Theodoro Gabriel Canal Almeida
Theodoro Canal won the first European No-Gi lightweight title and teaches a half-guard game developed across competition and academy life.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Fanatics BR, "Confira Os Resultados E Destaques Do Oitavo Dia Do Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu Jitsu CBJJ 2019", official placings for the 2019 Brazilian Nationals, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
The official placings for the 2019 Brazilian National Championship record him under his full name, Theodoro Gabriel Canal Almeida, competing for GF Team.
Where in the source: Results list, "1 - Theodoro Gabriel Canal Almeida - GF Team"
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He won the Master 2 black belt lightweight division at the 2019 Brazilian National Championship, ahead of Bruno Henrique Meireles Rocha of Gracie Barra.
Where in the source: Division heading "Master 2 / Masculino / Preta / Leve", then "1 - Theodoro Gabriel Canal Almeida - GF Team 2 - Bruno Henrique Meireles Rocha - Gracie Barra"
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BJJ Fanatics BR, "Saiba Tudo Sobre A Fera Do Jiu Jitsu Theodoro Canal", exclusive interview with Theodoro Canal; the text dates itself to 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
In the same breath he says he thinks Alliance does excellent work, combining the commercial side without losing the essence of the sport.
Where in the source: Answer on the United States, "Acho que a Aliance desenvolve um excelente trabalho associando o comercial sem perder a essência do esporte"
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He began jiu-jitsu at seven, he says, because his mother wanted him and his brother to have more discipline at home: the two of them fought each other every day.
Where in the source: First answer, "Iniciei no Jiu Jitsu aos 7 anos de idade, pois minha mãe queria que eu e meu irmão tivéssemos mais disciplina em casa", and "nós brigávamos um com o outro, todos os dias"
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He started out at the Maeda academy in Rio de Janeiro, then moved to Espírito Santo and trained under professor Agnaldo Goes.
Where in the source: First answer, "Comecei treinando na academia Maeda, no Rio de Janeiro, depois me mudei para o Espírito Santo e fui treinar com o professor Agnaldo Goes"
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He competed in his first World Championship as a blue belt while with Agnaldo Goes, and after the family moved back to Rio de Janeiro he trained at a Carlson Gracie-Casquinha affiliate under professors Nigue and Vinicius Amaral.
Where in the source: First answer, "competindo então meu primeiro Campeonato Mundial na Faixa Azul por ele", and "treinávamos em uma filial da Carlson Gracie-Casquinha, com os professores Nigue e Vinicius Amaral"
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In 2000, still a blue belt, he and his brother began training at the old Gama Filho university team under master Júlio César Pereira, and he has stayed with him since, representing GFTeam.
Where in the source: First answer, "Em 2000, ainda faixa azul, começamos a treinar na antiga UGF com o mestre Júlio César Pereira, com quem continuamos até hoje, representando a equipe GFTeam"
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From their first month on the mat the brothers entered every championship they could, and travelled alone from childhood to do it; to them, training without competing made no sense.
Where in the source: Second answer, "Desde o primeiro mês de treinos, eu e meu irmão, competíamos todos os campeonatos que pudéssemos", and "Viajamos desde crianças sozinhos atrás de nossos sonhos"
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They knocked on the door of every business they could asking for sponsorship, at a time when few people knew the sport.
Where in the source: Second answer, "Batíamos em todos os comércios pedindo patrocínios, em uma época que poucas pessoas conheciam o esporte"
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He said he wanted to earn his living through jiu-jitsu but continued studying alongside training because his future was uncertain. He decided to remain in Brazil, teaching and creating opportunities for his students that he felt he had lacked.
Where in the source: Third part of the first answer, "fomos estudando e treinando paralelamente pois não saberíamos como seria o futuro", and "desisti de morar fora do país e decidi dar continuidade ao nosso legado aqui"
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He said he loved California, but had decided that any future move abroad would be to run his own academy on his own terms.
