Lucas Castro

Lucas de Souza Castro is a Brazilian grappler and a black belt under Paulo Eduardo “Piu” who represents the Gracie Barra team in the sport’s global circuit. Castro, also known as “Lukinha” made waves in the amateur categories of BJJ (colored belts) when competing in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) league, going on to mimic that success in his rookie year as a professional (2023) with a medal at the World No-Gi Championships, a deed he would repeat after this period as well.

Lucas Castro Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Lucas de Souza Castro

Nickname: “Lukinha”, an endearing way of saying Lucas in Castro’s native tongue, Portuguese.

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > George Gracie > Nahum Rabay > Carlos Roberto Luz > Carlos Liberi > Kiko Meneghettti > Paulo Eduardo > Lucas Castro

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu CON (2024)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2024)
• 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2023)
• 3rd Place IBJJF American Nationals (2024)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals (2023 brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2023 brown)
• 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship (2022 brown)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2022 purple, 2023 brown)

Main Achievements (Juvenile):

• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2019)
• 3rd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2018 / 2019)

* Absolute
** Weight and Absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Open Guard

Weight Division: Peso Galo (57.60kg / 127.00 lbs)

Team/Association: Gracie Barra

Lucas Castro Biography

Lucas Castro was born in April 2002 in Capivari, a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil.

Martial arts entered Lukinha’s life through Muay Thai, a sport he practiced from the age of 10. When he was 15, he reached out to a nutritionist intending to put some weight on his frame. The nutritionist was the wife of a local jiu-jitsu black belt, and her consultation included a trial week in her husband’s BJJ Academy. Castro decided to give it a try and immediately fell in love with the sport, to the extent that he opted to cancel his Thai boxing membership to join the grappling club instead.

Under the instruction of Coach Flavio Guilherme Gilli of the local Gracie Barra Academy, Lucas Castro became one of the prominent names on the local circuit.

As a purple belt, Lucas Castro received an invitation from another Gracie Barra instructor, Mr. Paulo Eduardo “Piu”, who offered for Lukinha to come to the United States to train and compete full-time. An offer that was accepted by Castro.

Lucas moved to Chandler, Arizona, USA, and trained under Coach Piu at the local Gracie Barra franchise from purple onwards, receiving his black belt from Paulo Eduardo on September 2023.