Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team History, Fighter Stats, Biographies and News

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Leonardo Santos

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Leonardo Santos is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt from the Nova Uniao team, being one of the most important fighters for BJJ in the early 2000s. With numerous titles in his grappling career, Leo Santos was regarded by many as the best lightweight fighter of his generation, having victories over several great fighters such as Leo Vieira and Tiago Alves amongst many others. in 2006 Leo Santos ended his career with the kimono to follow his brother’s footsteps (Wagnney Fabiano) towards MMA fighter, and in 2013 Leonardo Santos was part of the cast of the TUF Brazil 2 reality show, a program produced by the UFC with the intention of seeking high-end Mixed Martial Arts talent in the South American country.

Leo Santos Jiu Jitsu

Full Name: Leonardo Silva dos Santos

Nickname: Leonardo is often mentioned as Leo which is short for Leonardo.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Luiz França > Oswaldo Fadda > Sebastião Ricardo > Wendell Alexander > Leonardo Santos

Main Achievements/Record (BJJ):

  • 1st Place CBJJO World Cup (2002 / 2003 / 2004 / 2005)
  • 1st Place ADCC Brazilian Trials – RJ (2005)
  • 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2001)
  • 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship (2000)
  • 4th PlaceADCC World Championship (2005)

Favorite Technique: Butterfly Guard Sweep

Weight Division: Peso Leve (76Kg/167lbs)

Association/Team: Nova Uniao

Leonardo Santos Biography

Leonardo Santos was born on the 5th of February 1980 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He started training jiu-jitsu when he was 4 years old under the legendary trainer Wendell Alexander (Co-Founder of Nova Uniao) in Sao Joao de Merití (Rio de Janeiro) at the Mello Tenis Club. Although Leo as a kid had other interests (mainly soccer) and didn’t enjoy training all that much, he felt obliged to train as his older cousin and brother (MMA fighter Wagnney Fabiano) were avid Jiu-Jitsu practitioners. With time Leo Santos started enjoying the benefits of jiu-jitsu and also started enjoying the BJJ routine, success in BJJ Comps came with this new found love for the gentle art.

In 1995 Mr. Alexander (Leo’s Coach) joined arms with Dedé Pederneiras to make Nova Uniao, a team that quickly would become one of the strongest BJJ teams in the world, at the time of the merge, Leo Santos was already seen as a star in the making.

In 2002 Leo stopped competing at the Mundial (CBJJ World Championships) as this competition did not offer prize money to its competitors. This was something that a lot of fighters pressed for and which catapulted the rise of CBJJO (more explained on the BJJ Mundials Page), Leo Santos started competing in CBJJO’s tournaments only (with Gi) and was undefeated for over 5 years in that organization becoming widely considered by the media and the followers of the sport as one of the top 3 lightweights in BJJ at the time.

In 2006 after a short spell helping his brother Wagnney with his academy in Canada, Leonardo decided to dedicate himself fully to MMA. This shift would not be as smooth as he wished for, with several setbacks, namely in finding big names to fight against and some problems with promoters and MMA organizations such as BAMMA. In 2013, 7 years after Leonardo began his MMA career, Leo Santos was part of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 2 (Nogueira vs Werdum), a reality TV program produced by the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) which was Leo Santos’ first step in the big league of Mixed Martial Arts.

Leonardo Santos Grappling Record

18 WINS
  • BY POINTS
    9 (50%)
  • BY ADVANTAGES
    0 (0%)
  • BY SUBMISSION
    9 (50%)
  • BY DECISION
    0 (0%)
  • BY PENALTIES
    0 (0%)
  • BY DQ
    0 (0%)

9 SUBMISSIONS WINS

#214eb8
Ezekiel
22
2
#86e620
Choke from back
22
2
#5AD3D1
Baseball choke
11
1
#d1212a
Clock choke
11
1
#fad11b
Armbar
11
1
#f58822
Flying armbar
11
1
#224aba
Katagatame
11
1
9
(100%) SUBMISSIONS
9 LOSSES
  • BY POINTS
    1 (11%)
  • BY ADVANTAGES
    3 (33%)
  • BY SUBMISSION
    3 (33%)
  • BY DECISION
    0 (0%)
  • BY PENALTIES
    2 (22%)
  • BY DQ
    0 (0%)