Where in the source: Fourth answer, "Sempre amei a Califórnia", and "prometi para mim que se fosse para morar fora teria que ser o dono da minha academia e fazer do meu jeito"
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He describes a routine of two jiu-jitsu sessions plus a strength session a day, cut back while he was finishing medicine to training with his own students in the evening and strength work three times a week.
Where in the source: Answer on routine, "Sempre fiz dois treinos de Jiu Jitsu, mais um treino físico", and "treino apenas com meus alunos a noite, e faço um treino físico 3 vezes na semana"
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He was in his graduation year in medicine and preparing for medical residency exams, and said he would compete less that year while still entering the Rio Fall, the Brasileiro, the Grand Slam in Brazil and the Brazilian team championship.
Where in the source: Answer on expectations, "Como esse ano é meu ano de formatura, eu pretendo competir um pouco menos por que tenho que me dedicar mais nos estudos, principalmente para as provas de residência médica"
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Asked about his titles, he says he reached the podium at every one of the main world events as a black belt, but that the one he never got to enjoy was the IBJJF World title at adult black belt, where he had to settle for third.
Where in the source: Answer on titles, "Consegui ser pódio em todos os principais eventos do Mundo na Faixa Preta", and "o do título Mundial na Faixa Preta da IBJJF, na categoria adulto, me contentando com o terceiro lugar"
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Canal described standing for twelve hours refereeing and eating pizza before putting on his gi tired to compete against leading adult black belts, including Rubens Cobrinha, Rafael Mendes, Mario Reis, Lucas Lepri and Leandro Lo.
Where in the source: Answer on titles, "Quem na Faixa Preta adulto ficava em pé 12 horas arbitrando e comendo pizza, para depois vestir o Kimono cansado e competir contra tantos nomes do esporte", and "Rubens Cobrinha, Rafael Mendes, Mário Reis, Lucas Lepri, Leandro Lo"
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He adds that only he, Tanquinho and Formiga know what that was like, and says he never felt it put him at a disadvantage.
Where in the source: Answer on titles, "Só eu, Tanquinho e Formiga sabemos a guerra que era", and "Para mim sempre foi de igual para igual"
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He says refereeing was an immense education in itself: he could see everything from close up and then repeat it at the academy, learning something new from white belt to black belt.
Where in the source: Answer on titles, "ficar em pé arbitrando para mim era um imenso aprendizado", and "Conseguia ver tudo bem de perto e depois conseguia repetir na academia"
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In the same interview he stressed that a commercial approach to jiu-jitsu should preserve close contact between instructors and students.
Where in the source: Answer on the United States, paragraph discussing students becoming customers and the value of direct teacher–student contact
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He names Patrick Gaudio and Ary Farias as the athletes who inspire him, for what they give up and for helping others, and singles out Jaime Canuto as the man who keeps him up to date and beats him up in training.
Where in the source: Answer on expectations, "Me inspiro muito no Patrick Gaudio e no Ary Farias", and "me manter atualizado, e me bater muito nos treinos, que é o Jaime canuto"
Accessed:
BJJ Fanatics BR, "Tudo Sobre A Meia Guarda (Por Baixo E Por Cima) Com Theodoro Canal", instructional product page, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
He is a black belt under Julio Cesar Pereira and, as of this page, holds the fourth degree.
Where in the source: Instructor paragraph, "Theodoro Canal é Faixa Preta 4º Grau de Julio Cesar Pereira"
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The same page gives his rank as fourth-degree black belt and names him as the leader and instructor of GF Team Recreio.
Where in the source: Instructor paragraph, "Faixa Preta 4º Grau de Julio Cesar Pereira, líder e professor da GF Team Recreio"
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His own instructional page credits him with seven Brazilian team titles in the adult division and with podium finishes at the 2008 IBJJF Worlds and at the Brazilian Nationals in 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2016.
