the Peso Pena division, also known as the feathers is one of the most exciting weight classes in jiu jitsu. This is a list of the top competitors in this weight class.
Isaac Doederlein is a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt under Rubens Charles “Cobrinha”, who also trained extensively with Wellington “Megaton” Dias during his first years in the sport. Doederlein made a name for himself in the sport’s lower belt divisions, from blue belt onwards, making use of a highly dynamic ground game, one that earned him numerous medals and loyal fans across the grappling globe.
A black belt in jiu jitsu under Royler Gracie, the BJJ world champion Paulo “Coelho” became a reference in the sport as a fighter, and also as an instructor, having moved to the United States in 2012 to pursuit his coaching career.
Andris Brunovskis is a versatile grappler, known for his flexible and offensive guard game. This accomplished jiu jitsu black belt (awarded by Andre Galvao) is regarded as one of the top American competitors in the Brazilian jiu jitsu scene.
Gianni Grippo is widely regarded as one of the leading figures of the ‘Berimbolo Generation’ of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, having built that reputation in the lower belt divisions of the sport where he conquered 6 world titles (4 with the gi and 2 without). Grippo competed for the Renzo Gracie Academy up until brown belt, when he switched to Marcelo Garcia’s Alliance, continuing his grappling career at the multiple time world champion academy.
Marcio André is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and one of the top athletes of his generation in the sport, being also one of the prime representatives of the Nova Uniao team in the gi.
Fabio Caloi is a Jiu Jitsu world champion competitor and a black belt under Fabio Gurgel. Fabio, also known as ‘Fabinho’ Caloi, belongs to an elite generation of grapplers developed by the Alliance Academy, a generation that raised waves in the lower belts of the sport, continuing in great form through the black belt divisions.
Daisuke Nakamura is a Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt graduated from the Grabaka Gym, an academy founded by the former king of Pancrase, Sanae Kikuta, in Tokyo, Japan. Daisuke Nakamura has been one of the top BJJ competitors of Japan having won several All Japan championships in the black belt division. He has also taken a place as one of Grabaka’s jiu jitsu instructors.
Wagnney Fabiano is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Wendell Alexander who turned into a professional MMA fighter in the early 2000’s, becoming the IFL (International Fight League) Featherweight Champion. A very successful BJJ competitor in the 1990’s, Fabiano conquered several important trophies such as the Brazilian National Championship and the National Teams tournament. Wagnney Fabiano is also the older brother of the famous 4x BJJ World Cup Champion Leo Santos.
One of the best jiu jitsu competitors of the 1980’s & 1990s, Crezio de Souza competed for the Carlson Gracie Team in BJJ and MMA he was also part of Brazil’s wrestling team for the Havana Pan American Games (1991) and qualified for the Olympics in Barcelona (1992). A true legend of the sport, the man from Petropolis also medalled in the Brazilian BJJ nationals in 2002 at the age of 40, being the first man to do so in the adult division.
David Juliano is a BJJ black belt competitor in the feather weight division, who often competes for Atos Jiu Jitsu. David has won important titles at black belt such as the South American title, the European Open and many other tournaments at a national and international level.
With affiliated academies all around the world, Equipe Fabricio has become one of the most well represented teams in BJJ today. The team’s leader, Fabricio Martins is a black belt from the Osvaldo Alves academy in Rio de Janeiro, Martins has managed to produce very strong talent and is highly requested for seminars around the world due to his coaching prowess.
Considered to be one of the top grappling coaches in Japan, Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Master Alexandre Paiva, an achievement accomplished in 2002. Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa is also the leader of the famous Tri-Force academy in Tokyo, Japan.
Valmyr Neto is one of the top BJJ black belts competing and coaching in the United Kingdom. Originally from Belém do Pará (the birthplace of Jiu Jitsu in Brazil), Neto travelled to England after he earned his black belt from Walter “Broca”, where he established his team in the region of Gravesend.
Michel Langhi is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under the legendary Rubens Charles “Cobrinha” and one of the most gifted guard players in BJJ’ featherweight division. Being the brother of lightweight world champion Michael Langhi, Michel (often regarded as “Langhinho”) became a starlet of his own merit after successive impressive wins in the lower ranks where he won tournaments such as the World Championships, the Pan American and the Brasileiro.
A former tri-athlete, Guilherme Cascon is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under the illustrious Master Carlos Henrique, who coaches at the Brazil 021 team academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Guilherme has reached the podiums of important tournaments throughout his competitive career, such as the Brasileiro and the Copa Rolls Gracie.
Ryo Ominami is a Japanese BJJ fighter and coach from the Gracie Barra team. A Jiu Jitsu black belt under Carlos “Escorrega” Lemos, Ominami has won important tournaments such as the Asian Open (IBJJF), the All Japan Championship and even the NAGA in Chicago.
Andre Monteiro, also known as “Tim”, is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, from the Carlson Gracie lineage (under Francisco “Toco”) who has medalled in important tournaments such as the Pan American (Gi and Nogi) and the Brazilian Nationals. Monteiro coaches in theUnited Statessince 2008.
Gabriel Rainho, also known as “Biel” is a Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt from the Grappling Fight Team in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This Master Julio Cesar Pereira black belt is one of the top featherweights from the famed GFT having won the the Rio de Janeiro State Championships and the Brazilian National numerous times.
Raoni Barcelos is a Wrestler and a top level Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under 7th degree coral belt, Laerte Barcelos (his father). Training Jiu Jitsu since he was 2 years old, Raoni Barcelos has stacked up many important titles, including 4 world titles in the lower belts; he is also a successful Freestyle Wrestler having important titles such as a Freestyle National title.
Denny Prokopos was the very first Jiu Jitsu black belt graduated by Eddie Bravo, and subsequently the first black belt generated from Bravo’s 10th Planet system. Denny is also one of the most talented Nogi Jiu Jitsu practitioners in the United States having won several important tournaments such as the Mundiao (Nogi) and the FILA World Grappling tournament.