Antonio Peinado

Antonio Peinado, also known as “Batista”, is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt developed in the Alliance team Headquarters in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Belonging to the 2010 generation of grappling talent, Peinado was a strong competitor in the IBJJF and AJP circuits (gi ruleset). Antonio Peinado was also praised as a grappling sparring partner by MMA aces such as Demian Maia and Junior dos Santos (JDS) when they were at the forefront of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Antonio Peinado Jiu Jitsu

Full Name: Antonio Carlos Alexandre Peinado

Nickname: The name “Batista” was given by Fernando Di Piero also known as “Soluco”, an Alliance black belt that thought Antonio Peinado resembled a comedy character named Batista. The name stuck until current days.

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie > Romero Cavalcanti > Fábio Gurgel > Antonio Peinado

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals NOGI (2010)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Team Championship (2010/2009)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2011)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2011)
• 2nd Place IBJJF European Championship (2010)
• 2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2011)
• 2nd Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro (2010)
• 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship (2010 / 2011)
• 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2009 / 2012*)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2010**)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Brazilian Nationals (2010)
• 3rd Place IBJJF European Championship (2014)

Main Achievements (Masters):

• 1st Place AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro (2019 / 2020 / 2021 / 2022 / 2023)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam, ABD (2020 / 2021 / 2022 / 2023)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• IBJJF World Champion (2008 brown)
• CBJJ Brazilian National Champion (2008** brown, 2007 purple)
• IBJJF World Championship 2nd Place (2008 brown)
• IBJJF Pan American Championship 2nd Place (2008 brown)
• CBJJ Brazilian National Championship 2nd Place (2007* purple)
• IBJJF World Championship 3rd Place (2007** brown, 2005 purple)
• IBJJF Pan America Championship 3rd Place (2008* brown)

* Absolute
** Weight and absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: N/A

Weight Division: Pesadíssimo (over 100kg-221lbs) and Super Pesado (100kg-221lbs)

Team/Association: Alliance

Antonio Peinado Batista Biography

Antonio Peinado was born on the 20th of March 1982 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He entered the world of Martial Arts, like many other kids, through Judo when he was still a child, his master was Marcelo Carvalho Rodrigues a man who helped Antonio grow up, and who is regarded as a brother by “Batista”, he also a brown belt in Judo under master Marcelo.

Antonio Peinado started training Jiu Jitsu in May 2002 after an invitation from a friend to come and train at Ronaldo Yashimiro’s academy (an Alliance affiliate) in Vila Mariana – Sao Paulo. His talent shined through in the very first few training sessions. As Peinado did not have enough money to train, Mr Yashimiro agreed to have him train for free, after only two months of BJJ Antonio Peinado won his first gold medal at the Sao Paulo State Open as a white belt. Three months after that Ronaldo Yashimiro promoted Peinado to the blue belt rank so he could compete at the Brazilian National Teams Championship, that was a defining moment in “Batista’s” career and from that instant decided he wanted to pursue a career as a Jiu Jitsu competitor.

A year and a half after that Brazilian National Teams competition Antonio Peinado was invited to train at the Alliance headquarters in Sao Paulo, a gym led by Fabio Gurgel. He received his purple and brown belt from the Alliance “General”.

Antonio Peinado graduated black belt from his master Fabio Gurgel in October 2008 after spending a little over a year and a half as a brown belt. In the brown belt divisions (where he fought mainly at Pesado/Heavyweight) he won the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu National title (2008) in both his weight class and the open weight division without conceding one advantage.

Later in his career (2009), Antonio suffered a terrible injury on his knee that took him out of training for one year. The pressure to abandon the sport and dedicate himself to an academic career was almost overwhelming. Still, thanks to his family, Beth (mother), Ramon, and Wagner (brothers), Peinado could continue in the sport.

In 2010 Peinado was invited by Demian Maia to be his sparring partner for his fight against Kendal Grove at UFC – The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale. Demian was looking for tall fighters that could mimic Grove’s unusual stature (6’6”) and though Batista was only 6’4” his help was invaluable as Demian went on to win the fight.

From that experience working with an MMA pro athlete, Peinado also met UFC heavyweight Junior dos Santos “Cigano”. “Cigano” enjoyed working with the Alliance black belt so much that he invited him to be a part of his coach roster as he starred in the Ultimate Fighter 13 series (TUF 13).