Where in the source: Biography paragraph, "conquistando nada menos do que 7 títulos Brasileiros por equipes na divisão adulta", and "esteve no Podio do Campeonato Mundial IBJJF em 2008 e do Campeonato Brasileiro em 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010 e 2016"
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The same page places him in the old Gama Filho team and later GF Team alongside Rodolfo Vieira, Patrick Gaudio, Denilson Pimenta, Victor Silvério, Jaime Canuto and Max Gimenis, and says he is still competing and winning in the master divisions.
Where in the source: Biography paragraph, "Theodoro vivenciou os grandes momentos da equipe de Rodolfo Vieira, Patrick Gaudio, Denilson Pimenta, Victor Silvério, Jaime Canuto, Max Gimenis", and "continua competindo e vencendo agora na divisão dos Masters"
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It adds that in the master divisions he has won the European, the Pan American and the Brazilian, in his weight class and in the open weight, despite being a lightweight.
Where in the source: Biography paragraph, "Lutando no Master, Theorodo já conquistou o Europeu, Pan Americano e Brasileiro, tanto na sua categoria de peso e como também no absoluto, mesmo sendo um peso leve"
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His half guard instructional runs to three volumes, covering back grips, sweeps and submissions from traditional, Z and deep half guard, inverted half guard and defences, and finally his own half guard passes.
Where in the source: Course description, "Theodoro dividiu os conceitos de meia guarda em 3 volumes onde explica detalhadamente seus conhecimentos técnicos", and "Na ultima parte Theodoro nos mostra suas principais passagens de meia guarda"
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GFTEAM Oficial, "Rio de Janeiro", official list of affiliated academies, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
GFTeam's own list of affiliated academies in Rio de Janeiro names him as the professor of GFTeam Recreio.
Where in the source: Rio de Janeiro affiliate list, "038 NOVA RIO SPORT - GFTEAM RECREIO Prof. Theodoro Canal"
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Graciemag, "Honre os veteranos: 10 guerreiros acima de 30 que devem brilhar no Mundial", 22 May 2013, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Listing ten competitors over thirty entered for the 2013 World Championship, Graciemag gave his age as 32, called him a featherweight who had built a reputation as an awkward opponent, named him a bronze medallist at the 2008 Worlds, and noted strong performances at the Pan, the Brazilian Nationals and the Brazilian ADCC trials.
Where in the source: Entry 6, "Aos 32 anos, Canal é outro peso-pena que construiu uma boa reputação como um adversário complicado", and "Medalha de bronze no mundial de 2008"
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GFTeam London, "BJJ Seminar & Training camp GFTEAM London by Master Julio Cesar & Theodoro Canal", 6 September 2012, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
The London GFTeam affiliate that hosted him in 2012 published a list of his main titles, among them a bronze medal at the 2008 IBJJF Worlds and four Brazilian team championships in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Where in the source: Under "Theodoro's main titles", "World Bronze Medallist (2008 IBJJF)", and "4x Brazilian Teams Champion (2011, 2010, 2009, 2008)"
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The same list credits him with three Pan American titles in 2011 and 2012 at master level, in weight and open weight, two CBJJO World Cup titles in 2010 and 2011, and the International Masters & Seniors title in 2011.
Where in the source: Under "Theodoro's main titles", "3x Pan American Champion (2012, 2011 weight & open weight – Master)", "World Cup Champion (2010, 2011 CBJJO)", and "Internacional Masters & Seniors Champion (2011)"
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The list also records the losses: three Brazilian National silvers, in 2009 and as a brown belt in 2002 and a purple belt in 2001, three Brazilian National bronzes in 2005, 2008 and 2010, and two Rio Open silvers in 2008 and 2010.
Where in the source: Under "Theodoro's main titles", "3x Brazilian National Silver Medallist (2009, 2002 brown, 2001 purple)", "3x Brazilian National Bronze Medallist (2010, 2008, 2005)", and "2x Rio Open Silver Medallist (2010, 2008)"
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The dates were fixed for 14 October 2012 for the seminar and the following week for the camp, with sessions on five evenings and two mornings.
