Gyalisson Freitas

Gyalisson Freitas, commonly known as “Hiago”, is a jiu-jitsu black belt under Jose Luis Varella, Marcio Tubarão, and Julio Cesar Pereira who represents GF Team in the sport’s international circuit. Although successful during his colored belt career, Freitas gained notoriety at the pro-level through high-profile wins over big names of the sport such as Oliver Taza, John Combs, Damion Oranday, André Porfirio, to name a few.

Gyalisson Freitas Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Gialysson Adão Silva Freitas

Nickname: Gialysson has been referenced as “Hiago” since the early days of his infancy, a nickname that dates back to the time he was born. His parents loved the name but decided to change it to Gialysson at the last minute when registering their baby. Still besotted with the name they continued naming their son as Hiago in their private day-to-day living.

Lineage: Luis França > Oswaldo Fadda > Monir Salomão > Júlio César (> Jose Luis Varella & Marcio Tubarão) > Gialysson Freitas

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF Atlanta Spring Open (2019)
• 1st Place IBJJF Charlotte Open (2018)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Atlanta Open (2021**)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Charleston Open (2021)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Twin Cities Open (2018)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Cincinnati Open (2019)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Kansas Open (2019*)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF Rio Fall Open (2017 brown)
• 3rd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2013 purple, 2016 brown)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Rio Fall Open (2015 purple)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Rio Open (2014 purple)

* Absolute
** Weight and Absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Well-Rounded

Weight Division: Peso Médio (82,30 kg / 181.5 lbs)

Team/Association: GF Team

Gialysson Freitas Biography

Gialysson Freitas was born on August 14, 1992, in the Brazilian state of Piaui, but moved to the well-known Vila Isabel borough of Rio de Janeiro at the age of 7, where he spent his formative years.

Growing up, Freitas was not particularly sporty, doing regular physical activities, neither of them competitively. This changed at the age of 17 when one of his good friends started training jiu-jitsu. Through his friend, Gialysson became interested in grappling and decided to try a class, with his first-class taking place on July 20, 2009, at the Jose Luis Varella & Marcio Tubarão academy, a classroom affiliated with the GF Team.

When one of Freitas’ greatest supporters, coach Luis Varella, moved to the United States, it didn’t take long for Gialysson to follow suit. After making the appropriate logistic arrangements, the young GFT athlete moved to the USA. It was while living in the Northern Emisphere that “Hiago” earned the black belt rank, on July 2018, in a ceremony led by the team’s head coach, Júlio César Pereira.

During October 2020, Gialysson Freitas opened his own gym, the Arte Suave Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina.