Table of content
1. Saulo Ribeiro's Details
| Name | Saulo Mendonca Ribeiro Filho |
| Born | Manaus, Brazil |
| Current Residence | San Diego, California |
| Date of Birth | July 2, 1974 |
| Nationality | American Brazilian |
| Last Fight | September 21, 2002, in TFC |
| Last Weigh-in | N/A |
| Weight Class | Peso Medio (Middleweight) Meio Pasado (Medium heavyweight) Pasado (Heavyweight |
| Weight | 86 kg (190 lb.) |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in. (1.75 m) |
| Career Disclosed Earnings | N/A |
| Fighting out of | San Diego, CA |
| Favorite Play Technique | Choke from Mount Kouchi Gari (Throw) |
| Foundational style | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Submission Wrestling, Judo |
| Rank | 6th Degree Black Belt in jiu-jitsu Black Belt in Judo |
| Lineage | - Mitsuyo Maeda - Carlos Gracie - Helio Gracie - Royler Gracie - Saulo Ribeiro |
| Team/Association | Gracie Humaita & Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Association |
2. Saulo Ribeiro Biography
"It’s not what you’re going to take from martial arts, it's what you have to give to martial arts."
Saulo Ribeiro is an unprecedented jiu-jitsu fighter, admired trainer, and a man of character. He didn’t just say these words but lived and breathed them. Behind his every achievement on and off the mat, there was an underlying purpose - to give back. In Saulo’s eyes, the true art of jiu-jitsu is the art of giving!
2.1. An Account of Early Life & Amateur Fighting
2.1.1. Birth to BJJ
Born in Manaus, Brazil on July 2, 1974, Saulo Ribeiro discovered his love for jiu-jitsu at the age of 15. He already practiced judo by this time. Traditional jiu-jitsu revolves around self-defense and submission techniques. Young Ribeiro realized that if he cross-trained judo and jiu-jitsu his combat skills would improve.
2.1.2. Jiu-Jitsu training at Academia Monteiro
Consequently, he joined Academia Monteiro and trained under Fabio Monterio - Saulo’s first jiu-jitsu coach.
2.1.3. Higher Studies & Gracie Humaita
In 1992, he moved to Rio de Janeiro for higher studies and enrolled in Gracie Humaita Academia. Luck was with him because the amazing Royler Gracie became his coach.
In the early 90s, still a brown belt, Ribeiro won the title of Brazilian National Champion in the lightweight division.
2.2. Pro BJJ Combat
2.2.1. Brazilian National Champion
In the early 90s, still a brown belt, Ribeiro won the title of Brazilian National Champion in the lightweight division.
2.2.2. Worthy of a Black Belt
November 27, 1995, became “The Big Day” of Saulo’s life when his master Royler Gracie deemed him worthy of a black belt. The years that followed witnessed Ribeiro’s glorious jiu-jitsu career.
2.2.3. Competing to Win
He competed in every national and international championship. To make his journey to the top more challenging, he fought in different weight divisions and stood victorious in most of the matches.
2.3 - Pro-MMA Combat
2.3.1. MMA Competitions
In 1996, Ribeiro’s daring nature compelled him to fight in his first mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament. After a long hiatus, Ribeiro re-entered the MMA stage in the years 2000 and 2002. These years marked his noteworthy success - 2 submission wins against adept MMA combatants. However, he chose to remain a grappler and pursue a career in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
2.4. Historic Fights
2.4.1. Saulo Ribeiro vs Marcelo Braga
Saulo Ribiero put on a striking show of his grappling skills to conquer the quarterfinal round of Pan American Championship and eventually compete in the final. He defeated Marcelo Braga by armbar in an epic fight that night.
| Year | Event | Opponent | W/L/D | Method | Stage | Div. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Pan American Championship | Marcelo Braga | Win | Armbar | 4F | 88 Kg |
2.4.2. Saulo Ribeiro vs Cassio Werneck
Set to keep his win record unblemished, Ribeiro competed ruthlessly in all rounds of the Pan American Championship, held in 2007. He faced another BJJ ace Cassio Werneck in the finals. At the end of the match, black belt Ribeiro stood victorious.
| Year | Event | Opponent | W/L/D | Method | Stage | Div. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Pan American | Cassio | Win | Points | F | 88 Kg |
2.4.3. Saulo Ribeiro vs Gregor Gracie
In 2008, Saulo made his mark in the no-gi jiu-jitsu world through his remarkable win. This was Saulo’s first no-gi tournament. He entered the finals after successfully defeating Jason Bukich and Igor Gracie in the quarter-finals and the semi-finals, respectively.
