vote of the four, and Léo Vieira left in 2008 to found CheckMat because of that structure. For Brasa he reached the adult black belt Super Heavy podium at the World Championship four years running: second in 2004, then third in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Roger Gracie won the division in all four years; Robert Drysdale, his own Brasa teammate, finished ahead of him in 2006 and 2007. At the 2007 Pan he won black belt Ultra Heavy for Brasa, his first adult black belt Pan gold in the IBJJF 1999–2007 results. He won Master 1 black belt Super Heavy at the 2009 Pan for Brasa, ahead of Leonardo Dalla. On July 10, 2015, Medeiros faced Roger Gracie in a gi superfight at the UFC Fan Expo in Las Vegas. Graciemag reported that Gracie submitted him with an arm lock. Before the match, UFC.com noted that Gracie had defeated Medeiros twice previously. Asked what difficulties Gracie presented, Medeiros laughed and said, "All of them, together." Of Gracie he added: "He is the best fighter I ever faced in my life." In a 2018 interview, academy student Jessica Buchman described Medeiros as running Comprido BJJ. As of October 8, 2026, the Brasa Comprido website listed locations in Bloomingdale and Highwood, Illinois. FloGrappling reported in June 2016 that Medeiros had coached Brock Lesnar in jiu-jitsu since 2008. On June 16, 2016, he promoted Lesnar to blue belt at Lesnar's private training facility in Minnesota; Marty Morgan and Cole Konrad received blue belts as well. In the same interview, Medeiros said that even advanced MMA students "must pass through the ranks".

Sources for this profile

  • IBJJF, results archive, 1998 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 1998 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship, Rodrigo Medeiros (Alliance) won the Adult / Brown / Male / Medium Heavy division, and took 3rd place in the Adult / Brown / Male / Open Class the same year.

      Where in the source: Adult / Brown / Male / Medium Heavy > place 1 row, athlete "RODRIGO MEDEIROS", academy "ALLIANCE"; Adult / Brown / Male / Open Class > place 3 row, same name and academy

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, results archive, 1999 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 1999 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he won the Adult / Black / Male / Open Class (absolute) division representing Alliance; Roberto Magalhães (Gracie Barra) placed 2nd, with Antônio Nogueira (De La Riva) and José Mário (Carlson) sharing 3rd.

      Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Open Class > place 1 "Rodrigo Madeiros" / Alliance; place 2 "Roberto Magalhães" / Gracie Barra

      Accessed:

    • He won the 1999 absolute title without medalling in any black-belt weight class that year - his name appears in no other Adult / Black / Male podium at the 1999 Worlds.

      Where in the source: All ten Adult / Black / Male division tables (Rooster through Ultra Heavy plus Open Class); the 1999 Super Heavy gold went to Leonardo Leite (Alliance) and Ultra Heavy to Roberto Traven (Alliance)

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, results archive, 2000 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2000 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he won the Adult / Black / Male / Open Class division for a second consecutive year, and placed 3rd in Adult / Black / Male / Heavy (Alliance).

      Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Open Class > place 1 "Rodrigo Madeiros" / Alliance (place 2 "Fernando Pontes" / Godoi/Macaco); Adult / Black / Male / Heavy > place 3 "Rodrigo Medeiros" / Alliance

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, results archive, 2001 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2001 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he placed 2nd in Adult / Black / Male / Heavy for Alliance, behind fellow Alliance entrant Fábio Gurgel, and shared 3rd in Adult / Black / Male / Open Class.

      Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Heavy, complete 1/2/3/3 block: 1 Fábio Gurgel / Alliance; 2 Rodrigo Medeiros / Alliance; 3 Fábio Leopoldo / Gracie Barra; 3 Jefferson Moura / Gracie Barra. Adult / Black / Male / Open Class: 3 Rodrigo Medeiros / Alliance.

      Accessed:

    • His black-belt world titles number exactly two, both in the open weight (absolute) division, in 1999 and 2000; the IBJJF archive shows no black-belt World gold for him in any weight class in any year from 1996 through 2007. It does show five further adult black-belt World podiums after 2001 - see the 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 claims in this dossier. Four of the five are Super Heavy for Brasa; the fifth, in 2003, is Heavy under the academy name Master.

