Hugo Marques

Hugo Marques is a Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) black belt under Alexandre Salgado and Leandro Escobar (Tatu) as well as a representative of the Soul Fighters team in this sport/martial art’s international competitive circuit. Known for his aggressive and crowd-pleasing style, Hugo Marques made his reputation as one of the lightweight division’s most talented grapplers through his career in the colored belt categories of BJJ where he conquered 3 IBJJF World titles.

Hugo Marques Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Hugo Doerzapff Marques

Nickname: N/A

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Crézio de Souza > André Almeida > Leandro Escobar (< Alexandre Salgado) > Hugo Marques

Main Achievements:

• ACB World Champion (2017)
• IBJJF World No-Gi Champion (2018)
• CBJJ Brasileiro No-Gi Champion (2018**)
• ACB South American Champion (2018)
• UAEJJF Grand Slam – RJ Champion (2018/2017)
• IBJJF European Open 3rd Place (2018)

Main Achievements:

• IBJJF World Champion (2017 brown, 2013 blue)
• CBJJ Brasileiro Champion (2017 brown, 2015 purple)
• IBJJF World No-Gi Champion (2014 purple)
• CBJJ Brasileiro No-Gi Champion (2015** brown)
• UAEJJF Grand Slam – RJ Champion (2016 brown)
• IBJJF Sao Paulo International Open Champion (2016 brown)
• IBJJF Rio Summer International Open Champion (2016 brown)
• IBJJF Rio Winter International Open Champion (2015 purple)
• IBJJF Chicago International Open Champion (2014 purple)
• IBJJF World No-Gi Championship Runner-up (2016 brown)
• CBJJ Brasileiro Championship Runner-up (2013 blue)
• CBJJ Brasileiro No-Gi Championship Runner-up (2016** brown)
• CBJJ Brazilian Team Nationals Runner-up (2016 brown)
• IBJJF Rio Summer International Open Runner-up (2016 brown)
• IBJJF World Championship 3rd Place (2016 brown)
• IBJJF Pans Championship 3rd Place (2017 brown)
• IBJJF Chicago International Open Champion 3rd Place (2014* purple)

* Absolute
** Weight and absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Guard Passing

Weight Division: Peso Leve (76,00 kg /168.0 lbs)

Team/Association: Soul Fighters

Hugo Marques Biography

Hugo Marques was born on February 19, 1994, in Rio de Janeiro – Brazil.

While growing up Marques was an avid swimmer, being a competitor in water polo as well while also practicing the Brazilian kicking martial art of capoeira.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990’s the sport/martial art of Brazilian jiu jitsu had a bad reputation due to it being directly linked with gang violence and what many called ‘Pit boys’ – troublemakers in Brazilian (particularly Rio de Janeiro) society. This stigma lasted for a long time and well into Hugo Marques’ formative years. For that reason, even though Hugo wished to try BJJ, his parents vigorously opposed their son from practicing grappling, a decision that started losing pep as Hugo approached his mid-teens.

At 16 years of age Hugo’s parents finally gave in and allowed their son to start jiu jitsu at a local gym led by Alexandre Salgado, an instructor that was behind Marques’ rise to the top of the sport’s competition ladder, from white to black belt.

As a blue belt, Hugo Marques won his very first International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) world title, in 2013. This tremendous achievement allowed the young Soul Fighters athlete to dream of becoming one of the better competitors of his generation, a goal that would demand his full attention. With that in mind, Hugo decided to become a full-time athlete, adding to that life-changing event the decision of spending more time at his team’s headquarters, home to one of the top grappling coaches in the world,  Leandro Escobar (Tatu).

Guided by both Alexandre Salgado and Leandro Escobar, Hugo Marques climbed up the belt ranks, winning important titles in all belts. On June 3, 2017 – after conquering the second IBJJF world title of his career, Marques was awarded his black belt.

Cover photo by Sinistro Lacerda Photos.