Where in the source: Body, "On the 14th of October 2012 Master Julio Cesar & Theodoro Canal will be in London to host and teach a seminar and 1 week training boot camp"
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Graciemag, "Canal e Braga Neto vencem Copa Yudan", 1 December 2009, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
At the Copa Yudan Alfabarra in Barra da Tijuca on 28 and 29 November 2009 he won the light open class, with his GFTeam team-mate Wallace "Lili" Castro second, after beating Gabriel Willcox and then Marcelo Santos of InFight in what Graciemag called the best contest of the event.
Where in the source: Opening, "dias 28 e 29 de novembro, na Barra da Tijuca, no Rio de Janeiro, a Copa Yudan Alfabarra de Jiu-Jitsu", and "Depois de bater Gabriel Willcox num combate parelho, Theodoro fez contra Marcelo Santos (InFight) a melhor disputa do evento"
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Graciemag, "Rio Open: Rodolfo vence Nogueira... no peso", 25 July 2010, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag's list of the 2010 Rio Open finals, decided at the Tijuca Tênis Clube, put him in the featherweight final against Mário Reis of Gracie Barra.
Where in the source: Finals list, "Pena: Mário Reis (Gracie Barra) x Theodoro Canal (GFTeam)"
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Graciemag, "Tanquinho e Canal confirmados no US Open", 25 August 2010, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
He finished runner-up at that Rio Open, losing the gold to Mário Reis, and was among the names confirmed for the 2010 US Open in California, held from 15 to 17 October.
Where in the source: Body, "Vice no Rio, perdendo o ouro para Mário Reis, o pena Theodoro Canal é outro confirmado", and "O US Open 15 é nos dias 15 a 17 de outubro"
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Graciemag, "Alliance vence no pesado; estrangeiro decide e GFTeam bate Atos", 25 September 2010, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2010 Brazilian Team Championship GFTeam took the brown and black belt lightweight title for the third year running, beating Atos 3-2; he opened the final against Bruno Frazatto of Atos, and after both men swept and the score finished level the referees raised his hand.
Where in the source: Body, "Mas deu GFTeam, tricampeã dos leves", "os faixas-pretas Theodoro Canal e Bruninho Frazatto duelaram para ver quem abriria o placar para sua equipe", and "Foi para a decisão dos árbitros: a mão erguida foi a de Theodoro!"
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Graciemag, "Antes do US Open, Canal da seminario em Santa Cruz", 5 October 2010, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag described him as a featherweight and one of the first black belts to enter the 2010 US Open, noting that he lives in Rio and used the trip to Santa Cruz to schedule a seminar at Claudio França's academy on 9 October from 1pm to 3pm.
Where in the source: Body, "O peso pena Theodoro Canal foi um dos primeiros faixas-pretas a confirmar seu nome no US Open", "Theodoro, que mora no Rio", and "Será no próximo dia 9 de outubro, de 13h a 15h"
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Graciemag, "Confira os resultados da seletiva carioca para o World Pro", 22 January 2011, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
At the Rio de Janeiro trials for the World Pro in January 2011, held at the Miécimo da Silva sports centre in Campo Grande, he won the up-to-65kg division, beating Bruno Malfacine of Alliance on a referee decision after a 0-0 draw.
Where in the source: Body, "No peso até 65kg, foi bem Theodoro Canal", and "o representante da GFTeam bateu Bruno Malfacine (Alliance) na decisão dos árbitros depois do empate em 0 a 0"
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Graciemag, "Canal, Miyao e Cotonete se dao bem na Copa Novo Leblon", 14 December 2011, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
He won the light open class at the Copa Novo Leblon in Barra da Tijuca on 10 and 11 December 2011, taking the thousand-real prize.
Where in the source: Body, "dias 10 e 11 de dezembro, na Barra da Tijuca, no Rio", and "o prêmio de mil reais foi para Theodoro Canal (GFTeam), que venceu o absoluto leve"
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Graciemag, "Campeoes definidos na seletiva do Rio", 22 January 2012, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2012 Rio trials for the World Pro he and Vinicius Marinho closed out the 74kg division for GFTeam, with Marinho taking the gold, and in the open class final, worth 400 dollars, Augusto Ferrari submitted him with a choke.