      Where in the source: Year-by-year cross-check of every Adult / Black / Male podium table on the IBJJF World Championship results pages for 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag (Graciemag Newsroom), "Relembre a façanha inédita de Rodrigo Comprido no Mundial 1999", 2023-07-06(opens in a new tab)

    • The 1999 Worlds - the fourth edition of the championship - was his first World Championship as a black belt, and he beat Zé Mário Sperry, the reigning absolute champion, in the semifinal on his way to the title.

      Where in the source: Article body > "alcançou um feito inédito em seu primeiro Mundial na faixa-preta" and "Rodrigo Comprido, que derrotara o astro Zé Mario Sperry, atual campeão do aberto, na semifinal, mediu forças com Roberto 'Roleta' Magalhães na disputa pelo ouro"

      Accessed:

    • He is a carioca (native of Rio de Janeiro) and was formed as a fighter by Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti, representing Alliance at the time of his world titles.

      Where in the source: Article body > "O carioca Rodrigo 'Comprido' Medeiros marcou época no Jiu-Jitsu pela técnica refinada e pela personalidade cativante. Então representante da Alliance, o lutador formado por Romero 'Jacaré' Cavalcanti..."

      Accessed:

    • Only three men have ever won an IBJJF World black-belt absolute final by submission: Comprido (1999), Roger Gracie (2007 and 2009) and Victor Hugo (2023).

      Where in the source: Article body > "Além de Comprido, Roger Gracie (2007 e 2009) e Victor Hugo (2023) foram os únicos a vencer por finalização na final do aberto."

      Accessed:

    • In its account of the 1999 black-belt absolute final, Graciemag says Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros finished Roberto “Roleta” Magalhães in roughly 20 seconds with a move it calls “chave americana de pé”.

      Where in the source: Relembre a façanha inédita de Rodrigo Comprido no Mundial 1999 > “em coisa de 20 segundos” and “chave americana de pé”

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, results archive, 1999 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 1999 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he won the Adult / Brown / Male / Super Heavy division for Alliance, ahead of Alexandre Dantas.

      Where in the source: Adult / Brown / Male / Super Heavy > place 1 "Rodrigo Medeiros" / Alliance, place 2 "Alexandre Dantas" / Dojo

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, results archive, 2002 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2002 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he placed 2nd in Adult / Black / Male / Super Heavy for Alliance, behind Alexandre Dantas.

      Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Super Heavy > place 1 "Alexandre Dantas", place 2 "Rodrigo Medeiros" / Alliance

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, results archive, 2007 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2007 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he won Adult / Black / Male / Ultra Heavy for Brasa, the first adult black-belt Pan gold identified for him in the checked 1999–2007 IBJJF Pan result pages.

      Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Ultra Heavy, complete 1/2/3/3 block: 1 Rodrigo Medeiros / Brasa; 2 Bruno Rodrigues / Gracie Florianopolis; 3 James Foster / No Limit/Lotus Club; 3 Rodrigo Cavaca / Brasa. Prior Pan results are listed in host_enumeration, ibjjf.com.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, results archive, 2009 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2009 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he won Master 1 / Black / Male / Super Heavy for Brasa, ahead of Leonardo Dalla.

      Where in the source: Master 1 / Black / Male / Super Heavy > place 1 "RODRIGO MEDEIROS" / Brasa, place 2 "LEONARDO DALLA" / Leo Dalla

      Accessed:

  • BJJ Legends Magazine, "From Brasa to CheckMat with Leo Vieira", September 2008 (interview with co-founder Léo Vieira)(opens in a new tab)

    • Brasa was started in 2004 by four equal partners: brothers Léo and Ricardo Vieira, Chico (Francisco Mendes) and Comprido (Rodrigo Medeiros); every decision required a unanimous vote of the four, and Léo Vieira left in 2008 to found CheckMat because of that structure.

      Where in the source: Article body > "Brasa was started in 2004 by the brothers Leo and Ricardo Vieira, Chico (Francisco Mendes) and Comprido, (Rodrigo Medeiros.) The four were equal part members." and "in order to do or change anything all four members would have to vote and a unanimous vote was required"

      Accessed:

  • UFC.com, "Comprido and Company Bring BJJ to IFW" (previewing the UFC Fan Expo BJJ superfights, Las Vegas, July 2015)(opens in a new tab)

    • As of a July 2015 UFC.com feature he was 38 years old, described as a Rio de Janeiro native, and credited with "two Absolute world titles in the black belt division".

      Where in the source: Article body, opening paragraph > "the former UFC heavyweight champion had the Rio de Janeiro native with him" and "the 38-year-old is spoken of in reverent tones, a level of respect given to a man who won two Absolute world titles in the black belt division"

      Accessed:

    • Before a scheduled July 2015 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu superfight with Roger Gracie at the UFC Fan Expo, UFC.com reported that Gracie had defeated Medeiros twice previously; Medeiros called Gracie “the best fighter I ever faced in my life.”

      Where in the source: Article body, pre-event tense: “he will be facing ... Roger Gracie” and “Gracie, who defeated him twice previously”; Medeiros quote: “He is the best fighter I ever faced in my life.”

      Accessed:

  • FloGrappling, Hywel Teague, “Rodrigo ‘Comprido’ Medeiros Promotes Brock Lesnar To Blue Belt In Jiu-Jitsu,” 17 June 2016(opens in a new tab)

    • FloGrappling reported on 17 June 2016 that Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros had coached Brock Lesnar in jiu-jitsu since 2008, and quoted Medeiros saying he had worked with Lesnar for eight years. Medeiros promoted Lesnar to blue belt on 16 June 2016 at Lesnar’s private Minnesota training facility; Marty Morgan and Cole Konrad were promoted as well.

      Where in the source: Rodrigo 'Comprido' Medeiros Promotes Brock Lesnar To Blue Belt In Jiu-Jitsu > “has been Brock Lesnar's jiu-jitsu coach since 2008”; “I’ve been working with Brock now for eight years”; “Also promoted were Lesnar's coach Marty Morgan ... and Lesnar's training partner Cole Konrad.”

      Accessed:

    • In the June 2016 FloGrappling interview, Medeiros said advanced MMA students still had to pass through the jiu-jitsu belt ranks, and criticized coaches who skipped those ranks for MMA fighters.

      Where in the source: Rodrigo 'Comprido' Medeiros Promotes Brock Lesnar To Blue Belt In Jiu-Jitsu > “Even when my students have a level much higher, winning important things, they must pass through the ranks.”

      Accessed:

    • Conflicting accounts

      FloGrappling describes the same 1999 absolute final as won with a toehold in 17 seconds, and says it set the record for the fastest submission in a black belt absolute final.

      Where in the source: Final paragraph > "By winning the black belt absolute final via a toehold in only 17 seconds, he became the first ever black belt competitor to win an absolute final by submission, and also set the record for fastest submission in a black belt absolute final (a record that still stands until today)."

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, results archive, 2004 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2004 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he placed 2nd in Adult / Black / Male / Super Heavy for Brasa; Roger Gracie (Gracie Barra) placed 1st, and Roberto Tozi (BTT) and Arthur Cezar (UGF) shared 3rd.

      Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Super Heavy, complete 1/2/3/3 block: 1 Roger Gracie / Gracie Barra; 2 Rodrigo Medeiros / Brasa; 3 Roberto Tozi / BTT; 3 Arthur Cezar / UGF.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, results archive, 2005 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2005 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he placed 3rd in Adult / Black / Male / Super Heavy for Brasa; Roger Gracie (Gracie Barra) won, Alexandre Ribeiro (Gracie Humaitá) was 2nd, and Fernando Pontes (Brazilian Top Team) shared 3rd.

      Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Super Heavy > place 1 "Roger Gracie" / Gracie Barra, place 2 "Alexandre Ribeiro" / Gracie Humaita, place 3 "Fernando Pontes" / Brazilian Top Team and "Rodrigo Medeiros" / Brasa

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, results archive, 2006 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2006 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he placed 3rd in Adult / Black / Male / Super Heavy for Brasa; Roger Gracie (Gracie Barra) won, his Brasa team-mate Robert Drysdale was 2nd, and Roberto Tozi (Brazilian Top Team) shared 3rd.

      Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Super Heavy > place 1 "Roger Gracie" / Gracie Barra, place 2 "Robert Drysdale" / Brasa, place 3 "Rodrigo Medeiros" / Brasa and "Roberto Tozi" / Brazilian Top Team

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, results archive, 2007 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2007 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he placed 3rd in Adult / Black / Male / Super Heavy for Brasa; Roger Gracie (Gracie Barra) won, Robert Drysdale (Brasa) was 2nd, and Antonio Neto (Gordo JJ) shared 3rd.

