Italo Lima Costa

Italo Lima Costa is a jiu-jitsu black belt under Osvaldo Moizinho (Queixinho) who also worked extensively with instructor Samir Chantre. Italo Lima Costa first made waves in the sport while competing under the gi (kimono) ruleset, representing the Ares Jiu-Jitsu Academy in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) circuit where he held memorable wins over important names such as Adam Wardzinski and Pedro Machado at the adult black belt level, earning gold medals in numerous International Opens.

Italo Lima Costa Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Italo Lima Costa

Nickname: N/A

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Francisco Mansur > Augusto Mendes > Osvaldo Moizinho > Italo Lima Costa

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals (2023)
• 1st Place IBJJF Indianapolis Open (2022)
• 1st Place IBJJF Sacramento Open (2022)
• 1st Place IBJJF New York Open (2022)
• 1st Place IBJJF London Open (2023)
• 1st Place IBJJF Miami Open (2022)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals (2020 brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF European Open (2019 purple)
• 2nd Place IBJJF American Nationals (2021 brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF American Nationals NOGI (2020 brown)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2021 brown)
• 3rd Place IBJJF American Nationals (2018** purple)

* Absolute
** Weight and Absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Triangle

Weight Division: Peso Pesado (94kg/207lbs)

Team/Association: Ares

Italo Lima Costa Biography

Italo Lima Costa was born on June 22, 1994, in Mossoró, a town in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte, and grew up in the neighboring village of Areia Branca. A portion of the world that is famous for its coastal line of idyllic beaches.

In Lima Costa’s town, there were no sports worth pursuing outside of football (soccer). Italo attempted to play The Beautiful Game as a child but lacked any real talent and therefore he eventually quit in his attempts at playing for a club.

When Italo was in his pre-teens, some of Italo’s best friends practiced jiu-jitsu, and – as it happens with many kids – they would often play-fight. Although he was bigger and stronger than most of his pals, Costa was manhandled by his friend who was a yellow belt in this martial art. These frequent beatings sparked Costa’s curiosity for grappling, an inquisitiveness that exponentially grew when another of his friends won a big tournament in São Paulo under the CBJJE federation ruleset. His friend’s medal became the talk of the town for some time and it cemented his desire to train and compete in this sport.

Although he had set his sights on jiu-jitsu, Italo Lima Costa needed more money to buy a kimono and felt embarrassed to walk into a gym without one. This feeling took some time to overcome, but thanks to the pressure from his friends he eventually stepped foot on a jiu-jitsu academy in August 2008, at the age of 14.

Italos’s first instructor was Talison Soares (not to confuse with IBJJF World Champion Thalison Soares). Soares was initially a student of Weckcilley Cruz but eventually joined Checkmat under the Barreto Brothers (Thiago & Bruno) and it was Talison who taught Costa from white to purple belt.

In 2017 Italo split from his instructor, Talison. A contentious affair that led many of his closest friends to break ties with Lima Costa due to fear of upsetting coach Soares. Although heartbroken, this drove the young athlete to leave his comfort zone and aspire to leave his hometown and after he finished his degree in Civil Engineering, he decided to attempt a life abroad. After winning a local tournament whose prize was an all-expenses paid trip to the IBJJF European Open (2018) in Lisbon, Portugal, Italo decided to travel to Europe and take his chances there.

While at the European Open Championship, Italo met fellow athlete Márcio Pires (Alicate), who told of an academy in the United States that provided training and accommodation at the gym for free. Italo contacted the gym’s owner, Mr. Dan Lukehart (Trumpet Dan) who agreed to have the young Brazilian live at the gym, this turned out to be the gateway into Italo’s full-time career as a jiu-jitsu player.

Once in the USA, Italo Lima Costa met and befriended Aluízio and Osvaldo Moizinho of team Ares, as well as fellow team leader Samir Chantre who took the young Potiguara into their squad.

Italo Lima Costa was promoted to black belt by Osvaldo Moizinho (Queixinho) on January 15, 2022, in a ceremony held in Goodyear, Arizona.