Gabriel Sousa

João Gabriel Batista de Sousa, commonly known as Gabriel Sousa, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Lucas Rocha, who is also one of the main representatives of the ZR Team in the sport’s international competitive circuit. Sousa is widely regarded as one of the main light-featherweight athletes of his generation, a reputation earned early in his career while conquering some of jiu-jitsu’s most respected tournaments, such as the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s (IBJJF) World, Pan and European Open Championships in the colored belt divisions, a good form he carried through to the pro-divisions of the sport.

Gabriel Sousa Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: João Gabriel Batista de Sousa

Nickname: N/A

Lineage: Carlos Gracie Senior > Hélio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Junior > José Olimpio (Zé Radiola) > Lucas Rocha > João Gabriel Sousa

Main Achievements:

• #1 Ranked AJP Athlete (2018-2019)
• 1st Place IBJJF European Open NOGI (2019)
• 1st Place AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro (2019)
• 1st Place ACBJJ World Champion (2018)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam MSK (2019)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam LA (2018)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam TYO (2018)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam AD (2020)
• 2nd Place ADCC (2022)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2021)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2019 / 2021)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Pans Championship NOGI (2020)
• 2nd Place AJP Grand Slam RJ (2018)
• 2nd Place AJP Grand Slam AD (2019)
• 2nd Place AJP King Of Mats TYO (2019)
• 2nd Place WNO Championship (2021)
• 3rd Place IBJJF European Open (2020)
• 3rd Place AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro (2021)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2016 purple)
• 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2016 purple)
• 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship NOGI (2017 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2018 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals (2017 brown, 2016 purple)
• 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals NOGI (2017 brown, 2016 purple)
• 1st Place IBJJF South American Championship (2017 brown)
• 1st Place AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro (2018 brown)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam – RJ (2017 brown)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam – LA (2017 brown)
• 1st Place ACBJJ World Championship (2017 brown)
• 1st Place ACBJJ World No-Gi Championship (2017 brown)
• 1st Place ACBJJ Europe Continental Pro (2017 brown)
• 1st Place ACBJJ North American Championship (2018 brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF European Open (2017 purple)
• 2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2016 purple)
• 3rd Place AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro (2017 purple)

Favorite Position/Technique: Choke from back

Weight Division: Peso Pluma (64,00 kg / 154.5 lbs)

Team/Association: ZR Team

Gabriel Sousa Biography

Gabriel Sousa was born on January 10, 1997 in Fortaleza, the capital of the northeastern Brazilian state of Ceará.

During his childhood Gabriel practiced futsal (five-a-side football) and dabbed in capoeira, though he was not known to be a natural athlete. In fact, most of his friends mocked his lack of ability for sports, though his work rate was never questioned.

At the age of 12 Gabriel Sousa discovered jiu jitsu, starting training at Gracie Barra with coach Jefferson Teixeira. Sousa quickly fell in love with this sport/martial art, making it a priority in his daily schedule. He would later, as a BJJ blue belt, experiment with judo as a way to improve his stand-up techniques, earning a honourable 1st place at the Ceará state tournament under the FECJU judo federation.

As a purple belt Gabriel visited the United States to compete at the IBJJF World Championship, doing the camp there with Lucas Rocha – a former Gracie Barra athlete also from the North East of Brazil who had since established himself in the Northern Hemisphere under the ZR Team banner. During the course of the camp Gabriel formed a strong bond with Lucas, and would join Rocha’s work group and team that year.

Gabriel Sousa would earn both his brown and black belts from the hands of Lucas Rocha, the latter during a ceremony that took place on June, 2018.

Gabriel Sousa Highlight Euro 2018