Rodrigo Lopes Martins, also known as Rodrigo “Tatu”, is a jiu-jitsu black belt under Leandro Escobar (also named Tatu) and a representative of the Double Five Academy in the sport’s international circuit. Rodrigo Lopes gained worldwide notoriety after winning double silver (gi and no-gi) at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) American National Championships in 2020.
Rodrigo Lopes Jiu-Jitsu
Full Name: Rodrigo Lopes Martins
Nickname: Commonly known today as “Tatu” (the Portuguese word for armadillo), Rodrigo was mostly known as “Tatuzinho” (little Tatu in Portuguese) while growing up, a name that derived from his older brother Leandro “Tatu” Escobar, who was a well-known jiu-jitsu figure already, when Rodrigo began his grappling tuition. As time passed and Leandro stopped competing in the adult division, Lopes decided to take over the family tradition and represent his brother’s brand by adopting the Tatu name.
Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie >Carlson Gracie > Ricardo Libório > André Almeida > Leandro Escobar > Rodrigo Lopes
Main Achievements:
- 2nd Place IBJJF American Nationals (2020)
- 2nd Place IBJJF American Nationals NOGI (2020)
- 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2021)
Favorite Position/Technique: Open Guard
Weight Division: Meio Pesado (88,30 kg / 195.0 lbs)
Team/Association: Double Five
Rodrigo Lopes “Tatu” Biography
Rodrigo Lopes was born on December 19, 1994, growing up in the Tijuca neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Martial arts appeared in Rodrigo’s life during primary school as part of Lopes’ curriculum, a period when all students were required to practice one combat sport. Lopes opted to choose judo. Because his older brother, Leandro Escobar was an avid jiu-jitsu athlete at the time, Rodrigo soon added BJJ to his list of sporting activities, starting around the age of 8 or 9.
His life in jiu-jitsu began at the famous Tijuca Tenis Clube sports complex where Lopes had in Augusto “Tanquinho” Mendes his first instructor. Although Mendes taught Rodrigo early on, the young boy’s promotions were done by his brother, who was a good friend of Tanquinho. As Rodrigo grew older, he started training with his brother, Leandro, regularly and gradually gained a more serious interest in the sport, particularly during his mid-to-late teens.
Although invested in the sport, Rodrigo did not often compete as a blue and purple belt. Instead, Lopes valued the party life too much to compete regularly. The love for the quiet life arrived later, as a brown belt, a time when he decided to settle and marry. The decision paved the way for Lopes to kickstart a more serious focus on the competitive scene.
On June 23, 2019, Rodrigo Lopes was promoted to black belt by his brother, Leandro Escobar. Soon after the promotion, Rodrigo was invited by Rafael Formiga to come and teach at the Double Five gym in Texas, USA, an opportunity seized by the young Brazilian.
Rodrigo Tatu Grappling Record
-
BY POINTS
17 (53%) -
BY ADVANTAGES
3 (9%) -
BY SUBMISSION
10 (31%) -
BY DECISION
2 (6%) -
BY PENALTIES
0 (0%) - BY DQ
0 (0%)
10 SUBMISSIONS WINS
-
BY POINTS
12 (27%) -
BY ADVANTAGES
3 (7%) -
BY SUBMISSION
28 (62%) -
