Micael Galvão

Micael Ferreira Galvão, commonly known as Mica Galvão,^[6] (born 8 October 2003) is a submission grappler, Luta Livre and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt competitor^[b] from the Brazilian state of Amazonas. A highly decorated athlete competing since childhood, Galvão was promoted to black belt in 2021, at the age of 17,^[7] less than three years after reaching blue belt.^[8] In 2022 Galvão won the 2022 IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship before testing positive for a banned substance, was stripped of said title and received a one-year suspension ban.

Micael Galvão
Born	Micael Ferreira Galvão (2003-10-08) 8 October 2003 (age 21) Manaus, Brazil
Nickname	Mica
Residence	Miami, Florida
Division	Lightweight / Middleweight[1]
Team	Melqui Galvao Jiu-Jitsu[2] Fight Sports[a] Dream Art / Alliance Projeto Nandinho Cícero Costha[4]
Trainer	Melqui Galvão, Totonho Aleixo
Rank	1st degree black belt in BJJ[b][5] black belt in Luta Livre[c]
Occupation	Submission wrestler, BJJ athlete
Medal record Representing  Brazil Submission Grappling ADCC World Championship 2024 Nevada, USA -77kg 2022 Nevada, USA -77kg Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Brazilian National Championship 2022 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil −82.3 kg AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro 2021 Abu Dhabi, UAE −77 kg AJP Grand Slam World Tour 2021 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil −77 kg

Early life and education

Micael Ferreira Galvão was born on 8 October 2003 in Manaus, Brazil. His father Melquisedeque Galvão, known as Melqui Galvão, was the chief investigator of the special anti-kidnapping squad of the Manaus Police Department, and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and Luta Livre black belt.^[d] Galvão's grandfather was a well known kung fu instructor.^[9] Coached by his father, Galvão first BJJ competition took place at the age of four. A few years later when he was ten years old, Galvão started training in Luta Livre Esportiva (also known as Brazilian catch-wrestling), Galvão also trained Judo and Freestyle Wrestling.^[1] In February 2011 his father started Projeto Nandinho^[e] a program for low-income children and adolescents, looking to train in BJJ, the academy was at first located in his garage, later becoming part of Dream Art Project, another program for young athletes supported by Alliance Jiu Jitsu in the region of Amazonas.^[11]

Together with his sister Sammi, the siblings quickly conquered all the main competitions in the Amazonas and Brazil.^[12] At the 2015 Amazonian Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11-year-old Galvão submitted all his opponents winning an Amazon Championship title the for 15th time.^[4] In July 2015 Galvão and his sister left the country for the first time, to participate in the American National Jiu-Jitsu Championship taking place in Las Vegas.^[12]

The Galvão siblings became known around the regional competition circuit for submitting older and heavier opponents during "superfights".^[13] In one of those matches, 13-year-old green belt Galvão submitted a 25-year-old brown belt with proven competition record.^[14] At 15 Galvão was promoted to blue belt, winning the 2017 IBJJF Kids Pan; a month later, during a tournament known as Copa Podio Orange League Event where juveniles faced experience grapplers, Galvão submitted Leandro Rounaud, a former IBJJF Manaus Open adult black belt champion.^[15] In January Galvão won the IBJJF European Jiu-Jitsu Championship taking place in Portugal, in the Juvenile, blue heavy division.^[16] In August 2019 Galvão won the Abu Dhabi International Pro Championship, taking place in Manaus, in the -81 kilograms (179 lb) juvenile blue belt division while his sister Sammi won the -70 kilograms (150 lb) female adult purple belt.^[17]

After turning sixteen Galvão was promoted to purple belt, competing in the adult bracket he won the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2019–2020 – Abu Dhabi then less than a year later was promoted to brown belt in October 2020.^[18] In April 2021 he won the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2020–2021 – Abu Dhabi in the -77 kilograms (170 lb) division.^[19] In May 2021 Galvão participated in Flograppling's Who's Number 1 (WNO), defeating World No-Gi black belt Champion and ADCC veteran Dante Leon by unanimous decision.^[20] In June 2021 it was announced that Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu's Fight Sports was partnering with Melqui Galvao's project in Brazil providing an exchange program between their HQ in Miami and their location in Manaus. Galvão announced that he was now representing Fight Sports team going forward in competitions.^[3] That same year, as a Brown Belt, Galvão won the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Pro and the 2021 IBJJF No Gi Pan Championship in the middleweight division.^[11]

On 19 June 2021 Galvão entered the Third Coast Grappling 7 grand prix, submitting three BJJ black belts in one night to win the title.^[21]