He won his first no-gi championship title after defeating Gregor Gracie by 3 points in the final round.
| Year | Event | Opponent | W/L/D | Method | Stage | Div. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | NoGi World Championship | Gregor Gracie | Win | Points 3x0 | F | 88 Kg |
2.5. BJJ Instructorship
Ribeiro is an accomplished fighter. His stunning win record is sufficient proof. Keen on devoting his life to BJJ, he became a trainer. His journey as a jiu-jitsu teacher began in 2004 when he released an instructional DVD series called, the “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Revolution”.
Over the years his credibility as an instructor grew. Today, Saulo is one of the best Jiu-Jitsu coaches in the world with more than 2000 students enrolled in his academy.
2.5.1. Starting a Jiu-Jitsu University
In February 2007, Saulo and his brother Xande worked with master Royler Gracie to establish a jiu-jitsu school which later became the headquarters of the Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Association.
The Ribeiro brothers were keen on teaching, not just the sport but also the core values of martial arts. The ideology was to strengthen the body and the character. This thought process combined with his mastery of the art, helped him to promote BJJ all over the world. Today more than 2000 students from all over the world are training with the Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Association and the University of Jiu-Jitsu camp. He also had the privilege to upgrade more than 60 students to the black belt level.
2.5.2. Publication
In 2008, Ribeiro went on to deliver the wisdom of jiu-jitsu through his words and penned down the most valuable book “Jiu-Jitsu University.” The book is cited frequently as the best-written training manual for all belt levels.
In August 2015, Ribeiro had another proud moment when Robson Gracie, the president of the Rio de Janeiro Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, elevated him to the rank of 5th-degree black belt. He earned the 6th-degree black belt in 2019.
2.5.3. Retired for a Come Back
Initially, the ADCC World Championship, Barcelona, held in 2009 was Ribeiro’s last competition. He competed in the 99 kg weight class and bested Kouji Kanechika and Romulo Barral. He then lost the semi-final to Fabricio Werdum and third place to Jeff Monson. Both of the matches ended in a decision loss. Ribeiro chose this time to announce his retirement from all professional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions.
He later announced his participation in the International Masters and Seniors Championship. Ribeiro made an impressive comeback, he won his weight division and a team trophy for Gracie Humaita. In 2014, he faced Rodrigo Medeiros in Metamoris IV. The highly anticipated match ended in a draw.
2.5.4. The Hall of Fame
Admired for his achievements, Ribeiro was made a part of the inaugural class of the ADCC Hall of Fame in 2022.
2.6. Championships & Accomplishments
National
- Brazilian National Championship
International
- World Masters & Seniors Championship
- International Masters & Seniors Championship
- ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship
- Pan American Championship
- World No-Gi Championship
- World Jiu-Jitsu Championship
Record/Medals
- Brazilian National Championship
- World Masters & Seniors Championship
- International Masters & Seniors Championship
- ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship
- Pan American Championship
- World No-Gi Championship
- World Jiu-Jitsu Championship
| Event | Year | Medals |
|---|---|---|
| World Masters & Seniors Championship | 2012 | 2 Gold Medals
|
| World Masters & Seniors Championship | 2013 | 2 Gold Medals
|
| World Masters & Seniors Championship | 2014 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| World Masters & Seniors Championship | 2015 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| World Masters & Seniors Championship | 2016 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| Event | Year | Medals |