BY DECISION
1 (2%) -
BY PENALTIES
0 (0%) - BY DQ
1 (2%)
28 SUBMISSIONS LOSSES
Rodrigo Tatu Fight History
ID | Opponent | W/L | Method | Competition | Weight | Stage | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21113 | Caio CaetanoCaio Caetano | L | Toe hold | BH Winter Open | 82KG | SF | 2019 |
21128 | Marcos MartinsMarcos Martins | L | Points | BH Winter NGO | 85KG | SF | 2019 |
21312 | Wellington LuisWellington Luis | L | Points | Vitoria Open | ABS | R1 | 2019 |
22156 | Ali MonfaradiAli Monfaradi | L | Points | Rome Fall Open | ABS | 4F | 2019 |
22212 | Marcelo GomideMarcelo Gomide | L | Points | European NoGi | ABS | 8F | 2019 |
23338 | Thiago MacedoThiago Macedo | L | Armbar | New Orleans Open | 100KG | F | 2020 |
23995 | Ronaldo JuniorRonaldo Junior | L | Choke from back | Austin Open | 82KG | F | 2020 |
24002 | Ronaldo JuniorRonaldo Junior | L | Triangle | Austin Open | ABS | SF | 2020 |
24029 | Rafael LovatoRafael Lovato | L | Ezekiel | Oklahoma Open | ABS | SF | 2020 |
24614 | Nathan MendelsohnNathan Mendelsohn | L | Armbar | American Nats | 94KG | F | 2020 |
24655 | Gabriel AlmeidaGabriel Almeida | L | Kneebar | American NGN | 91KG | F | 2020 |
25229 | Tainan DalpraTainan Dalpra | L | Cross choke | Dallas Open | 82KG | 4F | 2021 |
25266 | Stanley Rosa | L | Inside heel hook | Dallas NGO | 85KG | SF | 2021 |
25277 | Oliver TazaOliver Taza | L | Outside heel hook | Dallas NGO | ABS | R1 | 2021 |
26176 | Joseph Watson | L | Inside heel hook | NoGi Pan Am. | 85KG | R1 | 2021 |
26562 | Marcos TinocoMarcos Tinoco | L | Footlock | F2W 173 | 83KG | SPF | 2021 |
26987 | Fellipe AndrewFellipe Andrew | L | Mounted X choke | Austin Open | ABS | 4F | 2021 |
27642 | Jaime CanutoJaime Canuto | L | Choke from back | Pan American | 88KG | 4F | 2021 |
28340 | Jeferson GuaresiJeferson Guaresi | L | RNC | NoGi Worlds | 85KG | SF | 2021 |
29122 | Gabriel Castro | L | Points | JJ CON NG | 85KG | SF | 2021 |
29127 | Stephen Martinez | L | Points | JJ CON NG | ABS | SF | 2021 |
30624 | Shane Fishman | L | Choke | European Open | 88KG | R1 | 2022 |
30830 | Enderson DiasEnderson Dias | L | 50/50 armbar | Dallas Open | 88KG | SF | 2022 |
31708 | Caio CaetanoCaio Caetano | L | Pts: 6x6, Adv | Pan American | 82KG | R1 | 2022 |
32633 | Jansen GomesJansen Gomes | L | Armbar | Chicago SPO | 88KG | SF | 2022 |
32634 | Jansen GomesJansen Gomes | L | Short choke | Chicago SPO | 88KG | F | 2022 |
33197 | Levi JonesLevi Jones | L | Pts: 6x0 | EUG 4 | 82KG | 4F | 2022 |
33471 | Enderson DiasEnderson Dias | L | Pts: 6x6, Adv | American Nat. | 94KG | 4F | 2022 |
33484 | Aaron Tiegs | L | Kneebar | American Nat. | ABS | R1 | 2022 |
33777 | Austin OrandayAustin Oranday | L | Inside heel hook | Austin SMNGO | 91KG | F | 2022 |
34864 | Gabriel AlmeidaGabriel Almeida | L | Anaconda choke | JJ Con NG | 91KG | F | 2022 |
35648 | Francisco LoFrancisco Lo | L | Kneebar | NoGi Pan | 85KG | 4F | 2022 |
35675 | Igor SchneiderIgor Schneider | L | Pts: 5x0 | NoGi Pan | ABS | 8F | 2022 |
35964 | Tainan DalpraTainan Dalpra | L | Armbar | IBJJF GP | 88KG | SPF | 2022 |
36784 | Arthur DetanicoArthur Detanico | L | Botinha | Waco Open | ABS | SF | 2022 |
38035 | Austin OrandayAustin Oranday | L | DQ | Dallas NGO | 85KG | SF | 2023 |
