Pedro Dias

Pedro Dias Clementino is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Douglas Rufino (Trator) and a former student José Leão Teixeira (Zé Beleza) who became recognized as one of the top light-featherweight competitors of his generation after a series of good placements at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) global circuit. Although raised in the Santa Maria Favela (slum) in Rio de Janeiro, Pedrinho is also a representative of the Cantagalo Social Project a work-group that produced numerous high-level BJJ competitors since its inception in 1997.

Pedro Dias Jiu Jitsu

Full Name: Pedro Paulo Dias Clementino

Nickname: “Pedrinho” a friendly way of saying Pedro in Portuguese, similar to ‘Little Pedro’.

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie > Romero Cavalcanti > Ricardo Vieira > Douglas Rufino > Pedro Dias

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF Vitória Open (2017)
• 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals (2019)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2020 / 2021)
• 2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals No-Gi (2017)
• 3rd Place IBJJF European Open (2019)
• 3rd Place UAEJJF Grand Slam LA (2018)
• 3rd Place UAEJJF Grand Slam LDN (2018)
• 3rd Place UAEJJF Grand Slam, ABDB (2019)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2016 / 2017 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF Rio Winter Open (2016 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF Rio BJJ Pro (2016 brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2015 purple, 2017 brown)
• 2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2017 brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF London Winter Open (2017 brown)
• 2nd Place UAEJJF Grand Slam, RJ (2017 brown)
• 3rd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2016 purple)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2015 purple)

Favorite Position/Technique: Guard Passing

Weight Division: Peso Pluma (64,00 kg / 141.5 lbs)

Team/Association: N/A

Pedro Dias Biography

Pedro Dias was born in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro on April 13, 1995, growing up in the slum of Santa Maria located on the South Zone of the Marvellous City.

Dias’ parents were firm believers that in order to keep him away from gang-related crimes they needed to occupy Pedro with either music or sports. With this in mind, at the age of 4 ‘Pedrinho’ was signed on to judo classes at a local association. The place also provided jiu-jitsu and it didn’t take long for Dias to enroll in those as well (around 1999/2000).

Michel Buiú Pereira was Dias’ very first instructor at this aforementioned social project in Pedro’s area. Buiú remained behind this project and in charge of Pedrinho’s tuition for 3 years, a time when he left the association and moved to the United States.

Believing in the benefits of jiu-jitsu, in Buiú’s absence, Pedro’s father looked for an alternative. He was friends with the doorman of the well known ‘Escola de Jiu-Jitsu’ – an academy with a big underage squad led by Zé Beleza. Through him, Pedrinho was introduced to the team leader who liked Dias’ demeanor and recognized his talent, deciding to give him a spot in his class.

Through common friends, Dias met Sandro Vieira (Sandrinho) and Douglas Rufino (Trator), who ran the classes at Cantagalo’s social project – a BJJ school for underprivileged kids in Cantagalo’s slums – a community close to Santa Maria. The project started by Ricardo Vieira in 1997 had developed several grappling talents including Sandrinho and Trator, but also Alan ‘Finfou’, Jackson Sousa, Bruno Matias, and many others. Given their similar interests Pedrinho started training with this work-group on a regular basis as a brown belt.

The proximity with the Cantagalo team and the competition focus carried by this group led Pedro to leave Escola de Jiu-Jitsu and settle with Vieira and Rufino – who had at the time split from Checkmat to join Caio Terra‘s Association. It was Douglas Rufino who awarded Dias his black belt on July 15, 2017.

Cover photo was taken by William Burkhardt of BJJPix.

Pedro Dias vs Mário Leopoldo (2015)