|---|---|---|
| International Masters & Seniors Championship | 2010 | 1 Silver Medal
|
| International Masters & Seniors Championship | 2010 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| International Masters & Seniors Championship | 2015 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| Event | Year | Medals |
|---|---|---|
| World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 1997 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 1998 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 1999 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 2000 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 2001 | 1 Silver Medal
|
| World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 2002 | 1 Silver Medal
|
| World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 2002 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 2005 | 1 Bronze Medal
|
| World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 2007 | 1 Silver Medal
|
| Event | Year | Medals |
|---|---|---|
| ADCC Championship | 1999 | 2 Silver Medals
|
| ADCC Championship | 2000 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| ADCC Championship | 2001 | 2 Silver Medals
|
| ADCC Championship | 2003 | 2 Gold Medals
|
| ADCC Championship | 2005 | 1 Bronze Medal
|
| Event | Year | Medals |
|---|---|---|
| Pan American Championship | 1998 | 2 Gold Medals
|
| Event | Year | Medals |
|---|---|---|
| Pan American Championship | 2008 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| Event | Year | Medals |
|---|---|---|
| Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 1996 | 1 Gold Medal
|
| - | 1998 | 2 Gold Medals
|
3. Main Achievements
| Won Brazilian National Championship 3 times | |
|---|---|
| Year | Weight Class |
| 1996 | Super heavyweight |
| 1998 | Medium-heavy and Absolute |
| Won World Masters & Seniors Championship 7 times | |
|---|---|
| Year | Weight Class |
| 2012 | Super-heavy weight & Absolute |
| 2013 | Super-heavy weight & Absolute |
| 2014 | Super-heavy weight |
| 2015 | Super-heavy weight |
| 2016 | Heavy-weight |
| Won International Masters & Seniors Championship 2 times | |
|---|---|
| Year | Weight Class |
| 2010 | Heavy-weight |
| 2015 | Super-heavy weight |
| Won Pan American Championship twice | |
|---|---|
| Year | Weight Class |
| 1918 | Heavy-weight and Absolute |
| Won Pan American Championship twice | |
|---|---|
| Year | Weight Class |
| 2000 | 88 Kg |
| 2003 | 88 Kg |
| Won World Jiu-Jitsu Championship 5 times | |
|---|---|
| Year | Weight Class |
| 1997 | Middle-weight |
| 1998 | Heavy-weight |
| 1999 | Light heavyweight |
| 2000 | Super heavyweight |
| 2002 | Light heavyweight |
| World No-Gi Champion. | |
|---|---|
| Year | Weight Class |
| 2008 | Medium Heavyweight |
4. Main Achievements (Belts)
| Black Belt | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Belt | Events (GI) | Year |
| 1st | Black | Brazilian National Championship | 1996, 1999 |
| 1st | Black | World Masters & Seniors Championship | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 1st | Black | International Masters & Seniors Championship | 2010, 2015 |
| 2nd | Black | International Masters & Seniors Championship | 2010 |
| 1st | Black | World No-Gi Championship | 2008 |
| 1st | Black | Pan American Championship | 1998 |
| 1st | Black | ADCC World Championship | 2000, 2003 |
| 2nd | Black | ADCC World Championship | 1999, 2001 |
| 3rd | Black | ADCC World Championship | 2005 |
| 1st | Black | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002 |
| 2nd | Black | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 2001, 2002, 2007 |
| 3rd | Black | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | 2005 |
5. Saulo Ribeiro’s Jiu-Jitsu Professional Record Breakdown
| Professional Record Breakdown | ||
|---|---|---|
| 91 Matches | 70 Wins | 21 Losses |
| By Submission | 10 | 05 |
| By Points | 44 | 12 |
| By Advantage | 11 | 02 |
| By Decision | 03 | 01 |
| By DQ | 00 | 00 |
| By Penalty | 02 | 01 |