Black belt career

2021

On 9 July 2021 a few months after being promoted to black belt in Luta Livre by his mentor Totonho Aleixo, and only 9 months after receiving his BJJ brown belt,^[22] 17-year-old Galvão was promoted to BJJ black belt by his father Melqui Galvão at their academy.^[23] In October he won the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2021–2022 Rio De Janeiro, winning all his fights by submission. In November 2021, Galvão became the youngest athlete to compete in the AJP World Pro championship at the male black belt level, then became the youngest competitor to win the event after submitting all his opponents in the 77 kilograms (170 lb) division.^[24][19]

After defeating Carlos Andrade at the prestigious Curitiba Open, a tournament featuring the top Brazilian competitors, Galvão held a record of 12 submission win in a row.^[25] In September 2021 Galvão lost a no-Gi match to Tye Ruotolo by Split Decision at the WNO Championship.^[26]

2022

In February 2022 Galvão won the Brazilian ADCC Trials submitting all of his opponents, scoring 6 wins, 5 submissions and 1 disqualification, and securing a spot at the upcoming 2022 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship, the world's biggest grappling tournament, in the 77 kg weight class.^[27]

In April 2022, Galvão took part in BJJ Stars 8 Middleweight GP, one of the biggest and most prestigious professional jiu-jitsu shows taking place in São Paulo; Galvão won the first match against multiple-time black belt World champion Leandro Lo via decision, the semi-final against Mauricio Oliveira via submission (Injury Forfeit) then won the final against Lucas "Hulk" Barbosa, a-two time World champion (Gi and No-Gi) whom Galvão defeated with a Bow and Arrow Choke.^[28]

In June 2022 competing at the World Championship as a black belt for the first time, Galvão became, at 18 years old, the youngest ever jiu-jitsu world champion after defeating 19-year-old Tye Ruotolo in the lightweight final.^[29] He was later stripped of the title after testing positive for clomiphene and suspended for 1 year. Galvão won silver at the 2022 ADCC World Championship after defeating Dante Leon, in a match where 2 points were deducted from Leon in the final 10 seconds, Renato Canuto and Oliver Taza by points but losing to Kade Ruotolo in the final.^[30]

2023

In January 2023, Galvão's father Melqui announced that they would be separating from Fight Sports and branching out as their own BJJ affiliation, including a new location in São Paulo.^[31] He returned to gi competition for the first time in 9 months at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour in London on 12 March 2023, winning gold in the welterweight division.^[32] Galvão was then booked to compete in a superfight against Alexandre de Jesus in the main event of Majestic BJJ 3 on 1 April 2023.^[33] He submitted de Jesus in the main event and won the promotion's 83 kg title.^[34] Galvão was then invited to compete in the BJJ Stars 10 Absolute Grand prix on 22 April 2023.^[35] He defeated Otavio Nalati on points in the opening round before winning his quarter-final match against Kaynan Duarte by disqualification. He lost to Fellipe Andrew on points in the semi-final, although he was visibly injured from the previous match.^[36] Galvão had an MRI shortly after that confirmed he had suffered an Medial collateral ligament injury and would be out of competition for a minimum of 8-12 weeks.^[37]

Doping ban

In April, Galvão was stripped of his 2022 IBJJF world title following an USADA announcement that he had tested positive for the banned substance Clomifene following a drug test conducted in connection to the 2022 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship.^[38] The USADA determined that Galvão's positive test was "caused by a medication prescribed in a therapeutic dose under the care of a physician" but that Galvao failed to request a mandatory therapeutic use exemption.^[39] Galvão accepted a one year suspension starting from 22 July 2022.^[40]

Competition return

Galvão made his return to competition after recovering from his injury at the CBJJE Sao Paulo open 2023 on 29 July, winning a gold medal in the medium-heavyweight division.^[41] On 5 August 2023 Galvão made his return to IBJJF competition by winning gold medals in the gi lightweight division and the no gi medium-heavyweight division of the IBJJF Vitoria Open 2023.^[42] He competed again at the IBJJF Floripa Winter Open 2023 on 12 and 13 August, winning gold medals in the middleweight division in both the gi and no gi.^[43]

Galvão competed in a 4-man tournament for the Who's Number One welterweight title at WNO: Night of Champions on 1 October 2023.^[44] He won both matches and was crowned the champion.^[45] Galvao then won the no gi middleweight division at the IBJJF Sao Paulo Open 2023 on 19 November 2023.^[46]