Where in the source: Body, "Na categoria 74kg, fecharam pela GFTeam Vinicius Marinho, que ficou com o ouro, e Theodoro Canal", and "Augusto Ferrari finalizou Theodoro Canal com um estrangulamento"
Accessed:
BJJ Eastern Europe, "London Open: Mathias Ribeiro wins absolute; Langhi takes gold at middleweight", 22 October 2012, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
At the IBJJF London International Open on Saturday 20 October 2012, held at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, the adult black belt lightweight division finished with Gabriel Rainho Fontes first and him second, both of GF Team.
Where in the source: Body, "The Crystal Palace National Sports Centre was the venue for IBJJF-sanctioned event in the English capital this Saturday", and "Light FIRST Gabriel Rainho Fontes – GF Team SECOND Theodoro Gabriel Canal Almeida – GF Team"
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GFTeam London, "7 GOLDS at the London Open 2012!!", 26 October 2012, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
The London academy reported the same division as a closeout, saying Gabriel Rainho and Theodoro Canal closed out their category to win double golds, among seven golds GFTeam took at the championship.
Where in the source: Body, "Gfteam did fantastically at the IBJJF International London Open 2012 Championships", and "Gabriel Rainho and Theodoro Canal closed out their category to win double golds"
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Graciemag, "Bernardo Faria e o primeiro campeao absoluto do Europeu Sem Kimono", 22 October 2012, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
The following day the IBJJF launched the first European No-Gi Championship in London, and Graciemag reported that the lightweight division was taken by Theodoro Canal of GFTeam.
Where in the source: Body, "no domingo a IBJJF lançou o primeiro Campeonato Europeu de Jiu-Jitsu Sem Kimono", and "O peso leve foi dominado por Theodoro Canal, da GFTeam"
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BJJ Eastern Europe, "IBJJF European No-Gi Results and Review, Bernardo Faria Rules", 22 October 2012, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
The official placings for that inaugural European No-Gi Championship record him as the adult black belt lightweight champion, ahead of Andrew Paul Roberts and Maciej Polok.
Where in the source: Results, "Light FIRST Theodoro Gabriel Canal Almeida – GF Team SECOND Andrew Paul Roberts – Andy Roberts BJJ THIRD Maciej Polok – Gracie Barra"
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Graciemag, "Watch Theodoro Canal and Ricardo Evangelista's Wins in Ceara, Brazil", 4 February 2013, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
At the second Open Ceará in Fortaleza in early February 2013, among more than six hundred entrants, he took gold in the black belt lightweight open class and silver in the heavyweight open class, beating Carlos Faria for the gold.
Where in the source: Body, "The Open Ceará 2 tournament took place last weekend in the Northeast Brazilian city of Fortaleza", "the featherweight took gold in the lightweight absolute and silver in the heavyweight absolute", and "Canal beat Carlos Faria to win gold"
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Graciemag, "Masters & Seniors: veja os mestres que brilharam no Pan 2013", 24 March 2013, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2013 Pan in Irvine, California, Marcos Torregrosa of Yemaso BJJ won the master lightweight division by beating him in the final.
Where in the source: Body, "Marcos Torregrosa (Yemaso BJJ), ouro no leve após vencer Theodoro Canal"
Accessed:
Graciemag, "A tatica e a raspagem de Theodoro Canal para o WPJJC de Abu Dhabi", 3 April 2013, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Ten days before the 2013 World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Abu Dhabi, on 13 and 14 April, Graciemag named him among the instructors travelling to compete, a GFTeam featherweight in the up-to-65kg division carrying a leg injury but confident.
Where in the source: Body, "Um dos professores que vão competir no torneio apoiado pelo xeque Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan nos dias 13 e 14 de abril é Theodoro Canal, peso-pena da GFTeam", and "O faixa-preta da GFTeam teve um machucado na perna, mas está confiante"
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He described his plan for that tournament in his own words: he had worked hard on his takedowns to vary his way of putting men down, reckoning that with the rounds cut to six minutes whoever went ahead first would hold a big advantage, and he had been training his weaknesses by deliberately putting himself in bad positions.