3 SUBMISSIONS LOSSES

#214eb8
RNC
67
2
#86e620
Heel hook
33
1
3
(100%) SUBMISSIONS

Leonardo Santos Fight History

ID Opponent W/L Method Competition Weight Stage Year
281Royler GracieRoyler GracieLAdvWorld Champ.70KGSF1999
389Marcio FeitosaMarcio FeitosaLAdvWorld Champ.76KGSF2000
479Fernando TerereFernando TerereLPts: 4x0Rio x Sao Paulo75KGSPF2000
517Matt SerraMatt SerraLRNCADCC77KGSF2001
591Marcio FeitosaMarcio FeitosaLAdvWorld Champ.76KGF2001
1182Marcelo GarciaMarcelo GarciaLPts: 0x0, PenADCC77KGSF2005
1183Jake ShieldsJake ShieldsLRNCADCC77KG3PLC2005
1225A. CacarecoLHeel hookADCCABSR12005
2251Gregor GracieGregor GracieLPenADCC77KG4F2009
259Suyan QueirozSuyan QueirozD---Brasileiro82KGSF1999
513Leonardo VieiraLeonardo VieiraWPts: 3x0ADCC77KG4F2001
519Rodrigo GracieRodrigo GracieWPts: 2x0ADCC77KG3PLC2001
932Roberto WerneckWBaseball chokeWorld Cup76KG4F2003
934Rodrigo FeijaoWClock chokeWorld Cup76KGF2003
962M. HayakawaWArmbarShotooABSSPF2004
968Carlos PortuguesCarlos PortuguesWPts: 9x0BB Challenge 376KGSPF2004
1080Ricardo LuizWPts: 9x0World Cup76KGR12004
1081Jackson MouraWChoke from backWorld Cup76KGR22004
1082Gabriel WillcoxWChoke from backWorld Cup76KG4F2004
1108Gustavo FalcirolliWPts: 2x0GP Blackbelt70KGR12004
1113Fredson PaixaoFredson PaixaoWPts: 5x0GP Blackbelt70KGSF2004
1114Reinaldo RibeiroReinaldo RibeiroWPts: 4x0GP Blackbelt70KGF2004
1175Jason BrudvikWPointsADCC77KGR12005
1178George St PierreWFlying armbarADCC77KG4F2005
1260Rodrigo FeijaoWKatagatameWorld Cup76KGF2005
1272Roberto RibeiroWEzekielWorld Cup75KGSF2005
1334Daisuke SugieWEzekielBull Terrier ProABSSPF2005
2248Yoshiyuki YoshidaWPointsADCC77KGR12009

Leonardo Santos vs Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa (Superfight)

Leonardo Santos vs Roberto Werneck (World Cup 2003)

Leo Santos vs Paulo Pinheiro

Roberto Jimenez BJJ Attacking The Back

3 Comments

  • André Reis says:

    Muito bom, Léo!!!
    Você é uma fera, moleque!!!!! Tenho muito orgulho de, no passado, ter feito parte da equipe Mello Tênis Clube.
    Abraço do seu amigo e fã,

    ANDRÉZÃO.

  • David says:

    The butterfly is one of naturs most deadly predators, therefore it is no surprise that the butterfly guard is the deadliest of all guards, If put into the right hands (or perhaps feet)……

  • FABIO says:

    Show Leozinho,estudei c ele e fiz parte da nova uniao com o professor Capixa..Moleke fera desde criança gente boa..realizava treinos com ele no mello tenis clube,mas treinava em vista alegre..SAUDADES..nascido e criado no Ipase comigo…FIKO FELIZ POR TI….FABINHO UM ABRAÇO..

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