Galvão was scheduled to make his first Who's Number One welterweight title defense against Kody Steele at WNO 21: Ryan vs Barbosa on 30 November 2023.^[47] He won the match by submission, with a rear-naked choke.^[48] Galvão announced after winning the match that he was going to make his second title-defense against Nicky Ryan at WNO 22 on 9 February 2024.^[49]

Galvão represented Team Modolfo in the under 83kg division at AIGA Champions League Final 2023 on 13 and 14 December.^[50] He did not compete in the semi-final^[51] but won his final match by submission in order to help Team Modolfo win the tournament.^[52]

2024

Galvão announced at the beginning of 2024 that he would be moving up to middleweight after defending his welterweight WNO title at the beginning the year.^[53] In his first event of the year, he won the IBJJF European Championship at middleweight on 27 January 2024.^[54]

Nicky Ryan withdrew from his welterweight title-fight with Galvão at Who's Number One 22 and was replaced with Kenta Iwamoto instead.^[55] Galvão won the match by submission and retained the title. ^[56]

Galvão won a gold medal in the middleweight division of the IBJJF Pan Championship 2024 on March 24, 2024.^[57]

Galvão was booked to defend his Who's Number One welterweight title against Tommy Langaker at WNO 23 on May 10, 2024.^[58] He withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Andrew Tackett.^[59]

Galvão won the lightweight division of the IBJJF World Championship 2024 on June 1, 2024.^[60] This gold medal completed his IBJJF Grand Slam for the year.

Galvão competed against Davi Ramos in the main event of BJJ Stars 13: Vikings Edition on August 3, 2024.^[61] He won the match on points.^[62]

Galvão was then invited to compete in the 77kg division of the 2024 ADCC World Championship on August 17-18, 2024.^[63] He submitted Luiz Paulo in the opening round, beat Oliver Taza and PJ Barch by decision, then submitted Vagner Rocha to win the gold medal.^[64] This meant that Galvão became the second person to ever achieve the sport's Super grand slam for 2024.^[65] He also competed in the men's absolute division, submitted Elder Cruz in the opening round and being submitted by Dante Leon in the quarter-final.^[66]

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitive summary

Main Achievements (Black belt):^[1]

• IBJJF World champion (2022) (disqualified^[f])
• CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Champion (2022)
• BJJ Stars Middleweight Grand Prix Champion (2022)^[67]
• Third Coast Grappling Middleweight Grand Prix Champion (2021)^[21]
• ADCC Balneário Brazil Trials Champion (2021)^[68]
• AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro Champion (2021)
• AJP Grand Slam, RJ Champion (2021)
• 2nd place ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship (2022^[30])
• 2nd place WNO Championship (2021)

Main Achievements (Coloured Belts):^[1]

• IBJJF Pan No-Gi Champion (2021 brown)
• AJP World Pro Champion (2021 brown)
• AJP World Pro Qualifier BR winner (2021 brown)
• AJP Grand Slam, AD Champion (2020 purple, 2021 brown)
• 2nd place WNO Championship (2021)

Main Achievements (Juvenile):^[1]

• IBJJF World Championship Juvenile Champion (2019^[g])
• IBJJF Pan Championship Juvenile Champion (2019^[g])
• IBJJF European Open Juvenile Champion (2019^[g])
• IBJJF South American Championship Juvenile Champion (2019^[g])
• CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Juvenile Champion (2019^[g])
• CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Junior Champion (2015)
• BJJ Brazilian Nationals Teen Champion (2016)

Instructor lineage

Carlos Gracie → Helio Gracie → Royler Gracie → Augusto Monteiro → Ronnie Melo → Melquisedeque Galvão → Micael Galvão^[1]

Personal life

Galvão has stated that his concern for animal welfare has made him a vegetarian, and that his diet plan has benefited his athletic performance.^[69]

He is in a relationship with Amit Elor, ^[70] the youngest American to ever win an Olympic Gold medal in wrestling and win a senior title at the Freestyle Wrestling World Championships.^[71]

In 2024, Galvão announced his intention to represent Brazil in freestyle wrestling at the Olympic Games.^[72]

Notes

1. Since 2021^[3])
2. under Melqui Galvao
3. under Totonho Aleixo
4. Melqui Galvão was promoted to black belt in 2014^[9]
5. The Nandinho project was initially called "Ferinhas do Jiu-Jítsu", the project was renamed "Nandinho" after one of the students who died in 2012.^[10]
6. Disqualified from those results see Doping ban
7. Weight and absolute

References

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