Natan Chueng

Natan Chueng is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Cícero Costha, who worked extensively with Douglas Rufino (Trator), Sandro Vieira, and Paulo Maurício Strauch. Natan’s name recognition gained traction while competing in the lower belt divisions of the sport, where he conquered European and Brazilian National titles on the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s (IBJJF) circuit. A native of jiu-jitsu’s most famous Brazilian ‘favela’, the Cantagalo slum, Natan is also the nephew of this area’s first black belt, the accomplished Mauro Chueng.

Natan Chueng Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Natan Chueng Freitas

Nickname: N/A

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rickson Gracie > Marcelo Behring > Waldomiro Perez > Roberto Godoi > Marco Barbosa > Cicero Costha > Natan Chueng

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship NOGI (2024)
• 1st Place ACBJJ World Championship (2019)
• 1st Place AJP Grand Slam RIO (2019)
• 1st Place IBJJF Rio BJJ Pro (2019)
• 2nd Place IBJJF European Open (2023)
• 2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2023)
• 2nd Place AJP Grand Slam, RJN (2020 / 2024)
• 2nd Place SPYDER 75kg Grand Prix (2023)
• 3rd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2021)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2022)
• 3rd Place AJP King of Mats (2022)
• 3rd Place AJP Grand Slam RJN (2022)
• 3rd Place AJP Grand Slam ABD (2020)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF European Open NoGi (2018 brown)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2015 blue)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals NoGi (2015 blue, 2017 purple, 2018 brown)
• 1st Place UAEJJF Grand Slam, Rio de Janeiro (2019 brown)
• 2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2017 purple)
• 2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals – Juvenile (2012 blue)
• 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship NoGi (2018 brown)

* Absolute
** Weight and absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Double Collar Choke

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

Team/Association: n/a

Natan Chueng Biography

Natan Chueng was born on May 26, 1995, in the Cantagalo community, one of the most well-known slums in Rio de Janeiro.

As a child, Chueng practiced several sports, from swimming to surfing and even circus activities, all elements to which Natan credits much of his movement-based grappling style. Another activity Natan practiced and proved to be a talent in was futsal (indoor football). Although he dreamed of one day becoming a star in this sport, the opportunity to play for a major team never materialized.

Chueng was a troublemaker as a young child, so much so, that his school teacher called Natan’s parents to a meeting and warned them that their son would not see his 18th birthday if he were to follow the path he was on. For this reason, he was signed on to jiu-jitsu classes at the age of 6, at the famous Strauch Academy in Copacabana, with coach Paulo Maurício Strauch.

Natan trained there for a few years but was forced to abandon training during his pre-teens due to his low-income background, which forced him to find a job and help his family. At the age of 16, however, Chueng was able to return to jiu-jitsu thanks to the famous Cantagalo BJJ project, a training ground devised by Ricardo Vieira and Tererê during the 1990s. The coach there was Douglas Rufino, also known as Trator, who became a reference in the young Rio de Janeiro native’s development.

At the time the Cantagalo project was linked with Checkmat / FightZone Rio de Janeiro, and Chueng often trained there also, but with time coach Rufino opted to sever ties with Checkmat, with the project going on to compete for the Caio Terra Association.

Coach Rufino graded Natan Chueng up until his brown belt, but at that time, Chueng was offered a way into a more professional environment with Cícero Costha‘s team in São Paulo. It was Cicero who promoted Chueng to black belt on June 2, 2019.

Natan Chueng vs Oliver Lovell