5.1. Submission Methods W/L
| Submission Methods W/L | ||
|---|---|---|
| Submission Method | 10 Wins | 05 Losses |
| Armbars | 1 | 1 |
| Triangle Armbar | 1 | 0 |
| Choke from Back | 1 | 0 |
| Kata Gatame | 1 | 0 |
| Choke | 1 | 0 |
| Cross Choke | 0 | 1 |
| Baseball Choke | 0 | 1 |
| Submission | 1 | 0 |
| RNC | 3 | 0 |
| Knee Bar | 0 | 1 |
| Toehold | 0 | 1 |
6. Saulo Ribeiro’s BJJ Fight History
| Year | Event | Opponent | W/L/D | Method | Stage | Weight Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Metamoris 4 | Rodrigo Comprido | D | - | SPF | ABS |
| 2009 | ADCC Championship | Jeff Monson | L | Points | 3RD | 099 kg |
| 2009 | ADCC Championship | Fabricio Werdum | L | Points | SF | 099 kg |
| 2009 | ADCC Championship | Romulo Barral | W | Points | 4F | 099 kg |
| 2009 | ADCC Championship | Kouji Kanechika | W | Points | R1 | 099 kg |
| 2008 | NoGi Worlds Championship | Gregor Gracie | W | Points 3x0 | F | 88 kg |
| 2008 | NoGi Worlds Championship | Igor Gracie | W | Points 7x0 | SF | 88 kg |
| 2008 | NoGi Worlds Championship | Jason Bukich | W | Points 8x0 | 4F | 88 kg |
| 2007 | NoGi Pan American Championship | Romulo Barral | W | Referee Decision | F | 88 kg |
| 2007 | NoGi Pan American Championship | Edson Diniz | W | RNC | SF | 88 kg |
| 2007 | World Championship | Romulo Barral | L | Points 6x0 | F | 88 kg |
| 2007 | World Championship | Tarsis Humphreys | W | Points 2x2, Advantage | SF | 88 kg |
| 2007 | World Championship | Raphael Abi-Rihan | W | Points 4x0 | 4F | 88 kg |
| 2007 | ADCC Championship | Mike Fowler | L | Toehold | 4F | 77 kg |
| 2007 | ADCC Championship | Takefuni Hanai | W | Submission | R1 | 77 kg |
| 2007 | Pan American Championship | Cassio Werneck | W | Points | F | 88 kg |
| 2007 | Pan American Championship | Ailton Barbosa | W | Choke from back | SF | 88 kg |
| 2007 | Pan American Championship | Marcelo Braga | W | Armbar | 4F | 88 kg |
| 2007 | GQ All Star Pro | Pablo Popovitch | L | Points 0x0, Advantage | F | 81 kg |
| 2007 | GQ All Star Pro | Marcel Louzado | W | Points 6x2 | SF | 81 kg |
| 2007 | GQ All Star Pro | Kamal Shalorus | W | Points 0x0, Advantage | 4F | 81 kg |
| 2006 | LA Sub-X | Jake Shields | W | Points 2x1 | SPF | ABS |
| 2005 | World Championship | Roger Gracie | L | Cross Choke | SF | ABS |
| 2005 | World Cup | Gabriel Napao | L | Points 5x0 | 4F | O75 kg |
| 2005 | World Cup | Ronaldo Souza | L | Points 8x0 | SF | 88 kg |
| 2005 | ADCC Championship | Dennis Hallman | W | Triangle Armbar | 3PLC | 88kg |
| 2005 | ADCC Championship | Demian Maia | L | Points 0x0, Pen | SF | 88 kg |
| 2005 | ADCC Championship | Jorge Patino | W | Points 10x0 | 4F | 88 kg |
| 2005 | ADCC Championship | L. Papadopoulos | W | Points 3x0 | R1 | 88 kg |
| 2005 | GQ Pro 16 | David Avellan | W | Points | SF | ABS |
| 2005 | GQ Pro 16 | Rafael Barbosa | W | Points 3x0 | 4F | ABS |
| 2005 | GQ Pro 16 | Jason Miller | W | Points | N/A | ABS |
| 2004 | World Cup | Fernando Margrida | L | Points 4x2 | SF | 94 kg |
| 2004 | World Cup | Fabio Nascimento | W | Points | 4F | 94 kg |
| 2003 | Arnold Classic | R.Lovato Jr | W | Katagatame | N/A | 88 kg |
| 2003 | Arnold Classic | Unknown | W | RNC | N/A | 88 kg |
| 2003 | ADCC Championship | Dean Lister | L | Kneebar | 4F | ABS |
| 2003 | ADCC Championship | Jeff Monson | W | Referee Decision | R1 | ABS |
| 2003 | ADCC Championship | Ronaldo Souza | W | Points 3x0 | F | 88 kg |
| 2003 | ADCC Championship | David Terell | W | Referee Decision | SF | 88 kg |
| 2003 | ADCC Championship | Rodrigo Comprido | W | Points 2x0 | 4F | 88 kg |
| 2003 | ADCC Championship | Yuki Sasaki | W | Points | R1 | 88 kg |
| 2002 | World Championship | Marcio Cruz | L | Points 2x0 | F | ABS |
| 2002 | World Championship | Gabriel Gonzaga | W | Points 3x0 | SF | ABS |
| 2002 | World Championship | Roberto Correa | W | Points 4x2 | 4F | ABS |
| 2002 | World Championship | Fabio Nascimento | W | Bow and Arrow | R1 | ABS |
| 2002 | World Championship | Erik Wanderlei | W | Points 7x0 | F | 88 kg |
