Guilherme Mendes (Atos)

Guilherme Mendes is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt from the famous Atos Team and one of the best “peso pluma” (featherweights) in the world. He is also the brother of another sports personality, 2x Jiu Jitsu World Pro Cup champion Rafael Mendes.

Guilherme Mendes in Detail

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Andre Pederneiras > Ramon Lemos > Guilherme Mendes

Main Achievements in BJJ Black belt Division:

• 2x Black Belt World Champion (2009, 2011);
• 2x European Champion (2010, 2011);
• Pan American Bronze Medallist (2009);
• Brazilian National Champion (2010)

Favourite Jiu Jitsu Technique/Position: 50/50 Guard.

Weight Category (BJJ): Pluma – Light Featherweight (64Kg)

Guilherme Mendes Team/Association: Atos

Guilherme Mendes Biography

Guilherme Mendes was born in 1988 in the town of Rio Claro, now home of the famous Atos Academy. Guilherme started training together with his younger brother Rafael in 2001 through their cousin who soon understood the brothers had potential and enlisted them in a kids jiu jitsu program to introduce children to sports. Their coaches were both from Nova Uniao (Ramon Lemos and Leonardo Santos). By the time the brothers achieved their yellow belts, Coach Leonardo felt the need to move to Rio de Janeiro in order to become a professional Jiu Jitsu competitor, and so Ramon Lemos took full responsibility of the academy.

Ramon Lemos became a huge influence in both of the Mendes brothers, as their parents split and their father left the scene.

With time, the Mendes brothers name started to be mentioned more and more by the BJJ Media in Brazil, as Guilherme and Rafael won almost every major tournament they entered as Blue, Purple and Brown Belts. Their “crowning” as Jiu Jitsu Black Belts in October 2008 even had the honour of being mentioned in one of the biggest specialized magazines in the country (Tatame).

As their mentor Ramon changed teams throughout the years (first Nova Uniao, then a brief period in Brasa and the later Atos), so did the Mendes Brothers, who today still train with their first master (a rare case these days).

Guilherme Mendes vs Sebastian Lali

Guilherme Mendes vs Raoni Barcelos