      Where in the source: Adult / Black / Male / Super Heavy > place 1 "Roger Gracie" / Gracie Barra, place 2 "Robert Drysdale" / Brasa, place 3 "Rodrigo Medeiros" / Brasa and "Antonio Neto" / Gordo JJ

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF official results archive, 1996 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF published results for the first World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship, in 1996, list Rodrigo Medeiros of Alliance first in Adult / Blue / Male / Middle and second in Adult / Blue / Male / Open Class. This is the same name-and-academy pairing the corpus already uses to identify him at brown belt in 1998 and at black belt from 1999.

      Where in the source: ADULT / BLUE / MALE / MIDDLE > "1 Rodrigo Medeiros Alliance"; ADULT / BLUE / MALE / OPEN CLASS > "2 Rodrigo Medeiros Alliance" (both division blocks were read whole; the other placings are on the page)

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF official results archive, 2003 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2003 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship he shared third place in the adult black belt Heavy division, competing under the academy name Master; Jefferson Moura won the division and Roger Coelho was second.

      Where in the source: ADULT / BLACK / MALE / HEAVY > 1 Jefferson Moura / Gracie Barra; 2 Roger Coelho / Macaco Gold Team; 3 Rodrigo Medeiros / Master; 3 Hugo Carione / Gracie Florianopolis

      Accessed:

  • Marcelo Alonso, Sherdog, “Lesnar’s Jiu-Jitsu Trainer on His Ground Skills,” 17 December 2008(opens in a new tab)

    • Asked about the 1999 World Championship, Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros himself said he submitted Roberto “Roleta” Magalhães in the absolute final using a footlock.

      Where in the source: Lesnar’s Jiu-Jitsu Trainer on His Ground Skills > Sherdog.com asks about the 1999 final; Medeiros: “In the final I submitted Roleta using a footlock”

      Accessed:

  • Brasa Comprido Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, official website, viewed 8 October 2026(opens in a new tab)

    • On 8 October 2026, Brasa Comprido Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s own site listed academies at 201 E Army Trail Rd, Unit 101, Bloomingdale, Illinois, and 432 Green Bay Rd, Highwood, Illinois.

      Where in the source: WHICH LOCATION ARE YOU INTERESTED IN? > BRASA COMPRIDO BJJ BLOOMINGDALE and BRASA COMPRIDO BJJ HIGHWOOD; CONNECT WITH US > the Bloomingdale and Highwood street addresses

      Accessed:

  • Voyage Chicago, interview with Jessica Buchman, 29 May 2018(opens in a new tab)

    • In a May 2018 interview, academy student Jessica Buchman identified Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros as the person running Comprido BJJ.

      Where in the source: Tell us about Comprido BJJ > academy run by Rodrigo

      Accessed:

  • Rollbook, Brasa Comprido BJJ gym listing, undated; viewed 8 October 2026(opens in a new tab)

    • An undated Rollbook directory listing describes Brasa Comprido BJJ as led by Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros, calls him its head instructor, and mentions Bloomingdale and Highwood.

      Where in the source: About Brasa Comprido BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) > “led by Rodrigo”; Instructors > Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros > Head Instructor

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, “Veja a finalização de Roger Gracie em seu retorno ao Jiu-Jitsu após 5 anos,” 10 July 2015(opens in a new tab)

    • A contemporaneous Graciemag report dated 10 July 2015 says Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros faced Roger Gracie in a gi superfight that day during the UFC Fan Expo in Las Vegas, and that Gracie submitted him with an arm lock.

      Where in the source: 10/07/2015 article, headline “Veja a finalização de Roger Gracie contra Rodrigo Comprido...” and body paragraphs beginning “O retorno do decacampeão mundial foi nesta sexta-feira, 10 de julho” and “O Gracie usou a chave de braço para encerrar o combate”.

      Accessed:

Competition results

Recorded tournament results, newest first
YearEventResultDivision
2000ADCC 2000Source: adcombat.comAbsoluteNo-giVerified4th placeAbsoluteNo-giVerified
2000IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.orgAbsoluteGiVerified1st placeAbsoluteGiVerified
1999IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.orgAbsoluteGiVerified1st placeAbsoluteGiVerified

Lineage

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Trained under

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