Where in the source: Quotes, "Treinei muito minha parte de quedas, para variar bem meu jogo de derrubar", and "Tenho treinado também minhas deficiências, me colocando em posições desfavoráveis"
Accessed:
Graciemag, "Jiu-Jitsu: GFTeam e bicampea do Brasileiro de Equipes", 22 September 2013, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
GFTeam won the 2013 Brazilian Team Championship on overall points, with Rodolfo Vieira sitting the event out to focus on the ADCC, and in the brown and black belt lightweight division the team fielded him alongside Vinicius Marinho and Bruno David.
Where in the source: Body, "Sem competir por estar focado no ADCC, Rodolfo Vieira viu sua equipe GFTeam vencer no placar geral", and "Na faixa-marrom/preta leve, a GFTeam dominou com Theodoro Canal, Vinicius Marinho e Bruno David"
Accessed:
Graciemag, "Theodoro Canal comenta bicampeonato da GFTeam no Brasileiro de Equipes", 26 September 2013, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Speaking to Graciemag afterwards he put the win down to the team being close-knit: GFTeam had won almost every division with a success rate of around ninety per cent, he said, and the difference was their unity, everyone helping each other in training, plus the noise of the crowd.
Where in the source: Quotes, "tivemos um aproveitamento de cerca de 90%. O diferencial é nossa união, que nos deixa mais forte", and "na divisão dos leves na faixa-marrom e preta, a equipe carioca foi pentacampeã"
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To secure the title he had to beat Alexandre "Mestrinho" Souza of Ryan Gracie in the third bout of the best-of-five final; he said he had beaten Souza before and rated him highly, that he was comfortable to about six minutes and then tired, and that he swept and passed the guard to win, always getting ahead first and keeping his base to stop the sweep.
Where in the source: Body, "na terceira luta da melhor de cinco das finais, conforme o formato do torneio", and quote, "Raspei e passei a guarda para vencer. O detalhe foi sempre sair na frente"
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At the end of the same event he gave his student Luciano Queiroz a brown belt, after the young man had gone well at purple belt lightweight, and he was preparing to compete at the Masters & Seniors Worlds in California on 5 and 6 October at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach.
Where in the source: Body, "Canal deu a seu pupilo Luciano Queiroz a faixa-marrom, após o garoto brilhar na faixa-roxa peso leve", and "se prepara para disputar o Mundial de Masters e Seniors, na Califórnia, nos dias 5 e 6 de outubro, na Pirâmide Walter em Long Beach"
Accessed:
Graciemag, "GMI: como anda sua alavanca? Aprimore a raspagem de gancho no Jiu-Jitsu", 8 January 2024, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
In a 2024 written explanation of Canal’s seated hook sweep, Graciemag describes him trapping the opponent’s arm to remove a supporting base, shifting his hips to the right and sweeping.
Where in the source: Body, "nos ensinou uma raspagem de guarda sentada usando o gancho", and "Ao deixar o adversário ganhar a esgrima, Theo laça o braço do oponente, que fica sem base"
Accessed:
BJJ Eastern Europe, "World Masters & Seniors Results: Saulo Ribeiro Dominates Senior 1 With Double Gold", 7 October 2013, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
At that World Masters & Seniors in October 2013 he finished second in the black belt master lightweight division, behind Marcos Alejandro Pagliere-Torregrosa of Yemaso.
Where in the source: Results, "BLACK / Master / Male / Light First – Marcos Alejandro Pagliere – Torregrosa – Yemaso Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Second – Theodoro Gabriel Canal Almeida – GF Team"
Accessed:
Graciemag, "A vitoria de Theodoro Canal que levantou o povo no Brasileiro de Equipes 2015", 23 September 2015, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
In the lightweight final of the 2015 Brazilian Team Championship in Rio, with GFTeam 2-1 up on Gracie Barra, he came close to being caught in a triangle by Vinicius Franklin, defended it, swept from closed guard, mounted, and finished with a collar choke when Franklin tried to escape.