39936 | Bruno Bressan | L | Pts: 2x0 | Atanta SPO | 88KG | F | 2023 |
40046 | Sebastian RodriguezSebastian Rodriguez | L | Referee Decision | Houston Open | 88KG | 4F | 2023 |
40084 | Pedro AlexPedro Alex | L | Points | Houston Open | ABS | SF | 2023 |
40480 | Marcos MartinsMarcos Martins | L | Armbar | World Champ. | 88KG | R1 | 2023 |
41923 | Gilberto Henrique | L | Points | Dallas SNGO | 85KG | F | 2023 |
43266 | Iago Duarte | L | Pts: 0x0, Adv | Brasileiro NoGi | 85KG | SF | 2023 |
43491 | Enrique March | L | Pts: 4x2 | NoGi Pan | 85KG | R1 | 2023 |
44164 | Austin OrandayAustin Oranday | L | Inside heel hook | Houston FNGO | 85KG | F | 2023 |
44170 | Emilio HernandezEmilio Hernandez | L | Kneebar | Houston FNGO | ABS | 4F | 2023 |
22460 | Eduardo Gaytan | W | Points | Mexico City Open | 88KG | SF | 2019 |
22461 | Anderson Sousa | W | Points | Mexico City Open | 88KG | F | 2019 |
22467 | Damien Nitkin | W | Points | Mexico City NGO | 85KG | SF | 2019 |
22468 | Anderson Sousa | W | Points | Mexico City NGO | 85KG | F | 2019 |
23336 | Alexander Yablong | W | Armbar | New Orleans Open | 100KG | SF | 2020 |
23915 | Dylan Whyte | W | Straight ankle lock | F2W 150 | N/A | SPF | 2020 |
23994 | Dylan Scott | W | Points | Austin Open | 82KG | SF | 2020 |
24612 | Inacio NetoInacio Neto | W | Pts: 0x0, Adv | American Nats | 94KG | SF | 2020 |
24654 | Vinicius Wong | W | Points | American NGN | 91KG | SF | 2020 |
25793 | Solomon Choran | W | Straight ankle lock | F2W 169 | N/A | SPF | 2021 |
26983 | Charles McGuire | W | Verbal tap | Austin Open | 100KG | F | 2021 |
27637 | Alec BauldingAlec Baulding | W | Pts: 2x2, Adv | Pan American | 88KG | 8F | 2021 |
28327 | Sebastian Guevara | W | Inside heel hook | NoGi Worlds | 85KG | R2 | 2021 |
28334 | Gabriel AlmeidaGabriel Almeida | W | Referee Decision | NoGi Worlds | 85KG | 8F | 2021 |
28337 | Gregory Paulino | W | Footlock | NoGi Worlds | 85KG | 4F | 2021 |
29077 | Charles Parsons | W | Submission | JJ CON | 88KG | 4F | 2021 |
29080 | Alexander Lane | W | Points | JJ CON | 88KG | SF | 2021 |
29081 | Thiago Cesar | W | Points | JJ CON | 88KG | F | 2021 |
29126 | Clay Mayfield | W | Points | JJ CON NG | ABS | 4F | 2021 |
30828 | Joao CizeskiJoao Cizeski | W | Pts: 8x8, Adv | Dallas Open | 88KG | 4F | 2022 |
30864 | Juan Armendariz | W | Pts: 8x2 | Dallas NGO | 85KG | SF | 2022 |
33470 | Nicholas Greene | W | Points | American Nat. | 94KG | R1 | 2022 |
33740 | Joao Matos | W | Choke from back | Austin SMO | 88KG | SF | 2022 |
33742 | Matheus Oliveira | W | Pts: 7x2 | Austin SMO | 88KG | F | 2022 |
34863 | Thiago Saldanha | W | Points | JJ Con NG | 91KG | SF | 2022 |
35642 | Guthierry BarbosaGuthierry Barbosa | W | Katagatame | NoGi Pan | 85KG | 8F | 2022 |
36779 | Jean Pierre | W | Katagatame | Waco Open | ABS | R1 | 2022 |
36781 | Jackson DouglasJackson Douglas | W | Pts: 6x4 | Waco Open | ABS | 4F | 2022 |
38012 | Nicholas Martinez | W | Pts: 6x2 | Dallas Open | ABS | R1 | 2023 |
40044 | Chad Ross | W | N/A | Houston Open | 88KG | 4F | 2023 |
43258 | Luiz Dionisio | W | Pts: 10x0 | Brasileiro NoGi | 85KG | R1 | 2023 |
43263 | Gabriel CostaGabriel Costa | W | Referee Decision | Brasileiro NoGi | 85KG | 4F | 2023 |