| 2002 | World Championship | Marcel Louzado | W | Points 4x0 | SF | 88 kg |
| 2002 | World Championship | Fabio Nascimento | W | Points 4x0 | SF | 88 kg |
| 2001 | World Championship | Fernando Margarida | L | Baseball Choke | F | 88 kg |
| 2001 | World Championship | Murilo Rupp | W | Points | SF | 88 kg |
| 2001 | World Championship | Roger Coehlo | W | Points | 4F | 88 kg |
| 2001 | World Championship | Fernando Margarida | L | Points 2x0 | F | ABS |
| 2001 | ADCC Championship | Ricardo Arona | L | Points 2x0 | 4F | ABS |
| 2001 | ADCC Championship | T.Yano | W | Points 11x2 | R1 | ABS |
| 2001 | ADCC Championship | Sanae Kikuta | L | Points 3x0 | F | 88 kg |
| 2001 | ADCC Championship | Nino Schembri | W | Pen | SF | 88 kg |
| 2001 | ADCC Championship | R.Anderson | W | Points | 4F | 88 kg |
| 2001 | ADCC Championship | Travis Lutter | W | Points 2x0 | R1 | 88 kg |
| 2000 | ADCC Championship | Ricardo Liborio | W | Pen | F | 88 kg |
| 2000 | ADCC Championship | Sasha Savko | W | Points 3x2 | SF | 88 kg |
| 2000 | ADCC Championship | Dave Menne | W | RNC | 4F | 88 kg |
| 2000 | ADCC Championship | Jerry Bolander | W | Points 2x0 | R1 | 88 kg |
| 2000 | World Championship | Daniel Simoes | W | Points | F | 100 kg |
| 2000 | World Championship | Gabriel Gonzaga | W | Points | SF | 100 kg |
| 2000 | World Championship | Adilson Lima | W | Points | 4F | 100 kg |
| 2000 | World Championship | Roberto Ferreira | W | Points | R1 | 100 kg |
| 1999 | ADCC Championship | Jeff Monson | L | Advantage | F | 99 kg |
| 1999 | ADCC Championship | Murilo Bustamante | W | Points 5x0 | SF | 99 kg |
| 1999 | ADCC Championship | Vernon White | W | Points 16 x 0 | 4F | 99 kg |
| 1999 | ADCC Championship | Mourat Ozov | W | Choke from back | R1 | 99 kg |
| 1999 | World Championship | Roberto Roleta | W | Advantage | F | 88 kg |
| 1999 | World Championship | Ze Marcello | W | Advantage | SF | 88 kg |
| 1999 | World Championship | Givanildo Santana | W | Advantage | 4F | 88 kg |
| 1999 | World Championship | Marcelo Hertz | W | Advantage | R1 | 88 kg |
| 1998 | Oscar de JJ | Fabio Gurgel | W | Advantage | SPF | 94 kg |
| 1998 | World Championship | Fabio Gurgel | W | Points 2x0 | F | 94 kg |
| 1998 | World Championship | Murilo Bustamante | W | Advantage | SF | 94 kg |
| 1998 | World Championship | Anderson Xavier | W | Points | 4F | 94 kg |
| 1998 | Super Liga | Leo Dalla | W | Points 3x0 | F | ABS |
| 1998 | Super Liga | Ismael Sousa | W | Points 13x0 | SF | ABS |
| 1998 | Super Liga | Ze Marcello | W | Points 2x0 | 4F | ABS |
| 1997 | Copa Pele | Ricardo Americano | W | Points | SPF | N/A |
| 1997 | World Championship | Mario Sperry | L | Points | R2 | ABS |
| 1997 | World Championship | Nino Schembri | W | Advantage | F | 82 kg |
| 1997 | World Championship | Rony Rustico | W | Advantage | SF | 82 kg |
| 1997 | World Championship | Guilherme Santos | W | Advantage | 4F | 82 kg |
| 1996 | Brasileiro | Roberto Roleta | L | Armbar | F | 88 kg |
| 1996 | Brasileiro | Ricardo Herriott | W | Points | SF | 88 kg |
| 1996 | Brasileiro | Unknown | W | Points | 4F | 88 kg |
| 1996 | Pan American Championship | Roberto Correa | L | Points 4x2 | SF | ABS |
| 1996 | Pan American Championship | Roberto Roleta | L | Referee Decision | F | 88 kg |
7. MMA Professional Record Breakdown
| 3 Matches | 2 Wins | 1 Losses |
|---|---|---|
| By Submission | 2 | 0 |
| By Knockout | 0 | 1 |
| By Decision | 0 | 0 |
7.1. Submission Methods W/L
| By Submission | 2 Wins | 0 Loss |
|---|---|---|
| Rear-naked choke | 02 | 00 |
8. MMA Fight History
| Year | Event | Opponent | W/L/D | Method | Stage | Weight Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | TFC 5 (Fightzone 5) | Jason Ireland | W | RNC | N/A | N/A |
| 2000 | C2K Colosseum 2000 | Yuki Kondo | L | TKO (punch) | R1 | Heavyweight |
| 1996 | CDL Carioca de Freestyle | Carlos Lopes | W | RNC | N/A | N/A |
9. Top Fights (Video Links)
Saulo Riberio vs Edson Diniz
Saulo Ribeiro vs Lucio Fernandes
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