Rodrigo Medeiros
Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros (born January 11, 1977, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, submission grappler, and coach renowned for his competitive achievements and influence in the sport.[1][2][3] Nicknamed "Comprido" for his lanky build, he earned his black belt under Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti and became a pivotal figure in teams like Alliance and Brasa, co-founding the latter in 2002 to elevate Brazilian jiu-jitsu on the international stage.[1][2] Medeiros' competitive career highlights include multiple IBJJF World Championship titles, notably two openweight (absolute) victories in 1999—where he set a record for the fastest submission in finals history—and 2000, defeating top competitors like Nino Schembri, with multiple World titles between 1999 and 2006.[1][2] He also secured Pan-American Championships in 1999, 2007, and 2009 (masters division), along with Brazilian Nationals wins in 1999 and 2000, and European Open gold in 2011.[1][2] Retiring from adult elite competition around 2009, he transitioned to masters divisions and no-gi events, winning the 2012 Pan-American Masters and World No-Gi titles.[2] As a coach, Medeiros has trained elite mixed martial artists, including UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, Dean Lister, and Mike Russow, contributing to their grappling success while establishing academies in the United States, such as Comprido BJJ in Illinois since 2011.[1][2] His legacy includes influencing major teams like Checkmat, Atos, and Team Tinguinha through shared techniques and mentorship, and he holds a 6th-degree black belt, recognized as one of the top ultra-heavyweight competitors in jiu-jitsu history.[2][4]Early life and training
Beginnings in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros was born on October 1, 1977, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, immersing himself in the local martial arts community during a pivotal era for Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ).[1] Medeiros first experimented with BJJ at age 9 but briefly quit. He then trained in Taekwondo and kickboxing for several years, competing successfully, before resuming training at age 16 in 1993 at the Master Academy under Romero Cavalcanti, motivated by the sport's rising prominence following the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC 1) in 1993, which showcased BJJ's effectiveness globally.[2][1] His progression through the ranks was steady; he earned his blue belt at age 17, advanced to purple belt while beginning to instruct at the academy, and reached brown belt around 1997–1998, where he trained intensely in Cavalcanti-affiliated environments emphasizing technical guard play and submissions suited to his lanky frame. Medeiros developed an openweight style leveraging his height for long-range control and leverage-based techniques.[1][2]Promotion to black belt and instructor lineage
Rodrigo Medeiros, known as "Comprido," was promoted to black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 1999 by Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti at the Alliance/Masters Academy in Rio de Janeiro, following his victory in the brown belt openweight division at the IBJJF World Championships the previous year.[1][2] His instructor lineage traces directly to the origins of BJJ: Mitsuyo Maeda → Carlos Gracie Sr. → Helio Gracie → Rolls Gracie → Romero Cavalcanti → Rodrigo Medeiros.[1] Under Cavalcanti's guidance during the late 1990s Alliance era, Medeiros trained alongside elite competitors such as Leo Vieira, honing his skills in a competitive environment that emphasized strategic grappling techniques.[2][5] During his transition from brown to black belt, Medeiros focused on technical development in openweight grappling, building on his success as a brown belt world champion to refine versatile submission and control systems suitable for larger opponents.[1][2] As of 2025, Medeiros holds a 6th degree black belt under IBJJF standards, reflecting over 25 years of sustained contributions to the art as both competitor and instructor.Competitive career
Early competitions and breakthrough wins
Medeiros entered the competitive Brazilian jiu-jitsu scene as a purple belt, securing a bronze medal in the medium heavy division at the 1997 IBJJF World Championship, marking his initial international exposure.[6] This achievement highlighted his potential despite his relative inexperience at higher levels. His physical stature, standing over 6 feet tall and weighing around 100 kg, provided leverage advantages in grappling exchanges during these early bouts.[1] In 1998, Medeiros continued his ascent by capturing the gold medal in the brown belt openweight division at the IBJJF World Championship, a pivotal win that solidified his reputation within the Brazilian BJJ community.[1] He also participated in early Confederação Brasileira de Jiu-Jitsu (CBJJ) sanctioned events, competing against top domestic talents and gaining valuable experience in high-stakes matches.[1] Medeiros' breakthrough came shortly after his promotion to black belt in late 1998, when he dominated the 1999 IBJJF World Championship as a newly minted black belt. He claimed gold in the absolute (openweight) division, defeating elite competitors.[1] In the absolute final, Medeiros set a record for the fastest submission in an IBJJF black belt absolute championship match, tapping out Roberto "Roleta" Magalhães via toe hold in just 18 seconds.[7] This victory not only established him as a top openweight contender but also marked the first submission win in an IBJJF absolute black belt final, underscoring his aggressive and technical style.Major championships and records
Rodrigo Medeiros achieved significant success in major Brazilian jiu-jitsu championships, particularly during the late 1990s and early 2000s, establishing himself as one of the sport's elite competitors. He secured two IBJJF World Championship titles in the openweight (absolute) division as a black belt in 1999 and 2000, highlighting his dominance across weight classes.[1][8] His 1999 IBJJF Worlds absolute victory included the fastest submission in a black belt final, recorded at 18 seconds via toe hold.[9] Medeiros extended his accomplishments to other prestigious events, including a gold medal in the openweight division at the 2000 CBJJ Worlds (Brazilian Nationals).[1] He captured gold in the +97 kg category at the 2007 CBJJ Pan-American Championships, as well as gold in the -97 kg division at the 2006 CBJJO Copa do Mundo and -91 kg at the 2002 CBJJO Copa do Mundo.[1] These victories formed part of his overall tally of seven world titles across IBJJF and CBJJO events from 1999 to 2006.[10][11] In later years, Medeiros transitioned successfully into master divisions while maintaining competitive prowess. He won gold in the ultra heavy master division at the 2012 IBJJF World No-Gi Championship.[12] Additionally, he earned Pan-American golds in the master division in 2009, alongside overall Pan-American titles in 1999 and 2007.[1][13]| Championship | Year | Division | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBJJF Worlds | 1999 | Openweight (Absolute) | Gold |
| IBJJF Worlds | 2000 | Openweight (Absolute) | Gold |
| CBJJ Worlds | 2000 | Openweight | Gold |
| CBJJO Copa do Mundo | 2002 | -91 kg | Gold |
| CBJJO Copa do Mundo | 2006 | -97 kg | Gold |
| CBJJ Pan-American | 2007 | +97 kg | Gold |
| IBJJF Pan-American | 1999, 2007 | Overall | Gold |
| IBJJF Pan-American | 2009 | Master | Gold |
| IBJJF World No-Gi | 2012 | Ultra Heavy Master | Gold |