Where in the source: Body, "Era a final da categoria, e estava 2 a 1 para a GFTeam contra a Gracie Barra", and "raspou de guarda fechada, montou e quando o faixa-preta da GB tentou escapar, o experiente faixa-preta da GFTeam pegou a gola e finalizou"
Accessed:
Graciemag, "Video: O estrangulamento de Luan Carvalho no Curitiba Open", 15 September 2016, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
In the black belt lightweight gold-medal match at the Curitiba Winter Open in August 2016 he pulled guard against Luan Carvalho of Nova União, who worked from the top, took his back and finished with a choke.
Where in the source: Body, "No duelo que valeu o ouro peso leve do Curitiba Winter Open, realizado em agosto", and "Theodoro começou ao puxar para guarda, mas Luan conseguiu trabalhar bem por cima, chegar nas costas e finalizar no estrangulamento"
Accessed:
GFTeam London, "October Seminars with Master Julio Cesar & Theodoro Canal", 31 May 2012, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
In May 2012 the London GFTeam academy announced that Julio Cesar Pereira, the head instructor and a sixth-degree black belt, and one of his top students, Theodoro Canal, would come to London that October to teach a one-day seminar and a six-day intensive boot camp.
Where in the source: Body, "The Head Instructor of GFTEAM 6th Degree Black Belt Master Julio Cesar Pereira and one of his top students Black Belt Theodoro Canal will be here in London", and "a one day seminar and a 6 days intensive boot camp"
Accessed:
GFTeam London, "Master Julio Cesar & Theodoro Canal European Seminar 2012", 12 November 2012, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
In November 2012 the same academy reported that Julio Cesar and Canal had embarked in October on a major European seminar tour taking in Germany, England, France and Switzerland, which ended with GFTeam Europe fighters gathering to compete at the IBJJF London International Open.
Where in the source: Body, "In October 2012 Master Julio Cesar & Theodoro Canal embarked on a major European seminar tour to Germany, England, France and Switzerland", and "This culminated in GFTEAM europe fighters congregating to compete in the IBJJF London International Open 2012 Championships"
Accessed:
BJJ Eastern Europe, "GFTeam UK's Gabriel Rainho On GFTeam's International Growth & Future Plans", 5 April 2013, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Gabriel Rainho, who was building GFTeam in the United Kingdom, told BJJ Eastern Europe in April 2013 that the club had run two big training camps the previous year, one of them with their leader Master Julio Cesar and Theodoro Canal.
Where in the source: Third answer, "We also organized two big training camps last year, one with our Leader Master Julio Cesar and Theodoro Canal"
Accessed:
Graciemag, "Raspagem sentada: afie a meia-guarda aranha no Jiu-Jitsu, com Theodoro Canal", 12 December 2014, retrieved 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
In December 2014 Graciemag published a sweep of his from what he calls the meia-aranha, a spider half guard, telling readers to keep firm grips on the sleeve and the collar of the man passing.
Where in the source: Body, "demonstra o faixa-preta Theodoro Canal (GFTeam) com uma raspagem para turbinar seu jogo de guarda aberta", and "lembre-se de manter as pegadas firmes na manga e na gola do passador"
Accessed:
BJJ Heroes, Theodoro Canal, biography(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes records that Theodoro Canal was born on 22 April 1981 in Espírito Santo, Brazil.
Where in the source: Biography first sentence; full-name block identifies Theodoro Gabriel Canal Almeida
Accessed:
Graciemag, interview with Victor Silvério before Copa Pódio, 10 May 2014(opens in a new tab)
Before the May 2014 Copa Pódio, Victor Silvério credited Julio César and Theodoro Canal with helping him reduce mistakes against opponents who used spinning guard movements.
Where in the source: Final answer about preparation; closing sentence credits his professors Julio César and Theodoro Canal
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